At Taproot, late winter is a season of regeneration.  Slowly, the sun is warming our spirits and reminding us that winter and spring are interconnected.  One tree that invites us of winter’s and spring’s regeneration is the elderberry.

Dear Elder,

Thank you for demonstrating resurrection in all seasons.

Not only can your spring berries (if we listen to your teachings) heal sickness,

your winter cuttings sprout baby elders.

Your teachings are vast.

We are learning.

In Gratitude,

Humans

It seems contradictory, that to grow more abundantly, we need to cut back.  But this is true of many plants, including the elderberry.  Late winter is the time to prune elderberry trees.  This allows for more branches to grow.  More branches mean more buds, which means more fruit.  The story of the branches does not end with their cutting, but actually begins there.

The branches that are cut can become cuttings or spiles.  The branches can be put into water or soil and they will grow roots.  So, baby elders grow from the branches of the older elder.  

In addition to cuttings, the branches can be made into spiles.  Spiles are used as the portal, or tap, for tapping maple trees.  After we cut the branches, we hollow out the inside of the branch.  Then, we drill a small hole into the maple tree, put in the elder spile, and out comes maple sap. During late winter, there is a short time in which the maple’s life force can be shared with us.

Dear Maple,

Thank you for sharing your life force

Your food

You defy gravity by pulling groundwater through your roots up to the tip of your branches

Your food

A mix of groundwater and sugar

Your food

Reduces stress, rehydrates faster than water, and has antioxidants

Your food

Reminds us that tapping into nature

Connecting the Sacred within us with all of creation is

Our food

That reduces stress, rehydrates, and heal

Your teachings are vast.

We are learning.

In Gratitude,

Humans

This year, we tapped 6 trees, across two blocks, with 5 of our neighbors.  It was a delight to introduce people on our block to maple sap.  To make maple syrup, you need approx. 40 gallons to make 1 gallon.  In previous years, we did not boil it down, but this year we decided to give it a try.  

We began our boiling on Pierre, our rocket stove that en built.

This was one of our favorite treats that came from the maple sap extravaganza.  Ginger maple sap bubble tea.  Boba were soaked in three maple syrups from three different areas of Detroit.  Mochi/tan yuan balls made from the boiled down maple sap in front of our house.

~Marcia. Please visit the Taproot Sanctuary Instagram for more photos :)