Welcome to Sap Buckets

What is a sap bucket, you ask? If you’ve ever enjoyed the sweet taste of maple syrup, you’ll appreciate the role of sap buckets in its production. Maple syrup is a sweetener made from the sap maple trees. In cold climate areas, maple trees store sugar in their roots before the winter. Sap rises in the spring and is tapped and collected in a sap bucket. The harvesting season lasts only three weeks.

The majority of maple syrup is produced in Quebec, Canada - over 90% of the world’s supply. Every year, over 12 million maples are tapped in Quebec. The United States is the leading consumer and only other major producer, with most production in New England.

Sap buckets are the traditional method of collecting the syrup as it runs out of the tapped maple tree. Tin sap buckets that were produced in the 1930's – 1950's were normally painted prior to use, so the maple farmers could distinguish their sap buckets from their neighbors'. Authentic tin sap buckets from this period are scarce and quickly becoming a rarity.

As durable rustic antiques, sap buckets have found a following with artisans and craftspeople. They are a great media for all types of artistic expression and have become a favorite indoor and outdoor decor. This site is dedicated to all those that work with sap buckets and for those that appreciate the simple and pure rustic appeal of an antique sap bucket.

Enjoy!

• See photos of sap buckets
• Browse the sap buckets blog for great sap bucket projects and ideas
• View some of the work of sap bucket artisans
• Find a place to get some sap buckets