LA GRANDE — Homeschool teacher Dorene Kimball, of Elgin, will give an instructional presentation about tapping trees for sap and making maple syrup on Jan. 11, 3 p.m., in the Community Room at Cook Memorial Library, 2006 Fourth St.

The community is invited to sit in on the slide show presentation and learn how to harvest sap from their own trees. Admittance is free for all, so bring along a friend or anyone who is interested in agriculture, trees, and maple syrup production and learn how to do this yourself.

Kimball started her own syrup production on older trees on her 10-acre farm about five years ago, and she got hooked on the entire process.

“I watched a video once about people doing this, and since I had a big maple in my backyard, I thought I’d give it a go,” Kimball said. “It’s very interesting to see how the sap runs, and it’s really fun to do yourself.”

Excited to share what she learned with others, Kimball made her own live video and posted it on social media at www.facebook.com/share/v/18By3XeRj6.

Visit her blog at www.faith-family-farm.com and another one of her posts about maple syrup at Maple Syrup: The Basics of Tapping and Harvest.

Kimball’s presentation at Cook Memorial Library is a first-time experience for the homeschool teacher. However, she enjoys reaching out to the community and sharing something fun, tasty and very gratifying.

January is the best month to start tapping trees for syrup, and she will show her audience exactly how that’s done.

“It doesn’t harm the trees, but you have to select a new spot to tap each year,” she said. “The best time to tap your trees is when the temps are 20 degrees at night and 40 degrees during the day.”

It takes about 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup, but “it’s a super fun thing to do and it’s unique,” Kimball said. “The first sap, the early sap tastes like vanilla, and we save that for ice coffees in the summertime.”

At her presentation, she will distribute instructional hand-outs and resources for the equipment needed. She will cover questions about when and how to tap, the right equipment to use, how to collect the sap and how to process and store the syrup you make.

“I would like to invite the community to come to my presentation and learn about tapping trees for syrup,” she said. “Learn how to do this yourself and experience the satisfaction that comes from making your own maple syrup.”