Magazine

Drill, Baby, Drill

You’ll never suck enough sap from a tree to kill it, but you can injure it if you don’t vary your drill spots each year. Morse is a big fan of steel health spouts, which slip into holes drilled with a 5/16th-inch bit; you can pick them up at supply stores such as Bascom Maple […]

Illustration of a ballpoint pen piercing through a wooden surface with a blue background.

Photo Credit: Carlson, Fred

You’ll never suck enough sap from a tree to kill it, but you can injure it if you don’t vary your drill spots each year. Morse is a big fan of steel health spouts, which slip into holes drilled with a 5/16th-inch bit; you can pick them up at supply stores such as Bascom Maple Farms in Alstead, NH. If you live in an area that gets big winters, drill as low as possible. “If the snow melts, you don’t want to be reaching up for your buckets at the end of the season,” Morse cautions.

Ian Aldrich

Ian Aldrich is the executive editor at Yankee, where he has worked for more for two decades. As the magazine’s staff feature writer, he writes stories that delve deep into issues facing communities throughout New England. In 2019 he received gold in the reporting category at the annual City-Regional Magazine conference for his story on New England’s opioid crisis. Ian’s work has been recognized by both the Best American Sports and Best American Travel Writing anthologies. He lives with his family in Dublin, New Hampshire.

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