If you have access to sugar or red maple trees why not try your hand at making some maple syrup.
The Urban Forager has a really great article on tapping the trees and then tells you how to make the syrup from the sap.
This was a fascinating read and I am going to scout around and see if I can find some trees I can tap and try this out.
Urban Forager: Made-in-Brooklyn Maple Syrup
http://fort-greene.thelocal.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/urban-forager-made-in-brooklyn-maple-syrup/
Maple Syrup Tree Tapping Harvest Kit
Tap My Trees Glass Maple Syrup Bottles – Set of 3
Backyard Sugarin’: A Complete How-To Guide, Third Edition
Maple Sugaring at Home