its maple syrup time

[Scadsobees]

Somthing i've always wanted to do but never knew anybody to ask about.  So how does one get into making maple syrup? 

Hank,
I tried it just for fun...got about 15 gallons of "sap" and boiled that down to 1 quart (and boiled and boiled and boiled!!))

Not the right way, but if it is something you want to try before spending a lot of money on it....

I just drilled a small hole (3/8 or 1/2) about 1 or two inches deep.  Pounded in a small piece of copper pipe I had laying around.  I put a long screw a bit above this and hang a 1 gallon bucket from that.  Two of those per tree.  Can get about a gallon per day from a tree.  Three trees, 5 days.  Boiled all that down on the stove for a long time.

It was really cool ending up with syrup.  I think it is because I have silver maples, the syrup, while sweet and mapley, has a weird smell.  If I had some sugar maples I'd probably invest in more equipment.

Rick

[joker1656]

Those land prices are shocking.  I wish we could come close to those prices.  usually $10k/acre and up around here.

My buddy made maple syrup last year.  1st year.  Looked fun, but I don't have that kind of time right now.  Sure was tasty though!!!

Someday.....

[skflyfish]

Danno,

I would suggest you try some of the sap cows that line a lot of the country roads. My yards trees consistently make a gallon of syrup from 25 gallons of sap. But they are big ole sap cows. Our ancestors planted so many along the roads, at least around here, and they have a huge canopy and little competition, so they really produce. Some trees you can get 3 or 4 buckets on.

Jay

[danno]

Danno,

I would suggest you try some of the sap cows that line a lot of the country roads. My yards trees consistently make a gallon of syrup from 25 gallons of sap. But they are big ole sap cows. Our ancestors planted so many along the roads, at least around here, and they have a huge canopy and little competition, so they really produce. Some trees you can get 3 or 4 buckets on.

Jay

Jay
The county road I live on has  doz's  of trees that are right off the edge of the gravel.  It summer its like entering a tunnel.    They are very old and very large but in this day and age I just dont trust people and kids in particular, messing around with my buckets.  When I was young it would have never crossed our minds to steal or vadalize.   I like the early light colored syrup but dont want it pee colored

[VolunteerK9]

Danno,

Jay
   I like the early light colored syrup but dont want it pee colored

LMAO.

How about some lemon colored snow cream?

[winginit]

I tapped some maples this year, but not until late March as the weather didn't cooperate. The trees weren't budding yet, but as I boiled down the syrup (in a turkey fryer), it started to smell. I didn't know what "buddy" meant until I smelled that smell. And as I gave up, I saw that the local maple syrup "farm" was quitting for the season.

I used plastic icing containers to collect sap. I washed them many times and soaked overnight, but they still had a faint fake icing smell. Could that have been the problem, or was it just too late? Also, I didn't cover the buckets, but I did collect daily. I was unemployed so it was a great project. If only I hadn't cheapskated out on those buckets. I spent many hours cleaning nasty fake icing. I can't believe we let kids eat that stuff.  

[skflyfish]

Danno,

I can understand your concern.  FWIW, I do see folks tapping road trees around here. They are sap cows, for sure.

One of my yard trees is right next to my pressure bed for my septic system. I call it my 'sewer sap' tree. 

Anyway, the added nutrients it gets makes the sap too sweet. I boiled it exclusively one year and it took only 15 gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup. It looked more like honey (or pee) but had no maple flavor at all. According to maple grading systems it would be premo, but I find it just sweet and without taste. I have since quit tapping it cause it diluted to good maple flavor of my other trees. Personally I like the later sap, just before it turns 'buddy'.

Here is a link of a guy who taps road trees. http://www.mi-maplesyrup.com/Information/info_tapping_journal.asp?action=display_producer&producer_id=11

I didn't tap last year and am glad I didn't. How long was it? A week and a half?

Jay