The Official 2008 Maple Syrup Thread.

michiganfarmer · #21 01/21/08, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericjeeper

Found a good price at RMG Sugar bush. I am not sure which spiles to order. I have called them and sent emails to of which I have not gotten a reply as of yet..

You probably wont either.

I bought my evaporator from RMG.

I have since changed suppliers.

I buy from Hide away sugar bush. 231-885-2900

michiganfarmer · #22 01/21/08, 07:05 AM

These are last year. It was a very bad year. I sure hope for more sap this year.

The Official 2008 Maple Syrup Thread. - Homesteading Questions

mwhit · #23 01/21/08, 07:14 AM

I'm thinking of tapping a few trees this year too. I've got a few nice maples in my front yard and a few more out back. I won't get a lot from them, but I figure I might as well get what I can.

Michelle

seedspreader · #24 01/21/08, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwhit

I'm thinking of tapping a few trees this year too. I've got a few nice maples in my front yard and a few more out back. I won't get a lot from them, but I figure I might as well get what I can.

Michelle

If they are big trees you might be pleasantly surprised.

michiganfarmer · #25 01/21/08, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwhit

I'm thinking of tapping a few trees this year too. I've got a few nice maples in my front yard and a few more out back. I won't get a lot from them, but I figure I might as well get what I can.

Michelle

Like Bob said, large trees can handle 3, and sometimes 4 5 gallon buckets, and when you get a good hard freeze, then a 50 degree day, the tree will fill 3 or 4 5 gallon buckets....AND, if the trees are road trees, I mean trees that have a full canopy like the trees along the side of the road, the sugar content will be 3% or more witch means it only takes 28 gallons or less to make a gallon of syrup.

mwhit · #26 01/21/08, 07:33 AM

Thanks guys! These are very big trees-- they used to be tapped every year when I was a kid, but I haven't done it since I lived here. I think back then ( up to 30 years ago) the old guy had 3 taps per tree, but I might try 4?? What do ya think??

The ones in the front would be considered 'road trees', but the ones out back are in among quite a few other trees. I might go tap a few at my parents too.

Michelle

michiganfarmer · #27 01/21/08, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwhit

Thanks guys! These are very big trees-- they used to be tapped every year when I was a kid, but I haven't done it since I lived here. I think back then ( up to 30 years ago) the old guy had 3 taps per tree, but I might try 4?? What do ya think??

The ones in the front would be considered 'road trees', but the ones out back are in among quite a few other trees. I might go tap a few at my parents too.

Michelle

If you are going to tap them every year, I think 3 is plenty. If you are only going to tap them every few years then I think 4 would be ok.

Jus think about it. 4 holes every year...it wouldnt take mane years and there would be a lot of holes.

mwhit · #28 01/21/08, 07:53 AM

Thanks. I'll go with three then because I'll probably do it every year. Nobody has tapped them in probably 15 years-- the old guy died in '95 and he hadn't done it in a few years before that-- he was in his 90's by then.

Michelle

seedspreader · #29 01/21/08, 08:10 AM

Had a friend growing up who lived on a small lot in town. One VERY large Sugar Maple and they could get a couple of gallons of syrup out of it in a good year.

michiganfarmer · #30 01/21/08, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seedspreader

Had a friend growing up who lived on a small lot in town. One VERY large Sugar Maple and they could get a couple of gallons of syrup out of it in a good year.

WOW, LOL that is amazing

mwhit · #31 01/21/08, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seedspreader

Had a friend growing up who lived on a small lot in town. One VERY large Sugar Maple and they could get a couple of gallons of syrup out of it in a good year.

Maybe I'll be that lucky

Michelle

Beltane · #32 01/21/08, 01:10 PM

I'm getting excited...I asked DH today where our buckets and taps were.

Thank you everyone for all of the information and suggestions.

MTplainsman · #33 01/21/08, 02:52 PM

I don't mean to cut in on this thread, but I figured this would be the time to get a question I've had since I was little answered. Can you make syrup from the sap of a Boxelder tree??? I know it is a Maple, and we have several of them growing in the coulees around here. Will they even bleed out like a Sugar Maple? Would this be a waste of time to try? Thanks if anyone knows.

seedspreader · #34 01/21/08, 02:54 PM

http://ohioline.osu.edu/for-fact/0036.html

Yes, but it's not sweet and light like maple syrup, more heavy like sorghum.

MTplainsman · #35 01/21/08, 02:59 PM

seedspreader, I sure thank you! Talk about quick to answer! I am all excited now, cause I may be the only soul in this country to have ever created a bottle of maple syrup, LOL! Thanks again friend. Joel

RedneckPete · #36 01/21/08, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seedspreader

Had a friend growing up who lived on a small lot in town. One VERY large Sugar Maple and they could get a couple of gallons of syrup out of it in a good year.

I count on one liter (1/4 gallon for the American folks) of finished syrup per tap per year. I haven't been disappointed yet.

I even tap a large number of silver maples, which seem to make up for the low sugar content with an inordinate amount of sap.

Pete

Up North Louie · #37 01/21/08, 06:25 PM

We tap about 75-80 trees now, about 2 or 3% of what we have available.

We have plans to expand, as we want to go from a hobby that pays for itself [sorta] to an actual cash crop. The current thinking is to tag our trees with numbered cattle tags, and keep track of how each tree produces. We will probably add 30 or so taps this season (about a month or so off), and see how it goes.

I have used a lot of different spiles, and have concluded that the formed stainless ones, look like they're curled around a cone to make them, I think those have produced the best for us over time. They're easy to get out and clean up, as well.

Like the fellow in Michigan said, it was a dismal year in Wisconsin last season.

But hope springs eternal :-) Sap is the best time of the year.

Don

charliesbugs · #38 01/21/08, 08:02 PM

I do not have a lot of maple on my place but a lot of box elder along the creek.Have tapped these for years and have gotten good results.It takes about 10% more water then sugar maple but cooked down I can not tell any diff. I have a diff. way of tapping, I use a hoof knife and make a line about a foot long up and down on the tree and then 4to5 cuts that angle to the main cut. I make about a 3/4 inch hole and use hard plastic pipe with about 1/2 of it open on top. On a good day have saw it almost a steady stream for a few seconds. Box elder are not long living along the creek and does not seem to hurt them,they are a member of the maple family.

Candace · #39 01/21/08, 08:37 PM

Holy Cow! I am new to the site and my mind is racing... sooooo, what kind of maple trees can you tap? Any kind or does it have to be a particular species? The thought of collecting sap and making my own syrup... are you kidding me??? Where the heck have I been? (Can anybody tell that this is a very exciting proposition for me?) I think I have some quick homework to do but wanted to know about which maples can be used. Wow! You guys are so amazing. (Yes, I am easily entertained but this is very cool and I hope those of you who know how to do these things are amazing!)

MELOC · #40 01/21/08, 08:52 PM

you want the native maples...sugar maple, black maple, red maple and silver maple. avoid norway maple as it has cloudy sap. box elder can be tapped as well.