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03/30/11, 07:50 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Illinois
Posts: 9,898
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Wow, Tallpines. Are you sure you aren't north of the border, somewhere ?
We've been doing spring for a month. 
__________________
“I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.” Barry Goldwater.
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03/30/11, 08:13 AM
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Max
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Near Traverse City Michigan
Posts: 6,560
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tallpines
Still a foot of snow throughout our woods.
Single digit temps the last few nights.
No thawing during day light~~~~~~
But tomorrow!
Suppose to get up to 44!
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we had the same thing till a couple days ago. Got a spring snow storm a week ago. Sap is just starting to run again
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03/30/11, 08:16 AM
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Max
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Near Traverse City Michigan
Posts: 6,560
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Maggie
We have heard that when there's ice in the buckets to toss it. Is this really helpful, or are we wasting sap when tossing it? Thanks for any ideas and help; have a great day, Maggie
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I agree with seedspreader and forerunner. taste the ice, if it isnt sweet, toss it
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03/30/11, 08:40 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Southwestern Ontario
Posts: 207
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Forerunner
Wow, Tallpines. Are you sure you aren't north of the border, somewhere ?
We've been doing spring for a month. |
Really? You must be in southern Illinois? Prolonged late winter here too, but not nearly as cold as Wisconsin.
Long term forecast looks like this week might be the last for sap.
Chris
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03/30/11, 09:01 AM
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Moderator
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Mid-Michigan
Posts: 4,536
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Sap just started to run again here yesterday. We had a good run, then it was too warm for about 3 days (55-70 daytime and 40-45 lows), then a cold snap where it didn't get above 30 during the day the last week straight.
Checked my taps yesterday and they were just starting to drip again. Forecast looks good for the next two days, possibly five.
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03/30/11, 09:48 AM
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: U.P. of Michigan
Posts: 1,190
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Finally tapped our trees on Monday here in the UP. Good sap flow so far 
__________________
Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.
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03/30/11, 04:35 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Southwestern Ontario
Posts: 207
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Here's our setup this year (tapped 45 trees):
We're having a blast! My son said he didn't realize it would be this much fun 
Chris
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03/30/11, 07:10 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 705
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Gonna need a bigger set up next year for cooking. Thank God we only tapped 4 trees. LOL Dh has been up into the wee hours cooking sap in my little roasting pan for the last week. I say its payback for all the time I stayed up late when our dd was a baby. Having fun though and im gonna try making some into sugar to use on ham and bacon this year.
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03/30/11, 07:21 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: maine
Posts: 1,175
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We wrapped our little operation up last Saturday with almost 2 gals. medium amber syrup.
Have passed the tradition on to the next generation .
Sap still running but we got what we wanted for the year and pulled out.
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03/31/11, 03:35 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: michigan
Posts: 22,570
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Quote:
Originally Posted by seedspreader
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I've read that some plants have sugar in them-it works like anti-freeze. The part that freezes is just water?
Last edited by 7thswan; 04/01/11 at 08:17 AM.
Reason: clarity
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03/31/11, 07:14 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Ottawa Valley
Posts: 244
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Wow, took me almost 2 hours to collect tonight. I really could have gone out twice, the buckets were that full! I have enough to start boiling which is good because temps might not get cold enough for the next three nights.
If I don't start boiling tomorrow and it DOES run the next for days i'm gonna be SO behind. And NO, I don't boil all night :P
Just wondering if anyone sells their syrup? This will be my first year selling it and so far people are loving it.
The only method I used to determine if the syrup is finished its to boil it about 7 degrees above point of water boil at the time, but when it gets close to that temp, sheeting/mouth feel is more important. I dont' think I've ever gotten it right at the 7degree mark.
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04/02/11, 08:21 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 1,881
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Our sap started running a little bit earlier this week, but then it got cold again and snowed! I think we have enough to boil a batch, was really hoping things were going to run good this week though.
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04/02/11, 10:56 AM
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Moderator
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Mid-Michigan
Posts: 4,536
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I had to go collect twice yesterday, the trees here were running so good.
I think today will be the last day, though--temps are supposed to go up and the buds are looking like it's about time to pull taps.
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04/03/11, 12:01 AM
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AFKA ZealYouthGuy
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NW Pa./NY Border.
Posts: 11,453
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Not seeing any bud swell here. Still boiling... right now as we speak... er type.
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04/03/11, 02:38 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 7,802
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researchers say maple syrup is a superfood
I was just watching this on the news and found it on internet. 
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp...8f803029cac.01
Quote:
Maple syrup a 'superfood': researchers
(AFP) – 1 day ago
OTTAWA — Researchers have identified compounds in maple syrup with similar anti-inflammatory or anti-oxidant properties as blueberries, green tea and other "superfoods."
"In our laboratory research we found that several of these compounds possess anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which have been shown to fight cancer, diabetes and bacterial illnesses," said lead researcher Navindra Seeram, assistant professor of pharmacognosy at the University of Rhode Island.
Initial studies also suggest that polyphenols in the syrup may help keep blood sugar levels in check, important for diabetics, by inhibiting enzymes that are involved in the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar, he said.
The discoveries of new molecules in the syrup also provide chemists with leads that could prompt synthesis of medications to fight other diseases.
The findings were presented this week at an annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in Anaheim, California and are to be published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Functional Foods.
The study was funded by the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
A total of 54 beneficial compounds were identified by the researchers in pure maple syrup from Quebec, including five of which have never been seen in nature.
Among the new compounds is quebecol -- named in honor of the Canadian province of Quebec, which leads the world in maple syrup production.
The researchers believe it is created when a farmer boils off the water in maple sap to get maple syrup. It takes 40 liters (20.5 gallons) of sap to make one liter (two pints) of syrup.
The sweet sap is collected from maple trees in the spring when freezing and thawing cycles cause it to rise and flow from taps hammered into tree trunks.
Seeram said the irony of finding a potential anti-diabetes compound in a sweetener is not lost on him. "Not all sweeteners are created equal," he said.
But while it may make a good substitute for high fructose corn syrup on pancakes he discourages anyone from going out and drinking gallons of it in hopes of extracting the benefits.
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04/03/11, 08:28 AM
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AFKA ZealYouthGuy
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NW Pa./NY Border.
Posts: 11,453
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I fell asleep and woke up to burnt (and some not burnt) maple sugar. Ugh. All that precious maple wasted.
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04/03/11, 09:25 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: michigan
Posts: 22,570
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Quote:
Originally Posted by seedspreader
I fell asleep and woke up to burnt (and some not burnt) maple sugar. Ugh. All that precious maple wasted.
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Oh, I'm sorry.
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04/03/11, 02:54 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: A woods in Wisconsin
Posts: 9,283
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We haul all our sap about 5 miles down the road where it is cooked for us.
The guy cooking keeps 1/2 the syrup. We take home the other half.
Today that guy had a pancake feed so DH gave me the updated "tour" of the cooking process.
All the sap is first run through an osmosis set-up.
This process removes 2/3 of the water!
(Osmosis machine = $15,000)
The remaining 1/3 flows to the cooker.
It comes out the other end of the cooker as syrup ~~~ at the rate of about 10 gallons of syrup per hour!
His fuel for heat is fuel oil.
Once the sap is pumped into that first holding tank, the sap is on a continuous flow through stainless steel pipes --- through osmosis --- through the second holding area --- on through to the cooker.
Sounds like a big fancy set-up!
But its all inside a ramshackled shed with an attached lean-to.
Their homestead is cluttered with Christmas and Halloween decorations still setting out, and their large "collection" of old "junkque" and antique tools.
Lots of chickens, cats and children running about.
It's a very interesting place to visit!
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04/03/11, 03:07 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: A woods in Wisconsin
Posts: 9,283
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DH takes about 180 gallons of sap at a time to the guy who cooks it.
They test the sugar content of each load.
The number of gallons AND the sugar content of each load determines the final gallons of syrup from each load.
At the end of the season we get back 1/2 of the syrup.
Last Friday's load ----- where DH had thrown out lots of ice ---- tested at 3.5.
This morning's load measured only 2.4.
Many years ago when we tapped only hard maples our test would be as high as 4.2.
Now that DH has retired he taps both soft and hard maple.
He has about 150 trees tapped this year.
We still have almost a foot of snow in our woods.
Last week we could walk across the top of the snow.
This week we break through the snow and sink up to the top of our boots.
And with the snow cover its difficult to see where gullies and stones and fallen twigs are.
Makes for difficult walking ---- particularily for knees and ankles that are as "old" as ours are!
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04/04/11, 07:12 AM
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Max
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Near Traverse City Michigan
Posts: 6,560
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Weve been boiling all day all week. We boiled till 11 pm Friday night. dad started at 430 am Saturday. Me and my wife boiled till 11 pm Saturday night. dad started again early Sunday morning. We quit last night about 8pm. We have 240 gallons of syrup, enough sap right now to make another 10, and the near future temps look good We might make it to 300 gallons this year. We made 180 gallons last year. Im pretty happy with the season. My wife, kids, and dad are ready for it to be over.
The generator that runs the vacuum pump quit yesterday.mine is at a repair shop, and ready to pick up. Dad is gonna go exchange them, get mine plugged in and get the vacuum going this morning.
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