The OFFICIAL MAPLE SYRUP thread

HappySevenFarm · #**121** 03/10/13, 06:44 AM

Tab, you have that right about taking over ones life! I just don't understand why it takes over ones life but it sure does especially since there's so much work involved in the process.

I'm boiling one last batch today and my season will be over. I'll be pulling my taps and getting everything cleaned up and put away on Tuesday. It will be 7 weeks ago today that I tapped my trees and I will say that I, myself, am now tapped out!

Forerunner · #**122** 03/10/13, 08:53 AM

Yes....taking over ones life, indeed.

I get up several times a night to stoke the fire and transfer sap to the boiler.

Between walking out there eight or ten times a day and the actual sap collection, this old man is pretty wore down by the time we plant taters.

The last week has been a little slower, but we're fixin' to break 110 gallons in the next day or two.

The forecast is beginning to smack suspiciously of spring.

DarleneJ · #**123** 03/11/13, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tab

DarleneJ, one time when the weather was really windy and I couldn't boil my started batch went two days. I was worried as it was about half boiled. It was fine. Since then I have had to do that for other batches and it works ok. This syrup thing has a way of kind of taking over one's life.

Thank you tab and especially moeh1 (for getting back to me so quickly.) I woke up that day feeling great and just after noon was hit by what seemed like a ton of bricks. I laid in my dark bedroom with my handy bucket in reach. It was all I could do to keep filling the pan of sap that I was evaporating. By that evening I realized (thinking was taking extra long) there was no way I could stand by the stove and finish the syrup.

By the next morning I was just fine again. One of those things, I guess.

The situation did help me to come up with a method that works great for me (between one and two quarts/day.) I start boiling in the morning once the sap is running and let it boil all day and into the evening. Then I let the boiled sap cool and plop a lid on the pan. Next morning I filter the sap into my finishing pan and let it boil inside until it's done (while I buzz around the house doing things - or post on HT.) It works out great.

THANK YOU for your help. You guys are awesome.

Oh, tab, my husband and I were just talking about getting our lives back, then the trees seemed to decide that for us! Got too warm yesterday and didn't freeze. We'll see what happens this week.

Has anyone made maple vinegar? Here's a link to an old time description for how it's made. (When the author talks about rising she means - the yeast starter culture, to get the fermentation going:

http://www.theoldfoodie.com/2006/07/...anada-day.html

Of course, there are instructions for maple beer and maple wine for the more adventurous types.

michiganfarmer · #**124** 03/11/13, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forerunner

The last week has been a little slower, but we're fixin' to break 110 gallons in the next day or two.

The forecast is beginning to smack suspiciously of spring

.

110 gallons. thats fantastic

michiganfarmer · #**125** 03/11/13, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HappySevenFarm

Tab, you have that right about taking over ones life! I just don't understand why it takes over ones life but it sure does especially since there's so much work involved in the process.

I'm boiling one last batch today and my season will be over. I'll be pulling my taps and getting everything cleaned up and put away on Tuesday. It will be 7 weeks ago today that I tapped my trees and I will say that I, myself, am now tapped out!

that sure is the way it is. Its all fun and excitement at the beginning, and the end is exhaustion and relief that its over lol

michiganfarmer · #**126** 03/11/13, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beaglebiz

Michigan farmer, will you have any to sell this year? Just opened my last half gallon, which my adult ds swiped a pint jar full of when he stopped to visit.

I sure hope I have plenty. I have the tubing all fixed and the vacuum running. Sap is comming.We arent boiling yet, but should be soon

michiganfarmer · #**127** 03/11/13, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vermontelf

What do you all do with your syrup? Personal consumption and gifts? Other products like maple mustard? (that's a favorite of mine!) We cook with it a lot too.

Im trying to suppliment my income, so I sell a lot, but our family uses probably close to 20 gallons per year. Meat glaze, ice cream, coffe sweetener, of course pancakes....

michiganfarmer · #**128** 03/11/13, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kris in MI

Forerunner, you are a syrup enabler

.

<chuckle> he is indeed

michiganfarmer · #**129** 03/11/13, 07:45 AM

900 taps in. Vacuum pump is running. Pulling 25" hg. I hope to add a couple hundred more taps on tubing inour woods, and 300 buckets on roadside trees

michiganfarmer · #**130** 03/11/13, 07:48 AM

A friend came out and helped me in the woods. We worked in 40 degree rain all day yesterday finding and repairing vacuum leaks in the tubing. We were soaked and froze by 7 pm. Not many people would do that for anyone. Ray Myers, I cant thank you enough.

michiganfarmer · #**131** 03/11/13, 07:51 AM

I dotn know why that last font is bold. I didnt do it on purpose

primal1 · #**132** 03/11/13, 06:36 PM

YAY 2 cups of Manitoba maple syrup! LOL
It's actually, to my surprise, just as sweet as the regular stuff i by from a farmer friend. Just had a huge plate of potato pancakes smothered in the still warm syrup

Sour Kraut Farm · #**133** 03/11/13, 08:01 PM

Not running great here yet, but I've noticed where I have a tree that splits off into two or more trunks, the trunk to the north (shade) is running better. I thought the ones getting sun would run better? Just my second season doing it, so I"m still green.

janetn · #**134** 03/12/13, 03:41 AM

Maple syrup newbie here - we just tapped our trees yesterday. Looking forward to the adventure. We know that by the time we are done we will be sick of it, just like we're sick of canning by the time the season ends

sherry in Maine · #**135** 03/12/13, 05:33 AM

Hi, am buying a few gallons from a local guy.
Each year, I usually buy a few quart jugs of Maine syrup; but normally leave them in the basement till we need them. During winter (and summer too) the basement is very cool, of course summertime it's cool, but not as cool in winter.
The syrup guy tells me since I bought 5gal, it should be frozen or fridgerated til I need it. I will do so, since he says to. Does the quality degrade if it isn't in the freezer?
I have a big freezer that I keep the half cow or pig I buy each year.
Looking forward to having some of his; normally I buy stuff from the supermarket, that is just labelled "Maine Maple Syrup". Buying in bulk, I figured that I'd save $5 to 7 bucks a quart.

michiganfarmer · #**136** 03/12/13, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sherry in Maine

The syrup guy tells me since I bought 5gal, it should be frozen or fridgerated til I need it. I will do so, since he says to. Does the quality degrade if it isn't in the freezer?
.

syrup needs to either be canned, or refrigerated below 40 degrees.

michiganfarmer · #**137** 03/12/13, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sour Kraut Farm

Not running great here yet, but I've noticed where I have a tree that splits off into two or more trunks, the trunk to the north (shade) is running better. I thought the ones getting sun would run better? Just my second season doing it, so I"m still green.

as the ambient temp increases all the trees will run from taps on all sides. Dont worry about tapping on any particular side of a tree

Forerunner · #**138** 03/12/13, 09:20 AM

Bulk syrup can be heated to 180 degrees, F, and poured into hot canning jars with hot lids and sealed to last forever.
We have some so canned from the late 90s, still hidden in the dark recesses of the canning pantries, and never had a jar go bad.

If left to sit out too long, it will develop a white mold, which is harmless and can be merely plucked out with a fork. When in question, reheat it to kill any spores.

Refrigeration will keep syrup good for months, anyway.

Vermontelf · #**139** 03/12/13, 04:35 PM

Forerunner, we almost hit 100 yesterday too (90 is still good). But last night and today it rained, so no real amount of sap today. We'll have more though.

Enjoy the season!

stanb999 · #**140** 03/13/13, 06:03 AM

Question, I have been boiling down on kerosene stove for the last few years, the syrup is always very light. I made a block boiler so I can boil more faster. The first batch on wood is real dark. Why the change? What causes the syrup to be dark?

It tastes the same. Just the color is different.