One of the many rights of spring is making maple syrup. Today, I am starting my tree tapping process. I plan on making just 1 gallon of syrup this year. It takes anywhere from 36-40 gallons of raw sap to produce 1 gallon of pure maple syrup.
I don't use the traditional method of boiling the sap with wood. I figured out an easier way. I use gas to boil the sap in stock pots on two turkey fryers. When I get my sugar shack built in my driveway, I'll post pictures of my set up. Using gas is so much easier. It provides a constant heat and is much cleaner. No wood smoke to contaminate the sap as it boils.
I took pictures of some of the gear I use to tap trees. I use a brace and bit to drill the holes by hand. I have plastic taps with a small piece of hose attached. then I use gallon milk jugs to collect the sap. Everything was done with cost in mind. Actually, as cheap as possible. It is a fun project that my wife enjoys helping out with, and the rewards are very sweet. I'll post updates as I go.
Well, the sap around here refuses to flow. In three days, I've collected 1 gallon of sap. I only have 12 taps out, with one that broke, so now I have 11 taps out. The weather is to warm and now after this huge snow storm we are about to get, the temps are supposed to plummet. Then it will be to cold for awhile. The perfect weather is a freeze at night with a thaw during the day. I'm not going to put out more taps until after this snow storm. They are predicting up to 16" of snow now. Then I'll have to tromp thru hip deep snow to my trees. I did say this was fun right?
Pictured is my two Labs gaurding the only gallon of sap I've collected so far. It's nice to have helpers like them.
The sap is finally starting to flow. Looks like I'll be boiling this weekend. I'll post pictures of my operation. Any one else who is thinking about making syrup some time in the future, Maybe you can learn from what I'm doing. It's fun and the rewards are sweet.
Started the boiling process yesterday. Will be finishing up today. Figure I'll get about 1/2 gallon of syrup. I pulled all my taps,so after I get the syrup made and do all the clean up, It'll be time to get back into the fishing mode.
I'll be heading over to the DNR spring hearing at the Hayward high school on Monday. Any body else going, I'll meet you there.
Finished up on my syrup Sunday. Made just short of 3/4 gallon of sweet syrup. Boiled 24 gallons of sap in about 8 hours. I used the temperature method. First I boiled water to see what the exact temp it boiled for that day. it can vary day to day. The water boiled at 214 degrees, so i boiled the sap until 221 degrees. At 7 degrees over the temp of water boiling is when sap becomes syrup. That last degree is always the longest one to reach. As you can see in the pictures, the rewards are worth the wait.
Well I'm off to Hayward to attend the annual DNR spring hearing. I'll make a complete report on how things went tommorow.
Tree tapping time
Reply With Quote
