saps a runnin

[jedneck]

Anybody tapping maples to boil down the sap for syrup. Just got done putting out nine taps. Gotta get more taps. 40 gallons boil down to make 1 gallon syrup. I can taste the pancakes and Bacon now.

[Cardinalbags]

I had a buddy that started tapping trees about 17 years ago. He didn't have much tubing to collect it all so he just hung buckets under the spouts and collected in the buckets and hauled them back out of the woods... spilling half of the sap sometimes..

We both worked in a metal fabrication shop at the time and the company was experimenting with building furnace fuel oil tanks out of stainess steel. He was able to buy the prototype for next to nothing once they realized no one would buy a SS fuel oil tank. Was great for collecting the sap in then he built a large boil pan 5'x5'x4" deep that sat on top of an outdoor firepit to boil the sap down.... Worked nicely.

Then he started with cranberry bogs... I thought he was crazier than sh^t, but now he lives off his land selling some of the finest handcrafted maple syrup and cranberry products in that neck of the woods.

Lots of hard work, but something they can be very proud of.

[jedneck]

Maybe we can do a swap rock.

[bellybuster]

few weeks before sap season here. Still well below freezing.

[hitek redneck]

Yeah sap is not running here yet unless you have a vacuum system. Plus its gonna be well below Zero again next week. Looking like mid march before I am gonna get started.

HR

[jedneck]

First liter bottle filled. Took about 20 gallons to get this much. Buckets got a little rain in so had to cook more water out. Time to start over.

[hitek redneck]

Finally got 1 500ml jar of syrup this week.. weather has been crap. Worst season in a long time. To add to that we are getting -10C this week coming and a snow hurricane on wed.. woot great fun!

[bellybuster]

ho hum...we are still under 4 feet of snow.
Syrup looks good jedneck, I like mine well cooked down, almost burnt. My bro in law does syrup every year and leaves some in the finishing pan to cook off just for me.

[BoisBlancBoy]

I'm about to tap this coming weekend. Looks as though the weather is about to cooperate. I'll be tapping about 50 trees this year. My family used to do it commercially, used to make between 1000-1500 gallons of syrup a year. Now it's just enough for the family. But just like sitting watching the still work away it's fun to watch the sap boil.