Author Topic: OT Maple Taps (Read 155413 times)

slt · « **on:** Mar 17, 2008, 07:08 PM »

Any one tapping trees for sap? I haven't for a couple year now and was wondering about the sap run. The weather this past week has been almost perfect for it. Warm days , cold nights and a good snow pack. MMMMMMM.....homemade syrup on pancakes and bacon

lindenborn · « **Reply #1 on:** Mar 17, 2008, 07:09 PM »

saw a bunch in bowdoin on my way to the lake

Loves To Fish · « **Reply #2 on:** Mar 17, 2008, 07:12 PM »

Yup, I'm seeing tapped trees every place I've been driving, Skowhegan, Fairfield, Norridgewock, Smithfield..........

Fishalot · « **Reply #3 on:** Mar 17, 2008, 07:41 PM »

Everything is good with maple syrup poured over it.

rude the dude · « **Reply #4 on:** Mar 17, 2008, 07:49 PM »

I have had the trees in my yard tapped for a week. I have almost a gallon of syrup already.

mainedukblaster · « **Reply #5 on:** Mar 17, 2008, 08:15 PM »

where would one buy the taps .. i would like to tap the 3 big mature sugar maples in my yard.. how many taps can a tree handle?

maineduckhunter · « **Reply #6 on:** Mar 17, 2008, 08:59 PM »

Saw steam coming out of a local sugar house today

......here comes the GOODNESS!!!

icefishmaine · « **Reply #7 on:** Mar 17, 2008, 09:19 PM »

i just put my taps out 2 days ago and the sap has been flowing pretty good. as far as where to get taps, i get mine at paris farmers union. a big maple can take 2-3 taps and really big maples (23"+) can take 4

jayswimmer09 · « **Reply #8 on:** Mar 17, 2008, 09:22 PM »

it has been flowing great!!!! buckets are overflowing!!! lots of real syrup coming my way

PACKMAN241982 · « **Reply #9 on:** Mar 17, 2008, 09:24 PM »

I started abput two weeks ago and the sugaring has been pretty damn good. I would have to say that the trees I tapped today during work were doing well. Im glad that im not the one doing all the work though.

MaineFishah · « **Reply #10 on:** Mar 17, 2008, 09:26 PM »

First off, I'm not really sure of any places locally to find supplies for tapping, but there are many online vendors. Years ago for Christmas we got my grandfather some taps, filters, a large candy thermometer and the refractometer all online. I can't remember the site, but a quick search turned up this one and it has many types of taps. I definitely suggest the ones with hooks and you can just use coffee cans or something to collect it.

http://www.sugarbushsupplies.com/2007_Catalog/traditional_collection.pdf

For information on tapping and how many taps per tree, check this link out as there is a lot of helpful info. for the beginner.

http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/PDFpubs/7036.pdf

MrMarty51 · « **Reply #11 on:** Mar 17, 2008, 09:52 PM »

i`ve been trying to get some Maple trees started in My yard.I had some that made it 3 years and then died.Planted 3 more summer before last and I do`nt think they will make it.
I want to get them going here so I can tap them and and get the good homemade syrup but just ca`nt seem to get the right combination.
Maple trees are not native to this soil and I think it might be an acid content thing as a Juniper will grow feet in a years time.or maby it could be the water from the shallow well as I think it has a lot of iron and alkali in it and also a lot of Magnesiem Sulfate.
I LOVE MAPLE SYRUP!!!!

sticks · « **Reply #12 on:** Mar 17, 2008, 09:54 PM »

MDB theres a Paris Farmers Union on washinton ave just past allen ave on the left they might have them

gamefisher · « **Reply #13 on:** Mar 18, 2008, 04:55 AM »

Quote from: mainedukblaster on Mar 17, 2008, 08:15 PM

where would one buy the taps .. i would like to tap the 3 big mature sugar maples in my yard.. how many taps can a tree handle?

One of the fondest memories from my childhood was getting off the school bus every afternoon at my grandfathers' farm and going out to collect the sap. He was your typical old time Mainah, and we made our taps out of small ash branches about 1" diameter or a little less. Hollowed out the pith with a coat hanger, and just used milk jugs to collect the sap. Worked just fine indeed. Great times and great memories.

SPARKYICE · « **Reply #14 on:** Mar 18, 2008, 05:58 AM »

Quote from: mainedukblaster on Mar 17, 2008, 08:15 PM

where would one buy the taps .. i would like to tap the 3 big mature sugar maples in my yard.. how many taps can a tree handle?

the taps are called "spiles".
a mature tree can handle 3, maybe 4 taps.
in areas where it's common to tap trees, local hardware or farm supply stores should carry suggering equipment.
if you're just doing a few trees for fun, you can boil down with a big stainless steel pot.
resist the temptation to boil inside- the steam makes a mess of your walls and ceilings. a big mess.
you will need to boil around 35 to 40 gallons of sap to get a gallon of syrup.
don't boil it too hard- just hot enough to have a gentle rolling boil
keep adding sap, slowly, as you boil.
when you get close to the syrup stage, be careful-you can boil over and ruin the whole batch.
use a candy thermometer-as the syrup stage approaches, the boil temp gets lower.(from 212 to 208 or so-i can't remember.)
don't keep sap for more than a day or two.
hope this helps

MaineFishah · « **Reply #15 on:** Mar 18, 2008, 06:34 AM »

If you do end up making some syrup, you'll have to boil some down and make taffy. Pour it from the boiling pan directly onto some clean snow and roll it up with a spoon or butter knife or something. The taffy was always my favorite part of the whole sugaring experience!!

mainedukblaster · « **Reply #16 on:** Mar 18, 2008, 06:46 AM »

thats neat I was reading about that stuff!!!

Thanks all for the tips and recon on where to get supplies!

Hoodoo · « **Reply #17 on:** Mar 18, 2008, 07:36 AM »

The sap has been real sllllllllow in midcoast Maine this past week don't think it has warmed enough in the afternoons week before was awsome almost a gallon of syrup from 3 trees I think it will get better from here on out.

BoneHead · « **Reply #18 on:** Mar 18, 2008, 09:33 AM »

Quote from: MaineFishah on Mar 18, 2008, 06:34 AM

The taffy was always my favorite part of the whole sugaring experience!!

I agree.

MaineFishah · « **Reply #19 on:** Mar 18, 2008, 12:42 PM »

It should be running good today!

rude the dude · « **Reply #20 on:** Mar 18, 2008, 05:12 PM »

Quote from: SPARKYICE on Mar 18, 2008, 05:58 AM

the taps are called "spiles".
a mature tree can handle 3, maybe 4 taps.
in areas where it's common to tap trees, local hardware or farm supply stores should carry suggering equipment.
if you're just doing a few trees for fun, you can boil down with a big stainless steel pot.
resist the temptation to boil inside- the steam makes a mess of your walls and ceilings. a big mess.
you will need to boil around 35 to 40 gallons of sap to get a gallon of syrup.
don't boil it too hard- just hot enough to have a gentle rolling boil
keep adding sap, slowly, as you boil.
when you get close to the syrup stage, be careful-you can boil over and ruin the whole batch.
use a candy thermometer-as the syrup stage approaches, the boil temp gets lower.(from 212 to 208 or so-i can't remember.)
don't keep sap for more than a day or two.
hope this helps

I boil my sap in the house on the wood stove and have never had a problem with a mess on the wall. I also save my sap sometimes for 2-3 days in cool wheather and have no problem with that either. I never bring it to a boil either.

smeltslayer · « **Reply #21 on:** Mar 18, 2008, 05:40 PM »

Quote from: rude the dude on Mar 18, 2008, 05:12 PM

I boil my sap in the house on the wood stove and have never had a problem with a mess on the wall. I also save my sap sometimes for 2-3 days in cool wheather and have no problem with that either. I never bring it to a boil either.

If you get an extra gallon let me know.

gearjammer · « **Reply #22 on:** Mar 18, 2008, 05:47 PM »

my sister tapped her trees in hiram cant wait to see how far the taps are from the ground when the snows gone

chimo · « **Reply #23 on:** Mar 18, 2008, 05:59 PM »

Helped my dad with his tapping over spring break. First good run for him was Friday and saturday, they boiled between 60 to 70 gallons of fancy on saturday and another 40 on sunday. It's been a start and hopefully it lasts, the last couple years have been kind of crappy for them. They were expecting to get 2 dollars a pound for commercial grade syrup this year ( 22 a gallon)

and talked to someone who was going to be charging 50 + a gallon for other grades

Glad I get all I need for free

chimo

rude the dude · « **Reply #24 on:** Mar 18, 2008, 07:42 PM »

Quote from: smeltslayer on Mar 18, 2008, 05:40 PM

If you get an extra gallon let me know.

you will be the first I think of.

ICEMAN-73 · « **Reply #25 on:** Mar 18, 2008, 09:24 PM »

I have 12 trees taped, 2 gallon buckets, all were overflowing today!

rich81 · « **Reply #26 on:** Mar 19, 2008, 08:34 AM »

Quote from: MaineFishah on Mar 18, 2008, 06:34 AM

If you do end up making some syrup, you'll have to boil some down and make taffy. Pour it from the boiling pan directly onto some clean snow and roll it up with a spoon or butter knife or something. The taffy was always my favorite part of the whole sugaring experience!!

mmmm taffy

SPARKYICE · « **Reply #27 on:** Mar 19, 2008, 10:18 AM »

Quote from: rude the dude on Mar 18, 2008, 05:12 PM

I boil my sap in the house on the wood stove and have never had a problem with a mess on the wall. I also save my sap sometimes for 2-3 days in cool wheather and have no problem with that either. I never bring it to a boil either.

must be the trick is not to boil it. i finished some off in the kitchen once because of nasty weather, and it left a sticky film on everthing.
i've had other people tell me about the same thing.
maybe the wood stove helps, 40 gallons of water turned to vapor is a lot of moisture in the air, and wood stoves do keep a place dry
in any event, it's a lot of work, but NOTHING beats the taste of syrup you've made yourself!

adkRoy · « **Reply #28 on:** Mar 19, 2008, 10:23 AM »

Here in NY our taps are really running. Looks like one of the best flows we've had in years. We will start boiling on Friday.

rude the dude · « **Reply #29 on:** Mar 19, 2008, 06:52 PM »

Quote from: adkRoy on Mar 19, 2008, 10:23 AM

Here in NY our taps are really running. Looks like one of the best flows we've had in years. We will start boiling on Friday.

what do you tap in new york? Oak trees.

News:

Author Topic: OT Maple Taps (Read 155413 times)

rude the dude

rude the dude

chimo

rude the dude

rude the dude