OT--Anyone Tapping trees for Maple syrup?

[SmellsLikeFishNH]

Just curious, doing it for my 1st time this year.

[fishermantim]

Is that some new kind of ice-fishing slang for something wierd?? 

I would think with the temps we've been having and the amount of snow melt that the sap should be gushing out when you tap the tree.

[SmellsLikeFishNH]

some are flowing nicely, others arent flowing at all?? I dont understand that, but then again im new to this haha. In 2 days i have 3 gallons of sap already, so im doing something right...only 37 more gallons to go!

[nixstyx]

My regular fishing buddy can't go out this weekend because he's going to try tapping some trees for the first time.

[landlockedsalmon]

some are flowing nicely, others arent flowing at all?? I dont understand that, but then again im new to this haha. In 2 days i have 3 gallons of sap already, so im doing something right...only 37 more gallons to go!

Dont tap the trees with pine needles!lol.lls

[maineduckhunter]

Dont tap the trees with pine needles!lol.lls

I thought that's how you got Pineapple Juice!!?? 

[SmellsLikeFishNH]

Lol

[dickbaker]

Just curious, doing it for my 1st time this year.

Scott,  From a forester who managed sugar orchards for decades it looks as if you have a great couple of weeks to get that sap boiled down!
Trouble with late night boiling is that often the cost of the whiskey is more than the syrup value??    Just means that you have to drink cheap liquor!!

Dick

[PDubs/NH]

Are you tapping your own trees Scott?

What is your plan for boil down?

If you are planning just to fire up a propane burner and use a pot...  get a few 20lb tanks!!!   

My buddy Steve and his son have done it that way for several years and I tell you... he goes through a LOT of propane!!!

[pikehunter123]

Perfect time to tap in for a small operation.

[Hounded819]

got all 1700 taps in have probly 400 gal of sap and 5 gal or syrup so far. if you need any supplys let me knwo we stock and sell just about anything you will need

[HuntHard]

I thought that's how you got Pineapple Juice!!?? 

X2

[SmellsLikeFishNH]

got all 1700 taps in have probly 400 gal of sap and 5 gal or syrup so far. if you need any supplys let me knwo we stock and sell just about anything you will need

Holy Crap! Hounded thanks for the offer...im not really sure i need a whole lot more, I have some plastic taps, and I found a guy on craigslist selling buckets, and spiles and taps for $8 a setup...I may go get 10 more from him, just to use all the trees i have behind my house. Im thinking I could easily have 25-30 when all is said and done.

Im just going to try and keep it small scale...if I may ask, is it normal for some trees to be flowing really well and others just next to them have zero flow? not sure if I just need to be patient or if they maybe are just not healthy trees?? they look fine!!

Paul, yes im just boiling it down in my yard with the turkey fryer, hoping for 2 gallons when all is said and done, I should have 10 gallons of sap by Sunday and I am shooting for my 1st quart of syrup then as well.

[Hounded819]

we have the problem all the time. have half the taps on one side of the hill and others on the other depends on when they get the sum and how they froze the night befor and the type of maple. but i will say are you sure its a maple?? no to be mean but we did a job for anouther house and checked some of there trees and they wernt maples.

[WetlinesNCocktails]

Be careful with the turkey fryer.  Last year I used mine to boil down some sap.  It took about 2 hours.  Unfortunately I took my eyes off it for just a few crucial seconds and the batch burned.  The pot was nasty after that!    Have fun.  Nothin like putting your own syrup on pancakes!

[Hounded819]

its a great feeling thats for sure. befor we got our own stuff we worked for foots sugar houses in warren. had 2 arches back to back one was a preheater and the other was for cooking. dont remember how much we used to make but was alot. now we have a small one with all the goodies. and the price tag to go with it. And if you havnt burnt a pan then you havent been doing it very long

[JRA]

And if you havnt burnt a pan then you havent been doing it very long

How true. In the kitchen a watched pot never boils... In a sugar house a pan not watched is a burnt pan

[shsalchemist]

I tap and get 5-10 gallons every year. Takes time out of fishing ... Do go big, your hard water season will be limited

[dickbaker]

got all 1700 taps in have probly 400 gal of sap and 5 gal or syrup so far. if you need any supplys let me knwo we stock and sell just about anything you will need
[/quot

Wow!!    Doesn't sound like good sugar content so far??

Dick

[SmellsLikeFishNH]

Thanks for all the info guys!

-Scott

[sr73087]

I started this year too and have experienced exactly the same thing, where 1 tree will produce lots of sap and the tree right next to it makes nothing at all. Would like to know also if this is normal and will a tree that isn't producing much now produce at all during the season ?

[Hounded819]

Wow!!    Doesn't sound like good sugar content so far??

Dick
[/quote]



NO thats just the sap we have saved up sence tap out. only boiled once for about 2-3 hours

[SmellsLikeFishNH]

I think I'm gonna preheat in the house and boil outside on the fryer.

Thanks hounded, I'm 99% sure they are maples. I even dug the snow around the bases and checked the dying leaves.....the oaks on my property produce acorns as well, so I know they aren't those. :-)

Either way, they would still be flowing something right? Lol

I hope I'm right. :-)

[dickbaker]

Scott?   Send me a pint for free and I'll let you know if its has any strange species of sap??   I like grade B (dark)!   Red maple will produce lots of 1% sap, while sugar maple should provide 2-5%.   But its all fun and the you will love it on your pancakes this spring!!

Dick

[SmellsLikeFishNH]

Lol I'll see what I can do Dick, I still owe you for that dog sled you gave Jim ;-)

-Scott

[potatomansoup]

We tapped our trees last week and have 40 gallons of raw sap...
We used to use an open fire and turkey fryer to boil but the propane is too expensive and open fire is inefficient, so I made an old filing cabinet into an evaporator, now I can boil down 40 gallons in much less time..
I am going to bottle it in whiskey bottles
so that's what I am doing today instead of fishing, tomorrow I will be on the ice again.
Clay


And this gets us ready for Salmon season!

[SmellsLikeFishNH]

Thanks for sharing Clay!

I just started Thursday, and I have about 7 gallons LOL...guess I dont have quite the flow I had hoped, but also only have 11 taps out...will up that to over 20 today. Just went out and checked my buckets, it got cold last night and most of the buckets only had a little in them, but after dumping them and making my rounds again, all are flowing nicely as the sun is warming them up, should be a good day!

[potatomansoup]

Share pics of your boil, I love seeing results
Have fun with it

[SmellsLikeFishNH]

Will do Clay!!

[NHSlabbinCabin]

I heard you should tap the south side of he tree. I helped my buddy set taps in 10 trees and probably 50' of line to 5 gallon pails. The next day he got 20 gallons of sap. Not sure when were going to do more but it's a good time out in the woods!