Who’s got their sap buckets out ? (Making syrup?)

[nagantguy]

it’s been perfect last few days - below freezing at night low 30s mid day . Gonna get better .
Any of y’all make syrup?

It’s more work than fun last two years since my teacher/mentor moved away but this year my youngest son has been able to help tap collect and help boil . So I’m proud to be passing the skill on .

 

[diverdon]

I've done it in the past, just for household consumption. But the last three years I just buy from neighbors.

 

[bdubmkg]

Something that I've always wanted to try but it's a task to get into. The hunting land am hour north of us is nothing but maple trees which would be great. But the logistics of it rule that option out. I see people around me with their buckets hanging from the trees getting after it which is a good sight.

 

[UNRL Ghandi]

I got a little setup going right now and plan to expand next year by running some lines to some collection tanks instead of having to haul in sap from buckets. Made about 4 gallons of syrup last year and hope to do 6-10 this year. Got 1.5 already bottled and another 2ish that needs finished. Weather is looking real good for the next 10 days. I'm running out of firewood for the evaporator and know I'm going to have to cut some more soon if the sap keeps running the way it's been.

First bottle of the year went to my grandfather for his 90th birthday. He used to work on a farm when he was a teenager hauling sap and he loves my syrup so I give him a new bottle whenever he runs out.

 

[nso123]

I love the real stuff like you guys are able to make. We just don’t have the trees for it around here, and store bought isn’t the same.

 

[iceng]

*sad Australian noises*.
I have family in Canada, and they introduced me to pure maple syrup. Stuff is amazing.

 

[SBRSarge]

I was gonna do it this year on the maples we planted years ago along our driveway, but the fertilizer/pesticide granule manufacturer I used last year says to wait a full year. I don’t have any other maples on my property

I might try to tap one or more of the hickory or beech trees near the house this year. Anyone else tapped hickory of beech for syrup?

Once you’ve had good, real maple syrup, store stuff sucks.

 

[Sean the Nailer]

Tapping pine or spruce trees sure doesn't have the same effect.

 

[SBRSarge]

I’ve heard that making good syrup is like making good ‘shine. It’s a labor of love.

Maybe I’ll try making the ‘shine after I retire. Don’t want to end up writing memos to the chief if I get caught!

 

[SBRSarge]

Tapping pine or spruce trees sure doesn't have the same effect.

LOL, maybe you can make turpentine. But I have to admit, I’ve tasted a few whiskies that were like turp!

 

[UNRL Ghandi]

I’ve heard that making good syrup is like making good ‘shine. It’s a labor of love.

Maybe I’ll try making the ‘shine after I retire. Don’t want to end up writing memos to the chief if I get caught!

It sure is a labor of love for the way I am operating. People don't understand it and say "You should sell that, you'd make a ton of money." Umm nope. The time invested from cutting and splitting the firewood, hauling the sap, the hours of manning the evaporator, and all the clean up of everything to make 3-5 gallons would make the syrup about $300 a bottle and even then I'd be hesitant to sell with my limited quantity. If I made 50 gallons a year and had lines and pumps and reverse osmosis machines that would change my position but I don't. I have buckets on trees and manpower.

People want to pay $15 a bottle for it. Nah, I'd rather give it away than sell it because as soon as a $15 price tag goes on the bottle that's what it's worth, but if i give it away, my family and friends receive the full value of what that bottle means to me which is way more than the minimum wage of working at a Burger King for an hour.

 

[Hayden#69]

Was shed hunting my State park the other day and saw buckets tapped in to Walnut trees. Is Walnut that good for doing this?

Hayden.