MAPLE SYRPLE

[jigglestick]

any body here ever tap the maples for sap to make that delicious maple syrup?
the trees are running right now pretty good around here.
i have allways wanted to do it, but i never think about it before the season arives.
i can get a place to gather sap, and the equipment, but i have no idea what to use to cook it down.
maybe someone has a boiler they don't use anymore i could purchase?
anybody with experience?

[labs4me]

I did it in high school for 2 springs.  They had a special wood stove/boiler concocted.  It was a lot of work and sleepless nights but the results were soooooo good!  I was never the guy in charge of the stove (had to keep it at just the right temp), but rather a bucket carrier and one of the stir-ers.  Plus I helped with bottleing etc.

Good Luck!

Ken

[mcgarth]

i do it. me and my father made about 50 gallons down here in ramsey mn. it takes 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup lots of hard work.

[Mayfly]

i do it. me and my father made about 50 gallons down here in ramsey mn. it takes 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup lots of hard work.

How the heck do the syrup companies do it?

[jigglestick]

first off, welcome Mcgarth!!
feel free to chime in and speak your peice anytime. we are glad to have you here.

in fact why dont you start by offering up a little insight to the art of making syrup.
the time of year. the hours in a day you have to work.

maybe you could offer up some pointers or advice to those of us who have allways thought about doing it, but never have.
i am a perfect candidate because i work seasonal and i am usually laid off between the third week in march and the third week in may.
i have allways wanted to, but i never knew anyone who did it so i just never tried it.
i am about to just make the leap, but it would be so much easier to do it with some lessons and helpful tips.

[GRIZ]

I agree it does sound interesting. It would be a good way to spend time outdoors. I wouldn't mind trying it myself but like jigglestick don't know diddley about it other than ya tap the trees and cook it down somehow. Some more info would be really nice.

[mcgarth]

when the weather  is above freezing during the day and below at night is the best with no wind.right around the first of march or so. for my part of minnesota.but as we know in Minnesota the weather has its own mind.(there is a small window that in the fall you can tap also but we have never done it during deer hunting sometime go up to a maple tree and cut it with your knife and see if it bleeds) sap will run most of the times for 2-3 weeks,depends on the weather to warm and your done.once the buds start getting big or bigger than it stops. the sap that comes out of the tree is about 3% to 5% sugar it verys pure syrup is 65% sugar.someone wanted to know how the syrup companies do it? well go look at your syrup in the cabinet and if its not pure i bet it maybe has only 2%real maple syrup in it. the big producers of maple syrup use a pipe line to collect it by gravity then boil it in a huge evaporator. your best bet to learn more is get a book on it.  i can answer your question you might have or least bullsh#t my way thru them. one thing don't not do is boil it in your kitchen or the boss lady will have a fit your whole kitchen will be sticky ill add more later Scott

[jigglestick]

putz sent me this link. a good tutorial to making syrup, or at least to understanding the process a little better.
thanks pop!

http://www.mi-maplesyrup.com/Activities/activities_homemade.htm

[Joe]

Jiggle, Did you ever give this a try?
My father-in-law tapped the tree in his back yard and by the time it boiled down he only had enough syrup for my two boys to have one meal of pancakes.

[jigglestick]

Joe, i did not, but i am going to look for the equipment to do it next year.
i want to start small scale. maybe a few gallons?
then who knows. maybe i could quit my day job? ::)

[SoHawk]

I seen it done commercially and helped some of my cousins do the home-made thing.  One time  i was supposed to tend the fire all night and fell asleep and it burned all of it to a crisp! :o  My cousin was a wee bit P.O.'d over that! >:(

[PUTZ]

Bet he taint gonna ask for you to help anymore.
That was good thinking Hawk !
PUTZ