Maple Syrup 'hobby' Production

[Kyle241]

Anyone make their own maple syrup? We are thinking of starting this year as we have a lot of large sugar maples on our property and a good number of them are close to the house and trail so fairly easy access. Just wondering how you evaporate, wood or propane? And if wood, how do you do it (unless of course you have a sugar shack). If we are going to do it this year, we need to get ready soon as I believe this year may be an early year the sap starts running. The temps up here are to supposed to be 1c, 2c, 3c and 7c this week!

If anyone has pics of your setup, that would be great!

Tks.

 

[JB4310]

I've been fooling around with it for a few years, just for fun.

Last year I made over a gallon from just two trees, 5 pails. this year the sap is flowing already but I'm not collecting it, as I have no way to store it long enough to make it worth boiling.

Last year we had 4 foot snow banks to keep the sap cool/ fresh for a few days while I accumulated enough. this year it's freezing at night but the days are mid 40's and sunny no snow at all for my red neck refrigerator.

I do it on open wood flame, burning mostly red oak, with shallow pans, my way does make a little smoke flavor to the syrup, but no one complains.

My way takes a good 4-6 hours to make 2 quarts of syrup, but it's worth it as a hobby and plus we love to eat it.

Good luck,

JB

 

[Avondale]

We started small (12 pails over a propane cooker). Used some scrap plywood to build a shelter around 3 sides of cooker to save on propane. If just beginning, I strongly suggest you do not boil sap in your house. It will get very steamy, sticky and "aromatic". Don't worry too much about being too perfect, color and sweetness is more of a personal choice if just doing for your own purpose.

We enjoyed doing it so much, we now have 300 pails and a "shack" with a wood fired, two-pan evap. and we finish on propane (better control of final product). We prefer burning cedar for a very hot, fast fire.

PM me if you have specific questions I could help you with.

Bob

 

[BrianDT]

I planted 300 sugar maples a few years ago in hopes that some day I might be able to do this before I die.

It sounds like a lot of fun and good to eat!

 

[SPIKER]

you should do a search of the forum for SYRUP and there should be at least 4 or 5 BIG threads with all the information you could ever want...

I do some myself every other (though last time netted me a very good year so skipping this year too.)

I have home made 44X42" 3 chambered 8" deep pan. I can get about 40~45 gallons of sap in there and burn wood (has to be GOOD wood) as it will add a slight smoke flavor Cherry, Apple, Elm or good ole Maple are best. Oak has more tanon in it so can make an off flavor, same with lessor quality woods. I killed a batch 2 yrs ago as I started the fire w some popple that was wetish and smoked real bad and put a poor smoke flavor in it...

Mark

 

[Kyle241]

Thanks for the responses everyone. With the weather we've been getting the last few days, I will not be surprised if the sap starts running soon. Unfortunately we are not even close to ready so we need to make a decision on what do to ASAP.

Avondale, I may PM you if I decide to go for it this year.

 

[MadJack]

Sap's flowing in Maine! Just found another 50+ buckets and we'll be running another 500' of tubing tomorrow.
32* last night, 49 at 2PM....... great temps for sap.

 

[MIKE R]

Thanks for the responses everyone. With the weather we've been getting the last few days, I will not be surprised if the sap starts running soon.

Up here in Northern Ontario the sap is running on and off. Crazy Weather.

I am currently using a 45 gallon drum with the top cut off with 2 stainless buffet trays to boil in. I prefer wood because it is cheap (or free). I will only burn Maple in the stove so that the syrup doesn't get off flavored. I have currently 17 taps up and plan to put up about 15 more. Next year I plan on having a Sugar Shack with a 2x4 3 chamber evaporator. I plan on about 150 taps on gravity line and 20 on buckets.
Have a good maple Sugar'n season!

 

[Jstpssng]

Sap's flowing in Maine! Just found another 50+ buckets and we'll be running another 500' of tubing tomorrow.
32* last night, 49 at 2PM....... great temps for sap.

I'm going out tomorrow and buy new supplies. I neglected to clean my taps last year and it's easier to buy new. My 5 gallon collecting pails also got reassigned (again.)
All I need is 4 good sap days and I'll have all the syrup I need.
:licking:

 

[ENG18LT]

Just a quick question, How long for saplings to get large enough to tap?

 

[Jstpssng]

Just a quick question, How long for saplings to get large enough to tap?

that depends on the site quality, growing conditions, and how big they are now. did you plant them youself? If so it will take a vouple of years to get the roots established.

I would guess 20-30 years.

 

[ENG18LT]

Wow. They have not been planted yet. Thanks.

 

[Jstpssng]

Wow. They have not been planted yet. Thanks.

I made some very broad assumptions to come up with that number, plus tried to remember how quickly maples have grown which I've planted in the past. Also used the old minimum of 10 inches in diameter at 4.5 feet, whereas now they tap much smaller trees. (I go down to 9 inches, but I have more trees than I need.

 

[SPIKER]

to keep tree damage and long term survivability you need to tap only 1 tap per 10" of tree. no more than 3 in a good size tree. I have a few that I get 3 in all 5/16" tree saver taps I gave up using the 7/16 taps and find it hard to find the holes from last year.

I tap several trees that are multi-stem with a single tap in each stem too, there are several like this in close proximity and drain into 5 gallon buckets that usually over flow on good days.

when tapping 2 years in a row keep the prior year's tap hole away from current year by 1/3 and above/below.

when tapping the tree look for the major roots coming in/out and tap along those for best results.

mark

 

[MadJack]

Jstpassn, buy your supplies from a sugar shack. I went to the Bacon farm in Sidney and found taps for .25 each, and "Y's" for .43 each. I have paid [in the past] nearly $1 each for taps, won't make that mistake again.

I usually tap trees with the biggest crown and directly under the first large limb.
Now I'm using canning jars for syrup since I've been buying them at yard sales during the summer cheap. [$2 a dozen]

 

[Avondale]

Our shack is now ready for the season. We are almost ready to hang our pails but I have a hard time with concept that mid-Feb is syrup season. When we first started, season seemed to align with school March break. Oh well, must go with the flow, eh?

 

[Jstpssng]

Jstpassn, buy your supplies from a sugar shack. I went to the Bacon farm in Sidney and found taps for .25 each, and "Y's" for .43 each. I have paid [in the past] nearly $1 each for taps, won't make that mistake again.

I usually tap trees with the biggest crown and directly under the first large limb.
Now I'm using canning jars for syrup since I've been buying them at yard sales during the summer cheap. [$2 a dozen]

Thanks, I found that out the hard way. Every year I upgrade a little. Last year I bought supplies from Bob's in Dover-Foxcroft, including tubing and a reusable felt filter. This year I'm buying a hydrometer(?) to measure the specific gravity to determine when it's done.
Next year I'm going to redo my evaporator so that I have a preheat pan.

I have plenty of mason jars, one year I went overboard putting up from my vegetable garden. Even new they're cheaper than plastic bottles, plus they're reusable. :thumbsup:

I have enough trees to make about 40-50 quarts if I really wanted to and had considered selling a few gallons; but after seeing what my neighbors do to produce a quality product I'll stick with boiling it for my own use.

 

[JB4310]

This is on craigslist today, looks like a good arch stove not sure about the pan.

Maple Syrup Arch-Evaporator and Pan

JB

 

[forester2]

There's a good little book called 'Backyard Sugaring' if I remember correctly.

 

[Jstpssng]

There's a good little book called 'Backyard Sugaring' if I remember correctly.

That's in my library. It's interesting reading but I didn't find it that helpful. Perhaps it would be, for someone who has never done it before.

I haven't picked up a Leader catalog in years; but if I remember correctly they have a lot of helpful hints. The Cooperative Extension also has a lot on the subject.