ALMOST MAPLE SYRUP TIME that's why you haven't...........

Corley5 · March 14, 2005, 10:27:00 PM

http://www.domtar.com/arbre/english/p_ernoi.htm
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/anigrum.htm
http://ostermiller.org/tree/blackmaple.html
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/acer/nigrum.htm
No black maples up here. Never heard of em before 8) Learn something new everyday ;D ;D ;D

OLD_ JD · March 14, 2005, 11:28:01 PM

did any of u ever heard about taping yellow birch :P..they do some medical stuff whit it. i dont no if it wort the pain :-\

maple flats · March 15, 2005, 05:40:20 AM

I read somewhere that Alaska has some folks tapping birch and making syrup, not sure how much it takes. You can't mix the two and call it maple syrup though. I understand the syrup is quite good (but not as good as maple) For those interested in I.D. ing black maple try this link; www.extension.iastate.edu/pages/tree/blk-map.html 8) 8) The sugar content of the sap on mine last year for one of my black maples was 2.6%, didn't test the others as I didn't tap those last year.

SwampDonkey · March 15, 2005, 06:28:22 AM

Corley

They have black maple in southern Ontario along the St Lawrence, lake Michigan and lake Ontario. I believe it is in Michigan (southern half), but it may be confused for sugar maple. There is usually a couple stipules (tiny leaf-like or scaly organs) on the base of the petiole (stem of leaf).

In my area there are some old timers that don't believe in red spruce. They call it black spruce and when I explain the difference they go back to calling it black spruce. ;) :D

Keltic · March 15, 2005, 07:48:19 AM

May tap in today, we only tap about 50, for fun. Great to get into the woods after the winter. Add hot italian sausages on a stick, some visiting friends, and cold beer, and it's a whole lot of fun. Can't wait.

Paschale · March 15, 2005, 11:59:17 AM

Anyone heard of shag bark hickory syrup? There's only one supplier in the whole country, based in Indiana. It's been featured in a lot of cooking magazines as well as on Food Network. Supposed to be pretty tasty--anyone ever heard of it or tried it?

http://www.hickoryworks.com/

http://hickoryworks.homestead.com/files/The_ARTICLE__gif.gif

http://hickoryworks.homestead.com/HISTORY.html

bassfisher · March 15, 2005, 08:56:25 PM

Saps not running here yet. The sweet birch has started to drip but not serious yet. Being a transplanted city boy, i just watch when the old timers stop logging or cutting firewood and turn their attentions to things sweet and follow that lead.
Birch beer by April 30th is the norm around here.

tnlogger · March 15, 2005, 09:36:04 PM

JD had a friend in maine that did birch,elderberry,tater, and about anything else he could cookk down or ferment. :D :D :D :D shore was good too

maple flats · March 16, 2005, 05:32:42 AM

Warmed enough yesterday for a brief time to wash tubing. As I started ran into a problem, when the air water mix hit the 5/16" tubing it froze, had to wait about an hour and it thawed so I could proceed. Ran 2 lines complete, making repairs as needed, really find every leak from squirrel damage with the pressure. Had to fix about 6 or 7 leaks so far, then it got too cold again. Hope to finish today if weather is right then I can tap. The extended forcast looks right for the next 10 days starting tomorrow. Should be making syrup real soon. As far as washing again I use only water and air mix. I wash immediately after the season and again just before the next season. As for squirrel damage it usually seams to be at the end of a line or where a line curves around a tree. They seem to climb the tree and chew where the line is against the bark. Generally they only chew a small hole and cause a leak, only had one where it was all the way thru and that is the only one that was not against bark, wonder if it was deer, squirrel, mice, porkies or something else? If in fact the sap runs I will not be online nearly as much but I'll try to keep you posted. Will try to get some pics soon. 8) 8) 8) 8) maple syrup is great 8) 8)

SwampDonkey · March 16, 2005, 06:45:03 AM

Asy,

Yes, quill dogs are porcupines. ;D

I must admit that image of the quill dog you suggested is hillarious. :D

cheers

Ed_K · March 16, 2005, 07:37:04 AM

I'm going to start tapping today. Ever have trouble with bears chewing lines? I think the worst is cubs just chewing for fun

.
I've heard that it takes 100 to 1 to boil birch sap, and they will pay $100 gallon in Japan.

maple flats · March 16, 2005, 07:34:13 PM

Warmed long enough to finish washing tubing today. Forcast for next 10 days looks good. Will tap tomorrow and should flow everyday next 10. If I can collect enough sap tomorrow will start boiling, if not Friday looks even better, with the weekend forcast as perfect for sap flow. Hope they're right I did this several years with just enough taps to do a gallon or two and this is my 3rd year trying to make enough to sell. Never seen the sap start so late around here. 8) 8)

maple flats · March 18, 2005, 05:52:42 AM

I've got a problem. Need you other maplers help. After washing my pipeline with air/water and then tapping I get a stale type oder in my tanks (such as when you clean out an ice chest and close it up without completely drying and it sets for a long time.) Dumped the sap. Can I rewash with a little clorox and then again with fresh water to get it clean? I will pull the taps to do this and after cleaning re install them. ???

Ernie · March 18, 2005, 01:35:16 PM

To get the smell out of a fridge or freezer thats been left off for too long, we give it a wipe out with a baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and water mix.

Works a treat. Should work on your lines.

Ernie

Furby · March 18, 2005, 06:49:27 PM

Over on the maple trader site I belive they suggest you use something other then water alone, but I'm not sure,

Here's a link:
www.mapletrader.com

isawlogs · March 18, 2005, 11:44:32 PM

I just got off the phone with my dad , he has the lines all cleaned up and ready for tapping ... He also sugested that there where 400 to 500 trees that need be drilled ...
I know what I'll be doing tomorow ....

Then there is the old wood stove that needs to be fired up and a batch of pancakes made up ready for the syrup on Sunday .... Yes ... I can smell Spring

Stump Jumper · March 19, 2005, 02:35:50 PM

another 10 inches of snow expeced by tomarow :( spring is taking its time

Furby · March 19, 2005, 05:52:07 PM

No kidding, we got several inches early this morning with more on the way.
As of Friday we were close to 9" over the average for March and we are way ahead of last years season total.

junkyard · March 19, 2005, 07:16:48 PM

Watch the chlorox. Too much reacts with the plastic. Can't eat the syrup tastes terible, but I got 69 cents a pound for it. Went in the buyers barrel with the burned and buddy. We just rinced and rinced with water. Ok now.
Junkyard

maple flats · March 19, 2005, 08:09:03 PM

I think I've gotten it fixed. After checking mapletrader.com forum I pulled my taps, washed with 1% clorox solution, rinsed with fresh water and re-tapped. After this all smells right. Now I've lost some production time but hopefully the quality will be up where it was last year. Still have some more tapping to do, plan on doing about 150-160 this year. So far I only have a little over 100. Should finish tomorrow if nothing disrupts my plans. Will most likely have a good boil tomorrow. I collected 40 gal today from my first 42 taps. The rest of the taps weren't in until late in the day. Flow should start mid-morning tomorrow and go until the middle of the night according to the temperatures forcast. I'll be boiling late into the night and again the next day around my real job (I've got so many I sometimes can't tell which is real) 8) 8) 8) maple season is here in Oneida, NY 8) 8) 8)

bighoss550 · March 19, 2005, 09:43:15 PM

got all 7 of mine in this year:) haha not goin to bother this year. ill just boil it on the stove.

good luck to all u

Furby · March 19, 2005, 11:29:28 PM

Don't plan to tap this year, but did pick up some cheap spiles at an auction today. Passed on a two burner stove with stainless pan for $50. Kinda kicking myself now.

SwampDonkey · March 20, 2005, 06:20:42 AM

Well it has looked good here for the last couple of weeks now. But, I don't see it boiling at my cousins shack yet, no steam. opefully things will get rolling this week for him. I know he has been tending his lines for some time now. We have about 14 inches of snow in the woods. Has been getting up to about 40 F during the daytime and low-mid 20's in the evening.