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Sugar Maple!

Started by jrose1970, January 19, 2015, 03:56:21 PM

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jrose1970

Hey Folks,
   We tapped 11 trees Saturday the 17th and have already got 20 gallons of sap. That will boil down into about 4 pints of maple syrup! I'm going to leave as many sugar maples as I can! We live in Tennessee, so you have to tap them earlier. Ours will quit flowing by the 20th of February.
HFE-36; International 424-37HP; McCullogh Pro 10-10

DeerMeadowFarm

When I contacted a forester to help write our forestry plan, we discovered a small "sugar bush" on the property. One of the plans is to manage that area and begin tapping as well. I can't wait!  ;D

addysdaddy

The absolute best cup of coffee in the world... Use maple sap straight from the tree in place of water in the old drip coffee makers ... it's the perfect mellow sweetness and a hint of milk is to die for... You will never go back
Trying to think of something Cool to say kinda defeats the purpose.
LT10
Kioti with winch.
Husqvarna fan

jrose1970

You are right addysdaddy about drinking the sap straight. I will try that about the coffee! When we are boiling it, we can't keep the kids out of it when it is about half strenght.  ;DIt is better than soft drinks ever thought about being.
  I agree DeerMeadowFarm, any forestry plan should include the sugar! It is about $20 a quart and fun too! 8) Twelve taps are working us pretty hard. LOL
HFE-36; International 424-37HP; McCullogh Pro 10-10

thecfarm

I did it last year. The wife and I had a great time doing it. I wanted to build her a small scale sugar shack,but did not get it done. That is on the list.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

DeerMeadowFarm

What are you guys using for an evaporator for small scale like this?

thecfarm

This is what was posted last year.
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,73175.0.html

I think I posted about building the wife a stove,but never did it. I really would like to get all that done for her,us. We really had a fun time collecting and boiling. Need a building to get us out of the weather.

Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

cbla

thecfarm, how long will the frozen sap last? I am planning on doing some this year at my camp and will only get down on weekends. I was planning on doing what you did with the pop bottles.

thecfarm

cbla,I have no idea. All this maple was,is,a new experiece for me. But I would think a couple weeks,month would be fine. But what do I know!! I think I filled soda bottles and than cut the top off and put what was froze into some we had boiling. It does take some freezer space to keep it too. One thing I did not do,and would not do,is put any plastic container in the sap to hurry the melting part. Plastic is not good to heat in. You would not want to ruin a batch with a plastic taste.That is why I would let them melt for a while and than cut the top off. I don't know if the above link mentioned to have another pan on the heat part to warm any sap up in. This way when it is poured into the boiling pan,it is quite warm all ready. This is all small scale sapping at it's best.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

cbla

I was thinking about that. (ie a warming pot and boiling pot) How hard do you think it would be to finish it off outdoors? I do not have a range hood in the camp and don't want sticky steam over everything. do you use a thermometer?

thecfarm

Yes,on the thermometer,a digital one. Seem like $10-15. But the mositure did it in.But we got a season out of it.We tried a candy one,but too hard to read.It takes a while to get it up to 212°. Than we would bring it inside to finish it off. Most times we never had more than a quart. I put a piece of wire onto the digital thermometer to hang onto. I forgot what we brought the temp up to,216??? Have to be careful with the temp,can make candy real easy. There is some steam on the finish part,but nothing like when you are trying to boil the water out of it. We could of done it outside,just easier inside to do it. I had it pretty close a few times outside. If you are concerned about the moisture inside,just finish it off outside. I used a much smaller pan when I finished it off. Somewheres on the link that I posted,someone said, As long as it taste good to you,so what? It is not like we are selling it. There are things that can be brought,at a price,that makes the sapping easier,but more costly. I tried to keep it on the fun and the cheap side. I have no need,nor can I afford, to spend $300 on a ½ gallon of syrup.  :D
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

cbla

 :D nor can I. thanks

jrose1970

Hey DeerMeadowFarm,
   We use two big stainless boilers. We heat with wood, so we put about five gallons on the stove in the big boiler.
When it gets to about half strength, we move it to the kitchen stove to finish it. We have made two quarts from 25 gallons already, so we got it a little too strong, but it sure is good!
    We bought a propane burner to do it in the shop with the door open for moisture, but this time of year our house could use the moisture. LOL
   The trees are ready in Tennessee a loooonnnnggg time before they are ready in Nova Scotia! LOL
Next year I'm going to tap them on January 12th instead of the 17th.
HFE-36; International 424-37HP; McCullogh Pro 10-10

Remle

Quote from: cbla on January 20, 2015, 11:55:02 AM
thecfarm, how long will the frozen sap last? I am planning on doing some this year at my camp and will only get down on weekends. I was planning on doing what you did with the pop bottles.
We used 5 gal pails and on a good day they would over flow. Forget the pop bottles, get your self some plastic taps that they use on pipe line systems and some hose and use a clean garbage can to collect larger volume of sap..

cbla

Remle, In my application I will only be able to boil on one day ( probably Saturday night) then I wont be back down until the next weekend. I was thinking of using thecfarm's method of freezing the unused sap in pop bottles until the next chance at boiling, I wouldn't be using the pop bottles for the collection.

jrose1970

We boiled 2 quarts and put them in the refrigerator. But now there is only just over 1 quart. I think it must be evaporating. I'm sure that our 7 kids have not had any. :) :D
HFE-36; International 424-37HP; McCullogh Pro 10-10

thecfarm

Quote from: jrose1970 on January 28, 2015, 10:35:07 AM
I think it must be evaporating. I'm sure that our 7 kids have not had any. :) :D

Maybe you have a Little Green Man like I had here.  :D
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

kwendt

Awesome thread. Thank you for all the great ideas...
87 acres abandoned northern Maine farm and forest to reclaim. 20 acres in fields, 55 acre woodlot: maple, spruce, cedar and mixed. Deer, bear, moose, fox, mink, snowshoe and lynx. So far: a 1950 Fergie TO-20, hand tools, and a forge. (And a husband!)

Peter Drouin

If you boil too much inside the walls of the house will be sticky. :D :D :D
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

jrose1970

Thanks for the heads up about boiling too much inside!
Boy, this has been a great year so far. The tempetatures have been perfect on the plateau here in Tennessee.
It has been in the low 20's at night and going up to about 40-50 in the daytime.
We usually get five gallons from 11 trees.
HFE-36; International 424-37HP; McCullogh Pro 10-10

kwendt

I checked with Kinney Sugerhouse supplies in Maine, and they have supplies for 'hobbiest' or home sugar makers...
(Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with them in any way. I simply called them because I too was looking to find someone who sold small batch/home/hobbiest sugar supplies. I merely pass on the name for anyone interested in something similar).
87 acres abandoned northern Maine farm and forest to reclaim. 20 acres in fields, 55 acre woodlot: maple, spruce, cedar and mixed. Deer, bear, moose, fox, mink, snowshoe and lynx. So far: a 1950 Fergie TO-20, hand tools, and a forge. (And a husband!)

jrose1970

That sounds good. I got a kit with 12 taps from a supplier. I forgot which one. It was very inexpensive. I got the 5 quart buckets from Lowes at $1 each.  When it comes to maple trees, I envy those of you in the northeast. :) You have a guarenteed income with maple syrup!. I just don't envy the cold. LOL  My brother says that it is humanly impossible to live north of Tennessee.  We were born in Georgia. :)
HFE-36; International 424-37HP; McCullogh Pro 10-10

GAB

Quote from: jrose1970 on February 04, 2015, 07:44:39 AM
That sounds good. I got a kit with 12 taps from a supplier. I forgot which one. It was very inexpensive. I got the 5 quart buckets from Lowes at $1 each.  When it comes to maple trees, I envy those of you in the northeast. :) You have a guarenteed income with maple syrup!. I just don't envy the cold. LOL  My brother says that it is humanly impossible to live north of Tennessee.  We were born in Georgia. :)

Go ahead and think like that, but there are some years where the income is less than the expenses.  My grandfather tapped one year and boiled only once, and his brother did not even boil once.  All the expense of tapping and picking up with no to very little product to sell or enjoy.
When talking agriculture your at the mercy of mother nature and I highly recommend that you not count your chickens before they hatch.  Especially if you have a bum rooster.
Gerald
W-M LT40HDD34, SLR, JD 420, JD 950w/loader and Woods backhoe, V3507 Fransguard winch, Cordwood Saw, 18' flat bed trailer, and other toys.

DeerMeadowFarm

I finally have the components to build my small scale evaporator....stay tuned!  ;)

cbla

Quote from: DeerMeadowFarm on February 04, 2015, 04:05:42 PM
I finally have the components to build my small scale evaporator....stay tuned!  ;)

Make sure to take lots of pictures and post them please!

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