Anyone making sugar or put in any taps yet?

[SwampDonkey]

Yellow birch just started flowing since the rain that ended yesterday. It's not running all that fast though. But I also think I am loosing some sap down the trunk from around the tap. Don't know why though, but the bark is all wet. I cut a bunch of brush today too and the stumps are spouting sap from other trees and shrubs. My striped maple are breaking bud now to. Colts foot are in flower.

[stonebroke]

SD

Don't you have any sugar maple? I thought Canada produced more maple syrup than the US

Stonebroke

[SwampDonkey]

Yup, all kinds of'm. But, I'm making birch syrup. Actually, I only got enough sap to make a couple ounces so far. I saved this mornings run for my dad to taste when he gets back from his trip to PA.  Said I didn't know what I was do'n. Proof is in the bottle. ;)

It's turned to summer up here, almost 80 degrees in shade.

[stonebroke]

Yup, all kinds of'm. But, I'm making birch syrup. Actually, I only got enough sap to make a couple ounces so far. I saved this mornings run for my dad to taste when he gets back from his trip to PA.  Said I didn't know what I was do'n. Proof is in the bottle. ;)

It's turned to summer up here, almost 80 degrees in shade.

So you just want to be different?

Stonebroke

[SwampDonkey]

Different because of the flavour is all. ;D

The Scots here in the "Colony" tapped birch during the first world war because of rationing for the war effort.

[evergreen]

so what does it taste like i've heard it's minty?

[SwampDonkey]

A somewhat spicy molasses taste. No mint or evergreen taste because that is vapourized out by the boiling process, you'd have to distill it to capture that oil. Like birch beer.

[evergreen]

Is it harvested at the same time as maple?

[SwampDonkey]

Mine didn't run at the same time maple did. It was about a month later. But this was a real odd ball spring.

Right now, everything is turning green, we had about 5 days of birch run from where I am.