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NhLiving
Member
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# Posted: 1 Mar 2015 19:22
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Just wondering how many members on here are involved with Maple sugaring. This will be my second season sugaring on my off grid 10 acre camp. Purchased a 2x6 set of pans and built my own block arch. Would be great to see some members who sugar, or maybe some who are interested?
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Just
Member
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# Posted: 1 Mar 2015 20:19
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I have 20 pails lids and taps looking for some pans going to try!
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Scott G
Member
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# Posted: 1 Mar 2015 21:18
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Actually snowshoed to the maple stand earlier this afternoon. I think I'll tap a half dozen trees or so and give it a try. Not alot of maple on our land but enough to give it a shot, get a quart or two.
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NhLiving
Member
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# Posted: 1 Mar 2015 22:06
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Great! It is a pretty easy process when only doing small scale. Even a stainless stock pot or two will do the trick. A lot of people seem to use the steam table pans from a restaurant supply place. Only around 25 bucks for a good size pan.
It's great exercise for sure, and can be a good activity if you have children/grandchildren. Plus, who doesn't love maple syrup? It is even better when you make it yourself from your very own trees.
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smallworks
Member
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# Posted: 1 Mar 2015 22:25
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We tapped a few trees behind our house for a couple of years and it was great. Took a while to boil down ( wood stove} but we wound up giving a bunch of it away and our house smelled nice. I don't have any tech info as it was really so simple-
that said, I've seen really complicated operations in the back woods.
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bc thunder
Member
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# Posted: 2 Mar 2015 01:43
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I don't have any maples, mostly spruce. I have tried a couple times now, but it just tastes like turpentine......
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skootamattaschmidty
Member
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# Posted: 2 Mar 2015 07:49
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I won't be able to this year because of my work schedule and not getting to my cabin. In previous years I have tapped a few trees over March break and then set up a tripod over the fire and hung a large pot of sap. It takes a long time to boil down but it certainly is worth it. Great experience for the kids as well.
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TheWildMan
Member
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# Posted: 2 Mar 2015 10:48
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13 trees i can tap, have 15 taps, using old 5 gallon pails. have a turkey frier to do the boiling
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old243
Member
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# Posted: 2 Mar 2015 14:21
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I have tapped my maple bush a few years ago. I have a sawmill and have harvested a few of the trees, for lumber. I will comment that you should tap your trees lower down on the trunk , if you intend to have a lumber harvest at a later date. The bore hole will create a canoe shaped, dead brown mark that extends probably8-10 inches above and below the bore hole. It really looks quite nice with the hole and the brown streak, in a table top or project, but will be classed as a defect by a lumber or timber buyer. Usually it is best to tap on the south side to get the morning sun, and above a major root. Have fun old243
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Just
Member
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# Posted: 2 Mar 2015 16:19
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Got started -7 c last night -2 c at 4 pm ,, sunny day, no sap today but I am ready .. can you tap to early??
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Scott G
Member
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# Posted: 2 Mar 2015 20:41
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Nice! I have no idea about too early or not...here in NB they say april is best.
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hattie
Member
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# Posted: 3 Mar 2015 12:46
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I am soooo jealous of all of you!!!!  I read a story about 15 or so years ago about a neighbourhood in Ontario whose streets were lined with maple trees. The neighbours got together and decided to tap the trees, cook it down in the local park and share the syrup with everyone involved. I thought that was such a great idea and so good for community spirit!!!
Let us know how you all make out with your syrup this year!!!
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old243
Member
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# Posted: 17 Mar 2015 09:47
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Thought I would bring this topic back up, to see how the syrup making was going. It has been cold in Ontario, might have run a bit last weekend and yesterday. It is cold again went below freezing , and a bit of snow. I took the tractor and snowblower and made a road to near my hardwood, the snow is still too deep to get in the bush. An old saying here, the sap will run till the snow is gone out of the hardwood bush. Makes sense by that time it usually gets milky, and buddy tasting. Have fun old243
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skootamattaschmidty
Member
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# Posted: 17 Mar 2015 10:38
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My son enjoyed the syrup making experience so much at the cabin that he is tapping some trees at home. He made an evaporator out of an old 50 gallon drum, cut a door in it, attached a chimney with flue and then cut a hole in the top for a large pan he had his shop teacher at school make up for him. He hasn't started boiling yet but did collect a good amount of sap over the past weekend. It's nice when the kids pick up on what us older folks consider "cool" things!
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leonk
Member
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# Posted: 17 Mar 2015 10:52
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The best run is when it's above freezing during the day and the sun shines and it's still freezing at night.
Make sure to tap sugar maple, not swamp maple.
Reduction is 40 to 1 and the readiness can be determined by temperature of the syrup.
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Just
Member
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# Posted: 17 Mar 2015 13:40
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Collected sap today , got about 30 liters from my 20 taps . My best day so far I got 40 liters . I have boiled two batches of 100 liters and have canned about 4 liters of syrup . I seem to have lots of new friends ! Lots of fun , lots of work, very tasty ,.
100 liter tank on tractor
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block boiling arch
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snow is turning to mud
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takes about 1 hour per jar
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gsreimers
Member
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# Posted: 17 Mar 2015 23:35
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If anybody in northern Minnesota is interested, I have 5 acres covered with Maples.
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pizzadude
Member
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# Posted: 3 Apr 2015 16:37
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Gsreimers. That very generous to offer your trees. Where abouts?
I tried my hand at syrup making for the first time this year. It was a great experience, I will have another go at it next no doubt.
I did a lot of research before I started the sap collection. I tapped 8 trees in my yard and got about 11 gallons in 3 days. I just boiled it on the stovetop, took 6 hrs total. filled up 2 pint sized jars. I would have gotten more, but it boiled over on me at the end. Really have to watch the temp when it starts to get close. Lesson learned.
Btw the taste was out of this world
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Just
Member
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# Posted: 3 Apr 2015 16:58
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Quoting: pizzadude Lesson learned.
Well it took me two lessons . I burnt the pan twice ,lost about a gallon of syrup . One batch I was able to make into candy ,good stuff .
Does any one know when to stop ????????, I am still getting about 30 liters of sap a day , I boiled today about 75 liters I saved up for the last 2 days . syrup still looks and tasted good .
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creeky
Member
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# Posted: 3 Apr 2015 17:23
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i think you just keep taking it until the trees dry up or you get tired of boiling. next week in eastern ontario looks perfect. warm ish days and cool nights just below freezing.
thank me for my advice. no no. that's okay. you insist. well. medium is my favorite. a litre keeps me for a year.
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cabingal3
Member
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# Posted: 3 Apr 2015 19:52
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so envious.
when i was a child in Michigan.we went to a maple syrup farm.we got to ride a wagon pulled by horses and go to see the buckets under the maple drippings.
we got to see it cooked down and taste it.
how wonderful is this.u are so blessed.
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Just
Member
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# Posted: 3 Apr 2015 20:26
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Quoting: creeky medium is my favorite.
i seem to have a lot of new friends these days
Quoting: cabingal3 are so blessed
been great fun when the grand kids come to help
old 243 says when it tastes buddy !!! guess I will keep boiling..
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Just
Member
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# Posted: 28 Jan 2018 20:27
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Early start this year , I colected 35 galons of sap today . I am boiling it down tonight so it dosent freeze in my tank as it's calling for cold weather for the next few days . Be surop by midnight! !!
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Chuck
Member
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# Posted: 29 Jan 2018 21:11
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Nice there Just!
I have to re-equip myself with an evaporator, etc, once I find another place with maples. Sold everything to the guy who bought my previous cabin in Ompah this year. I'm including a link to a youtube video I put together for last season. Hope you like it! https://youtu.be/NJd0qa65sbw
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Just
Member
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# Posted: 29 Jan 2018 22:14
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wow. Chuck fancy setup . all that shiny stainless is something . i’m A one pan man .I can't believe I had full buckets in January,good luck with your season..
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Chuck
Member
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# Posted: 29 Jan 2018 23:17
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Yep. It was too fancy for how I was using it. Those pans can boil 25 gallons in 2 hours and were meant for about 150 taps but I barely ever set up more than 40 taps/buckets. Like I said, I sold that equipment to the guy who bought my cabin. Pretty sure my next set-up will be less fancy as I just want to do it as a pass time / small hobby.
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Just
Member
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# Posted: 21 Feb 2019 19:07
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The season started today .I taped 100 trees should be a good year but one never knows . I have 3 pints leftover from last season better have pancakes for Breakfast.Any one else boiling???
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socceronly
Member
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# Posted: 21 Feb 2019 22:35
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How does it reduce?
100 trees -> 35gal -> X bottles of magic?
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Just
Member
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# Posted: 22 Feb 2019 09:13
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I would say more like
100 trees = 500 gal. Of sap = 10 gal. Of magic if I don’t burn any , if I don’t spill any , if the sun shines ,IF !!!!
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socceronly
Member
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# Posted: 22 Feb 2019 20:17
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Holy cow, I didn't know they put out that much sap.
Amazing.
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