Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[1muttsfan]

Sugar Maples have the highest sugar content. You can make syrup out of other trees, including birches, but the sugar content is so low you need much more sap, or they just don't produce much sap. This is a great study:

https://employees.csbsju.edu/ssaupe/CV/conger_final_report.pdf

 

[RaZ]

Already got answers I see. That's good.
40:1 reductions for maple is the rule of thumb. Black walnut is a lot higher ratio so not many people do it. There also aren't a lot of black walnut trees around anymore. I have a lot of birch and black cherry trees here so I'm going to try tapping them.

 

[JanetMarie]

@JanetMarie
We have 2 regular maples on the driveway. What about the crimson maples? Can you tap those? There are 2 of them in the yard.

Otherwise I'd have to trek around in the woods and see what's out there.

I guess you could just show me on your trees when you tap one. Or are they already tapped?

Some Maples produce more sap than others. I guess it's something to look up to see which ones are worth tapping.

We tapped our trees a few weeks ago, when it was warm before it got cold again. Sap should be running today.

 

[JanetMarie]

We've mixed Walnut and Maple syrup together and it was good. I thought Walnut is worth tapping. We have a lot of Walnut trees here, and some Cherry, no Birch. Maybe we'll hang a bucket on one of the cherry too.

 

[chickflick]

aart, she's not swollen that I can see. She's not eating today. Guess there's nothing more I can do. She's not that old. Got her at Chickenstock in 2016. Hate when this happens.
It's a beautiful day today. Let the chickens out to free range a bit. Just have to watch out for hawks.

 

[SillyChicken]

sorry your chicken isn't well Chick.

My dad planted a bunch of walnuts on his farm and has several large ones in the front yard. It was some of his favorite wood to work with.

 

[gladahmae]

Stopped into TSC today to look for salt to melt the 6+in shelf of ice in front of our mailbox, and somehow ended up looking at chicks. They had "assorted brahmas" and at least half of them were dark brahmas. Of course. I've wanted those for 5 years. The manager of the other TSC near us said that this year they are supposed to be getting their "biggest assortment of breeds they've ever had" and I believe him now. We are headed to FL for spring break next week so I am in a chick-buying moratorium. Asking someone to take care of the house, the fire, and 3 dogs is enough without adding chicks to the mix. I'm crossing fingers for lavenders or at least sapphire gems because i'm a sucker for blue/grey birds too.

I lost every single gosh-darn bird this winter during our cold snap. Can't figure out why either, because we put vented soffit on the coop this summer (finally) so there should have been LESS drafts, and there were no signs of there being too much moisture, etc (combs and everything looked good....no upper-respiratory crud). The water never froze. Oh well. Live and learn and move forward.

 

[aart]

I lost every single gosh-darn bird this winter during our cold snap.

OhNo...So Sorry!!

 

[1muttsfan]

What!! How many birds? That is so sad.

 

[Candy442]

aart, she's not swollen that I can see. She's not eating today. Guess there's nothing more I can do. She's not that old. Got her at Chickenstock in 2016. Hate when this happens.
It's a beautiful day today. Let the chickens out to free range a bit. Just have to watch out for hawks.

Sorry to hear about your hen