Tree sap gathering and syrup making

[duluthralphie]

I have decided to start a thread for those of us that make tree syrup.

I was going to just have it on maple syrup as that is what I am making now but in six weeks I hope to make birch syrup.

please show pictures and ask questions. This is just my second year doing this, so I sure don’t have all the answers.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Haha I'm not the only one old as dirt here. If the tree bark fits!

We can still buy Sorgum here. Us southies still make it.

 

[duluthralphie]

https://practicalselfreliance.com/trees-species-tap-syrup/
https://wildfoodism.com/2014/02/04/22-trees-that-can-be-tapped-for-sap-and-syrup/amp/

 

[duluthralphie]

good to know, thank you. i have no idea what to expect from how much sap per tree and how much per gallon.

don't got any other type of maples here (got moose maple up north i think its called) so i have nothing to compare too.

friend/neighbor is planning to run birch syrup with me this spring, we should have lots of birch to tap.

I have never done birch before. My neighbor does quite a bit. As I understand, it can be tricky without an Reverse Osmosis system.

I know it’s not really a good pancake syrup and more of a baking or brewing flavoring.

I started boiling sap today. I actually collected 55 gallons of sap today. I did not think I would get any.

 

[duluthralphie]

Maple syrup is selling to wholesalers for around $70 a gallon, birch syrup runs about $150 a gallon.

It is a luxury item and I doubt many here have tasted it. If your as old as say.... Patti

you might recall sorghum syrup. I know we had it when I was a wee lad. My grandpa use to buy it. While being sweet I recall it being a tad bitter.

Birch syrup tastes a lot like that to me.

 

[R2elk]

I know in my heart Ralphie really loves Dux and he would never intentionally hurt one feather on their little head.

I know for a fact that Ralphie agrees with me that ducks can taste delicious.

 

[duluthralphie]

Yes, there are a lot of varieties of trees you can tap. Making a tasty syrup techniques can vary from species to species.

 

[gmjarvi]

Sap's running in upper Michigan, too!

We helped our native friend tap the first 150 or so trees out of 700 this year. He and his family make sugar (zinzibaakwad), syrup (zhiiwaagamizigan), and maple vinegar from the sap.

My husband also helps with a sugar bush through the university he works for.

 

[BGcoop]

DH and kids just put our taps in too! We do anywhere from 30-75 trees mostly just for us and family and have more syrup sitting in the basement than I know what to do with! I kind of feel like tree tapping math is like chicken math....

 

[duluthralphie]

More syrup evaporating today. But I had help from Mother Nature. We had a hard freeze last night (about 10 degrees). So I got to throw away water today from the sap in the form of ice..

I think I threw out 30 gallons of ice or so.