Tree sap gathering and syrup making

[rbigokie]

OK ,the list you posted I was looking for trees here in southern okla. and found the black walnut and hickory on it and red oak was there n at the bottom if I didn't read it wrong.

 

[duluthralphie]

 

[wyoDreamer]

I would think that oak wouldn't be that great - with all the tannin they have. Our lake water has a nice brown tint to it because of all the oak trees.
If you try it, post back and let us know how it is.

 

[duluthralphie]

Not a great time here today.

It did not get below freezing again last night so today’s run was pitiful at best. In addition it rained most of the day. This normally does not make a difference to the sap in the buckets, except for the buckets covers where the drill operator made the holes a little too large. Then the rain can run down the tree picking up dirt and become stained by the bark.

I had one bucket of about a gallon of sap I had to throw away. I am fairly certain it would have been fine, but I am not going to risk a batch of syrup on “pretty sure it would be fine”.

Here are two saps, the rain contaminated one and a good one.

The one on the left was contaminated. Before I threw it away I tested both for sugar content.

I use two hydrometer:

Note the two red lines on the longer one, that one is used to see when the syrup is done. If you use it in 200 degree syrup it will float to the top mark, if used in cooler syrup it floats to the bottom Mark. This one is a necessity. Others you end up guessing and get watery syrup, or candy.

The smaller one measures the sugar content of raw sap. I use it infrequently, mainly to give me an idea how my trees are doing.

I used it on the two glasses of raw sap to make sure it was a contaminant and not just high sugar content turning the sap orange. High sugar content does turn the sap more orangish around here.

Here are the two readings.

Note the darker one is a tad higher but not enough to make it that orange. Had it read 4.5 I would have kept the sap.

We are suppose to freeze again tonight and tomorrow, so I might get a few more gallons of sap. I am praying for a two week cold snap.

If you decide to tap trees, when it starts to get warm like it is here pay attention to the tree buds and the sap. If it turns cloudy taste it. BTW I hope you have tasted raw sap so you know what good sap should taste like. It won’t kill you, maybe.

If the tree buds start to open up that tree is done for the year. I have 2 silver maples that open first for me. The buds are quite swollen but none have opened yet. I look at often and try to Will them smaller.

Hows everyone else’s year going?
I had a goal of 30 gallons of syrup this year. I am currently 26.75 gallons short. This is not looking good here.

I have 38 buckets out, each bucket averages 2 taps, today I collected 30-35 gallons of sap is all, some trees gave me nothing. A couple a gallon or so but one gave me almost 5 gallons.

Makes no sense.

Tomorrow will be better, I was getting ready to go to 40 acres I own in way northern Minnesota to tap. I thought I would leave Sunday for a couple weeks, but our Governor imposed a shelter in place order today. I am not sure if my syrup qualifies as an exemption give to food producers. I tend to think it does...

It is cold enough up there I could produce my last 27 gallons. Then slip into birch syrup mode.

 

[Tre3hugger]

I ended up with a pretty good haul. Almost 2 gallons from about 70 gals of sap. My goal was 2 gallons. I managed it on a homemade evap too so I was happy.

^^some of my amber gold

 

[Tre3hugger]

next year I need a hydrometer. This year I just went off temp and feel. It came out pretty good but I hate the guess work,

 

[duluthralphie]

I am a little over 4 gallons tonight. We have a couple cold night ahead. That should help.

I have 5 gallons of concentrate to boil down and a little raw sap. I did not empty buckets today, I checked them and there was not a lot in them.

My challenge will be keeping the sap from fermenting in the next few days.

I might try boiling it down even if it does ferment. There seems to be so many wives tales about syruping, I might have to see for myself what it tastes like.

I have taken in about 20,000 calories in the last couple days licking off the spoons and pans before they hit the dishwasher...but it sure is good.

I have been checking buds and they have not opened yet.

 

[duluthralphie]

next year I need a hydrometer. This year I just went off temp and feel. It came out pretty good but I hate the guess work,

I have two finishing hydrometer and one for raw sap.

Every trip through the RO doubles the sugar content of the sap. which was interesting to know.

 

[Tre3hugger]

This so much!

I have taken in about 20,000 calories in the last couple days licking off the spoons and pans before they hit the dishwasher...but it sure is good.

 

[duluthralphie]

This so much!

The best part of making syrup is licking out the dishes when done!