Tree sap gathering and syrup making

[itsasmallfarm]

Boxelders are an “acer”. Which is the family for all maples. I use way more boxelder than I do maple.

I like the early syrup made from boxelders better than maple it has a Carmel flavor.

It’s fairly cheap to get into. I use a barrel stove I made and schaffing dishes to evaporate in.

I am working on larger evaporator pans but they may not be done for this season. Procrastination occurred.

You can find taps online or Craigslist. I bought food grade buckets for a place that sells barrels.

I have 2- 275 gallon totes and 2-55 gallon barrels I hold sap in before I evaporate it.

thank you!

i will look into barrel stoves. you must be at a fair operation size for that many gallons!

got a few box elders around here. (birch on my northern land) but awesome to know that you enjoy/like the syrup.

will hopefully get into it this year.

 

[duluthralphie]

Read this look at the North Dakota batch and what they say.

https://www.10best.com/interests/food-culture/best-american-maple-syrup-small-batch/

I have a neighbor that makes thousands of gallons of maple syrup. He always wants some of my boxelder syrup, he likes the taste. When marketing use the name “Manitoba Maple”or “ash leaf maple”. Or. 3 leaf maple.

 

[duluthralphie]

thank you!

i will look into barrel stoves. you must be at a fair operation size for that many gallons!

got a few box elders around here. (birch on my northern land) but awesome to know that you enjoy/like the syrup.

will hopefully get into it this year.

You can use vacuum to increase the flow of sap from the maples/boxelders, but not from the birch.

I have never done birch but plan to this year.
I have read a reverse osmosis system is best for birch. I have a small one I made. I will try it on the birch. I don’t plan to make much birch.

 

[aart]

I use a barrel stove I made and schaffing dishes to evaporate in.

Could you post some pics once you get up and running?

 

[duluthralphie]

Could you post some pics once you get up and running?

Here is last spring:

 

[aart]

Here is last spring:

Very cool, Thanks!
What is the material in the 'pan holes'?

 

[duluthralphie]

I covered the stove with a welders blanket to help direct the heat.

The rope like stuff is stove cord. For stove doors and pipes.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

if you don't mind me asking another question.

has anyone tapped mountain maple (white maple, moose maple or Acer Spicatum) or can you even tap it?

found out they should be on my farm up north. all i can find about them on the wiki is they say they tap them but find nothing else on them. any help would be awesome.

thanks.

 

[duluthralphie]

if you don't mind me asking another question.

has anyone tapped mountain maple (white maple, moose maple or Acer Spicatum) or can you even tap it?

found out they should be on my farm up north. all i can find about them on the wiki is they say they tap them but find nothing else on them. any help would be awesome.

thanks.

Any Acer is tappable. The Mountain maples around here are more bush like than tree like, so finding one big enough to tap could be a challenge.

 

[duluthralphie]

I will start tapping trees next week. I don’t expect any sap for quite a while but I don’t want to be caught flat footed by an unexpected warm
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