Making Maple Syrup

[LVVCHAP]

Ducks4you,
Sorry to say the pics are from last year.

Journey11
I use a meat thermometer. It has an alarm on it and I set it a few degrees above boiling.

This is the same location this year

 

[chicken stalker]

I'm so excited I am going to tap this weekend!! I'm a first timer.

 

[LVVCHAP]

Go for it Chicken Stalker, what have you got to lose but a little time. If it works for you then you will be rewarded with some of your own Maple Syrup. Nothing tastes as good as your own.

 

[Grow 4 Food]

This is awesome! I have been looking into this. I can remember going to a syrup festival as a kid with my grandparents and wanted to show mine how it works (since we don't live there anymore). Time to start hunting trees.

 

[chicken stalker]

Here's a couple pictures of or maple syrup production. My one DD really is into it. This is our first attempt, so far so good. It's boiling as I type.

DD tapping in Spiles

Boiling sap with a view

 

[seedcorn]

where did you find the spiles?

 

[chicken stalker]

They sell them at my local AGWAY.

 

[damummis]

Or you can use PEX pipe sold at the hardwear store.

And water jugs.

 

[chicken stalker]

Another weekend of boiling. Last weekend we boiled down to about a half gallon. I have about 20 gallons to boil down this weekend. The past few days the sap hasn't been flowing, it's been to warm at night. I was hoping for 40-50 gallons for this weekend but mother nature said no. Next week it is supposed to be below freezing again so maybe I'll get one more weekend out of this. Back to watching the fire.

 

[LVVCHAP]

Yesterday I finished 1/2 gal and the water has stopped running here too. My back yard went from 18" of snow to a muddy mess in a matter of a couple days. We'll see what this week brings.