Maple sap buckets hung but the snow is deep | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Maple sap buckets hung but the snow is deep

Wingboy said:
The farm just north of me has kept records of their annual harvest for i think the last 60 years. Dates, quantities of sap, syrup, times and temps.
They run a horse drawn wagon from the St Jacobs farmers market to the farm for a tour. Great for kids with farm animals etc.
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That's cool

I am tapping trees that I tapped with my parents 50 years ago.

We had social distanced friends with their children up on the weekend so that they can learn.

When we boil we will have others up as well since it is all outdoors.

And the kids get to experience snowmobiles, snowshoes, sleds down hills, tractors etc.

I got rid of my horses a couple of years ago. The horses and my 1 horse sleigh were popular with everyone.
 
bakaboy said:
That's cool

I am tapping trees that I tapped with my parents 50 years ago.

We had social distanced friends with their children up on the weekend so that they can learn.

When we boil we will have others up as well since it is all outdoors.

And the kids get to experience snowmobiles, snowshoes, sleds down hills, tractors etc.

I got rid of my horses a couple of years ago. The horses and my 1 horse sleigh were popular with everyone.
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That sounds awesome. We were hoping to do something like that with the kids this year as I know friends that have done it.

but covid put a stop to those plans. Hopefully next year.

EDIT: @Wingboy are they running those carriages now to the maple syrup farms? Or is it down for C19?
 
mimico_polak said:
That sounds awesome. We were hoping to do something like that with the kids this year as I know friends that have done it.

but covid put a stop to those plans. Hopefully next year.

EDIT: @Wingboy are they running those carriages now to the maple syrup farms? Or is it down for C19?
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No idea what will be open this year but we normally go to Mountsberg or Westfield. Westfield is cancelled this year. Mountsberg I can't see info but we aren't going either way.
 
GreyGhost said:
No idea what will be open this year but we normally go to Mountsberg or Westfield. Westfield is cancelled this year. Mountsberg I can't see info but we aren't going either way.
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Ya. I'm assuming pretty much all of it is closed.
 
I'll be tapping a few trees this weekend, only enough to get myself a couple of litres of syrup. My neighbour does a pile of it, so if need be I can grab more syrup from him.
 
bakaboy said:
That's cool

I am tapping trees that I tapped with my parents 50 years ago.

We had social distanced friends with their children up on the weekend so that they can learn.

When we boil we will have others up as well since it is all outdoors.

And the kids get to experience snowmobiles, snowshoes, sleds down hills, tractors etc.

I got rid of my horses a couple of years ago. The horses and my 1 horse sleigh were popular with everyone.
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Do you sell or for personal use
 
ToSlow said:
Do you sell or for personal use
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Experience and tradition.

My Mom was a school teacher so she was always off for March break.

It's what I did

Having my own business I was able to do the same with my kids when they were off for March break.

I still open fire boil. My boil location was, until last year, next to the firepit used back in the 1920s and earlier.

So no not sold. Gifts thru the year.
 
When we were young my grandparents had maple trees they tapped

I remember take sirup and dumping it in the snow to harden it
 
I usually get the Costco stuff but a friend bought some boutique stuff from their travels from out east I think. It's slightly smoky and incredible compared to the Costco one (which is still good!). I'm afraid to use it sometimes as I don't know how to get more.
 
The tradition makes me smile.

We still used to boil in a cast iron cauldron until 15 years ago like I did with my parents and like them with their parents before.

The kettle split 15 years ago so I have been using a pan. The kettle was likely 80 years old.

My older kid bought me 2 old kettles this fall so I built a new tripod on the weekend so we return to tradition this year.

Digging holes and cooking your meals at the fireside in tinfoil buried in the hot coals.
 
jc100 said:
I usually get the Costco stuff but a friend bought some boutique stuff from their travels from out east I think. It's slightly smoky and incredible compared to the Costco one (which is still good!). I'm afraid to use it sometimes as I don't know how to get more.
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My open fire makes a very smokey flavoured syrup.
 
jc100 said:
I usually get the Costco stuff but a friend bought some boutique stuff from their travels from out east I think. It's slightly smoky and incredible compared to the Costco one (which is still good!). I'm afraid to use it sometimes as I don't know how to get more.
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I buy amber from sugar bushes. I bought a gallon in 2019 but it ran out last month so back to costco stuff for now. When I can get near a sugar bush again, I look forward to more amber.

My family made some in the past but in the interest of not boiling it for a week would normally make less than a gallon a year. My cousin makes a bunch using a cut up oil tank as her boiler.
 
GreyGhost said:
I buy amber from sugar bushes. I bought a gallon in 2019 but it ran out last month so back to costco stuff for now. When I can get near a sugar bush again, I look forward to more amber.

My family made some in the past but in the interest of not boiling it for a week would normally make less than a gallon a year. My cousin makes a bunch using a cut up oil tank as her boiler.
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I usually boil 200 gallons of sap down in 2 long days

My IG will likely have more updates. If you are smart you can likely find it.
 
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I am intrigued...never done this before

Questions....

I have an approx 16" Crimson maple in the back yard. Another approx 12" in the front. I only am looking for a quart or so of syrup (couple or three bottles?). Will I get enough sap from one tree or do I need to tap both?

Do I have to boil it as each bucket fills or do I collect it all into a larger container and boil it all at once?
How long can I collect before having to boil?
Where do I keep it? As in outside? I dont have a large freezer or fidge.
I cant have a fire pit, can I use a propane stove or bbq (since I will probably have only one or two containers I am assuming) ?

Any other suggestions or is it a waste of time?
 
You need sugar maple. And it's 40/1. It would be fun trying if you had the right trees. But i doubt 2 trees would give enough.
 
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