I put in six taps today, 3/11. The holes seemed nice and sticky and I'm excited about getting sap.

Does it matter what side of the tree you tap? I just used the most convenient spot.

Ted

The sunny side will drip first, but the shadier with drip longer. How big is the tree? or is it 6 diff trees? I have a HUGE tree but it's only safe to put in two-three taps (don't want to stress it at all so only put in two).

You just need to make sure that when you tap next year that you are above or a foot to either side of the holes from this year. Takes two seasons for the tree to lignate :)

-Marie

The sap won't flow until it has fluctuated between 40 and freezing for a couple days. I've not done box elder (don't have one) but know that the syrup is rather nice.

-Marie

I have a red maple that I thought about tapping but it's in a pretty important spot so I skipped it and my silver maples are just not convenient. I wanted to try paper birch,, but from what I read the birch is harder to convert to syrup without burning so I'm left with Box Elder - glad to find something positive about them!

Most trees seem to still be sleeping but one is flowing - maybe it would make a tablespoon of syrup when finished.

Marie - How do you decide when the syrup is done after it's been coooking a while?

Ted

Takes hours... it needs to start to really thicken. It gets dark and needs to "apron" not drip off the edge of a spatula when you dip it in and pull it out. Too soon and you'll get crystals in your syrup jars, too long and it starts to taste more "cooked" though at that point you can make candy from it *GRIN*
-M

Ted, actually - I should tell you that we do our cooking on a propane stove outside our back door since there is SO MUCH water in the sap. I only bring it in when it just begins to thicken and gets that nice brown color. Even then it can take a few hours inside steaming up the place.

-M

My mouth is watering, Marie! That sounds so good.

Thanks for the advice. A few trees are starting to flow - so far I've collected about 2 gallons of sap - less then a cup of syrup from what I've read.

I tasted it raw - not sweet at all really. It tasted just the way the green wood smells when you saw it.

Ted

So the sap has been flowing on and off depending on weather. So far I've gotten about 2 quarts of finished syrup. I was surprised that the box elder syrup is lighter in color then the maple syrup I see in stores. The flavor is a little different, less molassesey, more green and resiny but very good. I'll do more trees next year! Thanks again Marie for the advice and encouragement.

Ted

...and birch comes up red!

Just started our massive boiling - LOTS of sap this year, though our sugar content isn't as high as last, so it'll be a few days yet until I know how much we'll get. We are filling (and I mean FILLING) two sap bags each day the past couple days off the one tree. Warms up anymore during the day and I am not sure I'll keep up! :)

-Marie

I just had to share this with you. A few years back when I was babysitting the grandkids they were all outside licking the maple trees when the sap was running. Thier mother threw a fit when I told her that I not only allowed it but encouraged them to go ahead and taste all they wanted. A couple of germs won't hurt those rug rats they are healthy as can be.

Hi Marie,

Is it too late too tap maple syrup now? Can you send me a link or instructions on how to do it? I have not done that before and would like to learn how. Thanks, Marie, hope to see you again soon.

May

WAY late, May. The buds are bursting on the maples now. If you read back on my posts from this year and last I think I've put down pretty much all you would need to know to figure out how to do it.

-Marie

Give it a go next year. I found it fun and easy for my first go round and I love the syrup. I've even bought more equipment for next year (on clearance at Fleet Farm)

If you google maple syrup you'll find lots of extension publications.

Ted

Thanks, Marie and Ted!

Too bad, maybe try it next year.

May

Hmmmm, maybe I should check out Fleet Farm and get some equipment and give it a shot next year. I have 4 decent size Maples so I should be able to get something. I can tell you first hand that Marie's syrup is Delicious!!!!

We just tapped our silver maple. It's probably a little early here in Minneapolis, but we'd rather do it too soon then too late, since it's such a short sap season. You can see pics of ours at http://theurbanhomestaed.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-to-make-maple-syrup-in-your-own.html

We plan on using an outdoor cooking campfire type thing that uses an open fire pit too cook it down. Has anyone tried anything like this?

Help! I finally did it, when it was warm during the day, about a week or two ago, but nothing came out. Probably way too early. Just wonder if I should drill a little deeper because the holes may be dried out. They are now less than 3" deep. Should I drill them to 3"?

May, give it a couple days to start flowing - day temps have to be above 40 for two days running with freezing temps at night and we haven't really had that yet, though by tonight we will! Three inches is plenty and you only want to re-tap or go deeper if you don't actually get flow in the next few days.

-Marie

Marie, thank you so much for your expert advice! Hope it will flow. The next challenge will be to cook it down, and to make sure it is right. Thanks again!

I helped my local nature center gather sap this year. They're informational class said that you only tap a tree over 12"-18" with one tap, maybe two if it there are two trees growing from the base. Also don't tap the tree in the same place next year.

We finally got some sap. Does anyone know what temperature should the sap be boiled to? Since this is the first time for me, using a Candie thermometer to test the temperature will be more accurate. Otherwise I may under cook or over cook. Thanks!