Any backyard(maple sap) boilers out there.

[TheCougar]

We tried in VA this year. It was really poor. Freeze cycle just wasn’t there. We have a couple of good days, then it stopped. The trees have leaves already. Crazy…

 

[BBob]

I used to get to do this in Québec helping out on a family operation. They had a real nice “sugar shack” off in the woods behind the house. Taffy troughs outside. Really fun but hard work trudging around on snowshoes doing bucket farmers carries collecting and hauling the sap

 

[ddd-shooter]

I’ve never done it, but I appreciate those who do! Do you sell yours?

 

[HighUintas]

I used to. But moved out west a number of years ago. It's 1000 times better boiling over a wood fire and getting a bit o.that smoke In there.

 

[2muchhp]

You never know what you might learn on Rokslide--if you have access to a few sugar maples, the cost on entry is low--you need taps, buckets or bags for the sap and a way to boil it down outside. You can do it simple and small scale (hotel pan on a wood fire/propane burner) or as big, complex or expensive as the Roth Sugarbush catalog/website's outer limits (vacuum-assisted tubing, reverse osmosis, etc.). I recommend it as a great late winter/early spring project. I'm in New York these days but I know it can be done further south at least to Virginia, maybe further.

Yup, I started with a turkey fryer and and a 20lb propane tank

 

[2muchhp]

I used to. But moved out west a number of years ago. It's 1000 times better boiling over a wood fire and getting a bit o.that smoke In there.

Definatly - I went to wood after using propane burners. I had to feed the fire every eight minutes. The time and work it took wasn't worth it. I now use natural gas and if I want that smoke flavor I just throw some in the smoker.
I wish I had the time/setup for wood, in my opinion that's the way it should be done.

 

[Mikido]

I have a single 40” silver maple in my backyard. I put 3 taps in it. Produces enough for a years consumption for my family of 4……except this year

 

[michihunt]

We do it. Made 2 gallons this season on 10 taps. I have $10 in to my evaporator. Free old filing cabinet and some chafing pans, a bunch of wood and a Saturday. My kids really enjoy it and it’s a good excuse to be outside.


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[Oilfieldmiller]

Neighbor who was like a grandad to me, tapped about 120 trees every year and my family helped do all the tapping and processing. One of my fondest memories is on a cold Feb day walking into a 10’x12’ sugar house that was about 80 deg and full of that sweet moist smell. Loved it!! North central WV.

Since there are some knowledgeable folks here, I’ve always heard the tree quality and area of country makes for different sap/syrup ratio. Ours was normally about 36 gal of sap for 1 gal of syrup. What’s your ratio?


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[Clovis]

I am no expert, but that is a good sap to syrup ratio. I notice differences between individual trees and segments of the season but overall run about 40-50 to 1.

 

[Tenstrike]

Here in northern Minnesota things are running a bit late, still have 2-3 feet of snow on the grown and the high temps for the upcoming week are in the 20s, so no flow this week. Pictures from March 20, 2021 show boiling sap with no snow on the ground. Usually boil around 150 gallons of sap with about 20 taps.

 

[hh76]

Finally got a few trees tapped Saturday in N WI. Still tough moving in the woods with a lot of snow. Hoping to get a few jars of syrup.

My operation from last year.

 

[Neumie]

Just got our 22 taps in yesterday. Nothing flowing yet in NC Minnesota. We usually make 5-9 gallons of syrup.

Our operation on a barrel stove next to the wood shed.

 

[Zak406]

My grandpa taught me the basics as a small kid. I used to tap 10 trees or so at a buddies property but haven’t lately. I may in the future start back up.

My boiler was a turkey fryer. It consumed way to much propane and got fairly expensive as I had around 100 gallons total to boil off.

When I get some property and start back up I will construct a wood fired system as it’s a lot cheaper

 

[riversidejeep]

I tried here on the west coast one year with Big Leaf Maple, the ratio was terrible. Defiantly not worth the effort.

 

[Glendon Mullins]

our county in virginia is known for our maple festival

 

[elkguide]

Used to tap and boil from about 5,000 trees when my grandfather had his farm. Since my one friend has 90,000 taps and another friend has 150,000 taps nearby, it's really hard to justify the effort to do any backyard maple here. If they didn't have such big sugar bushes close by, I'd probably do it again myself.
Just have to have real maple syrup on everything. (makes an incredible topping for backstrap and any other venison recipe)

 

[stank.243]

You want to read something interesting and amazing, Google Canada's reserve of maple syrup. Last I read it was around 100,000 barrels.
Yeah thats barrels

As well as the great maple syrup heist in 2011

 

[flatlanderhuffandpuff]

My dad collects syrup and boils it off in an old copper pot that has been in the family for 7? generations.

It's the same pot we use in the fall to make apple butter.

It's a nice treat to be able to share jars of syrup around the holidays.