TJQ Posted March 6, 2013 Report Share Posted March 6, 2013 Interesting. Good idea. I've been filtering mine thru cheesecloth before storing, then thru a felt bag filter when its almost boiled, then once finished, pour it thru the coffee filter in a funnel into the bottles. Maybe I'm over killing it? I guess you can never be too safe, but it is a bit of a PITA..... Will check your vid out later this week. S. Anything that makes it through all that boiling.. lol.. I dont think it can hurt ya... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_614 Posted March 6, 2013 Report Share Posted March 6, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted March 6, 2013 Report Share Posted March 6, 2013 AlL mosts looks like Newfoundland Screech Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinker Posted March 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2013 Great video TJ. Thats the kind of old school set up I"d love to have. Thats the only way to do it as far as I'm concerned. Good stuff. S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJQ Posted March 7, 2013 Report Share Posted March 7, 2013 Got the boilers ready this afternoon... went out to tap a few trees.. looks like the mild spells sunk in... were a couple weeks early.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinker Posted March 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2013 I had 32 buckets almost full to the top when I came home from work. Its running like crazy here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigugli Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 In order to have a good season, temperature is key. The warmer temps can be good and bad. It gers the sap flowing, but if the night temps stay above zero, the season shortens and the sap gets dark fast. Optimum conditions are for the night temps to drop below zero each night, interrupt sap flow, and delay budding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakerguy Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 I had 32 buckets almost full to the top when I came home from work. Its running like crazy here! Same here Got barn chores done and went to collect and a few buckets were over flowing....not a bad night,2L tonight of nice ultra lite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmokestackLightnin Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 This is my 8th year making syrup. Just a hobby and fun thing to do with the kids and their friends. I put out 45 buckets this year and so far collected approximately 180 - 200 litres of sap. It started running Wednesday and we had a solid run yesterday, but today's run will likely match what I have collected so far. I had a boiler made from stainless steel and it holds around 350 litres. I use a 3-burner propane stove and go through 150 lbs of propane doing 3 boils a season. Propane price works out to be around $100 or $15/gallon of syrup. Although propane is not the most cost effective way of doing it I don't have to deal with prepping the wood nor tending a fire. I start my boils at 3pm and they go all night. By noon the next day I pour off what I have and do the finishing boil in a stainless steel pot the size of turkey fryer. Last year was slow but where I am, this year has the makings of a long season with good syrup. So far my best quality and quantity came in 2009 and 2010. This winter resembled those for temps and snow load. Good luck to everyone doing syrup this year. Has anyone tried making birch syrup? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJQ Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 In order to have a good season, temperature is key. The warmer temps can be good and bad. It gets the sap flowing, but if the night temps stay above zero, the season shortens and the sap gets dark fast. Optimum conditions are for the night temps to drop below zero each night, interrupt sap flow, and delay budding. That's the gospel right there... Finishing up some work this morning then ill be tapping all weekend.. about 1/2 the 19 i tapped yesterday were wet.. only a few were dripping..Never done birch syrup.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigugli Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 Has anyone tried making birch syrup? Got to try my hand at it once with an old timer. Boil down ratio was almost 100 to 1. Used part of it to make a wicked wine too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmokestackLightnin Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 Got to try my hand at it once with an old timer. Boil down ratio was almost 100 to 1. Used part of it to make a wicked wine too. I've seen it in specialty food shops and the price was through the roof. I have never tried it but have heard it has a unique flavour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt bruce Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 (edited) T.J. , my grand dad made the best Birch syrup , but birch trees do not have , guess I will call it sap /root pressure as maples do, so the sap does not flow as well , and it takes almost twice as much birch sap than maples sap for the same amount of syrup , less sugars ???, and this my granddad swore by , Birch sap has a different kind of sugar than maple , sucrose - fruitrose ??? one has more than the other cant remember which is which , but the sugars in birth sap burn at a lower temp than maple sap , so ya got to watch the temp or you will end up with your birch syrup tasting scorched ... Hope we have a better year for sap than last ...Food from the forest , the best kind of food .... Edited March 8, 2013 by capt bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinker Posted March 9, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 I've tried collecting birch sap, but I don't have enough of them. You need yellow birch. I've had birch butter, and it is definitly different. Good stuff though. I'm gonna have a big boil here sunday. Running out of storage for my sap now. Its running like crazy! Weather is looking mint all week too!!! S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crappieperchhunter Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 It sounds like a great family activity Shayne. Thx for starting this thread as I have enjoyed it. If you have any pictures to share I'd love to see them !!! Growing up an old farmer down the road tapped trees. We would have a few sips out of his pails on the way home from school I was buddies with his grandson so I even made it out to the sugar shack a few times. He strictly used wood to boil down the sap. Grandpa Watson is long gone and so is that Sugar bush. Right now it's a sub division...with not one of them Maple trees left standing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJQ Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 35 more trees tapped this afternoon... snow is sloppy and heavy.. uhhg... gonna go for 50 tomorrow and then i think im done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinker Posted March 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2013 I've been averaging about 30 gallons per day since I tapped. I put out 10 more taps yesterday, and collected 45 gallons this evening. Gotta boil all day tomorrow, I'm out of storage space for sap!!! Took the kids perchin today. What a georgeous day! We had a blast! Brought home about 20 good ones, but it was a lot slower than mid week. Stilla fantastic day on the ice! I have everything ready to go for the morning. I will take some pics! Come by and check it out steve! Bring beer S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJQ Posted March 10, 2013 Report Share Posted March 10, 2013 OK... more trees tapped ... shack cleaned up.. finally... ready to collect.. but only 1/2 the trees are running, and only a little. Still too cold in the north!! Heres some picts of the operation.. Our main vats.. The finishing stove... Our "settling" Tank The crepe stove!! (My favorite.. and my grandmas!!) The rest of the shack!! Old wounds heal... Tapping in snowshoes... in slushy snow... were gonna sleep tonight!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aplumma Posted March 10, 2013 Report Share Posted March 10, 2013 I now see how much time and effort you dedicate to your sapping T.J. that is quite a setup you have there. The term liquid Gold is now in perspective. Art Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lew Posted March 10, 2013 Report Share Posted March 10, 2013 That's a great set-up you've got there TJ, love the way you've kept it "old school" And in keeping with the theme of this thread, I just ate a big mess of French Toast with maple syrup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJQ Posted March 10, 2013 Report Share Posted March 10, 2013 I now see how much time and effort you dedicate to your sapping T.J. that is quite a setup you have there. The term liquid Gold is now in perspective. Art Thanks Art, I cant take much credit for the setup, thats all my dads mcguyvering That's a great set-up you've got there TJ, love the way you've kept it "old school" And in keeping with the theme of this thread, I just ate a big mess of French Toast with maple syrup Yes Lew keep the addiction going.. its ok.. all your friends are doing it... lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJQ Posted March 10, 2013 Report Share Posted March 10, 2013 Rainy day... but all the trees are tapped and some buckets are 1/4 to 1/2 full... gonna get a cold snap though thats gonna shut us down wed. for a few days methinks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinker Posted March 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2013 I need it to stop running here. Getting overwhelmed with sap lol. Been boiling since 9am. It takes forever this way, but its been a fun day S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigugli Posted March 11, 2013 Report Share Posted March 11, 2013 I need it to stop running here. Getting overwhelmed with sap lol. Been boiling since 9am. It takes forever this way, but its been a fun day S. One of the original ideas behind March break, at least in eastern Canada, was sugaring off. The whole family would be involved in the harvest with the fires running constant and non stop. Maple sugar was a traded commodity, and for many, the only supply of household sugar, being boiled down until granular and molded into loaves. All that remains of that process, today outside of aboriginal use, is the sugar candies that some places still make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinker Posted March 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2013 Just finished cleaning everything up. 3.5 litres finished. Great day. I'm beat! That's 5 litres for me so far. Another full day boil on tuesday. S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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