Thar's Gold in them thar trees

[Stwood_]

We don't have anything around here to tap that I know of.
What type of maples do you all have up there that the syrup comes from?

[jppierson]

Basically if it is maple, tap it. The only one not usually tapped is the big leaf maple (Adirondack toilet paper maple), and this is because the diameter of the trunk doesn't get to the 12 inch minimum diameter. Each type of maple (even trees within a type), will produce sap with different concentrations of sugar. Most sugar bushes (fields of maples) will be maintained in a manner that promotes a diversity of trees of hardwood and softwood species, as well as understory. This is just good forest management. The larger operations, set up a network of tubing that originates at each tap, then connects to larger diameter main lines, that end at a collection tank. The tanks are then swapped out, or emptied and the sap brought to a sugar house for boiling. Some sugaring operations use vacuum systems and/or reverse osmosis to assist in production. I am not aware that any one maple syrup producer chooses to collect from a single type of tree, maple is maple. I've read that walnut can be tapped, don't know the season for collection though it is most likely early spring. Birch sap runs later than maple, and uses the exact same equipment as tapping maples. Birch syrup is an "acquired" taste, some like it, I despise it. The sugar content in Birch is approximately 100:1 so it takes much more sap to produce a given quantity of syrup, and it also requires much more fuel to reduce.

Just make sure you don't tap any pines, pine sap produces turpinetine!

[CLETUS]

The crew I sap with runs 700 buckets. The buckets get distributed to the trees then you can mindlessly go through and tap them. The joke is that if a telephone pole has a bucket next to it, it gets tapped!

[Stwood_]

Thanks jppierson.


I wonder what walnut would taste like. I have plenty of those.

[jppierson]

Thanks jppierson.


I wonder what walnut would taste like. I have plenty of those.

From what I've read, it is sweet with a slight nutty flavor. Go for it! I will say though, that once you've had the real deal the fake stuff just doesn't cut it anymore. If you end up boiling the sap down a tad too far, you will end up with some sugar crystals that will form in your syrup once it cools. You can empty your syrup back into a pan and add some distilled water (so you don't add taste) re-heat to the proper temp and your done. By heating the distilled water and adding it to your sugar crystalled jar, you can stir it around till the sugar disolves. I guess you can just call me frugal... cheap... tightwad... but what the heck waste not want not. If you have extra syrup (you know less than enough to fill a jar) you can continue to boil the syrup to a thicker consistancy to make candy, or even sugar crystals. Use a candy thermometer and candy molds to create your walnut candy treats.

By the way, another use for left over syrup is to take some pecan halves, pour some syrup with a little cinamon in it over the pecans toss and spread out flat on a waxed papered sheet, and bake at 250* for your own pralenes. Caution, these are addictive!