# Tree Tapping, Anyone started yet?



## Larry (Dec 2, 2010)

Has anyone started tapping trees yet? My son and I drilled and pounded in our spiles (Taps) on two trees about 1/2 hour ago. No Sap flowing yet. But I think this week is it for us in East central Iowa.Especially on the south side of the trees.

Hey if you have never made you own syrup you are really missing one of natures gifts. Nothing taste better next season then our own slurry of brown sugar syrup on hotcakes or french toast in the morning. It somehow taste a little sweeter because it comes from a mason jar, not one of those bottles with all the labels on it. Not to mention, nothing makes better cookies then maple syrup you harvested and made.

Okay I'll answer the obvious questions for you guys that down south that make prickly pear jam....hahahah .

It takes about a 10 gallon of SAP to get a Quart. Or plus/minus 43 gallons of SAP to make a gallon. But 10 gallons is a "drop in the bucket" (pun Intended) once the SAP flowing starts and you have a big tree. One we tap is a gigantic silver in our neighbor's yard, the trunk is some 16 feet around. I expect that tree to give us 20 gallons this season as the soil was so wet in early winter.

Ill post some photos once the SAP starts flowing

Larry


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Is there any difference in silver maple syrup as opposed to sugar maple? Just wondering.

In any case, I have a neighbor who does all the hard work and I'd rather pay him for his trouble (and bottles) instead of doing it myself.


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## kiyote (Jun 15, 2014)

can honestly say, I have never looked at a tree and thought, hmmm... I'd tap that.


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## Boxerboxer (Aug 6, 2015)

kiyote said:


> can honestly say, I have never looked at a tree and thought, hmmm... I'd tap that.


A taste of high grade maple syrup was all it took to get my mind running that way.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Larry (Dec 2, 2010)

Glen...The difference is in the sugar content. Sugar Maples of course have the highest. That's about it. Whether its, Sugar, Red, Silver, even boxelder will provide SAP. BTW its takes about 40 gallons of 2% sugar content sap to make a gallon of syrup. A big tree or I have heard trees that grow along the river will give you around 15 gallons.

Larry


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## Deadshotjonny (Jan 20, 2013)

I can't wait for the season to start. Up here we wait til the first weekend in march to tap


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## Agney5 (Sep 28, 2013)

I'm going to have to look into this, I have never done it but I hear people talking about it and cant help but think I would enjoy it. My next big project is raising bees, last year the wife got chickens, this would be just one more thing to give a shot.


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## pokeyjeeper (Sep 5, 2013)

we used to do it when I was a teen it was a great time and we put a lot of city kids to work getting stuck I the mud boiling sap till midnight and getting up for school the next morning getting off the bus after school and starting all over again good times some thing I should do again maybe next year


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

My wife won't even eat the stuff and prefers Aunt Jemimah maple-flavored corn syrup. And, I don't eat pancakes and have no use for maple flavoring on anything else.

So, I'm not looking for such "fun."

The latest method is to run plastic lines all over the place from tree to tree and then to large plastic drums.


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## Larry (Dec 2, 2010)

Oh Glen,

Let's not "maple syrup" sugar coat how you feel. I am sorry this is such a "maple syrup" sticky subject for you. I wish I knew a better way to "maple syrup" sweeten you up. I hope no "maple syrup" sap comes along an ruins your day. Well I better go...my spile is dripping.

Sorry Glen for lame maple syrup humor. Please believe when I tell you my internet friend and fellow trapper, my writings are all in fun.

Larry


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

No problem but I'm burning green boxelder - sap and all.


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## Larry (Dec 2, 2010)

Speaking of boxelder...ever taste a box elder bug? I had my first encounter this morning when I drank my coffee. Unaware box elder bugs liked Folgers Coffee also. Yours truly had a live box elder bug on my tongue after a my first sip. I hurried to the sliding glass doors and began spitting up the most bitter, stinging and nasty taste one can imagine outdoors.

.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

They're not bad, but experienced box elder bug consumers know to fillet them first. I've heard maple syrup makes for a better glaze than coffee, too.


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