Underway in New York City - 2011

[Tomahawk]

I installed one test tap today as it was close to 40 degrees, so technically, I'm underway!!

My goal is the same as it is every year -- 1 gallon of maple syrup. Hope I make it, heh!

A great big HEY!!! to all my friends at mapletrader!!!

Good luck to everyone this season!

[Ausable]

Tomahawk -- You are a man to be admired - I know New York City is BIG - But somehow I picture this Guy in Central Park - darting from tree to tree to tap -- all the time looking out for the Mounted Cops. tell me it aint so - Best of Luck and hope You make Your Maple Syrup Quota and then some ----
------almost time for Super Bowl -- See ya ----- Mike

[Tomahawk]

Tomahawk -- You are a man to be admired - I know New York City is BIG - But somehow I picture this Guy in Central Park - darting from tree to tree to tap -- all the time looking out for the Mounted Cops. tell me it aint so - Best of Luck and hope You make Your Maple Syrup Quota and then some ----
------almost time for Super Bowl -- See ya ----- Mike

Heh, thanks Mike but no, I'm not tapping trees in Central Park. Although, there are some giant, old maples with huge crowns that I bet would run very nicely there! Funny thought though!!!:lol:

I appreciate the well wishes and return the same to you -- GOOD LUCK this year!!

I got about 2 quarts of sap in my bucket already but it turned cold again today. Next few days should be interesting.

:) :lol: :)

[Ausable]

Well Tomahawk -- Been slowly getting my stuff together for this years Sugarin Season..... The weather was so nice the last couple of days I got the tapping itch and tapped ten trees -- This morning I checked and I have about half a cup of sap -- lol - about a drop of maple if I boiled it down....Think I'd better re-level the evaporator and gas stove and put the tapping off for a few more days... Again - best of luck ---- Mike

[jerseymaple]

Tomahawk,
Where in the city are you tapping? I'm originally from Inwood, but moved down the shore. I know there would be some great trees to tap in Inwood Hill Park but the City Parks Dept would get a little cranky about it.

[Ausable]

Tomahawk is smart --- Why would he give up his tapping location -- He would have Tree Huggers, Greenies, Climate Changers, City Officials, The EPA, ----- Any group that would screw up a good bowel movement - would be there trying to prevent, tax, fine, stop this one poor guy - trying to make a gallon of maple syrup in New York City. -- Tomahawk - stay in the shadows - May the Force be with you and make lots of Maple --- LOL -- Mike

[jerseymaple]

"Any group that would screw up a good bowel movement" just about sums up NYC.
Tap in peace Tomahawk, 99% of the world would not know where your trees were anyway, even if you did post up.

[Tomahawk]

Tomahawk,
Where in the city are you tapping? I'm originally from Inwood, but moved down the shore. I know there would be some great trees to tap in Inwood Hill Park but the City Parks Dept would get a little cranky about it.

I'm in an outer boro. Lots of little patches of woods to choose from here. Inwood is awesome, I go there often.

We're also at the jersey shore in ocean county during the summer. Surf taco, love it! Are you tapping trees at the shore? That's cool!!

I got about 25 gallons of sap so far and more in the buckets. How are you doing?

[Tomahawk]

Looks like the very tops of some of my trees are budding already although the sap is still flowing.

I think I remember someone here saying that could effect the taste of the syrup?

What happens now?

http://imgsrv.ktk985.com/image/wktk/UserFiles/Image/5QHintEmoticon.jpg

[sapbrush]

nyork city wow

[Tomahawk]

Pulled my taps on Sunday as buds are appearing -- there was no flow as I pulled the taps. Temp was around 50 degrees.

I boiled down 17 gallons of sap yeilding a little over a quart of very dark (but great tasting) maple syrup, well below my gallon goal but, on the bright side, probably enough for my family to use for the year.

I did most of my boiling on the kitchen stove as I couldn't get my air/fuel mixture correct on the turket fryer creating lots of soot/carbon buildup on the pot and not enough heat.

The stove method took many hours over a 4 day period. Not fun.

But in the end, I got some local syrup and had fun doing it.

Thanks to all for their encouragment and advice. Greating appreciated.

[jerseymaple]

Surf Taco, love the place. Hit the one in Long Branch after a morning dawn patrol that drags into lunch. Spend a lot of time on LBI in the summer, better surfing waves and my kids enjoy staying with their grandmother.

Outerboro, I can see being able to tap in the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island, Brooklyn would be harder unless you were near the Belt Parkway. Glad to see you made your syrup, must have been hard doing it on the stove, all that steam. Anyway I ended up with about 90 oz for the year, finished my last boil today as the trees have stopped running. Not bad for an amateur. Next year its 20 trees, real New England sap buckets to make it look cool and 150 plus oz. Take care and enjoy the pancakes.

[Tomahawk]

Surf Taco, love the place. Hit the one in Long Branch after a morning dawn patrol that drags into lunch. Spend a lot of time on LBI in the summer, better surfing waves and my kids enjoy staying with their grandmother.

Outerboro, I can see being able to tap in the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island, Brooklyn would be harder unless you were near the Belt Parkway. Glad to see you made your syrup, must have been hard doing it on the stove, all that steam. Anyway I ended up with about 90 oz for the year, finished my last boil today as the trees have stopped running. Not bad for an amateur. Next year its 20 trees, real New England sap buckets to make it look cool and 150 plus oz. Take care and enjoy the pancakes.

Not bad at all!

Have you ever figured out your sap to syrup ratio? Mine is 65:1

Congrats on your season!!

[jerseymaple]

Yea I don't what my ratio is. I am not sure I boil it all down correctly. I think I could get another 20 percent of a boil done on the stove as my syrup is a bit runny. I like it but I am a bit afraid to boil to much as I don't want to ruin what I have. I would say the my ratio is around 50:1

[Kev]

Yea I don't what my ratio is. I am not sure I boil it all down correctly. I think I could get another 20 percent of a boil done on the stove as my syrup is a bit runny. I like it but I am a bit afraid to boil to much as I don't want to ruin what I have. I would say the my ratio is around 50:1

to bad you can not tap into the steam pipes underground for your evaporator heat:lol:
hey theres an idea, go underground and pull some asbestos off a steam pipe and set yer pans on it :o
I think its pretty cool someone is making syrup in NYC, why it nearly restores my faith in humanity