Tapping Oak?

[OCHTO]

I'm Just getting started, this being my third year of learning, and I'm reading everything I can on this forum to learn more. Here's my question: I read that every beginner taps a basswood, an ash or an oak. If I would tap one of these do they give sap? I would hate to ruin a batch of syrup with bad sap. Also can silver birch be tapped?

[bowhunter]

I know the oak won't because I tapped one last year in my first year.

[madmapler]

You can tap silver birch. It generally runs after the maple season and follows the same rules as the other birches. I dont think any of those other trees will give sap but I've never tried.

[Too Tall]

I drilled two oaks my first year. There is a distinct difference in the color of the sapwood (or whatever the white wood behind the bark is called). I never tapped them though.

[lpakiz]

The elm I tapped the first 2 years also did not give any sap. We quit tapping it.

[psparr]

The elm I tapped the first 2 years also did not give any sap. We quit tapping it.
rofl!!!!!!!!!!

[Shawn]

??????????????

[CincySyrupPusher]

what about telephone poles?

[Sam Caruth]

Yeah, I have also tried oak, and it does not leak sap. At least with my experiences.

[CharlieVT]

what about telephone poles?

Doesn't every self respecting sugarmaker who has a telephone pole near their sugarhouse have an old spile and sap bucket on it?
I think that there is a rule that you should never use tubing on a phone pole, buckets only.

[jmayerl]

The elm I tapped the first 2 years also did not give any sap. We quit tapping it.
Hahahahaha

My first year I flagged all the trees because I wasn't sure I could tell the difference in winter......still tapped a oak. 5 years later u still tap that oak just so the neighbor at the end of the driveway can shake his head when I try collecting it. Last year I drove by A really neat looking brand new little sugar shack. I was going to stop in but then I looked in his woods and half his taps were in oaks so I just kept driving by.

[shane hickey]

what about telephone poles? yeah i tapped that it was a good conversation piece

[morningstarfarm]

In honor of my grandfather I tap about 100 telephone poles...every one within a half mile radius...brings in about 20 people a season just to find out why...they all love the story of mrs butters worth being pole syrup...

[shane hickey]

That's funny Chris

[afretired]

Hey, I work at a telephone company and we have all kinds of them, maybe the ones you are tapping aren't big enough yet, we have some that I'm sure are mature, maybe they would give more.

David

[DizzyDave2]

We tap telephone poles to make phony maple syrup.

[OCHTO]

Phoney Maple Syrup? Love it! Thanks guys for all the great responces!

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Doesn't every self respecting sugarmaker who has a telephone pole near their sugarhouse have an old spile and sap bucket on it?
I think that there is a rule that you should never use tubing on a phone pole, buckets only.
Yes I do believe that's true

Hahahahaha
Yea im crying imaughing so hard

My first year I flagged all the trees because I wasn't sure I could tell the difference in winter......still tapped a oak. 5 years later u still tap that oak just so the neighbor at the end of the driveway can shake his head when I try collecting it. Last year I drove by A really neat looking brand new little sugar shack. I was going to stop in but then I looked in his woods and half his taps were in oaks so I just kept driving by.
I do the same but tap a hemlock


In honor of my grandfather I tap about 100 telephone poles...every one within a half mile radius...brings in about 20 people a season just to find out why...they all love the story of mrs butters worth being pole syrup...
That's so cool keeping up traditions like that

We tap telephone poles to make phony maple syrup.
Think that's what McDonalds uses

[johnzski]

So do you drill a new hole in the poles every year ? Or does the old one produce about the same as the year before ? ;)

[morningstarfarm]

Lol...you know what? I wish my maples ran as consistently as my poles...they give exactly the same every day...the temps don't seem to have any effect...

[red maples]

I had my brother in law almost convinced that the fake stuff comes form telephone poles.... no kidding and he's a contractor too he said with all the stuff that they cure the poles with how can they get anything edible out of it... I said yeah they get some stuff out and then mix it with corn syrup rice syrup and what .00000000001 maple syrup flavoring then bottle it and couldn't hold it in anymore and started laughing!!!! REALLY!!!!

[jrgagne99]

what about telephone poles?

I think in Canada they call that "Sirop du Pol", or "pole syrup". :-)

[Russell Lampron]

My former son in law tapped a big beech one year thinking it was a red maple. I don't know if it gave any sap but it doesn't get tapped anymore.

[Michael Greer]

If you do get sap from a telephone pole, you can cook it down and make creosote.

[Russell Lampron]

If you do get sap from a telephone pole, you can cook it down and make creosote.

Sometimes some of us make creosote in our front pans without tapping telephone poles!!!

[Bruce L]

Had a neighbor tapped a hollow elm one year to see if the help was paying attention, could hardly keep from rolling in the snow laughing when the help was trying to not miss the run as the tree was draining through the hole into the bucket like a tap left on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[shane hickey]

My former son in law tapped a big beech one year thinking it was a red maple. I don't know if it gave any sap but it doesn't get tapped anymore. that is very true lol

[OCHTO]

More on the difficulties of tree identification: Two tall stately trees were having an argument in the woods one day about the little sapling growing between them. It's a fine son of a birch said the tall birch tree. No it a fine son of a beech said the tall beech. Back and forth all day they argued. Finely a woodpecker landed on the birch who said, tell us mr. wood pecker that the little sapling down there is a son of a birch. No Mr. woodpecker tell us it's a fine son of a beech, said the beech tree. So the woodpecker flew down and with a tap tap tap sampled the young tree. He then flew to the top of the tall birch and said , well my friends it's not a son of a birch and it's not a son of a beech but it's the best little piece of ash I ever stuck my pecker in. And so it goes, only the woodpecker knows for sure.

[filb972]

HA HA Nice!!:lol:

[Justin Turco]

Add me to the list of those who tapped an Oak in their first year!

[Ausable]

I get fooled by Bass and have almost tapped Eastern Hemlock - Till I look up. Glad I'm usually by myself when tapping. Haven't tapped an Oak-----Yet. lol

[GramaCindy]

OMG….this thread has me literally LAUGHING OUT LOUD. I did actually tap on oak my first year. You can tell it's an oak when you tap it and it's a LOT harder to drill into!

Sometimes some of us make creosote in our front pans without tapping telephone poles!!!

[red maples]

I tapped several Ash trees thinking they were red maples may first year. not sure what type of ash they were but not the ones with the corduroy type bark the ones with the similar bark but just a shade lighter. Wouldn't you know it.... no sap from those!!! I can honestly say that's the only mistake I have made. I have tapped birch on purpose and boiled it down to make some really nasty stuff!!! Didn't like it you have to cut it with maple syrup to make it taste good. Haven't tried since. Might try it someday now that I have the RO. but it uses ALOT of wood because its a simmer not a boil!!!

[Ausable]

Brad - I tapped some white birch years ago and had the same experience. It was like a very low grade molasses - it was sweet though. I felt sorry for the five trees I tapped as sap flowed from the tap holes for a long time and attracted insects. Never did it again.

[backyard sugaring]

My 14 year old Son who knows his trees accidently tapped an Oak yesterday. The way sap was flowing yesterday it seemed like they all were Oaks. I took a picture of it and will put it in the sugar shack. Good Luck. Lee

[campus189]

what about telephone poles?

I tried tapping a telephone pole.. No sap running yet. still waiting. lmao

[Ittiz]

I tried tapping a telephone pole.. No sap running yet. still waiting. lmao

Put it on a vacuum, maybe you'll get some coal tar ;)

[campus189]

Doesn't every self respecting sugarmaker who has a telephone pole near their sugarhouse have an old spile and sap bucket on it?
I think that there is a rule that you should never use tubing on a phone pole, buckets only.

So are you telling me, that I am wrong in not using a bucket??
I take it I am wrong then ? ROFL :lol:
I got one tapped now.
See picture below.
I had to do this when someone mentioned tapping a pole.lol
9275

[Graham Agri Enterprises]

How about putting two buckets on a nice 20" maple only to look up after about three non productive gatherings to realize it was a 30' trunk with no top! This explained all the brush on the ground:confused:

[campus189]

How about putting two buckets on a nice 20" maple only to look up after about three non productive gatherings to realize it was a 30' trunk with no top! This explained all the brush on the ground:confused:

ROFLMAO

That is something I haven't done. YET <--- Key word, yet.lol

[BC Birch Tapper]

I'm Just getting started, this being my third year of learning, and I'm reading everything I can on this forum to learn more. Here's my question: I read that every beginner taps a basswood, an ash or an oak. If I would tap one of these do they give sap? I would hate to ruin a batch of syrup with bad sap. Also can silver birch be tapped?

Yes most definitely, all birches can be tapped but will behave differently and give you a different end product with a different end use.
You can also tap any maple, but your highest sugar content will be from sugar maple......thus the name.

[Quagmire33]

9365 I tapped the telephone pole in front of my house. Can't imagine what people think when they drive by.

[Evets]

Lol! You know what they say, right? Every neighborhood has that one neighbor that's just a little strange, and if you look around, and you don't see him, well................

[maplestudent]

9365 I tapped the telephone pole in front of my house. Can't imagine what people think when they drive by.

Haha......that's a classic