Western Tapping?

[C.Wilcox]

During a couple of recent trips through southwest CO and northern ID I noticed a lot of box elder and maple species growing. The maples were obviously not sugar maple and I didn't take the time to ID them down to the species level, but they were definitely Acers. This got me wondering why syrup can't be made further west? It certainly gets below freezing in these places over the winter months. Has anyone on the Trader tried cooking syrup in the Rocky Mountain region or know anyone that has?

[DrTimPerkins]

Has anyone on the Trader tried cooking syrup in the Rocky Mountain region or know anyone that has?

All you need are maples and the right weather. This is a little further west of the Rockies, but check:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/your-business/business-categories/bc-bigleaf-maple-syrup-business-slowly-finds-its-niche/article1573156/?cmpid=rss1

http://www.woodlot.bc.ca/agroforestry/pdf/Bigleaf-Maple-Challenges-and-Opportunities.pdf

http://www.farmwest.com/index.cfm?method=pages.showPage&pageid=513

I've been consulting/corresponding with Deidre Bruce about this for several years while she was doing her research. We're discussing writing a short paper comparing sugar maple and Bigleaf maple production.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I did plant a Sugar Maple in my neighbors yard about 8 years ago and its doing great. Its about 7" in diameter so it wont be long before I have a mainline running into my garage.:)

[gmcooper]

A friend of ours used to work at Alta Ski resort in Utah several years ago. He said there were a few people tapping Big leaf maple there at the time on forest service land. If I remember snow was a major issue as when they started tapping snow was 10' or more and when the season was over they were on bare ground.

[tuckermtn]

we tapped "urban" silver maples in interior British Columbia when we lived there a few years back. was impressed with the sugar content of the sap.

As Dr. Tim mentioned there are folks on Vancouver Island off the BC coast that have made a cottage industry out of big leaf maple tapping. Most is being sold at farmers markets and to local resturants.

when we retire to BC in 15-20 years I plan on doing some more sugaring out there..

[ctjim]

i was out in bc on my honeymoon this july and went to a farmers market at the base of blackcomb mtn. and ended up there was a local producer there selling some syrup and "tire". we got to talking about sugaring and some of the differences of our trees and seasons. he said his season lasted anywhere from oct. to april. and they would tap whenever the weather was good for sugaring, which i thought was a bit odd. but he was in a more coastal area near vancouver. he said they tap alot of the big leaf and silver maples, he said they don't have quite the sugar content of a sugar but they do have a decent sugar content. he said alot of the producers there use the same methods for collection. it was pretty interesting that he was selling 2 different syrups at the market 1 kind was his own local stuff which i thought had a nice flavor, kinda similar to the syrup i make from our reds it was a bit more robust and darker, say a med or dark. and he was also selling some of the eastern federation syrup which was all labeled in french and i couldn't read a word of it. he mentioned that he does that because he will run out of his local syrup because he's a small producer and most of the tourists want the real deal canadian syrup. i think he was surprised to meet and talk to another maple producer, i also told him about the trader and he should come check it out and join up. not sure if he has or not?

[Goggleeye]

I've been curious about the same. We've been considering moving west for the wife's allergies, but having to give up sugaring is something I'm not quite prepared to deal with. Now if I could find maples out west, preferably Wyoming, I might be willing to part with this wonderful Missouri humidity.

[tuckermtn]

might be some urban maples is Laramie near the university...

[Revi]

There are canyon maples and maybe they get big enough to tap.

They are up in the mountains, but maybe you can find some nearby.

[Hurry Hill Farm]

Very interesting discussion here.

Someone brought me a big leaf maple from NW US. I get inquires frequently re: making syrup in the west. I look forward to your paper, Dr. Perkins. I think there is interest.

Jan Woods
Hurry Hill Farm
Edinboro PA

[Haynes Forest Products]

Gogleeye How long have you been married? :rolleyes: ;) :mrgreen:

[jdill]

I have seen many people get over allergies by eating a spoonful of local honey every day and a few diet changes. The Weston A. Price foundation has info on all that stuff. We sell allot of syrup to folks involved in this group as well.