What would happen if i tapped random trees?

[rossbarramen]

im just curious to what would happen if i tapped 300 random trees? i guess my real question is what are the down sides to making syrup with sap from different trees? would it taste bbad or is the boil down just take longer???

[Sunday Rock Maple]

Please promise that you won't ever decide to take up gathering wild mushrooms as a hobby......

[Schiefe4]

Pine has a great flavor!

http://www.wikihow.com/Tap-a-Pine-Tree

[Jmsmithy]

Please promise that you won't ever decide to take up gathering wild mushrooms as a hobby......

Now THAT'S funny

In all seriousness, tapping a tree that is not a maple species obviously would not result in maple syrup. In fact, depending on what you tap, there may be little sap at all. Sap with no sugar content would not result in syrup as we know it but rather possibly just a goopy mess.

Stick with maples (or birch - and some say hickory though I've never tried it).

Good luck

[red maples]

is this a real question??? you'll get sap from maple first, then when maple season is over you'll get birch, for hickory you must boil the bark of shag bark hickory, then add sugar. its really not very good.

You can tap Oaks all you want but you won't get a drop.

[happy thoughts]

im just curious to what would happen if i tapped 300 random trees? i guess my real question is what are the down sides to making syrup with sap from different trees? would it taste bbad or is the boil down just take longer???

I don't know but I wouldn't try it in Vermont. It's probably a hanging offense

Seriously, I know there are some other trees that can be tapped, like walnut, birch, and hickory though I've never tried those. The sap sugar content is lower in all of them from what I've read and the flavor is different. Any other tree, you're on your own. If you tap pine you may end up with syrup that's real good at taking paint off your pancakes

[Tithis]

The only trees I know of tapped commercially for syrup are maple and birch. Walnut and sycamores can be tapped too, but there is very little info on the net about doing it.

[happy thoughts]

The only trees I know of tapped commercially for syrup are maple and birch. Walnut and sycamores can be tapped too, but there is very little info on the net about doing it.

I've found some info on black walnut tapping if you're interested, but considering the value of the wood you may be better off leaving them untapped. Sap to syrup ratio is supposedly 60/1 or more.

I'd be interested in finding out more info on sycamores. The only info I've seen about that is from the UK and I don't think they're talking about the same trees we have here. What they call sycamore is not what we call sycamore in the US. In the UK it is actually a type of maple that is abundant there but syrup production is mostly wishful thinking because of the lack of good freeze/thaw cycles.

Has anyone here actually tapped a sycamore for syrup? How did it taste and was it worth it?

[TerryEspo]

When I first started tapping my Maples, I had a friend ask me the same question. BUT, he asked because he cant tell trees apart for the most part !! Is this an indirect question ?

Terry

[BC Birch Tapper]

I recall reading a scientific article in University in the early 80's that compared the sugar content of all the maples and then compared birch as well at the very end. The comment was with birch at such a low conentration why would you even bother. What I've learend from talking to people all over is that many trees can be tapped but they all behave a little differently and have a different end product. Research whatever you plan to do and if selling or sharing with others be honest about what you have & what you are selling/providing.