sugaring in iowa

[upmep]

Maybe everyone has already answered this but I was just wondering what kind of trees everyone taps? This year I'm tapping probably 95 percent silver maples and one box elder. I have tapped a sugar maple in years past in my daughters yard, and they do run different than the silvers. It seemed to keep running longer than the silvers and seemed to produce more sap. They say black maples act more like sugar maples and there are some of those in Iowa. It would be nice to have some of those to tap, but you go with what you're given. It takes me about 55 to 60 gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup. How is everyone else doing on that. I don't get real exact on finishing since all I have to please is myself. I usually try to finish around 119 temperature. It will be interesting to see if they are still running today. upmep

[tbear]

I tap mostly silvers but do tap a few sugars. Collected another 35 gallons today, blows my mind, what with no freeze and 70 degree temps. Ted

[IowaSap]

Up
I moved away from soft maples. I'm 100% hard maple now. I think they gave more sap but my hards give more sugar. Probably a wash if you don't count the extra boil time. My sugar % varies s
From year to year. Last year was about 35 to 1. Never came close to that on softs.

[PKerns]

We tap only sugar maples, although a friend told us last weekend that we had tapped an Ash on accident. We have tapped boxelders before and mixed sap with no effect on flavor, but now we just tap maples. I calculated last year we boiled about 50:1 sap/syrup but I think we missed some early sweet. Just today we drew off 2.5 gallons syrup, no sap flow, hoping this weekend cold spell comes early.

[tbear]

Well boys, what do you say? Did this last warm week kill the tap holes (buckets)? We'll know for sure in a few days but the suspense is killing me! Ted

[IowaSap]

Pulled 50 gal. Today. Their running but slow. 150 gal so far. I usually am tapping next week. Hope it takes off!

[tbear]

Collected 50 here too IowaSap. Trees weren't running this evening. Looks like Thursday and Friday should be good. Curious to see if the predicted rain (possible storm) tonight and tomorrow will start the sap flowing again. Ted

[150ish]

Plenty of sap but the buds are out now on the sugar and blacks. Short but sweet season,ended up with 24 gallons.If we didn't have the warm week I think it would have been a great season.

[IowaSap]

Got a good run today. Pulled 170 gal on 100 taps. Hopefully just getting rolling here!

[PKerns]

Good runs here too, got 100 gallons on Monday and another 50 gallons on Tuesday. It's getting cold here tonight and tomorrow night, down to 20 maybe so hopefully we have a few more days of sap flow. I really hope the buds on the trees don't break soon, 150ish said the buds are broken in Mt. Pleasant, well we are miles and miles and miles north of Mt Pleasant!!!! gosh, I hope.