I added a photo album in the gallery section and uploaded two images of the block arch I made last year. This is my first album. Let me know if everyone can find and see the images.
I added a photo album in the gallery section and uploaded two images of the block arch I made last year. This is my first album. Let me know if everyone can find and see the images.
Nice little setup you got there. Good luck and have fun!
2014 16' x 24' sugarhouse, 2' x 6' Leader WSE converted to forced air with airtight front and Leader Revolution and Leader Max Flu Combo pans. Just tap a few yard trees for demonstration and buy my sap from a 400+ tap tubing operation.
Stihl MS440, MS391, MS261, MS170, MS193T
Stihl BT45 for tapping
New Holland Boomer 50 4x4 with loader
Cub Cadet 6x4 Big Country
Honda 4x4 Rancher
Very supportive and lovely wife
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wakem...3099580?ref=hl
That's probably one of the best pics I've seen of the sugar maple bark...most don't show it that well. Most of the large diameter trees in my woods are oaks. I have a lot of big hickories and a couple walnuts, but mostly oaks. I do have a ton of smaller sugar maples...probably in the 4-8 inch diameter range, but my understanding is those are too small to tap.
Because the maple is considered a nuisance tree, I've been using them mostly for firewood over the last several years. When I need firewood, I go out and find a sugar maple that's crowding the nut-bearing trees. But now that I've discovered "sugaring," I'll leave more of the maples alone (especially the ones that are on the cusp of being tap-able).
Last edited by Ray_Nagle; 01-27-2015 at 06:23 PM.
Hey, thanks, I am having fun! I see you're in Ohio...our first exposure to making maple syrup actually was when we lived in Dayton. We went to a commercial syrup farm during a weekend when they were letting people come in and see their boil shacks. Ever since, the urge to do this has been lingering in the back of my mind.
I love the video, great job and thanks for sharing it with all of us.
Terry
2011- 35 taps, ,,,milk juggs and buckets-propane turkey fryer !!
2012 -75 taps,,,,, 40 on tubing into buckets, and 35 buckets - 3nd hand Homemade arch, brutal.
2013- Just over 115 taps and still adding more.
2014, new SS flat pan and new arch built, guessing 75-100 taps this year.
2015, 50 taps on Shurflo pump.
2016- Getting a line across my creek this year.
2017-took a year off, Jamaica was fun !
2018- 45 trees tapped, keeping it fun !
I've been tapping some 7-8 inch trees if they have a good crown. Maybe even a couple six inchers, did it with the thought of not caring if I lost them. Doesn't seem to hurt them a bit. Several years have gone by since I tapped some smaller trees, and they have grown just as rapidly as those I didn't tap. I think with our longer growing season here in MO they have time to catch up on their sugar production.
Now I have an outdoor hobby for all 12 months. Like I need anything more to do
About 1000 taps on gravity tubing, MicRO2 RO, 2.5 X 8 Leader King, and a 1953 Willys Jeep to run around the maple woods with.
http://www.gihringfamilyfarm.com/
Did my 2nd boil last night. Turned 11.3 gallons of sap into 42 ounces of syrup, for about a 34-to-1 ratio. The process took about 14 hours from start to finish.
Sap is flowing again this afternoon here in eastern Missouri after subzero temps shut the trees down for a couple days.
Also, for anyone in this area, Rockwoods Reservation in Wildwood is having their annual Sugar Maple Festival tomorrow.