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Thread: The beginning of a family tradition

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Fruitport, Michigan
    Posts
    13

    Default The beginning of a family tradition

    We moved to the country from small town city living, and began sugaring in 2013. The land where we bought our house is LOADED with sugar maple (I have 40 taps in the front yard alone. I never had any intentions of producing maple syrup, for our own use or to sell, but back in 2013 my brother pointed out that I could do it. So I tapped 6 trees, using Bic pen tubs as my spiels, and empty glass beer growlers to collect the sap. I still use the beer growlers, because I like the way they look on the trees. We decided that we want to continue on a larger scale, so this summer we are converting a small old barn into a sugar shack. My 5 year old son loves to help collect sap and stir the pot. Hoping to keep the tradition going for many, many years to come!

    2013- 6 taps, 1 quart of syrup
    2014- 25 taps, 2 1/2 gallons syrup
    2015- 45 taps, well over 200 gallons of sap collected so far, and over 2 gallons of syrup plus some maple sugar!
    Later this year- adding a sugar shack and evaporator

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Chatham, ON
    Posts
    37

    Default

    That's awesome. My son and daughter, aged 7 and 5, like to check the sap on the trees, help haul it in and then lose interest in the boil. They'll stop by every once and a while and "test" the sap as it boils down.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    rome n.y
    Posts
    174

    Default

    Some call it a family tradition,but it reality "it a family addiction".once you start ,you only want to make more,buy more,and sell more! And of your like my family"its not about the money you make,its putting that smile on peoples faces weather you make money or not!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Lisbon, NH
    Posts
    385

    Default

    We've noticed an influx of relatives that live a couple hours away coming to visit during Maple season, a few came this weekend to hang out and sample the maple nuts and maple candy. Everyone is out right now getting supplies (beer & hot dogs) to start boiling in an hour or so. I love when 10 or 15 friends and family hang around the evaporator. Can't wait for my sugar shack to be built next year. Have fun!
    Pete Nightingale
    Lisbon, NH

    3 Teenage sap haulers & Plenty of friends and family to restock the beer fridge
    2012 1 tap and a pot
    2013 10 taps, oil tank evap, 2 gallons of slightly too thin syrup
    2014 48 taps improved oil tank evap 3.5 gallons, ouch??
    2015 88 taps 78 5/16" and 10 3/16" nat vac 40"x 48" Homemade Arch 13.25 Gallons
    2016 100 taps 65 on 3/16 & 35 buckets 17 gallons + unknown amount of maple / Jack Daniels testers

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    livermore me
    Posts
    7

    Default

    it all started with my grandfather letting me use 9 buckets i enjoy my grandparents family and friends come down to see how my operation has grown it is an addiction because every year i want to get bigger

    2012 9 buckets and a turkey cooker
    2013 50 taps 9 buckets a 24"by 36" flat pan on an oil barrel
    2014 85 taps
    2015 100 taps a snowmobile for collecting
    2016 200-300 taps 2'x 5' four pass pan with float box a wood fired arch with blower motor 350 gallon storage tank

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Albion PA
    Posts
    5,099

    Default

    A good tradition to hand down!
    I remember many things as a kid making syrup. Next thing you know 55 years have gone by! Don't blink!
    Regards,
    Chris
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
    2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
    One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
    Too many Cub Cadets
    Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
    1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck

    www.mapleandhoney.com

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    south central,NH
    Posts
    174

    Default

    my avatar is when he started watching now he helps tap. Fun doesn't explain it! 080.jpg101.jpg

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Chatham NH
    Posts
    1,309

    Default

    Great photos & stories. I too got hooked pretty young. And Hope my kids do too. My daughter has already had a taste of Maple syrup and she is only 6 months old. She loves the stuff. My wife is not so impressed.

    Congratulations to all who keep the tradition alive.
    Nate Hutchins
    Nate & Kate's Maple
    2022 1000 taps?
    3x10 Intensofire
    20x36 sugarhouse
    CDL 600gph RO
    A wife and 2 kids.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Newburgh ny
    Posts
    14

    Default Lonce 84 maple works 2016 Newburgh NY

    It was a Wednesday morning my wife and I were walking the property to pick out a location to build a tree fort for my son who is 7 years old. We noticed the abundance of sugar maples on our property. We went on YouTube and found how to build a sugar shack and the plans changed from tree fort to full blow sugar shack. Last year we produced 8 ounces of maple syrup 2015. This year 2016 we have 20 taps and a 30 gallon storage drum for our sap storage. My son and wife, dog nephew, and myself enjoy the tradition and plan to keep it going.

    Regards,
    Kevin Lonce
    84 maple works
    Attached Images Attached Images

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    St. Marys Pa.
    Posts
    246

    Default

    We started our addiction in 2008, wish it would have been sooner,my granddaughter and me first started now the whole family looks forward to the work. Maybe if everyone did this the world would be a better place.

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