Birch Tapping one Month Away

[RyanB]

Our maple season was longer than I thought it would be and went well into the running of the birch! I pulled my taps on the maples yesterday and sunk 30 into my birch's. I was amazed at the flow! it was litterly gushing out and was actually almost pulsating. So far I only have 45 gallons which is hardly enough to start my arch for but should be double that by tomorrow. I have tapped all yellow's with the exception of one Paper birch. As we speak I am actually boiling down a little in the house to see if we like the flavour...im running a gallon thru on the stove and once concentrated down enough it will go into a little sauce pan where I will watch it constantly with the hopes of not scorching my wifes good cookware! I just don't want to waste a days boiling if we don't like the flavour from the yellow birches.

Ryan

[BC Birch Tapper]

That's fair. I always recommend that folks do a study 1st before getting into anything. Remember when you're tasting it , you're not tasting maple, it is a different tree, different sugars & a different end use. Is't not a pancake syrup, but more of something to use in cooking or on good vanilla ice cream.

[RyanB]

well, I wasn't to impressed with the taste...Im wondering if we are quite a bit ahead of you out west and even the birch's have reached the end of the season and it has a really off taste because of it...just like the maples do at the end of the season.

[chicken123]

I have about 10 taps in birch trees right now! WOW! they run fast some were all most over flowing at noon

[BC Birch Tapper]

It all depends on the season & temps. We're almost done our lower elevation ones & then we'll move to a higher elevation for a bit longer.

[Galena]

Sounds cool, Ted! I lived in NW BC for a few years, Terrace in fact. I know some have tapped bigleaf maples out West but didn't think birch would be prolific enough to make birch syruping worthwhile. Also saw your Farm's site, wow! Very impressed that you're managed to do so much with your farm and as you say, farm with the seasons. Good work!

[BC Birch Tapper]

Thanks Galena, I've fished in Terrace & Rupert & enjoy that part of BC. It is fun but as Birch Syrup season draws to a close, I'm always fine with the concept. I'm happy to see it come & happy to see it go. We're having an open house & pancake breakfast tomorrow to share with folks. It is always nice to show what opportunities exist.

[Galena]

Yep, pretty much the first big purchase I made with my first paycheque when I moved to Terrace (worked for Skeena Broadcasters, the radio station) was a salmon rod, line and lures! I sure caught a lot of pinks in the Skeena and other rivers nearby. Once had the misfortune to see all my line and favourite lure vanish - all of a sudden my line was being ripped from my reel and heading upstream at about a gazillion miles an hour.

I was left standing on the bank with a stunned look on my face and a lineless fishing rod! The locals fishing the same area with me all had a laugh and told me a coho had just taken my stuff. *sigh* the good ol days...

btw I have a huge gnarly tree in my backyard that seems to a birch, going by the bark, but if it is, it is the hugest, ugliest, most twisted-looking birch I've ever seen. A friend of mine thinks it's diseased. If I take a pic think you can help ID it?

[BC Birch Tapper]

sure thing no problem. Main thing too look at is the bark & leaves.

[BC Birch Tapper]

Well we had an open house today with pancake breakfast, tractor ride,s sugar shack & sugar bush tours. Several hundred people stopped by to learn about birch syrup production. The weather cooperated as well with not a cloud in the sky which is always nice.