Birch Tapping one Month Away

[Galena]

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

Well, that's where it gets confusing. The bark screams birch, but the sheer size of the trunk and limbs are, to my eye, simply freakish. Let's just say I almost tapped it my first year thinking it might be a maple cause it's so huge and limbs twisting up in all directions more like a maple.

At the end of my signature, there is a direct link to my Maple Gallery, and the pics of the birch and some frozen sap on its trunk are in the bottom row of images. Much appreciate you finding time to take a look-see! :-)

[BC Birch Tapper]

Hi Galena, the upper branches look like white birch, white curly papery bark are the main characteristics to look for. The main stem indicates that it is quite an old tree

[BC Birch Tapper]

Well all good things must come to an end, so to is this year's season. We had 300 trees tapped at the peak & pulled in 6000 litres. That should finish up to about 50 litres when we're all said & done, although I did burn one batch by mistake. Too many things going on at the time.
We've been washing & storing buckets as we've been going along as we've pulled taps that were not producing. Now the final cleaning of everything & put away for next year. We had a beautiful day for our sugaring off event yesterday which is an added bonus. We provided lots of various wild syrups for the pancake breakfast including , hawthorne, rosehip, high bush cranberry, birch, maple & a new one which was apple pie syrup. ( the apple pie syrup was a hit & we sold out!)
Sold a few of the Birch SYrup Production Manuals as well.
Next weekend I'll plant the greenhouse so we can move on to the next season ( Farmer's Market!)

[Galena]

OOh yeah the bark is definitely curly/papery, but more of a dull metallic sheen, further adding to the confusion. Will post a couple more pics in the gallery. I don't have any (other) birches on my property, just cedar, poplar, sugar maples, Manitoba maples and a few pines that look deliberately planted and didn't just happen to be there.

Just saw that you're planning on adding a greenhouse, I've seen your website...what, you don't already have enough to keep you busy?! ;-)

[Scribner's Mountain Maple]

The snow has melted, the ground is unfreezing and I pulled maple taps on two small sections, rinsed the lines and put in 100+ birch taps on my maple system by adding extensions to existing drops. Both yellow and White Birch. I've been targeting the Whites more as I've heard they have better sugar content. Heading back out now to get another 50 in. The experiment begins...

[Scribner's Mountain Maple]

Galena, is that maybe a Yellow Birch? Will still have peeling paper like a white. I have some monster White and Yellow Birches and that kind of looks like a yellow.

[Galena]

Galena, is that maybe a Yellow Birch? Will still have peeling paper like a white. I have some monster White and Yellow Birches and that kind of looks like a yellow.

It could well be, like most around here I know the delicate little white birches, but this is probably the first yellow birch I've ever laid eyes on! Are your monster yellow birches also big gnarly things like mine? If so then I'm guessing that's what it is

[BC Birch Tapper]

Wait til it leafs out in a few weeks. Taste the buds, yellow will have a wintergreen taste

[BrutemanAl]

It could well be, like most around here I know the delicate little white birches, but this is probably the first yellow birch I've ever laid eyes on! Are your monster yellow birches also big gnarly things like mine? If so then I'm guessing that's what it is

Just doing a quick search on google , i would say it is a yellow birch

[BC Birch Tapper]

One last thing to do before the season ends.....make some vino. Put a batch on last night & still have two that have been maturing since last year & gradually improving with age, as we all do....with the exception of my knees which are not getting any better I'm afraid. Hauling sap buckets seems to have a lot to deal with that. Next year I will have to expend some $$ to pay for sap haulers as it takes too big of a toll on my appendages. I'm fine with everything else, just hauling buckets is getting too painful. I guess that will be something to deal with next year.
it seems that much of the younger generation doesn't have much of a work ethic...but I'm sure they could out text many of us with their opposable thumbs. We had a couple of 18 year old boys from the city helping up pick up square bales a couple of years back & it took 2 of them to lift 1 bale. My 10 year old daughter at the time informed them that " they suck" & got on with it & showed them up quite nicely. She made me proud!