Hello, To all this our first year hoping to grow a family busniess out of this in the future. We are a family of 6 two boys two girls my wife and me.
The children are all teens. We have about 230 taps on vac ready to go for this year. We had a ton of help from other maple crazy people to get started.
Our sons took the lead on this and their mother and I are the bank. The boys have all of us (hooked) helping build drops putting up main line and sap lines to the trees. We're working out of our shop this year we didn't have time to mill and build the sugar shack. Our girls are ready to boil and bottle and advertise they and my wife are building our web site. This site has been a great help to all of us. Hope everyone has a great year.
Westbrook Farm Maple & Hardwood.
My name is Eli. We are so happy to have the opportunity to make Syrup this year on the farm we just bought in south central KY. We found a nice set up to use and tapped about 130 trees so far. Kentucky is not syrup country but we have lots of sugar maples here. I have 40 acres and lots of neighbors that have trees. Hope it works and i can bottle some of this nature goodness to sell. Made a gallon or so already off a run we had after the artic blast. Its been too cold since for much. Built a sugar house out of pallets to save money and sided it with tin. Nice place to hang out and keep warm.
I discovered the forums earlier this year. We plan to begin our small tapping operation in a few weeks and value all of the information shared here.
I retired from the US Forest Service in mid-January. I worked in Geographic Information Systems - data development and analysis, database administration, cartography, and most recently web mapping applications. I am a forestry graduate from Purdue University (1971) and a 2-year veteran of the US Army Infantry (1971-1973). My wife, Faye, still works as the Education and Outreach Coordinator for the Keweenaw Food Co-op in nearby Hancock.
We have 30 acres between Chassell, and Tapiola, Michigan. Our tapping operation will initially be limited to the sugar maples close to the cottage, and hopefully expand as we improve access to the rest of the 30 acres. As with most new projects, we have a few questions which I will post on the other forums.
Greetings from Northern Ontario!
Great site.
Made a batch of syrup last year on a whim...it was something on my bucket list! Rounded up some of dad's old equipment, tapped 10 trees, set up the propane burner and waited for the sap to run. Once it started I was so happy I tapped 20 more trees, and then the sap ran. I was boiling minimum 6 hours a day, on weekends more. Ended up with about 30 L of syrup and I enjoyed every minute!
This year I can't wait to boil again...no room for expansion as I live in a residential area...but I'm eyeing maples on rural property I own for the future.
What a wonderful way to welcome spring!
Brand new member. Started last year tapping with 93 taps. We did 84 pints of finished product. Got the bug and this year heading for 300 taps. Doing this on 256 acres I own in Morrison County. Built a bunch house because this is out in the woods. No electricity etc. Access in winter by snowmobile only. Last year built a bunk house /deer camp. This year going to build a processing shack that I plan on making from red pine logs from the land. Cooking with a homemade 265 gallon barrel stove fire brick lined, but seems pretty darn good to a rookie. Never plan on the big processing stuff. Love this site it has been very nice to learn what others have been doing.
New to the forum, wanted to say hi, but more importantly want to give a big THANK YOU to all of the members who post such great information on here. The wife and I started up our "operation" last year with 27 taps and a rigged backyard arch (which we lovingly call the all-niter), and have learned everything we know over the last year via books and this forum. What a great resource, for all who suffer from this terrible addiction.
At any rate, happy to be here, very happy to learn from people who know better than I, and happy to contribute where I can.
happy sugarin'!
sapdog
We have about 40 taps in NW CT and try to expand a little every year. Almost starting tapping today (our first thaw day) but decided to wait until we get 4-5 days in a row of the right conditions. Anyone know where I can buy the little metal pounder that I use to stick in the spouts to tap them in the trees?
Thanks
First I want to say what great place this is for information. This is my first year attempting to make syrup. I have found this to be the go to place when I have a question.
I am in Dutchess County NY. Me and a co-worker are setting out about 20-25 taps this year. I am using tree saver taps with plastic milk jugs. He is using traditional taps and buckets. I put out 3 taps on 2/17 and 3 more on 2/23. I collected 5 gallons of sap and boiled it down yesterday to test my evaporator. My co-worker set out 7 yesterday and has 10 or so more that he is doing tomorrow. I made my evaporator out of a 55 gallon drum and a 6" hotel pan. My coworker is going real old school and is using a cast iron kettle.
I did a test boil yesterday and after about 4 hours ended up with about 4oz of syrup.
Looking forward to a super season
Hi everybody. My name's Jason. My wife, son and I are new to maple syrup making this year and I was told about this site by Michiganfarmer2, so here I am.
We have about 12 trees tapped and are making do with less than stellar weather for sap production this spring. Next to some of you guys, we're not even a drop in the (sap) bucket.
About us: We've been married since 2006 and have an amazing 5 year old son. We live on a 125 acre farm that's been in our family since the 1920's. My boy is the 5th consecutive generation to live in this house. We have chickens, a guinnea, and a turkey and hope to get cows again some day soon. We grow as much of our own food as we can and are trying to become as self sufficient as possible.
I work off the farm. The brains of our operation is a stay at home mom who takes care of home and farm while the kiddo is in school.
I'm pleased to find this forum, meet you all, and share information.
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