newbie questions... (Long)

[Cedar Eater]

I wouldn't worry about slightly yellow sap if it tastes okay, the steam smells okay when you boil a test sample, and the syrup tastes okay when you finish that test sample. I wouldn't pull taps until all of your trees had quit running and the nights were always above freezing. And I would post pics of the trees here so the "experts" can tell you what kind of trees you have. If you can show the bark from a distance and from about two feet away, and also show the buds from about one foot away if you can, they'll tell you what to look for. I can only tell by looking at the mature leaves, but that's probably because I never see anything but reds around here.

[870ExpressMag]

heres a couple pics of the tree in question, to tall to get pics of budstree1.jpgtree2.jpg

[870ExpressMag]

also from everything i posted before, about how i'm doing things and my processes, next year i would like to expand and tap some more trees, what would be the best thing for me to upgrade at this point? taps? tapping bit? ive also thought about connecting my trees together that run in a row to collect all in one bucket, but my concern is what if one tree starts getting funky before the rest, wont this taint everything if it all flows in to one collection point?

[Cedar Eater]

also from everything i posted before, about how i'm doing things and my processes, next year i would like to expand and tap some more trees, what would be the best thing for me to upgrade at this point? taps? tapping bit? ive also thought about connecting my trees together that run in a row to collect all in one bucket, but my concern is what if one tree starts getting funky before the rest, wont this taint everything if it all flows in to one collection point?

I'm surprised that nobody has commented on your tree photos. Maybe more photos of more trees will draw some comments. I can't rule out reds.

Yes, you run the risk of tainting a whole batch. If you don't have that many trees, it's better to just collect at each one, but commercial processors must just not worry about it. Maybe that's why commercial syrup doesn't taste as good as hobby batch syrup. Then again, if your trees are reds and you can draw sap out by geting a vacuum on your tubing, you'll have so much more sap that throwing some tainted sap out might not be an issue.

Using 5/16" taps and a good tapping bit is a good idea. I use 5/16" drop tubes down to green glass jugs on the ground for collecting sap and we visit those often during a run, but we have time to do that.

[happy thoughts]

It's hard for me to ID from your pictures. I'm also leaning toward reds but am probably totally wrong. The tree looks young and bark often changes as the tree ages. Do you remember when the helicopters fall? You might as well wait until spring when the tree leafs out if you can't get a close look at the winter buds or can't find a leaf or two under the tree to help with your ID.

With as few trees as you're tapping I'd probably put my money into better boiling equipment. A hydrometer, maybe a hard copy of the north american maple syrup producer's manual would also be on my list.

One thought I had about your current system. How tight are the lids on your collection buckets? Are they loose enough to allow built up pressure to escape? It's the pressure gradient that encourages sap flow. High in the tree, low outside the tree. If pressure builds up in your buckets as sap flows into them,I'm thinking it may eventually be enough to stop or at least decrease the flow. You might want to drill another small hole in the side of the bucket

I think running a few taps into a single container is not a bad idea. If you're tapping all the same species in the same location, chances are they will all turn at the same time. I don't think a bucket will be big enough though. I think you might want a much bigger container. I've had a single tree give 5 gallons of sap in 24 hours when conditions are right. Bigger is better.

[seandicare]

i had a tree do that to me a couple years ago....talked to a forrestry guy and he said it could be stressed and not healthy.......i haven't tapped it since..

this tree is a red on the side of the road, i was using open buckets, so it could have been rainwater too.

[michiganphil]

The tree in question looks like a silver to me. Bark alone is not a sure indicator though. The buds would tell what it is. Also, the leaves of silver maples are quite distinct, look up a picture and see if that is what you remember on that tree last summer.

[Ed R]

I 2nd MichiganPhil.

[870ExpressMag]

It's hard for me to ID from your pictures. I'm also leaning toward reds but am probably totally wrong. The tree looks young and bark often changes as the tree ages. Do you remember when the helicopters fall? You might as well wait until spring when the tree leafs out if you can't get a close look at the winter buds or can't find a leaf or two under the tree to help with your ID.

With as few trees as you're tapping I'd probably put my money into better boiling equipment. A hydrometer, maybe a hard copy of the north american maple syrup producer's manual would also be on my list.

One thought I had about your current system. How tight are the lids on your collection buckets? Are they loose enough to allow built up pressure to escape? It's the pressure gradient that encourages sap flow. High in the tree, low outside the tree. If pressure builds up in your buckets as sap flows into them,I'm thinking it may eventually be enough to stop or at least decrease the flow. You might want to drill another small hole in the side of the bucket

I think running a few taps into a single container is not a bad idea. If you're tapping all the same species in the same location, chances are they will all turn at the same time. I don't think a bucket will be big enough though. I think you might want a much bigger container. I've had a single tree give 5 gallons of sap in 24 hours when conditions are right. Bigger is better.

I get so much wind, theres no way I could find a leaf and be able to match it right now to that tree, i will have to wait until they leaf out and check it that way. As far as the pressure building in the buckets, i guess i never thought of that, the buckets do have the snap on lids, some have o-rings in in the lids, some dont, and the tubing going through the lids fits tightly enough that it will hold water on the lids, maybe i will leave the lids cracked and not fully snapped during a non windy/rainy period and see what happens.
As far as the expansion of equipment, i would like to at least get all my taps the same, right now i use a mix, and get a tapping bit. I agree i think better boiling equipment would be a good idea, i spend a lot of hours watching turkey fryers. I will look into that book also. Now on the hydrometer, I already have a hydrotherm, but it seems most prefer a hydrometer, why is that? the hydrotherm seems easier to me.

Michiganphil and Ed R---i did research the leaves and dont remember seeing any leaves with as distinct of shape as the silvers, but i probably didnt pay as close of attention, my plans is to identify all of my trees this year, so i know what im working with

[Tweegs]

Definitely not a sugar.

My silvers all have relatively smooth bark and are on low ground, usually wet, sometimes referred to as swamp maples.

The bark looks to me like a Red.

Here is the bark of a known red:


http://forestry.about.com/od/forestp...-and-Trunk.htm