Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Who's got sap running?? Anybody boiling yet??
Maple Syrup time
- Thread starter Bowsnbucks
- Start date
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Anyone here getting close to tapping yet?? 2025.
EDIT - For this year 2025 - anyone making syrup?
EDIT - For this year 2025 - anyone making syrup?
Last edited:
Natty Bumppo
5 year old buck +
Just tapped last weekend here in NW Mass Bows....2/24. Collected yesterday for the first time and my buckets were all mostly full. A lot of people erroneously think that the sap won't run unless the base of the tree has no snow around it. Not true. It certainly helps and will increase sap flow as the snow melts. But I have about 16" of snow on average and the sap flow decently all week.
Anybody else tapping and/or boiling yet?
Stubborn1VT
5 year old buck +
Everyone I know has tapped. Sugaring is big business in Vermont. I'd like to get setup here at my place. I probably only have 60-80 taps, but it would be awesome to have something to do this time of year. First I have to build a sugar house....
You're looks awesome @Natty Bumppo !
You're looks awesome @Natty Bumppo !
Natty Bumppo
5 year old buck +
I teach a high school Timber Frame class in the Berkshires and I build about four 10x12 or two 12x16 timber frame buildings that I then sell for the price of the wood. If you're ever interested let me know. I sell them to maple syrup guys in Mass., VT, NH, and one guy even in Maine. You will not find a less expensive timber frame in the country.
Last spring I had an all female class that spent 4 months cutting and building a 10x12 for a guy in NH for a sugar house.
Let me know!
hillrunner
5 year old buck +
One of many skills I don't have but wish I did. It's not something you hear much about in Iowa. I'm sure I could get an education from YouTube. Maybe that's what I should do this afternoon.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
White pine frames, I guess? New or reclaimed wood?
Your sugar house looks ultra-cool, Natty! Good to hear your sap is flowing well.
Natty Bumppo
5 year old buck +
Are you talking about making maple syrup, or timber framing? There is a ton of information on both on Youtube. They are also both very similar in that neither of them is rocket science and fairly easy to get into...but both do require some deeper level of understanding to really be proficient at.
Natty Bumppo
5 year old buck +
Thanks Bows. Appreciate that.
Yes, you got it Bows..all green white pine. Very easy for new students to work with.
hillrunner
5 year old buck +
Making maple syrup, building I know how to do well.
Mortenson
5 year old buck +
I've seen lists that show how many trees can be tapped for syrup. Anyone here try anything weird? I wonder what black walnut maple syrup tastes like.
T-Max
5 year old buck +
Natty Bumppo
5 year old buck +
Yes, I am lucky that I have all sugar maples. Some guys that I know who are on all reds or all silvers invest in a small Reverse Osmosis machine that reduces the boiling times by half. They say it's a total game changer. I've thought about getting one. I like boiling and spending time in the sugar shack, but sometimes I just want to get the sap boiled and get the day over with and go fishing or something.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
I've never made it, but hickory syrup is pretty tasty in my book. Son bought a bottle - and it's good!
Brian662
5 year old buck +
I've never done it, but from what I've read it all depends on the sugar content of the sap. Some trees are much higher than others so you'll spend more fuel/time/money creating syrup.
I've heard that boxelders which are plentiful around my house make similar syrup to maple since they're in the same family but I don't have the time or ambition to mess with it. Have about ~20 acres of sugar maples on my place in WI and just don't have it in me to do the process.
Catscratch
5 year old buck +
I'm fascinated with the syrup making. Never even though it could be made with something other than maple. Cool stuff to follow along with. And of course Natty's buildings are amazing!
