Maple Time

[dockmurgw]

Anyone else here partake in the joys of...boiling sap? Season kicked off last week for me. Well sort of, dropped below 0 last night so the sap stopped running, but next week is supposed to warm up again. Here's a couple pics of my setup, if anyone else here does it show me what you got!

 

[bigwheelzip]

Anyone else here partake in the joys of...boiling sap?

Oh yeah. The whole family are happy consumers of the boiled sap. Keep it coming.

 

[Salty RI]

We have several people around here that have sugar shacks, they sell it at farm stand's we have one not far from me a bunch of old guys sit around and shoot the Bull all day.

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[Golddollar]

When I was growing up the town of Chardon, Ohio in the next county had a Maple Festival every year. Maple syrup is a big industry in that area. On the town square there would be a boiling shed set up so people could see how the maple syrup was made.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I had a friend join the USMC in 1952. In his boot company he was from Charleston, W Va. and every single other Boot was from Maine. The day they had Dentist call, He had one tooth with a cavity that the Corp removed. In the whole company, he was the only person with any real teeth! All that maple syrup and no fluoride in tooth paste back then really took its toll!

There is a Maple Camp next to one of the Sporting Clays ranges I shoot at. They sell the syrup at the concession stand too, so a half gallon usually lasted a year, but I make the grand kids brush their teeth after waffles, EVERY TIME!

Ivan

 

[dockmurgw]

I had a friend join the USMC in 1952. In his boot company he was from Charleston, W Va. and every single other Boot was from Maine. The day they had Dentist call, He had one tooth with a cavity that the Corp removed. In the whole company, he was the only person with any real teeth!
Ivan

Reminds me of something I tell my wife from time to time when I'm picking on her...she's from Maine. I know I'll offend somebody with this but what the heck, here goes...click the red triangle if you must, but know I love Maine.
What do you get with 32 Mainers in a room? A full set of teeth.

 

[krsmith58]

looks nice. i bet it smells out of this world. do you make the syrup for sale or just for family and friends?? had a Grandpa that cooked whisky, had quite the kick but no flavor. no maple syrup operations in our part of the world that i know of. around here it's cane syrup from sugarcane but not many folks still do it. krs/kenny

 

[dockmurgw]

looks nice. i bet it smells out of this world. do you make the syrup for sale or just for family and friends?? had a Grandpa that cooked whisky, had quite the kick but no flavor. no maple syrup operations in our part of the world that i know of. around here it's cane syrup from sugarcane but not many folks still do it. krs/kenny

Its a hobby, personal consumption and give a lot away, I keep it small so it stays an enjoyment. In 2020 2.2 mill gallons were produced commercially in this state, so I wouldn't dream of entering that market.

 

[Kinman]

Although not involved with the process, I do love me some maple surple. Back in the fifties my great aunt had an article about her making maple surple from a tree in her backyard that leaked all over her patio. The family was from Minnesota and somewhere along the line she found out about sap gathering and got enough syrup off one big old maple to make it worth the effort. I always make sure we have at least one of those Costco jugs in reserve and one in the fridge. Once a week or so I have me couple buttermilk Eggo waffles soaked in maple surple, my granddaughter knows I'm crazy but understands.

 

[M1A]

I try to buy good and real maple syrup for the occasional waffle. It seems to be thinner than I remember as a kid. What is the consistency supposed to be?
What is a good commercial brand?
Promise to brush my teeth after use.
I remember seeing the fresh syrup poured on the snow for a kids treat.

 

[Squarebutt]

My wife's late uncle had a small sugaring operation at his farm on the MA/VT border. His sugarhouse was a warm retreat from the long winter and a gathering place for the extended family. We always received a jug or two when the work was done.

 

[Old Arkansawyer]

I thought you had to have a team of draft horses, a sled and barrels to
run the taps.
I saw a video once that planted that image in my mind.

 

[6518John]

Don’t varmints gnaw and chew the trees and lick all the syrup? That’s what critters around here would do?

 

[Salty RI]

I try to buy good and real maple syrup for the occasional waffle. It seems to be thinner than I remember as a kid. What is the consistency supposed to be?
What is a good commercial brand?
Promise to brush my teeth after use.
I remember seeing the fresh syrup poured on the snow for a kids treat.

My father used to make it, it takes 40 gal to make 1 gal.

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[birdshooter]

We have been hard at it here in mid Missouri. Working on more. This is for ourselves and friends and family. A nice annual project.

 

[bgrafsr]

Reminds me of something I tell my wife from time to time when I'm picking on her...she's from Maine. I know I'll offend somebody with this but what the heck, here goes...click the red triangle if you must, but know I love Maine.
What do you get with 32 Mainers in a room? A full set of teeth.

Hey, they are not Mainers, they are Maniacs.


I love visiting Maine, especially along the Coast.

 

[bgrafsr]

I thought you had to have a team of draft horses, a sled and barrels to
run the taps.
I saw a video once that planted that image in my mind.

Here in Amish Country they now run plastic tubing and attach plastic bags to the trees to collect the sap.

 

[bgrafsr]

I always buy a few jugs of syrup when we visit Vermont.
Love the stuff.

 

[Salty RI]

Here in Amish Country they now run plastic tubing and attach plastic bags to the trees to collect the sap.

They have been doing that here for years but some people still use the old 10 qt buckets.

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[Rudi]

Great pics! Never have seen it made. I sure love the product. Can't go back to fake syrup after you have the real thing.

 

[Golddollar]

Great pics! Never have seen it made. I sure love the product. Can't go back to fake syrup after you have the real thing.

That's for sure. I buy real maple syrup in Chardon, Ohio by the gallon and then pour it into a serving bottle that is shaped like a maple leaf.

 

[CH4]

Maple? I like it on pancakes, waffles, french toast and guns.

 

[TheHobbyist]

I try to buy good and real maple syrup for the occasional waffle. It seems to be thinner than I remember as a kid. What is the consistency supposed to be?
What is a good commercial brand?
Promise to brush my teeth after use.
I remember seeing the fresh syrup poured on the snow for a kids treat.

The 'runny stuff' has not been cooked down enough. Someone needs to work on the process.

Family used to make it a generation or two back. One of the family's old neighbors still does and runs a heck of a business during the tourist season.