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 Maple Syrup Season is here
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl

4085 Posts

Michele
Bruce Wisconsin
USA
4085 Posts

Posted - Mar 06 2021 :  02:53:47 AM  Show Profile
Once again it is time to put up buckets for us. This afternoon we will put on the snowshoes and get started. Drilling holes, and putting in taps, and hanging buckets. Thankfully we have new bucket with lids the last few years.

Farming in WI

Michele
FGOTM June2019

YellowRose
True Blue Farmgirl

6746 Posts

Sara
Paris TX
USA
6746 Posts

Posted - Mar 06 2021 :  06:04:12 AM  Show Profile
Michelle, I know it is work but it has to be fun too. Buckets with lids sounds like a good thing.

FarmGirl Hugs, Sara
FarmGirl Sister #6034 Aug 2014
FarmGirl of the Month Sept 2015 & Feb 2019

Lord put your arm around my shoulders & your hand over my mouth.
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl

7577 Posts

Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts

Posted - Mar 06 2021 :  06:13:53 AM  Show Profile
Yay! I so well remember my Dad and sister's godfather heading up to Maine for their annual maple syruping weekend! I know it takes a lot of time and patience, but such sweet reward! How exciting!

Such a busy time if year for you, Michele! But such fun, too, Im sure! God bless you!

Hugs,

Nini

Farmgirl Sister #1974

God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!

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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl

4708 Posts

Dawn
Naperville Illinois
USA
4708 Posts

Posted - Mar 06 2021 :  10:59:16 AM  Show Profile
Have fun tapping with your family Michele! I hope you get another sap to make syrup for everyone.

Dawn in IL

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold, when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade." Charles Dickens
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl

4085 Posts

Michele
Bruce Wisconsin
USA
4085 Posts

Posted - Mar 06 2021 :  4:07:27 PM  Show Profile
. 6 generations have made syrup on this same place. That is my sister holding her youngest grandchild.

Farming in WI

Michele
FGOTM June2019

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YellowRose
True Blue Farmgirl

6746 Posts

Sara
Paris TX
USA
6746 Posts

Posted - Mar 07 2021 :  03:42:50 AM  Show Profile
Great picture of your family. Six generations making maple syrup on same place is a wonderful story.

FarmGirl Hugs, Sara
FarmGirl Sister #6034 Aug 2014
FarmGirl of the Month Sept 2015 & Feb 2019

Lord put your arm around my shoulders & your hand over my mouth.
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl

4708 Posts

Dawn
Naperville Illinois
USA
4708 Posts

Posted - Mar 07 2021 :  06:08:46 AM  Show Profile
Our great-grandparents & grandparents would be bursting with pride to know how you've kept the family traditions alive on the homestead. It's wonderful your kids and nephew want to continue on with the traditions too for their families!

Dawn in IL

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold, when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade." Charles Dickens

Edited by - ddmashayekhi on Mar 07 2021 1:17:43 PM
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl

4085 Posts

Michele
Bruce Wisconsin
USA
4085 Posts

Posted - Mar 07 2021 :  11:43:27 AM  Show Profile
The amazing part too, is how far we have come from the beginning. Things change for sure, and some are made simpler. thanks all.

Farming in WI

Michele
FGOTM June2019

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MaryJanesNiece
True Blue Farmgirl

6625 Posts

Krista
Utah
USA
6625 Posts

Posted - Mar 08 2021 :  1:25:57 PM  Show Profile
Michele, that sounds like fun! It’s nice you get to share these traditions with your family.

Krista
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Red Tractor Girl
True Blue Farmgirl

6488 Posts

Winnie
Gainesville Fl
USA
6488 Posts

Posted - Mar 09 2021 :  4:41:33 PM  Show Profile
Michele, I love the photos of getting the Maple season started! this tradition is something I have always wanted to see happen and be there when the sap is boiled down into syrup. Maple syrup makes pancakes the best!!

Winnie #3109
Red Tractor Girl
Farm Sister of the Year 2014-2015
FGOTM- October 2018
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levisgrammy
True Blue Farmgirl

9203 Posts

Denise
Beavercreek Ohio
USA
9203 Posts

Posted - Mar 09 2021 :  5:18:01 PM  Show Profile
Awesome Michele! Always thought it would be fun to see the whole process.
Great photos!

~Denise
Sister #43~1/18/2007

"I am a bookaholic and I have no desire to be cured."

"Home is where we find comfort, security, memories, friendship, hospitality, and above all, family. It is the place that deserves our commitment and loyalty." William J. Bennett

"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105

http://www.ladybugsandlilacs.blogspot.com/
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nndairy
True Blue Farmgirl

2972 Posts

Heather
Wapakoneta Ohio
USA
2972 Posts

Posted - Mar 09 2021 :  6:03:23 PM  Show Profile
What a wonderful family tradition!! Thanks for sharing your story with us. I'd love to see more pictures of the process. Making my own maple syrup is on my "one day" list.

~Heather
Farmgirl Sister #4701
September 2014 Farmgirl of the Month


"The purpose of life is to enjoy every moment" - Yogi teabag
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl

4085 Posts

Michele
Bruce Wisconsin
USA
4085 Posts

Posted - Mar 10 2021 :  02:25:46 AM  Show Profile
I will try to add more pictures as we go. thanks everyone Turned too warm the last 2 days now. Not much of a sap flow. Supposed to rain and turn colder again.

Farming in WI

Michele
FGOTM June2019

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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl

4708 Posts

Dawn
Naperville Illinois
USA
4708 Posts

Posted - Mar 10 2021 :  05:45:43 AM  Show Profile
Hope the run picks up for you. I know it takes lots of sap for a little syrup!

Dawn in IL

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold, when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade." Charles Dickens
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StitchinWitch
True Blue Farmgirl

2122 Posts

Judith
Galt CA
USA
2122 Posts

Posted - Mar 10 2021 :  4:36:33 PM  Show Profile
This was something I dreamed of doing when I read about it as a little girl. Unfortunately it doesn't happen in California. I'm enjoying reading about your family's experience.

Judith

7932
Happiness is Homemade
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becsbecaw
Farmgirl in Training

35 Posts

Becca
Elsie MI
USA
35 Posts

Posted - Mar 11 2021 :  04:06:05 AM  Show Profile
We're in the middle of our Maple Syrup season here! So far we have boiled 3 times - total of 4.5 gallons of syrup made. We still have another 2-3 boils before the season is over! This is our third year at it, and we have learned so much!

Farming in MI

-Becca
Farmgirl Sister #8348
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becsbecaw
Farmgirl in Training

35 Posts

Becca
Elsie MI
USA
35 Posts

Posted - Mar 11 2021 :  04:10:01 AM  Show Profile
Here is a photo from our second batch of syrup this year! Still getting a light amber color!



-Becca
Farmgirl Sister #8348

Edited by - becsbecaw on Mar 11 2021 04:10:30 AM
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl

4085 Posts

Michele
Bruce Wisconsin
USA
4085 Posts

Posted - Mar 11 2021 :  04:14:39 AM  Show Profile
Looks good Becca. We got warm here so the sap has slowed down.

Farming in WI

Michele
FGOTM June2019

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becsbecaw
Farmgirl in Training

35 Posts

Becca
Elsie MI
USA
35 Posts

Posted - Mar 11 2021 :  04:17:50 AM  Show Profile
Slowed down here too, Monday we had a good run - not much since; but our night time temps drop down again starting tomorrow night, so we are hopeful the trees will start to flow again!

-Becca
Farmgirl Sister #8348
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl

4085 Posts

Michele
Bruce Wisconsin
USA
4085 Posts

Posted - Mar 22 2021 :  06:41:51 AM  Show Profile
. Cooking sap. Trying to block the wind with the tractor.

Farming in WI

Michele
FGOTM June2019

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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl

4085 Posts

Michele
Bruce Wisconsin
USA
4085 Posts

Posted - Mar 22 2021 :  06:42:44 AM  Show Profile
sap boiling in pan.

Farming in WI

Michele
FGOTM June2019

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YellowRose
True Blue Farmgirl

6746 Posts

Sara
Paris TX
USA
6746 Posts

Posted - Mar 22 2021 :  06:58:44 AM  Show Profile
Becca, your syrup is beautiful.

Wow Michelle, that's quite the operation you got going there. I just thought you cooked it in a big pot on your stove. Thanks for posting pictures so we'll know how the "big girls" do it.

FarmGirl Hugs, Sara
FarmGirl Sister #6034 Aug 2014
FarmGirl of the Month Sept 2015 & Feb 2019

Lord put your arm around my shoulders & your hand over my mouth.
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becsbecaw
Farmgirl in Training

35 Posts

Becca
Elsie MI
USA
35 Posts

Posted - Mar 22 2021 :  07:35:54 AM  Show Profile
We finished our season yesterday! Very warm temps this next week, and we are just exhausted after 4 weeks of sap collection, constant cleaning, and so much boiling! We pulled all of the taps on Saturday and finished boiling yesterday. During this next week and next weekend we will work to clean all of our equipment and get them in storage until next year.

Here is a photo of our evaporator set up - we upgraded to a Smokey Lake's evaporator this year - and it cut down our boiling time so much! A huge improvement to our old catering chafing dishes over a DIY'd cinderblock fireplace.


Here is a photo of the divided pan working, the far right side is closer to finished syrup and being ready for draw off than the far left side where are constantly adding more sap.


This year we made maple sugar - I've also heard it called Canadian Sugar. Here is photo - you just keep boiling the syrup until ~262 degrees F, and then stir it for about 10-15 minutes with a hand mixer until it becomes granulated sugar!


We wanted to share the sugar with our family and friends since this was the first time we did it, so I found these cute spice jars off Amazon - each is 4 oz of Sugar.


Our season totals were: about 670 gallons of sap, boiled down to about 17.5 gallons of syrup!

-Becca
Farming in MI
Sister # 8348

Edited by - becsbecaw on Mar 22 2021 07:36:11 AM
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl

4708 Posts

Dawn
Naperville Illinois
USA
4708 Posts

Posted - Mar 22 2021 :  08:02:16 AM  Show Profile
Fabulous pictures Michele! For a home operation that is a very impressive setup you have. Maple sugar is very expensive, it's great you were able to make some for yourself and others this year. Let us know how it tastes in your baking. That is an incredible amount of sap you tapped. I'm exhausted reading about it! Enjoy the syrup, it will taste even better because all of you pulled together to make it happen!

Dawn in IL

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold, when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade." Charles Dickens

Edited by - ddmashayekhi on Mar 22 2021 2:09:06 PM
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StitchinWitch
True Blue Farmgirl

2122 Posts

Judith
Galt CA
USA
2122 Posts

Posted - Mar 22 2021 :  12:34:23 PM  Show Profile
Becca and Michelle -- Thank you for taking us on your maple sugaring tour. Quite an interesting operation. I'm surprised at how much you start with and little you end up with. Concentrated sweetness for sure. I wonder how the calories/carbohydrates in the finished sugar compare to regular white or brown sugar. It would sure taste better!

Judith

7932
Happiness is Homemade
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl

4085 Posts

Michele
Bruce Wisconsin
USA
4085 Posts

Posted - Mar 23 2021 :  02:54:18 AM  Show Profile
Our sap usually runs around 27 -1. 27 gallons of sap to 1 gallon of syrup. It is alot of work, but oh so good. We are hoping for one more cooking, and then pull the taps. Supposed to be in the 40's and 20's for the remaining part of this week.

Farming in WI

Michele
FGOTM June2019

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