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A Farm of My Own:  Maple time!  |
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Woodswoman
True Blue Farmgirl
512 Posts
Jennifer
Altamont
NY
USA
512 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 11 2011 : 6:54:12 PM
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I wasn't sure if this should go here or in weather!
We have finally had some cold nights and warm days, so the sap is flowing! We've collected just over 400 gallons so far, and are boiling it down to make syrup!
Jennifer
Farmgirl Sister #104
"Nature brings to every time and season some beauties of its own".
-Charles Dickens |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Mar 11 2011 : 8:15:00 PM
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Oh! That's so great, Jennifer! How exciting to be able to do that! There's nothing like real maple syrup! When we were kids, my Dad and my sister's godfather used to go up to Maine every year to go "maple syruping" with friends. They would tap the trees and boil it in big vats outdoors. It was SUCH a treat when he came home! Is this your business - do you sell the syrup, or is this just something you do with family? That is just so cool! Brings back lots of fond memories of New England for me! Have a great time! - Nini
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
Farmgirl Sister #1974 |
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melody
True Blue Farmgirl
3320 Posts
Melody
The Great North Woods in the Land of Hiawatha
USA
3320 Posts |
Posted - Mar 11 2011 : 8:29:50 PM
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Wow...Is it that time already?
My husband, as a young man, used to work at a sugar bush not too far from where he grew up. It was hard work, lugging those buckets and boiling the sap down, but that smell!
Wood smoke and maple-----Mmmmmmm!
Here is a link to the place where DH used to work...
http://www.jaspermaple.com/
Melody
Farmgirl #525 |
Edited by - melody on Mar 11 2011 8:30:42 PM |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4216 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4216 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2011 : 04:21:30 AM
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We will be tapping soon here. Weather is turning for the better.
Michele |
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Canadian farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
482 Posts
Lori
Ontario
Canada
482 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2011 : 07:04:00 AM
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We have 22 trees tapped, and will be having our first boil tomorrow! Weather here has been very strange, hardly any sap flowing compared to same time last year. It's supposed to snow tonight!
Lori
Farmgirl Sister #183 |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 14 2011 : 6:03:23 PM
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I love maple syrup. Y'all are so lucky to have your own trees. Me and some friends have some ordered. It's supposed to be organic. It's around $52 a gallon. Is that a good price? And isn't it all organic or are the trees sprayed? I have no idea how all this works. I'd love to know more about the process.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4216 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4216 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2011 : 04:15:29 AM
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We put out our taps yesterday. They were dripping. Now got to get the rest of the equipment out, washed down, and get ready to cook.
Kris, not sure how large operations do it, only know our old fashioned way. Nothing added in ours. I know some places use an anti foaming agent in their sap. But that is all I know.
Michele |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 16 2011 : 7:51:59 PM
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Michele, that's good to know. Do you know about how many gallons one tree gives? Me and a few others are wondering about all this. I would love to know more. Like do you have to carry all those gallons of sap or is it piped to where it gets boiled?
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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walkinwalkoutcattle
True Blue Farmgirl
1675 Posts
Megan
Paint Lick
KY
USA
1675 Posts |
Posted - Mar 17 2011 : 05:03:14 AM
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We only have a few maple trees close by, so tapping isn't an option. My FIL, however, used to make large amounts of sorghum. That's quite an aquired taste! I don't believe I've had REAL maple syrup before though, truthfully!
Starbucks and sushi to green fried tomatoes and corn pudding-I wouldn't change it for the world.
www.cattleandcupcakes.blogspot.com |
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Cherime
True Blue Farmgirl
1222 Posts
Cherime
Wasilla
Alaska
USA
1222 Posts |
Posted - Mar 17 2011 : 09:02:36 AM
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Birch syrup in Alaska in probably another 4 weeks.
CMF |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4216 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4216 Posts |
Posted - Mar 18 2011 : 05:06:47 AM
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Ours is all hand carry. We take up milk cans, in the bucket of the tractor, dump from the trees. Then go back down to our place (a mile away),and we have a homemade set up to cook. Pour the sap into a 50 gallon tank, and we control the flow into the sap pan. Will be cooking saturday morning. I have never kept track of how much sap one tree produces. Some trees run better then others. Everyday is a different amount of sap. We cook outside,over a wood fire,finish in the house if needed. Our sap is darker grade then your fancy boughten kind. But darker has more flavor!. We have 29 taps. We usually get a bit over 10 gallons. Maybe 12 gallons of sap a day. I will cook about 50 gallons, and it takes 6-8 hours. Depends on the weather, and the wood your burning. Lot of work
Michele |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4740 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - Mar 18 2011 : 1:08:08 PM
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I can vouch how delicious Windy Pines Michele's maple syrup is! I've been fortunate enough to get a jar or two every year of it! Thanks cousin!
Happy tapping to all you farmgirls!
Dawn in IL |
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debtea2
True Blue Farmgirl
1853 Posts
deborah
nutley
nj
USA
1853 Posts |
Posted - Mar 18 2011 : 6:15:26 PM
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oh how i envy all of you with your own real maple syrup
yummy i love it hard to come by here ..but when i find some one
selling it when i'm on a road trip i buy alot..
of course this year may not be taking many trips as the price of gas
is crazy..
happy tappings deborah
inch by inch we find our way
jersey farmgirl
#1330
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 19 2011 : 4:56:30 PM
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Thank you all for the info. I would love to see pictures if y'all are able to. I would love to see the whole process too. Maybe one day. My hubby is up North right now. I told him if he sees any trees with buckets to take some pictures.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2011 : 06:24:08 AM
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Hi Girls! Wow, such work goes into making maple syrup! I was fortunate that one of my neighbors let me come join them for the process this year. Check out my blog entry "New England Gold" under the Suburban farmgirl blog. The second part of my adventure will post this week!
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE
http://sfgblog.maryjanesfarm.org/ |
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A Farm of My Own: Maple time! |
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Maple time!
