Trees growing along roadsides, in lawns, or in open settings, where their crowns have grown large without competition from other trees, generally produce more and sweeter sap than forest-grown trees. Open grown trees are capable of producing one half gallon of syrup in one season 15 to 20 gallons of sap , whereas trees growing in a forest setting generally produce about one quart of syrup about 10 gallons of sap. In addition to greater sap volume and sweetness, open grown trees generally offer greater accessibility for sap collection.
Most of the equipment required for tapping may be available in the home workshop or purchased with minimal investment. Buckets, covers, and spiles also called spouts are available from maple equipment dealers and many hardware stores. Other possible sap containers include clean plastic milk jugs or plastic containers with covers.
The equipment for processing sap will require greater investment, but will last for many years if maintained properly. Used equipment may be purchased but use judgement and acquire only equipment free of rust and fabricated of food-grade materials. Following is a suggested list of equipment and materials for making maple syrup for home-use.
Tap maple trees in early spring when daytime temperatures go above freezing while nighttime temperatures fall below freezing. The exact time depends on the elevation and location of your trees and your region. In Pennsylvania and southern regions of New York, first sap flow traditionally takes place in mid- to late-February.
In northern regions and at higher elevations, the season often begins in early to mid-March. Sap usually flows for 4 to 6 weeks or as long as the freezing nights and warm days continue. If you are uncertain about when to tap, consult with a nearby maple producer or contact your Extension Office. A quick and easy way to determine the diameter of the tree is by using a household measuring tape. This will give the circumference of the tree, which can be converted to diameter from Table 1.
Tapholes should be drilled when temperatures are above freezing to reduce the risk of damage to the tree. Drill into the trunk of the tree in an area that contains sound wood free of scars, wounds, or older tapholes. If sap will be collected in buckets, a height of two to three feet above ground level allows for easy collection. However, the height can vary depending on preferences, age, and size of the individual tapping the tree.
If the tree has been tapped in previous years, locate the new taphole at least 6 inches laterally and 24 inches vertically from the old taphole to insure tapping into good, productive sapwood. For trees with more than one tap, distribute the tapholes around the circumference of the tree. Notice the color of the shavings from the drill as you bore. Shavings should be light or cream colored, indicating live healthy sapwood.
Shavings that are dark brown indicate wood undesirable for sap production, and another taphole should be drilled at a new location. After making sure that the new taphole is free of shavings, insert the spile and seat it with a light hammer.
Tap, not pound , the spile in the taphole. Seat the spile properly so it can support the bucket. Driving the spile with force can split the bark delaying taphole closure and causing a substantial wound on the tree for many years Figure 3.
Do not treat the taphole with disinfectants or other materials at the time of tapping. After removing spiles from the tapholes at the end of the maple season, do not plug the taphole.
Tapping done properly will allow tapholes to close naturally covered by bark in about two years and will allow the tree to remain healthy and productive for generations. Plastic tubing may be used in place of buckets, but its use will not be discussed here. For more information on using maple tubing, consult your maple equipment dealer, local maple producer, or Extension Office. The volume of sap collected during a flow period will vary from less than a quart to several gallons per tap, depending on the tree, weather conditions, and duration of the flow or run.
The sugar content of sap varies between trees, will fluctuate between runs within a season, and from year to year. Collect sap daily if possible. It can be filtered through a clean cloth or paper filter to remove debris if desired. Sap can be stored in a clean tank a 30 gallon storage can works fine for more convenient processing.
The storage vessel should be placed in the shade to keep the sap as fresh and cool as possible. Because sap is a mixture of sugar and water, it is a perfect medium for bacterial growth. Therefore, it should be collected and processed as quickly as possible to ensure a higher quality product. Clean pails, one for each hand to offer better balance, may be used for collecting sap from the trees for transfer to the collection tank.
When using buckets, make sure each bucket has a cover to keep rain water and other debris from contaminating the fresh sap Figure 4. Usually about 40 gallons of sap are required to produce one gallon of finished syrup. Actually this figure can vary from 20 to 60 gallons or more depending primarily on sap sugar content. A large amount of water must be evaporated from the sap to produce the finished syrup of 66 to 67 percent sugar. Because the large amount of steam caused by evaporation of the sap could be damaging to interior wall surfaces, the bulk of the boiling should be done outside of the home.
For individuals with 50 or more taps, hobby-size continuous feed evaporators are commercially available. However, most hobbyists boil sap continuously in one pan over an open fire, camp stove, or discarded gas range. Multiple pans sap is added to the first, concentrated sap from the first pan is added to the next, and so on offer more capacity with more efficiency and are often used by producers with more experience. If wood fuel is used, a support called an "arch" can be constructed with concrete blocks to support the boiling pan and provide a firebox.
Dry good quality firewood is most desirable for a hot fire. Before the fuel is ignited, fill the pan with several inches of sap. As sap is evaporated liquid level reduced , add more sap. The faster the sap boils, the greater the potential for producing a higher quality product. This "batch" method allows the sap to be processed to a point near the final stage of evaporation. The more concentrated sap can then be finished with more controlled heat on the kitchen range.
The boiling point of water, which varies with elevation and daily changes in barometric pressure, is easily determined by noting the temperature in the raw sap when it is boiling vigorously. Finished syrup will often "apron" or create a wide sheet or drip on the edge of a spoon when dipped in and quickly withdrawn above the boiling liquid.
To maintain the experience of boiling sap an enjoyable one, always practice safety. Throughout the process, excess foam may be skimmed off the surface of the boiling sap and discarded. Many types of materials, such as butter or vegetable oil, have been used to reduce foaming. However, a commercial defoaming agent available in small containers from maple equipment dealers is recommended. The defoamer should be fresh, and only a drop or two is needed. When used in small quantities, defoamers will evaporate without a noticeable trace in the syrup.
When syrup has reached its proper temperature and density, it should be filtered to remove a gritty material called "sugar sand" or "niter" before hot packing in containers. The syrup should be filtered while hot through clean filter material such as wool or orlon available from maple equipment dealers. Syrup should be canned hot o F and stored in a cool dry location or under refrigeration. After a container has been opened for use, it must be refrigerated.
Should mold form on syrup that has been stored for several months, simply bring the syrup to near boiling o F , remove the mold by skimming, and repack the syrup in a clean container.
The procedure above is intended for home manufacture of maple syrup. If syrup is to be marketed, grading and labeling standards are required for retail sale in most maple producing states. We drill a hole in the maple tree about an inch and a half deep. Each sap line is attached to a main line that runs downhill to our sugar shack.
Think of the veins in your arm: there are lots of small veins that run to your main veins. The sap is like water with a hint of sweetness in it. Usually our sap runs about 2. As the season progresses, the sugar content usually decreases. Everything with maple sap is a guess. The weather determines if the season is a good one or a poor one.
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