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Maple syrup time in Michigan


john-holcomb

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Dang John, that looks like more work then honey bees, at least the snow is gone before I have to do much work with them.

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Looks like a nice harvest John but I'll admit I don't know much about tapping and boiling down maple syrup.

quote:...We can it in pint jars and give it away all year long, any Simplicity/Allis club members that visit will for sure get one...id="quote">
id="quote">

Incentive is there. Taking a look at google maps now - maybe a summer trip...

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I only tap 4 large trees in my yard but last year we made 3+ gallons of Syrup. We can it in pint jars and give it away all year long, any Simplicity/Allis club members that visit will for sure get one. It takes roughly 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. Most commercial producers [several around here]use reverse osmosis machines and flash boilers to get the light clear look that we see in stores.I use the more Native American style and put the sap in a large pot and just keep adding sap until it reaches a consistency of syrup. Word of caution if you try, It is very easy to burn as it gets close to finish and if you try boiling it down in the house you will peal the wallpaper off the walls from the moisture.

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lol wall paper and paint off the ceiling , im working on an wood burning evaporator as we speak good luck this year

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Robert, bees can freeze to death, esp if low on stores to start with. Lack of food they can't stay warm. not enough air flow can do them in to as the humids built up high in the hive. Haven't tried wintering any outside up here yet but I guess the upper opening can frost over and kill them off.

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quote:Originally posted by john-holcomb

We can it in pint jars and give it away all year long, any Simplicity/Allis club members that visit will for sure get one.


id="quote">
id="quote">Really?! I'll keep that in mind 4i
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Just cleaned the 85 buckets that I have. Still have to go out and tap yet but am ready.I use a simplicity 2012 for getting the sap yard trailer with 55 gallon barrel in the back. I have never had a briggs start as easy as that old 10 hp engine don't even push in the clutch just turn the key and it is running. Put chans on to get through the deep snow and mud .Tractor is as ugly as mud but all I have done to it in the last 4 years is file the points in the spring and off it goes after we are done we just turn off the key close the valve for gas and wait till the next year. Great fun is comming end of the week. Bob Near Green Bay

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Bob,

Sounds like good wholesome fun!

Do you know something about spring coming next week that I don't know? :D Sounds to me that you may need more than chains with the storm coming our way the next few days!

Looking forward to tree sap tappin pics! ;)

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Our neighbors always had a Sugar Camp back in their woods. Lots of memories helping them as a youth. Unfortunately their kids did not keep up the tradition and the camp is pretty much gone now.

We get up to Manistee 6-7 times a year and I have often thought about looking you up on one of the trips, just have to drop SWMBO off at the shopping center. ;) One of my bucket list things is to make the garden tractor show you post about up by Scottville. Is it still going on?

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They still have a GT show but since Don Miller died it has kind of shrunk. The Western Michigan old engine club show in Scottville is the first weekend in August and normally has 100+ garden tractors.

John

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