# Maple sap report: It's running!



## redwinger00 (Nov 19, 2001)

9 Pints of syrup so far. Yesterday was a slow day only got about 4 gallons of sap from 17 spiles. Hopefully better today.

Another good idea:

I had read somewhere about a guy that saved all his snapple ice tea bottles and hot packed his syrup in them. Yesterday I tried it and it worked fine. Sealed and everything. Also saved the little jars that olives come in and that also worked.

Baby food jars work good for that "little bit of syrup left at the end of batch". This is what I give away as samples.


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

Redwinger, 

I think the warmish nights are slowing the sap flow. The way I understand it is that the warm days and sub-freezing nights pump the sap up and down the tree. We haven't been getting below freezing at night lately. 

Last night I got 4.5 gallons from 6 spiles, tonight I got 2.5 gallons from the same 6 spiles. One tree that was my "Old Faithful" gusher, is now almost dry. Maybe it will start up again in a few days. 

What is everyone collecting the raw sap in, when you are in the woods? I am using 1 gallon ziplock bags, then I put them in a small knapsack and pack them out. It works but I would like something a little more convenient. 

Total syrup production so far is 3.5 pints.


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## redwinger00 (Nov 19, 2001)

kroppe

The warmer night are definately slowing the flow down. Out of the 17 taps I only got 1 1/2 gallons of sap yesterday. Later this week we are suppose to get some colder nights so hopefully more sap.

Collecting sap I use 2 five gallon buckets that I pull in a sled when there is snow and in the little red wagon after the snow melts. I use a 2 quart pitcher to empty the contents of the milk jug into then pour that into the buckets. That way I do not have to try and hold the increasingly heavy bucket up to the jugs as I empty them.

When I got home from work yesterday I noticed that a pint of syrup was missing (as I have them all out on the counter). I asked my wife what happened to the other pint. You know what she had the nerve to say to me? "What are you watching them like a hawk?" What is this woman thinking.......This stuff is liguid gold......LIQUID GOLD I SAY. She gave it away to my brother. 

I've got my eye on her. I'm watching. LOL


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## redwinger00 (Nov 19, 2001)

Got less than 1 quart of sap yesterday. Man we need some cold nights!!!!!!


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## niner93 (Mar 18, 2003)

I am a newbie to maple syrup and didn't get a chance to get mine in this year. My dad and I did it for several years before. 

My question is what is hot packing and how is it done. I always wanted to save it for future use in past years but didn't know how to preserve it. 

Any advice would be appreciated.


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## Bow Hunter Brandon (Jan 15, 2003)

niner93,
there is alot of info in the past posts in this forum. You can do a search. The best way I know if is to go out and do it. I did it last year for the first time using www.rmgmaple.com 

Its alot of fun. If you have any questions post them up and we will help. But honestly just go to your local hardware ( the old town ones) and get some taps and give it a try.

To Hot Pack you sterilize the jar band and lid in boiling water. Then as you process the syrup and its hot / boiling you pour it in seal the lid tight and the heat will seal it up.


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## niner93 (Mar 18, 2003)

I already have taps and know how to boil it to make syrup. I did it the past two years. I just wanted to know how to hot pack.


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## Bow Hunter Brandon (Jan 15, 2003)

We had a familly breakfast this morning home made Waffles and maple syrup. Mmmmmm..
The sap isnt running here anymore. I hope we get some cold nights soon.


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

Brandon, 

In my area this week's weather looks perfect, daytime temps low 40s, night time upper 20s. So hopefully the trees will start pumping again.


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## redwinger00 (Nov 19, 2001)

Sap has completely stopped running here.


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## Bow Hunter Brandon (Jan 15, 2003)

kroppe, your not far from me less then 30 miles 
Sap ran today got about a gallon from my 3 taps. Tomorrow looks good and the day after looks really good.


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

Sap is running full bore again. I took 4.5 gallons from 6 taps, have a problem with one jug keeps falling off the spile, or I would have had 5.0 gallons. The trees have a steady flow of sap coming out of them. This week looks excellent for sap production.


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## Bow Hunter Brandon (Jan 15, 2003)

I lost two gallons today to the jugs falling off the taps 
I did get one gallon though. Tomorrow looks really good.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

17 gallons from 10 spiles last night; another 15 gallons by 3:00pm today; and I expect another 25 gallons by daybreak tomorrow. I have two pans cooking, 24 hours/day right now, and will for a couple weeks - except for when we have to cook food on the stove top.

I hang buckets, which have metal handles and each hold around 1.5 gallons. I use empty dishwasher soap buckets from Sam's Club (well washed), because they are strong and hold alot. I have thought a lot about fixing up a system to have the sap run through a hole in the lid, but I never get around to it. I lose sap when it rains, but otherwise I get a lot most of the time. I can store it in 5 gal buckets (those would be the soap buckets for clothes washer) in my garage until I get it cooked. It usually will keep for a couple days if it is cold. If the sap gets cloudy, I throw it away - which I hate to do.

I missed the first good week, and figure I missed out on at least a gallon of sap by not tapping as soon as I should have. This week is cranking. 

Have you ever put a maple syrup glaze on fish you are smoking, when it is just about done? Killer.


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## Bow Hunter Brandon (Jan 15, 2003)

It was running again today. Got a pot cooking down as I type.
The way the weather has been it looks like there is still some time left in the season for this. If you wanted to give it a try its not to late.


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

I'm done for the season. Pulled my taps on Saturday. I'll be out of town for a while then getting ready for an Easter vacation so I decided to call it quits. 

5 pints total production from 6 spiles/5 trees over about 4-5 weeks. Better than last year's 0.75 pints. Have about 2 pints in the fridge. Good stuff!


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## Bow Hunter Brandon (Jan 15, 2003)

Two Pints last night and this batch seems sweeter then the first one. 
I think I will get atleast one more run before the tree buds out..


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

I canned a little over 2 gallons last week, and am still cooking. My average is around 2.75 gallons, but it really varies from year to year. A few years ago I tapped the 2nd week of Jan and sap ran all through Jan and Feb. March froze and at the end of March I got a few more days of sap. That Winter I got 8.5 gallons of syrup.

Temps are going to be perfect in Southeast MI for the next week or so, and I expect to get enough for another couple gallons. When the sap stops down here, the Steelhead fishing really heats up.

Cooking a little more water out will definitely produce sweeter syrup. A long time ago, I got a final batch that was so concentrated that maple sugar chunks formed in the canning jars. My kids loved that. I haven't gotten it that reduced since without burning it.


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