Maple Syrup Farm
- Thread starter mrsrunningbear
- Start date
bearrassler
Well-known member
I have done a little of it on a small scale. I purchased about 10 of the taps online and used milk jugs. i tapped about 6 or 7 trees and boiled most of it out in a turkey fryer and then finished it off inside with a good fan above the stove. It turned out excellent and on good years we ended up with about 2 1/2 gallons of syrup.
What a clever idea, "plumbing" each tree to a central collection point!
My great uncle, J. W. Nara and family, had a sugar camp in Bootjack, MI from the early 1900s to probably the mid 1960s. Unfortunately it wasn't such a high tech operation, just a bucket hanging from a tap in da tree, and plenty of boiling to evaporate the water content, 40 gallons of sap = 1 gallon of syrup!
The Nara maple syrup business was since acquired by Leonard Gregorie of Lake Linden.
My great uncle, J. W. Nara and family, had a sugar camp in Bootjack, MI from the early 1900s to probably the mid 1960s. Unfortunately it wasn't such a high tech operation, just a bucket hanging from a tap in da tree, and plenty of boiling to evaporate the water content, 40 gallons of sap = 1 gallon of syrup!
The Nara maple syrup business was since acquired by Leonard Gregorie of Lake Linden.
We cooked syrup when I was a kid. Lots of fond memories of getting off the bus and going right to the woods to help collect the sap. Later on we had the tubing. Nothing better than pure Wisconsin maple syrup. We used to pour it on clean, white snow fresh off of the evaporator. I think we called it maple candy. Once you've had the real stuff you won't want the fake stuff you buy in the stores. It may cost a little more, but it's worth it.
thunderstruck88
New member
man wishing i had some of those GREAT MICHIGAN BLUEBERRIES with some of that GREAT MAPLE SYRUP I AM HUNGRY NOW can't ya'll hear my tummy rumbling? lol THINK SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
arcticgeorge
New member
Maple Hollow in Merril wi. Take the tour !
just went to the Maple syrup factory at Maple Hollow in Merril Wisconsin.( free samples are sweet!) Real neat. The guy said once the 10,000 feet of tubes were installed they havent been touched since. In the old days they use to empty all the buckets by hand into a holding tank, now all the watery sap runs downhill to a pump house. My Brother in law makes Maple syrup from his trees in Tomahawk the old fashined way. He is going to invest in a evoporater.
just went to the Maple syrup factory at Maple Hollow in Merril Wisconsin.( free samples are sweet!) Real neat. The guy said once the 10,000 feet of tubes were installed they havent been touched since. In the old days they use to empty all the buckets by hand into a holding tank, now all the watery sap runs downhill to a pump house. My Brother in law makes Maple syrup from his trees in Tomahawk the old fashined way. He is going to invest in a evoporater.
mrsrunningbear
Active member
I can't tell you all how great its been to learn about maple syrup...I told my friends all about what i learned today...I had sent the pictures to them so it was great to explain. And pancakes for sure tomorrow....with michigan blueberries and SYRUP...
and wish I could share with ya thunderstuck88
and wish I could share with ya thunderstuck88thunderstruck88
New member
mrsrunningbear thank you and while I am dreaming about MICHIGAn food I might as well go for the gusto FUDGE I am going to be dreaming really sweet dreams tonight for sure
robmountainking
New member
We pull the lines every year and clean them. They are marked were they go and put back in the same spot every year. It did freeze last night, the sap should run good today. I made some maple cream candy a couple of days ago Yum
Boil until 235 degrees F, let cool to 100 degrees F then beat with a hand mixer until creamy and pour on wax paper to cool.
Boil until 235 degrees F, let cool to 100 degrees F then beat with a hand mixer until creamy and pour on wax paper to cool.
mrsrunningbear
Active member
I made some maple cream candy a couple of days ago Yumwow I wondered if someone would take them down for cleaning...makes sense to me. And is that maple cream candy like the maple leaf candies you can buy... my fav
arcticgeorge
New member
No need to take 10,000 feet of line down each year because there is little build up from the watery syrup, and the heating process will kill off any bacteria. I could see doing it if you had a small set up.
L
lenny
Guest
neat system, very interesting, gives a old fashion meaning to "God provides"
yamahauler
Active member
My uncle does quite a bit of maple syrup ever year and then he has a pancake breakfast for all the relatives. Fresh syrup on pancakes, you can't beat it. Then he sends you home with a bottle of it as well.