The Official 2023 Maple Syrup Thread

Ok..so starting this thread early this year! Most of us have been prepping since the last season ended anyway lol ! So I've been in the shack....cleaning..organizing..upgrading...removing critters that need to find another place to live lol.
Also getting the firewood cut... Split..stacked....fixing trails...
Also...spent some time and money installing a driveway back to the shack. No more carrying stuff through the mud !
I love this life..but im feeling old !

 

Tried out the new Jackery battery power station at the shack for an hour tonight. Nice an quiet..im a huge fan. Got some wood stacked this afternoon too !

 

Had this porcelain light shade given to me. I bought a new socket..and made a wall mount out of black pipe. Not many places to mount it on the wall...but I think it'll work out good !

 

I like the light fixtures inside the shack.

 

Plugging away on firewood. Slowly...but surely.

 

Got the wood done for the maple shack . I get a subtraction for a wonky outer stack lol !

 

Say hello to my little friend !

 

She/He's looking for the maple syrup.

 

Nice set up! Looking forward to the season.

 

HoneyFuzz you (and many others here) definitely piqued my interest in trying my hand at making syrup this year. I took an inventory of the red and sugar maples in my immediate backyard and figured I could get about 10 taps in. I also have 2 yellow birches that are large enough to tap. I'll give it a go with some cheap taps and minimal/improvised equipment this year. If it ends up going smoothly and the kids enjoy it, I'll look at making a small investment next year. As far as boiling the sap goes, I was thinking of doing something quick and dirty like this:


I already have plenty of cinder blocks kicking around; all I'll need are a couple stainless steel pans.

 

DO IT! You guys will have a blast!

 

That’s the plan. I have some taps and hose on order now. I’m saving milk and water jugs to collect the sap. Biggest expense now will be a couple stainless steel pans.

 

Choice Full Size 6" Deep Anti-Jam Stainless Steel Steam Table / Hotel Pan - 24 Gauge

This was the cheapest place when I bought mine. There may be a cheaper source somewhere else now though. Also could maybe luck out and find some on craigslist or MP.

 

Thanks. That’s a lot cheaper than everywhere I looked.

 

I'm so happy we could get you interested. Makes my day! The kids will enjoy it immensely! The Maple syrup you make will be the best syrup you ever will taste..guaranteed!!! Good luck..keep us posted !

 

Thanks for the encouragement and inspiration
It looks like a lot of fun in a labor of love kind of way, just like gardening. I definitely think it’ll be a good fit for me.

 

Taking the storage and collection tanks home to pressure wash them up inside and out pretty soon.
We try to upgrade every year. I use to have to make 5 separate trips back and forth to pressure wash at home ..before and after season. But I picked up this used equipment trailer for my tractor...and I plan on using it anyway I can !

 

Speaking of inspiration. The new guy at work is originally from Quebec and makes his own syrup down here on a small scale. Yesterday I gave him a bag of cured garlic from last year’s garden. Today he brought me in a (can?!) of genuine Canadian maple syrup. Apparently his cousin runs a large commercial operation up there with thousands of taps. As if I wasn’t getting antsy already about tapping the trees in my backyard

 

Spent some time organizing today. Time to get the pan set...sap sack holders loaded up with bags...boil taps...fill inside firewood ring...put up some tarps around wood shed. I'm behind and ahead all in one day lol !
Finally getting some snow !

 

Cleaning taps. I've always scrubbed..boiled..and baked taps to clean and sterilize. I'm trying my hand at a Harbor Freight ultrasonic cleaner to see how that does. I've used a small cleaner in the past .so I have high hopes !


Shiney ones are new ones !