Best way we've ever tapped our Maple Trees ~ Making Maple Syrup
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- Today we are tapping our Maple trees for the 2018 maple syrup season. Tapping our trees this way is going to make it so easy.
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I was born and raised 20 minutes from Boston, MA. At the age of 17, I was diagnosed with Anxiety. My personal experience with the prescribed medication was NOT POSITIVE. So I decided to find better way. I didn't know it at the time but, that was the BEGINNING for me! I have been “FINDING A BETTER WAY” in all areas in my life ever since. Better ways of how to create a modern homestead affordably, and a better way to provide my family with healthy foods, and so….. much MORE!
At Lumnah Acres we hope our experiences can help guide you to find YOUR BETTER WAY! Please join us in sharing our journey with you, let us be a guide to Modern Homesteading, Self-Sufficiency, and FREEDOM for you!
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I'm so very excited that you're getting set up for sugarmaking, Al! And I LOVE it that you're teaching so many of your viewers how awesome the whole process is! Just wait until you taste your first batch... It's truly awesome! Thanks for sharing my free eBook with your viewers--I'm so happy to see so many downloading it and learning all about tapping trees. You know, before you even make syrup you need to whip up a batch of Maple Sap Switchel... way yummier than soda and so, so good for you! (That recipe is in the resource library with my free eBook, available through the link you shared above.) Hopefully we'll have lots of sap flowing by the end of the week, here in NH.
Souly Rested agree
Michelle Visser b
Dude! You are learning and sharing at the same time. Anybody who thinks you are talking to them as if they are a moron, has a problem with self-esteem. They need to grow up and stand up. Don't change your ways.
Thanks, I needed that!
You are welcome!
I LOVE the way you explain things....that's why people keep coming back. Keep doing what you do !!!
You are the most easy going guy around, and people still give you a hard time. Unbelievable.
U need more sub... ur videos are awesome .... 👏
I like hearing you talk. Imagine how boring these would be with no narrative. I'm learning a lot from watching and listening so a big thank you and love the videos. Still trying to catch up in older ones too.
Hello from Kansas, I’ve been currently healing my broken femur from a car wreck for about 8 months now. Since I have tons of time indoors right now I discovered RUclips! And I’m hooked! Your channel I discovered searching off grid living. You have really opened my eyes on the right way to live. You are living a dream that I plan on doing as soon as I’m healthy. Thanks for all the videos and valuable information I’ve been looking for. And I love Pluto n Figaro.
Thanks, I hope you heal up fast and are able to start living your dream life soon!
My uncle had a dedicated building for boiling the sap he called it the sugar shanty. I was never at the farm during sugaring time but my cousins and I used it as a fort during the summer. Your right it smelled so good in there. Thank you for the memories. 😉
LOL!!! Some of those folks give themselves to much credit Al!! They NEED to be talked to like kids!! Looking forward to seeing your boil down process! Always enjoy spending the morning with ya brother!!
Trust me, cover all your buckets!! Those tap setups look so much better than the metal ones we used to use. And do take Al's advice on not cooking down in the house!! Wicked good advice.
Yes, covering the buckets will keep the critters out of them.
SSLFamilyDad is cooking down his sap in a hoop house he made, so it will be interesting to see if the walls get sticky. The sugar stays in the sap/syrup, and only a very tiny bit of sugar will escape. Boiling the sap indoors will make the walls wet, though not necessarily sticky.
Also, if you turn the burner up high when you come home from work on a Friday afternoon and watch the Young and Restless (back in the late 1970s) and run out of the house to tell your coworkers what happened on the show your boyfriend who gets home an hour before you will call you to come home early greeting you at the back back door looking through the missing bottom of the pan!! Oops, bad stink in the house and no more making syrup in the house!!
I had so much fun tapping trees, collecting sap, and boiling syrup when I was a kid. During the summer it was always a great learning experience to take one day and hike the woods, learning to identify different trees to tag the trees before leaves fell, and seeing so many things in nature. Your daughter is blessed to have this kind of living education as well. Thank you for sharing!
You can tap mature white birch trees too. They produce a lot of sap at lower sugar levels than maple. The sap is consumed straight up in Europe. A friend of mine who lives in Alaska makes birch syrup.
You have us excited now. Going to buy some supplies! You don’t in any way, shape, or form, sound, or come across, as talking down to anyone. Some people’s filters are so damaged that they hear and perceive things through their damaged filters in ways that only they themselves hear them. So it’s not you, but them. Happy 🍁 ing 👍
Thanks. Enjoy the season!
Agreed!!
This is really great.i live in U.K. now so making maple syrup is only a memory of my childhood in 1950’s Ontario canada
Warm last two days here - neighbors have big sugaring operation and they boiled last night! Cold again today but warming up next week too. Sugaring season is my favorite time of year - I know Spring is on it's way!
Al, you just talk, heck with what people say, be yourself. I would boil on your grill, near the door or even outside your kitchen. Your kitchen will clean up. Just keep talking, and we can listen. Al, you are a true blessing. I would try some birch syrup if you have birch trees. Taste the difference. God bless!!
Jim Claire have to give an alternate opinion on boiling in the outdoor kitchen. Sugar houses are vented but the outdoor kitchen isn’t. It may clean up but they are way too busy to deal with that mess!! Finishing in the outdoor kitchen yea...no issue...even in the house but, the initial boil....without a proper sugar house, just my opinion but....keep it outside...
Keith Rayeski
I am a believer in working with what you gave. Al really can not move the wood cook stove. The grill can be move to the door way and perhaps outdoor. As far as you can. Go outside. I would also drill holes foe my buckets in the side,M to avoid snow dilution getting into the bucket via the lid. If I had birch trees, I think, I would try making birch syrup. I have never had birches, but gave had Naples, and maple syrup. That sap is heavy. I agree, and thanks for the reply to my comment. God bless you, God bless America.
If he's got good sugar content, then it's 40 gallons of sap to 1 gallon of syrup. That's 39 gallons, or 325 pounds, of water that will be released wherever he boils. It's NOT a good idea to do that anywhere that is enclosed in any way.
Great video. Wow, what a nice subject. I lived 20 foot from maple trees that surrounded our home. I climbed the trees for years! When I was a boy. Interesting subject, your tapping trees.. I would tap the side of the bucket, then if it rains, the snow will not melt into the bucket with the sap. You will need about 120 gallons of sap for a few gallons of syrup. Knowing you, you will give some syrup away. Al, you remember, you are a blessed man. Birch syrup is worth more than maple sirup. The farther you walk through to get to the tree, the longer you carry the sap. Al you amaze me almost everyday. Half in drill in, you can mark your drill bit with tape. Tap,away, and enjoy the nectar of the Gods. Blessings.
Thanks, I cant wait to taste the syrup!
I think your comments are fine! I really think it’s great your family says grace prior to meal!🙏🏻
My husband talks to himself all the time. I love listening to your conversations with your self. There are a few of us out here that needs to be talked to like we are idiots. Sometimes I don't get it the first time around. I have blonde roots.
Mad Dog Minor I know exactly what you mean! I too have blonde roots!
Me too!!!
Another informative video. When you do the others, let your daughter do them! Great learning experience
I look forward to all your videos Lumnah Acres...don't mind those rude grumps making comments...you're an inspiration. Blessings, -Katrina
I first like and then watch your videos.Thanks to you.
if you can put the taps in line with a big limb or root on the tree it flows better for us anyway. we get a pint of syrup for every five gallon bucket of sap we boil, its a lot of fun! Were gonna tap tomorrow hopefully its a good year!
Thanks, I hope it is a good year for us all!
What!!! A man that reads instructions!!!!!! Scary!!!! thanks for taking me along.
only sometimes! :)
Loved seeing the setup. Can't wait to see the process step by step. Thanks for consistently great content!
Happy tapping! Looks so easy! The info about boiling the sap indoors was a good one, I'd never have thought about that!
🍎I’ve never seen this done, so I’m very excited to see how works and turns out! Fingers-crossed for lots of sap!
My dad and i taped a large woods of silver maple in ohio. We made a large evaporator. We used lard to calm down the boil when it got to hot. The last of the boil we ran it through felt to get the dirt out.
Thanks for taking us along! This brings back memories for me. My dad tapped some trees and made maple syrup when I was a little girl. Im excited to see how it works out for you.
I’m with you on the “talking to yourself” thing. I can figure things out better when I think out loud. 😊
Keep up the good work! We love you just like you are!
Thanks, I enjoy talking to myself! Lol. I must like the company
Thats how you know you get the right ANSWER!
Good morning, never knew it was that easy to tap a tree! I agree with Jim C about drilling hole in side of bucket at the top to keep rain and melted snow from entering. Also agree with many others who mentioned fastening bucket to tree in one form or another. Enjoy the way you deliver info, we are not all experts on every subject. Have a great weekend everybody!
Thanks for sharing... looking forward to watching the syrup making..
Hi Al, I appreciate you taking the time to explain everything, I am so new to homesteading that I squeak, I need as much help as I can get.
Oh my goodness...who in the world is complaining now? Ughhhh Come on! I just don’t understand why people are so sensitive and think you’re talking directly to them! Man, that’s a powerful ego. Anyway you just keep being Al and we’ll keep watching and appreciating what you’re doing. I’m grateful for the tip about not boiling in the house. I’d have never known that without the viewer/s who reminded you to remind US! So thank you both. I was just talking to my family about trying it ourselves. We’ve got three HUGE maples that’ll take at least two taps each plus a couple more at my daughters. If we do both properties we should get two gallons. That would be fun to try. Just might give it a shot. Thanks for giving the signature “bye” on this one. I’ve come to associate it as a Lumnah Acres trademark lol. Have a great night. God Bless ~Lisa
Thanks, I hope you do try tapping some trees this year.
This is awesome you have inspired me to go out and tap some trees! Something to think about, I think I will drill my hole in the top of the bucket for the hose. not the lid. So when it rains water doesn't get in the bucket. Thank you so much for sharing this! Good luck! I hope it is really sappy at your house!
the holes in the lid are so tight I cant see any water getting in
Thanks for sharing Al. You do a great job on your videos.
Looking forward to upcoming videos. 👍 Go ahead and repeat yourself, saying it out loud helps you and without you there wouldn't be videos!
this is true! Thanks
There will always be people that complain no matter what you do
you do you like no one else
Really enjoy you vids👍
Edit: you could use a ratchet strap on each bucket to keep them from falling
Thanks, yes we could! Lol
Some people fuss about anything. They need to get a life and smile. I, personally, love your videos. I missed seeing Pluto and Figaro. Sorry, I am an animal lover.
More ways to have fun in the Winter. Going to be fun dragging those full buckets back to the kitchen. I agree with getting more taps and buckets. It takes a lot of sap to make syrup. Come on Spring
Looking good Al!! You are going to love the experience of making syrup!!
Knowing you did it yourself makes all the difference!! It is a learning experience, I found that out!!
Have a great weekend!!
Charlie C
Thanks, I am sure there is quite a learning curve to it!
You’re willing to step out and up and do it Al...learning...that’s how us playsteaders do things!!😉😁🤣
I remember a few years ago when we tapped that the snow was so deep that at the end of the season we had to use step ladders to get the taps back out of the trees
Plan B Homestead LOL!! Happens don’t it!!??😉😁
Great video Al!!! I always enjoy watching your videos.
Two days in a row RUclips did not send me a notification from you. :( But I know how to find you. They won't slow me down. HUGS for everyone!!!
Thanks for another educational video Al. We don't have Maple tree's but if we did have sod's law say's I'd have boiled the sap off in the house!
I am loving this game, you are learning so many skills for your homestead.
I am so glad you mentioned about the outdoor kitchen being sticky using it for boiling the maple water...I wanted to say something to you so bad but I didnt want to seem like a know it all and make it look like you didnt know what you were doing....but as soon as you mentioned the kitchen I was like NOOO...NOT GOOD...YOU WILL BE SORRY!! LOL Cant wait to see how much syrup you get out of those trees! :-)
the rooster was just telling everyone to like, share, and subscribe!
You say what you want brother!! People are so whiny!!! Im really lovin your channel!
Thanks for posting. Great video. God Bless You All👍❤️
Looking forward to seeing when the sap starts flowing. I was wondering why you had lids on some of the buckets and not all, but you answered that question at the end of your video. This is all new to me and enjoying watching your journey.
YOU ARE A PHENOMENAL HUMAN THANK YOU 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
I personally think you should keep lids on all your buckets to keep any contamination out like birds dropping’s or small animals from getting in your buckets.
Thanks for sharing, Al. I have not made syrup in so many years and where I live I don't have any maples. I did learn something from this video. I had never heard of anyone tapping birch trees, so thanks.
As far as comments on what you do, or how you say things, don't take it personal. Keep doing what you doing. Looking at the amount of subs and the amount of views you get on each video, your doing something right.
Blessings,
Jim
Use the color of the bucket for the purpose, white for eatables, red for meat by products, green for produce, blue for clean-up solutions. Never get confused. Same with chopping-cutting boards, a dot of paint to match what you cut. That way I don't cut veggies on one I use for meats. Just being careful, I did that in the cafe I used to work at..
Nice tip on the cutting boards! Thanks
Al just a few more tips for tapping; you don't need to have such an angle on the taps, all you need is a slope, 1% is all you need. When you tap in the spyles tap them in, the wind will work on hose etc and will work spyle loose tap them in, there is typically a tapered part of the spyle that goes in the tree and out beyond the taper there is a line or ring on the spyle your supposed to tap spyle into tree so line/ring is at tree below bark, if your spyle is loose or your hole is drilled crooked you will have leakage around the spyle and it will be wet and you will lose sap, it will also bring flies and moths, you don't want bugs and dirt in your containers either just the wind blowing twigs etc will get in container unless you put the covers on. After you drill the hole in the tree I usually wait a minute to see if the sap starts to flow, if no flow I clean out the hole sometimes wood chips pieces get caught in hole and when you tap in the spyle it plugs the hole, I use a piece of sapling cleaned off and swirl it around in the drilled hole to bring anything out before placing the spyle. You can put 2 spyles on the big trees and 2 holes in the same container each spyle you will be lucky to get a gallon a day per spyle, that's on a good sunny daywith a swing in temperature -3C to 3C. On the days that the temperature doesn't swing from freezing to warm day you don't get much sap flow, and on rainy days not much sap flow. Try not to tap a tree with a bad tree scarred spot below or above the tap, stay away from scars and last years tap areas.I used to boil the sap in my camp kitchen and never had any sticky areas in making a few gallons of syrup, I have been using my sugar shack since I got my evaporator building in wood construction and I have been boiling sap in there for years and there is no noticeable sticky on the walls or else where inside the building, I typically collect sap until I have 200 gallons then start a boil, then I boil until sap stops or slows usually boil about 300 gallons sap and I get about 6 gallons of syrup with red maples.
Thanks for the tips
Love your channel, thanks for sharing this info. We're planning on doing up about 10 taps this year as well at the cabin. the days are just getting over the freezing mark and falling below freezing at night.. so it's 'go time' .... lol here in Central Ontario, Canada. We're as excited as you are.
Al you just keep talking , you do great work
Roth supplies in Cadot Wisconsin has supplies for a good price. Going with the bag system.
This is so interesting to me - thanks for sharing ✔️
I really injoy your videos. I fine them interesting and I learn from them
good day to you Al !! i'm glad your going to be collecting and making maple syrup, it going to bean interesting to see how it is all done
Season is coming cant wait
Hopefully you get a lot of sap. You should tap another 10 more! By the time you boil it down, it's going to evaporate quite a bit. I forget what percentage, but it's huge. My uncle did this, I helped him one of the last times he did it. He had done it for years in New Brunswick. Had a sugar shack, the roof would hinge up so the steam would get released. He had a huge evaporator, and heated by a wood furnace on the evaporator.
He'd use a few layers of cheese cloth right after the evaporator to strain the syrup and put it in buckets. Then at home, he'd bring it up to temperature to kill any microbial life. Strain it again, and bottle it.
He died a couple years ago, the outdoors club dedicated a trail in his name, which ran by his cabin and sugar shack. He maintained the trail every winter.
40 L sap to 1 L of Maple Syrup. (just heard on another video) :)
Here in Ct, it's around 45- 50 gallons of sap to one gallon of syrup. We were lucky and were able to tap just Sugar Maples.
Fun to watch man
You could use the smoker stove to preheat your filtered sap. Thank you for the experience. Did you see the commercial unit on the farm tour? 40 gallons of sap, 1 gallon of syrup. Good tip on sugar shack sticky residue. Makes sense separate building.
it's sposed to get above freezin'. :) Happy Weekend.
No maple trees in the Netherlands😔 hope you get your 2 gallon goal and more.
And pay no mind to the angry commenters. Your not taking to us as we are stupid at all... Your just you and man your loyal subs and voices say a lot about how people perceive you so we all love your channel and how you explain things. It's there warped mind that take offence...
There is no pleasing everybody. Jus please yourself.(And fam )
Be you cuz man your awesome 🤛👍❤
Good luck with the taps, I'm excited to see how it works out for you
Great info bro thanks for the share
I missed PLUTO romping around with you .
That dog is mental and is a blast to watch !!!
thank you for sharing.
Hope that is a success for you guys!!
hi good morning Al what a wonderful way to start the day with such a pleasure video to watch thanks for sharing, good morning Gina and Olivia have a wonderful day today. great job Al tips and information appreciated. Have a wonderful weekend beautiful family till tomorrow same time same place 👋 bye Mr. Biggs.⛅☁🏡🐓🐓🐔🐔🐕🐷🐷🍴🚜🔨💕💕💕💕.
Good morning, Althea. I don;t think you can tap palm trees where you are---or maybe you can. Have a great day!
June Jones hi good morning June so nice to see your comment, never tried it but but will enjoy watching do it have a wonderful weekend girlfriend. 😍😍😍😍😍💕💕💕💕
You, too, my friend. We have some snow here again today!!
June Jones 👍👍👍😍😍
Hope you get lots of sap....looking forward to the outcome Al😊👍
Looks great being out taping some maple trees. Would have been Great being outdoors. As you can see in my latest video I have been inside trying to catch some mice. Have a great weekend. Greetings from Andreas on Off Grid Sweden
you need a Figaro! :)
Lumnah Acres Yea, a Figaro would be nice but my doughter is alergic to cats. But if she wasn't that we would have a Figaro II.
Enjoyed watching.Thanks!
I have my pancakes made,waiting PATIENTLY!!!!!
Pretty soon you'll have a maze of blue tubing snaking through your forest.
Great video! Thanks.
Al you should put a lid on all the bucket to keep Debree from contaminating the sap also get a bunch of different size bungee cords and secure the bucket to the tree so they don’t tip over.
Don't know if cross contamination of diseases is a concern with maple trees? I've drilled and plugged hardwood logs with spawn to grow mushrooms. It was recommended we dip the drill bit in a cup of alcohol after each log to prevent passing any bugs/diseases between the logs.
I do the same thing with the white buckets, even with water. I have three white five gallon and two white three gallon buckets and they are only used for feeding or water.
Saw on another youtubers where the tied the Taps into one another so all the sap would flow to one point. Making it easier to collect it. So if you had 4 or 5 trees close you could collect at one point. The video should about 40 or more trees tied together.
Nice bunch of maple trees! I assume the tap depth into the sap wood varies slightly for different width trees? If you're concerned about the bucket potentially falling if the ice melts, could you not tie something around the tree and through the bucket handle to prevent that or even ratchet strap the buckets to the trees?! ;) 🌳 🍁 🌲 🥞
Yes, I might have to ratchet strap the buckets to the trees!:)
I used to pack snow around them if we had some, also keeps the sap colder.
RATCHET STRAP!!! PERFECT!! 🤣🤣
Thanks for sharing!
Thank u for changing the sound on the subscribe banner! I wonder if i could do this in texas?
I'm pretty sure the daily thawing and freezing of sap inside the tree is part of what makes tapping possible. Last year spring came quick, and I remember people saying it was a bad year for tapping because of that. There's only one way to find out for sure, though.
I can see why you repeat things during the videos, I would do the same. This is just you, you’re not working from a script but you’re explaining everything going on and you don’t want to miss anything for yourself or us. 👍
Super cool project!
Love your hammer. You always have coolgear
I'm wondering if you shouldn't drill another small hole in the bucket for air to escape so the sap will drain into the bucket easily and not pool on top of the lid. I don't really know if this would help or not, having never tapped trees myself, perhaps one of your more experienced tree tappers could help with this question.
By the way Al, I talk to myself while I'm working all the time otherwise I'd lose focus, so do what you need to do, brother. Love your channel!
Red Tool House (also you tuber) did his holes in the sides of the bucket, so water wouldn't be an issue in the sap...He also put 2 taps into the larger diameter trees. he had a simple formula, and still used the same bucket. Mostly, this is the only time I wish to be up north, otherwise, too cold!!! Hoping you get an abundance : )
Thanks
You might think about hanging the buckets on the tree so critters or falling branches don’t knock them over.
good morning put the lid on all the bucket's so not snow can go in it
Yvonne Koedood I was thinking get them on to keep the critters out 😂
That was right at the beginning of the video....he drilled the holes in the lids inside.
Remember he was short 4 lids
he put the lids he had on the far trees, so the buckets with no lids would be the closer ones when he got more.
never tapped a maple tree.
I will try ... cheers
2 gallons of sap you said is your goal? Lovely!
ROFLOL You beat me to it! I was going to say, "I didn't know it was your birthday". ;)
We are tappings too, but have never used the "tubing"~ but we are trying the tubing for the first time this year...your video was so helpful, thank you! I was told years ago not to blow into the drilled hole to clean it out, (bacteria) use a little brush and did you clean your drill bits prior? It is a lot of work, but taste great. Blessings
Thanks!
Great video Al. I didn’t know it was so easy! Don’t you want to keep out snow and tree debris on those buckets w no lids? I’d put the lids on.
I’ve gotta stop commenting before the video is over. Sorry.
If your concerned about the buckets freezing in the ice take an place a hook on the tree so the buckets set up off the ground as we used to do never let the buckets sit on the ground Pa says..lol
You just be you, the haters can just go on over and watch that REAL homesteader's channel...
I saw Figaro, trying to get up into those joist hiding spots, wanting him some of that pastured pork home rendered lard...
I agree it might not be a good idea doing the boil inside the OGOK, other info I've read up said it's done outside or in a sugar shack cuz the sticky steam gets on everything. Maybe not an issue if you have a scheme to capture all the steam and harvest all that sweetened maple water. Also they mention it's better to use long trays, not deep pans, cuz it boils off quicker with more surface area than in a deep pan.
The reason not to boil it inside isn't because the steam is sticky or maple-watery. The steam has no sugar in it at all - it's 100% water that you separate out of the sugar syrup as it boils. The reason is that that much condensation causes all sorts of problems like rust and mold.
Looking forward to see/watch you make maple syrup.Liked the video.
Wishing I had the weather to tap for maple syrup! Watching vicariously. Maybe you could use a can of spray paint or lime paint your trees instead of tape?