Tapping Maple Trees, The Basics

The basics needed to tap a maple tree on your journey to making maple syrup. This video details the type of maple trees, the size of maple trees, the time of year to tap, the tools needed, what part of the tree to tap, how to collect the sap. There will be additional videos on how to boil down the sap and how to bottle the sap. The video references a company that sells tapping supplies called Mapletapper.com Here is a link to the site:
mapletapper.com/

[@a1a13761]

Thanks for posting Dave. I started tapping this year. Missed the peak maple flow but hit the bonanza with our birches. This weekend we will have a taste off between Norway maple, sugar maple and white birch.
Looking forward to your following videos.

[@davethebutterflyguy9841]

That is fantastic. I have never tried syrup from Birch trees? I have heard it is like 100 gallons of sap to every gallon of syrup. That is a lot of boiling. Good Luck!

[@a1a13761]

@@davethebutterflyguy9841 I’ll let you know.

[@a1a13761]

Dave: confirmed that birch is 100:1 as is Norway maple. Our lone sugar maple is 40:1. We had a taste testing last night. All were well received with no clear winner. More testing will be required. 😊

[@davethebutterflyguy9841]

@@a1a13761 I appreciate the update. I hoped you enjoyed the process. My brother taps his box elder trees and it creates pretty nice syrup. I hope to try some of these other trees in the future.

[@garykoelling1322]

Great video!

[@davethebutterflyguy9841]

Thanks Gary, Hopefully one of these days we can have you in a starring role of one of these videos!

[@Cathy_MidwestHome_Hens]

😮 My entire neighborhood is full of silver leaf maples!! I have a few large ones in my yard. I had NO idea we could use them. I thought only sugar maple trees!! Wow 😯

[@davethebutterflyguy9841]

The Silver Maple makes a light delicate syrup. There are also other trees you can tap, like birch trees. However, you have to boil off about a 100 water for every 1 sugar. Over twice of a Maple.

[@drive9997]

Awesome

[@Cathy_MidwestHome_Hens]

Hi Dave - Can a maple be too old? My trees have been here since the house was built in 1962 and one tree is probably 4 feet in diameter.

[@davethebutterflyguy9841]

Your tree sounds magnificent! You should be fine tapping your old trees. As the tree gets bigger you can even consider putting in multiple taps. Over 20 inches, 2 taps, over 25 inches 3 taps. Good luck!