tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post2514261386640130134..comments2024-03-23T05:42:07.516-04:00Comments on The Deliberate Agrarian: Backyard Sugarin’Part 5FinishingHerrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116051416696885647noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-54117854894817389352011-07-28T19:55:06.051-04:002011-07-28T19:55:06.051-04:00Must say how much I enjoyed your Sugarin series. W...Must say how much I enjoyed your Sugarin series. We plan top tap our few backyard Maples this Spring and make what qty of syrup we can from them.<br /><br />Great read and pics.<br /><br />God's blessings,<br /><br />Fr. Jeff+frjeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16902947931090424150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-84061824146931008482009-02-19T23:40:00.000-05:002009-02-19T23:40:00.000-05:00Thanks! Your descriptions and pictures are quite h...Thanks! Your descriptions and pictures are quite helpful. I just tried this for the first time today, with a little 4 gallon test boil. The candy thermometer was useless and I went a little too far. The result is tasty but too thick, more like the consistency of honey. There's plenty of season left so we'll try again soon!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-4321106020436544802008-04-15T22:04:00.000-04:002008-04-15T22:04:00.000-04:00Great series Herrick! Not sure I'll find lots of m...Great series Herrick! Not sure I'll find lots of maple trees to tap here in SE Texas...but I've 'saved' the information for the future!Christinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15110937250930307223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-32674607277966142112008-04-15T02:49:00.000-04:002008-04-15T02:49:00.000-04:00Hi Matthew-Thanks. I think I'm getting more effici...Hi Matthew-<BR/>Thanks. I think I'm getting more efficient with the serial blogs.<BR/><BR/>Yes, maple syrup is expensive and I suppose that, in a sense, I saved a lot of money, though I probably would not ever buy eight gallons of syrup in a year. Actually, if you were to figure in the income taxes I'd have to pay on the hours I worked to make the money to buy all that syrup, I'd have saved even more. Probably more like, oh, $500 or so. <BR/><BR/>Sounds like you have a great opportunity to learn all about making maple syrup!<BR/><BR/>The equipment (hydrometer, etc.) is available from numerous mail order suppliers. An internet search will turn them up. We got ours from a supplier in our area.<BR/><BR/>Keep looking and I'm sure a barrel source will turn up. They are out there, free (or cheap) for the taking. Maybe put an inexpensive ad in the local "pennysaver" newspaper. I know someone who put an ad in the paper for used steel roofing, old lumber, and such and they ended up getting all kinds of free stuff from people who were glad to have someone come take it. You never know.<BR/><BR/>Hi eric-<BR/>I'm glad to know my series inspired you. Once you get a taste of your own maple syrup, I think you'll be hooked. It's a great springtime activity.<BR/><BR/>haymaker-<BR/>There is no need to plug the holes. A healthy tree will heal just fine. I think plugging the holes may actually lead to problems.Herrick Kimballhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17116051416696885647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-65263705157373998862008-04-12T12:00:00.000-04:002008-04-12T12:00:00.000-04:00Do you replug the taps in the trees to prevent ins...Do you replug the taps in the trees to prevent insect damage and help it heal?Brian G. Heyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05646951149617990867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-72572386418108947562008-04-11T21:28:00.000-04:002008-04-11T21:28:00.000-04:00wow. what a great series. I have spent time at two...wow. what a great series. I have spent time at two neighbors who have sugar houses this winter. Both have commercial pans but have many home-built devices and techniques as well. <BR/><BR/>I have several large maples in my yard that neighbors have said are some of the best sugar maples around and i will tap them next winter, and now, because of your series, i have a good idea of how i'm going to boil down the sap. <BR/><BR/>thanks, eric. gardenfork.tvAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13729569.post-40764397207701934892008-04-11T20:39:00.000-04:002008-04-11T20:39:00.000-04:00Very good series! I am surprised that you could f...Very good series! I am surprised that you could fit it into only 5 installments though ;-) Must have had a lot of planning go into it.<BR/><BR/>Around here syrup sell for around $40 a gallon--8 gallons would then be $320. Maybe it's not so bad to take an afternoon off after all, eh? <BR/><BR/>Dad's sister's husband's mother (I think I got that right!) has a big sugaring operation, someday we would like to go see it, but that hasn't happened yet.... Some friends from church tapped their woods and collected around 1100 gallons of *sap* and then they took it over to our relation's operation to have them boil it down. I think they will do that for half--maybe worth it if you have a lot. But then on the other hand once you've got the setup what's a few (hundred) more gallons?<BR/><BR/>Great pictures too, they are truly worth a thousand words! Where did you get the hydrometer and test cup? Looks like y'all have a real professional setup.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the comment on my blog! Unfortunately, we don't have any juice factories around that we know of...my aunt is working on tracking down a guy that just replaced their water softener (salt?) tank, who can get a bunch of barrels from that type of thing, to see if any of them are the right size. We checked several places around, but they no longer have plastic barrels...or are out of business (wonderful economy around here (not too long ago we were the only state to have the distinction of being in recession)--all the more reason to start down the homesteading road!)<BR/><BR/>I look forward to the Whizbang projects--I'm sure they'll be a ton of fun.<BR/><BR/>MatthewMatthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05301468731066790829noreply@blogger.com