Birch sap

[pierre girard]

So, whats the technique for gathering? Can anyone help?

Red

Though I'm sure there are many methods, I've been tapping maple and birch to make syrup - long as I can remember. Here is how we do it.

Sap runs best when night temps are below freezing, and day temps are above freezing. The further apart the two temps are - the better the sap runs.

Drill straight into the trunk with a 5/16 or 3/8 bit. You don't need to go too deep. These holes will not noticeably bother the tree. We have trees still producing that have been drilled for 50, or more, years.

Make a spile. We often use staghorn sumac, which has a pithy core and is easily adapted. Shape the "tree" end of the spile so it is outwardly funnel shaped. This seals the hole when the spile is taped in, , creating a vacuum, and drawing out the sap almost in a suction fashion. Around the spile we twist a piece of wire and shape it into a hook to hold a bucket. Buckets should be emptied every other day, or every day - if the weather is warm.

We dump the buckets into 50 or 100 gallon drums and draw sap from these drums to fill our 25 gallon kettles which we boil over an open fire. Care must be taken to watch the kettles as the sap boils down, using a paddle to keep the syrup from burning, or much labor will be lost if the syrup burns. Making sugar is a process beyond making syrup, and has its own concerns.

PG

 

[Roving Rich]

Blyme -that sounds quite industrious Pierre. Any chance you could take some photo's of it for us this year ?
I'm amazed its this time of year again already, where does all the time go ?
Cheers
Rich

 

[match]

I posted in a thread here about this time last year with a quick tutorial and some pictures - the thread is here:

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=5623

Some generally useful info about birch sap and tapping as well...

For what its worth, in southern Scotland the sap starts to run some time between the last week in Feb and the first in March, but with mild weather recently I'd reckon on sooner rather than later in these parts...

Now to get round to drinking some of last years vintage

 

[pierre girard]

Blyme -that sounds quite industrious Pierre. Any chance you could take some photo's of it for us this year ?
I'm amazed its this time of year again already, where does all the time go ?
Cheers
Rich

If I am able to get out this year - I certainly will. I'm not sure if I will be able to use the sugar bush I've used for many years - as the owner of the property may have to sell. I have maples up north, but it is too far to travel while working, and as the season is never at quite the same time - I am unable to plan for vacation. It is a very labor intensive operation.

We only put out 50 taps and do it in much the traditional manner. I know people who do 1200 taps, but it is a commercial operation.

PG