Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - Off topic - Late winter sap collection

Hello All,

I was wondering if anyone else has experience collecting sap from Maple and Walnut trees during sugar season? I have a dozen or so trees on the property and have all my Dad's old taps plus some new buckets and figured I'd give it a shot. Might as well make use of them since I have to deal with their leaves they can give a little back.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Weird. My wife and I just returned from the sugarbush about an hour ago, been tapping trees most of the day. Then I hear someone on Pondboss is asking about the process.
Yes, we've tapped black walnuts. Syrup is incredible, process is much the same with a couple of notable differences. Our first year I boiled 10 gallons of sap, now we produce 6 types of maple syrup. I'll help in any way I can, but a few years ago I agreed to stop posting on the forum. If you're on Facebook, look us up at B&B Farms Maple Syrup. If not send me a pm and we'll work it out. I'll keep an eye on this site for a couple days. Good luck with your sugaring, it's VERY addictive!

We ran almost 90:1 ratio sap/syrup for black walnut.

Off topic reply - but I am enjoying this discussion (and others) about people rekindling "old-time" pursuits.

My grandmother used to make delicious sand plum jelly. My brother collected 5-6# of sand plums at our property this year. His jelly was excellent. (But still not as good as Grandma's!)




P.S. Thanks to everyone that posts these types of projects on Pond Boss. I always learn something new, and if it is too far "off topic" for those who only come here for the ponds, then it is easy to skip these posts.

I hoped not to offend with "off topic" FishinRod but have learned so much here you don't find in a book from people who have actually done things it was worth a shot.

Seems a waste not to check in for real world experience from such a vast group of folks with know how.

Update, the Black Walnuts are running like crazy. We are going to boil off 8-10 gallons over the weekend - should be fun while we wait through the endless Super Bowl coverage before the game.

Be well!

I'm hoping so, we had 3 great days with the right weather but now a couple cold days then right back to perfect weather. It's all about learning and being outside some.

Hey esshup, we boiled down 8g of black walnut sap to syrup. keeping to the math that turned out to be 5 8oz bottles of syrup finishing at 218F, filtered twice (once off the outdoor stove and the second into the bottle indoors using doubled over cheesecloth both times).

One could boil farther, more water than what I thought but I stayed to the temps and holy cow get out the vanilla ice cream, it's butterscotch. Maybe a hint of walnut but, it's butterscotch.

Enjoy the rest of the season.