Well first off Gary, ya collect the sap, and then boil it down into the Syrup. You need to have sugar Maples for best results, you tap them by drilling a 7/16" hole about 2 1/2" into a tree at least 8" in diameter. Then you hammer in a spiel (hollow tube with a hook on the end) to hold the collection pail. Nature does the next part, when the days start being above freezing during the day, and drop below at night, that is when the sap starts running, sometimes as much as one or two gallons a day per tree. It basically looks like water, very thin and runny, and clear. I don't start boiling it down until I've collected at least 45 gallons, which is about three days worth. Boiling will take anywhere from eight to twelve hours. Wood fire, large vat, rather shallow to boil down the sap, nothing is added to it except a quarter stick of butter, and that's to keep it from foaming up while boiling. you just boil the water out. It's approximately a thirty or forty to one ratio, for every 30 gallons of sap you get about one gallon of syrup, and that's why it's so expensive. Ontario, then Vermont, then Michigan are the top three producers of Maple syrup. In Alaska they make Birch syrup, and I might try it next season, only problem is it takes about fifty gallons to make one. Oh yes you can use other Maples like the silver/swamp Maple but it will take more sap, and it stops running when the trees bud. I just make it for family and friends. It gets me outdoors, snowshoeing, and Turkey scouting, even though we still have two feet of snow on the ground. Nothing hardly tastes better than warm, thick maple syrup over some butter pecan ice cream, or a stack of blueberry pancakes. Are ya hungry yet :haha: Bill
