How to tap a tree
The first step to tap a tree is to get familiarized on the tree types, there are four types: Sugar Maple, Black Maple, Red Maple and Silver Maple.
Tools to Tap a tree
It is important that you have all your equipment with when the sap is flowing.
Primary tools:
- Buckets:Used to collect the sap as it drips from the spile.
- Lids: Attached to the top of the bucket to prevent rain, snow, and foreign material from entering the bucket.
- Drill Bit: Depending upon the type of spile used, either a 5/16 or 7/16 drill bit is used to drill the tap hole into your maple tree.
- Tap: ( spile) is inserted into the drilled hole to transfer sap into the bucket.
- Hooks: Hooks are attached to the spile and used to hang the bucket.
- Cheesecloth: Used to filter any solids (such as pieces of bark) when transferring sap from the collection bucket to a storage container.
Secondary tools:
- Hammer: Used to gently tap the spile into the tap hole.
- Pliers: Used to remove the tap from the tree once the sap season is over.
- Storage Containers: Food grade storage containers are used to store your collected sap. Clean plastic milk jugs or juice containers may be used. You can also use food grade 5 gallon buckets. Your local deli or donut shop may provide these free of charge as they often receive their ingredients in such containers.
Terms to know as we talk about maple syrup production:
•Maple sap – clear liquid that comes out of maple trees
•Maple syrup – refined liquid that people eat on pancakes
•Sugarbush – woodlot that is tapped to produced maple syrup
•Tap – tube used to collect maple sap from tree
•Sugarshack – building where sap is turned into syrup
•Tap Spile - tool used to extract sap from a maple tree
Tapping trees
The time for tree tapping depends on where you live and the temperatures. Sap flows when temperatures are above 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and at night temperatures are below freezing. It is important that temperatures are between this range so make sure you have an outdoors thermometer. The pressure caused when the temperature changes keeps the sap flowing.
The diameter of the tree is important, select trees that are at least 12 inches in diameter. The diameter of a tree determines how many taps a tree is capable of; the larger the diameter, the more taps that can be made. Additionally, select trees with the greatest exposure to sunlight. The measurement must be taken at a height of four feet above ground level, there are three different ways you can use to measure a tree: 1. For an estimate, hold a meter stick up. One end of the metre stick should be placed approximately at the edge of the tree trunk. Hold the stick steady and read the number at the other edge of the tree trunk to approximate the diameter of the tree. 2. Use a measuring tape around the trunk of the tree, four feet above ground level. Determine the circumference of the tree (To convert the circumference to diameter, divide the circumference by 3.1416.) 3. Get a rope of 35-45 inches long. Tight a knot at 12 inches, other at 21inches and another at 30 inches. Wrap it around the tree and this will give you a rough estimate of how many taps you can do per tree.
Diameter Number of Taps 12-20 inches 1 21-27 inches 2 27 or more inches 3 Next: - Drill the tap hole: the size of the whole depends on the size of the spile you are going to use to tap the tree. Drill into the sunniest side of the tree trunk.
- If the sap is flowing, the turnings will appear damp. This is a good sign... Drill the hole about 2 inches deep.
- Clean the hole and then insert the spile.
- With a hammer Tap the spile firmly into the hole.
- Hang the bucket (3 to 5 gallons) to the spile.
- Cover the bucket.
- Check the bucket every day.
- Select a wide shallow pan to boil the sap in. Boil it in high. The syrup is nearly done when it boils with an oily appearance.
How much Syrup, sugar did you produced? - After the boiling process (evaporation) of sap out of 30-50 gallons of sap you will make one gallon of maple syrup.
- One gallon of syrup produces eight pounds of sugar.
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