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03-14-2018, 08:39 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,248
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Birch sap
It’s getting to that time of year now when the sap should be starting to flow good. Has anyone started tapping their trees yet. I’m thinking of just trying tapping two trees this year to try it out.
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03-14-2018, 10:23 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2017
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Seems like it doesn't really start flowing until the ground starts to thaw, not sure of your location, but here in Santa's backyard there's still 4 feet of snow around the trees! I generally start tapping when the ground in the bush is about 70% bare.
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03-14-2018, 12:38 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,248
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Little red riding hood
Seems like it doesn't really start flowing until the ground starts to thaw, not sure of your location, but here in Santa's backyard there's still 4 feet of snow around the trees! I generally start tapping when the ground in the bush is about 70% bare.
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Oh right on we have lots of snow up here in Fort McMurray still. I kinda thought it starts to flow when the temps hover around +10 in the day time and -4 at night.
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Never celebrate till you got your knife stuck in it !
Some times you catch the Big fish, some times you get stuck in Chip
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03-14-2018, 12:41 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: In a house
Posts: 7,770
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I want to do it this year. Where do you buy the taps from you guys? I got to get on that soon!
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03-14-2018, 01:31 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: 00
Posts: 507
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I made my own taps, just go to baron oilfield supply, and buy 1/2" stainless tubing and a tubing cutter, and cut them into 4 inch pieces.
Then drill a hole in the tree about 1/2" deeper than the bark, and nice and snug for your tap, push it in and put your bucket underneath.
I also attach a plastic hose to the tap if need be, to get the water into the bucket,
But don't save the water for several days before rendering it, unless you have room in your freezer.
If you don't render it daily, it starts to turn sour.
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03-14-2018, 02:21 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: In a house
Posts: 7,770
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Thanks! I actually found some pretty cheap online and ordered 20. Hope I don't need more.
I would like some comments on what guys do to boil it down and how they make it. I will see if I can look up last years thread and refresh my memory but I plan on hitting it hard for a bit while I am on my trapline and trapping beavers. I have some big buckets all ready to use and hope to get some made up.
I think it might be best to boil off the main part down and stick in the freezer till I have a lot to put into one real big batch but I am new to it so any advice is great!
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03-14-2018, 02:34 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Parkland County, AB
Posts: 4,260
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In my area the Birch don't start pushing sap until about mid April... and they do it in vast quantities. The downside is that you will recover about one percent light syrup from the total sap harvest. That means a lot of boiling down for a very small amount of syrup product that is totally unlike Maple Syrup.. Upside is that it's a lot of fun. Just be sure to plug your tap holes with hardwood dowling when finished.
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03-14-2018, 03:03 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: 00
Posts: 507
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Salavee
In my area the Birch don't start pushing sap until about mid April... and they do it in vast quantities. The downside is that you will recover about one percent light syrup from the total sap harvest. That means a lot of boiling down for a very small amount of syrup product that is totally unlike Maple Syrup.. Upside is that it's a lot of fun. Just be sure to plug your tap holes with hardwood dowling when finished.
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You're right, it's not like maple syrup, birch syrup is much sweeter, and when it's finished, it's a bit like thin jelly when poured,
Not as smooth and runny as maple, but very tasty, I cook it until its a light golden brown.
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03-14-2018, 05:00 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 5,764
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I remember when I was a kid we loved to collect and drink it. We didn’t tap the trees, we just cut off one of the lower branches that we could reach that was a thickness of a finger and put the empty wine bottle on it. The branch would point down under the weight of the bottle and the juice will collect in the bottle. We would spend a morning walking around collecting the bottles filled with birch juice and replace them with the empty ones.
We only had one problem back then - local alcoholics would steal some of our bottles to bring them to the bottle depot....
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03-15-2018, 05:37 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,248
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I dug up photos from my friends set up last year and he had his pails out the end of April and early May so I was a little early thinking it was almost time but it’s a good time to start rounding up supplies.
__________________
Never celebrate till you got your knife stuck in it !
Some times you catch the Big fish, some times you get stuck in Chip
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03-15-2018, 05:49 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: central Alberta
Posts: 12,630
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An old trick was to cut the end off of a small birch branch and lay down under the tree for a nap. Put the cut branch end into your mouth and it drip in and will keep you hydrated. Using this method means you don't have to carry as much water with you.
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This country was started by voyagers whose young lives were swept away by the currents of the rivers for ten cents a day... just for the vanity of the European's beaver hats. ~ Red Bullets
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It is when you walk alone in nature that you discover your strengths and weaknesses. ~ Red Bullets
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03-15-2018, 05:57 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: 00
Posts: 507
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Also means you've got time to take a nap!
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03-16-2018, 12:53 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: central Alberta
Posts: 12,630
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I found simple recipe that sounds great. Birch syrup beans.
https://www.dietitians.ca/Downloads/...rup-Beans.aspx
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This country was started by voyagers whose young lives were swept away by the currents of the rivers for ten cents a day... just for the vanity of the European's beaver hats. ~ Red Bullets
___________________________________________
It is when you walk alone in nature that you discover your strengths and weaknesses. ~ Red Bullets
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03-16-2018, 12:07 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Outside Airdrie
Posts: 1,290
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nube
Thanks! I actually found some pretty cheap online and ordered 20. Hope I don't need more.
I would like some comments on what guys do to boil it down and how they make it. I will see if I can look up last years thread and refresh my memory but I plan on hitting it hard for a bit while I am on my trapline and trapping beavers. I have some big buckets all ready to use and hope to get some made up.
I think it might be best to boil off the main part down and stick in the freezer till I have a lot to put into one real big batch but I am new to it so any advice is great!
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Where did you order?
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There are so many people out there who will tell you that you can't. What you have got to do is turn around and say "watch me". - unknown
"If life is tough, it's time to get stronger!" - Joel Runyon (reminder to myself)
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03-16-2018, 12:10 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: In a house
Posts: 7,770
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Amazon. Got Tubing and everything together. Ebay has a bunch as well. Probably easy to make your own as well but figured I may as well spend the few bucks it is and just do it! Amazon I think was free shipping too
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03-16-2018, 12:13 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Outside Airdrie
Posts: 1,290
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nube
Amazon. Got Tubing and everything together. Ebay has a bunch as well. Probably easy to make your own as well but figured I may as well spend the few bucks it is and just do it! Amazon I think was free shipping too
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Thanks. Never figured Amazon but I guess they have everyting.
__________________
There are so many people out there who will tell you that you can't. What you have got to do is turn around and say "watch me". - unknown
"If life is tough, it's time to get stronger!" - Joel Runyon (reminder to myself)
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03-16-2018, 12:45 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: St. Albert, AB
Posts: 1,178
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Ratio is 100:1 so you need lots of sap per bottle ( maple syrup) 40:1 It burns really easy so watch that
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04-09-2018, 06:21 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 56
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That sap is supposed to be good medicine.
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04-10-2018, 07:42 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,822
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I just read a Manitoba news story last week about a home based business in Rocky Lake Mb about them tapping the birch tree's. They have customer's as far away as New York city. There was also pictures included in story.
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