It doesn't take long for the trees to figure out that Spring is here. A few warm days with cold nights and the sap starts running. The maple trees are tapped and buckets are filling fast. The driveway is lined with mature walnut trees, and they have all been providing sap along the blue sap lines. The lines can be seen in the photo background. The lines lead to a large tub in the little barn.
This is the third year for this home-made humble evaporator. It's constructed from a steel barrel lined with insulation and firebrick. Some large metal catering trays, various pipes, elbows, a couple of valves, and lots of firewood. It may look a bit rough but it works! Sap goes into the top pan, drips into the lower pans topping up the evaporating sap.
I've never seen nor learned about this process. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI bet it's really satisfying to make your own syrup. We were out and about yesterday and there were buckets on the trees in some areas. It's always a spring treat.
ReplyDelete...I hope that you are having a good run!
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that trees other than sugar maples could be tapped. Thank you for the education.
ReplyDeleteHow fun! Thanks for sharing with us how it's done.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting process and a wonderful reward.
ReplyDeleteYummy! I have never tasted it though.
ReplyDeleteSO COOL that you make your own maple-walnut syrup! I've never heard of walnut trees being tapped before. But I also know that here on the prairies, some people make birch syrup from birch trees. I've never had it though. Just tasted real maple syrup once in a while.
ReplyDeleteWith so few trees in most of Kansas, I didn't know you could tap different types of trees for their syrup! Linda
ReplyDeleteIt must be very satisfying to collect the sap and turn it into delicious syrup. Maple-walnut syrup sounds absolutely yummy!
ReplyDeleteWow! This is just so cool! I guess this is one thing we can't enjoy in Hawaii.
ReplyDeleteWell worth the effort, I'll be bound.
ReplyDeleteWow. Walnuts. I am impressed and learning from this post. We did maple on a rig in an oil can, but not as 'high tech' as yours. We finished separately. Then we got a 'real' evaporator and were able to work much more efficiently. Maple trees just started to run here this week, as they do, even with a lot of snow cover left.
ReplyDeleteI bet it's so tasty :-D
ReplyDeleteMy neighbours have just started up their boiling!
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