Maple Syrup
Spring, 2010
Boiling the Sap
The other big concern with expanded production was the boiling process. Last year we spent the better part of a day boiling the sap we'd collected from a single bucket and then another 5 hours or so boiling the sap indoors until the condensation was dripping down our kitchen walls. We definitely needed to increase the speed of evaporation if we were going to increase the number of buckets!
The biggest improvement this year was the evaporating pan. Last year we had a large camping pot with little surface area and we were constantly afraid of it boiling over. This year we got us a stainless steel pan for free and it had a drain hole on it to which he welded a copper pipe with a tap for easy pouring of the syrop. It had a much larger surface area and it had a lip around the edge so that when the syrup did start to boil too much, the lip kept it from boiling over. This way we were able to get a much stronger fire going which sped up evaporation considerably.
The other major lesson learned was to keep the hard boil going outside as long as possible to minimize any indoor boiling required. Most days we managed to keep the indoor boiling to an hour or less.
On our first morning boiling sap, we first have to find the fire pit under the snow!
Rubby gets the fire going.
Nothing like inviting the family over to watch the sap boil.
Trying out the new evaporating pan.
The sun starts to set on our first (and successful!) day of boiling.
Christopher takes a break from playing to hang out and watch the boiling.
Our boiling rig. Primitive, but it does the job!
This picture could be the cover of the next edition of "Backyard Sugarin'"! ;-)
There's not much room under the pan but we fill it with wood to keep it burning hot for a strong boil.
And since we've got a fire going, we might as well take the opportunity to cook up some spider dogs!
Whew! That's hot!
Mmmmmm, delicious!
The tap added to the evaporating pan makes for easy pouring when the sap has boiled down enough.
Liquid gold pouring from the tap.
The snow is gone, but it's round 2 of maple syrup production.
Christopher collecting sticks for the fire.
In order to minimize indoor boiling Rubby stays outside even after the sun has gone down.
This evening we sat outside listening to the first frogs chirping in the woods
and watching a muskrat scuttle by into the woods.
When there's not as much sap to begin we switch to a pot before the sap level goes down too low
and the sap burns on the bottom of the evaporating pan.
Everything's ready inside as Rubby finishes the boiling outside.
next: Finishing off the Maple Syrup >>
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