I'm curious how many beekeepers also tap and make maple syrup. In my area I know only 2 other beekeepers and we all also make maple syrup each spring. I'm not sure what the connection is, other than keeping old traditions alive. Anyone else do this rite of spring?
I do not but I probably would if I had better access to maples. There's more walnut surrounding me. I think my dad has a lot of maples on his property....hmmm...should check into that.
Yeah, I'm well connected... :-D
Last year, I traded a couple nucs for a case of maple syrup. Absolutely fantastic stuff. ;)
I've been called a sap before, but that's as close as I come.
I'm with bassman,if I had a large quantity of maples,I would probably try it!
I do. I get bored in the winter and spring. It's been a good season so far.
I guess it makes at least 2 of us-except I don't have access to sugar maples--(I tap box elders instead and the syrup is the same near as I can tell)
Bob
I made syrup one time as a younger lad. collected about 10 gallons of sap over a few weeks from a several sugar maple trees. spent a day evaporating it down to about a pint of syrup. that one time was enough for me :-D
I make maple syryp too. Might be able to tell that from my name :-D.
Just now came in from the saphouse. Sealed up just shy of 6 gallons today. Real slow year so far.
We make about 3 gallons of syrup in the driveway every spring. Our run is slowing way down now. We tapped around Feb 10 and have had several cold spells so I think some taps are healing over.
I like the correlations between maple syrup and honey. Both have about 3 or so major "flows" per season. Syrup is syrup when it is 18% water, similar to honey. We evap the water from sap, the bees evap the water from nectar. Early syrup is light colored, last batch is dark, same with honey(in general). Both are delicious on pancakes! :)
I'm in the middle of the "sugarin" season now. Boiling down sap 30 yards from bees. During a couple of 50 degree days some bees visited the "sugar shack". 8-)
Don't forget the "chicken" connection also.......
I did many, many years ago in FFA. I think its funny I am returning to my roots since I plan on putting in a garden and having a hive, I will also be putting in about 4 blackberry bushes which I plan on making blackberry jam and syrup out of next year.
I do both. we just make a couple of gallons for the family. I have a couple hundred sugar maples
I tried it too, just for fun...2 gallons of sap from 2 taps...boiled down to about 1 cup of syrup :roll: burned the last 1/2 cup :-x
I think a lot of beekeepers have do-it-yourself ADD (I do)...gotta try everything at least once!
The bees like the taps...they were sucking up the maple water like crazy.
Rick
I made about 3 quarts this year, but the season is over here in Northern IL
QuoteI think a lot of beekeepers have do-it-yourself ADD (I do)...gotta try everything at least once!
I think you're on to something there. That's what I attribute my new dive into the beekeeping community this year to. I've always liked to do things myself. In today's econimical climate, I think building new DIY skills is essential. Below are some of the things I've done.
1. made beer
2. made wine (can mead making be too far in my future?)
3. made laundry detergent
4. made cheese
5. grown my own vegetables
6. grown my own hops for my beer
7. reload my own ammo
8. cast my own bullets
9. made my own firearms
10. built my own house
11. provided meat for the family (hunt, fish)
12. and now starting beekeeping, including making a lot of my own equipment.
..........now...if I could only figure out how to make my own money...........oh....wait......you can't do that.. :-D
1. made beer
2. made wine (can mead making be too far in my future?)
3. made laundry detergent
4. made cheese
5. grown my own vegetables
6. grown my own hops for my beer
7. reload my own ammo
8. cast my own bullets
9. made my own firearms
10. built my own house
11. provided meat for the family (hunt, fish)
12. and now starting beekeeping, including making a lot of my own equipment.
Nice list Rick
Mine is about the same except haven't grown hops (yet) and I can add cheese, mustard many household cleaner though\
I built my house 4 years ago and add a large below ground room off my basement that I turned into a 1000 bottle wine celler and the biggest root celler I've ever been in. My wife makes every kind of gormet sauce you cane think of from 75 - 100 tomato plants. We process 5 + deer a year making 50 #s of corned venison and all of our sausage is made as needed. I think it looses something if frozen to long