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Post by ottawagardener on Apr 15, 2011 18:43:16 GMT -5
 Wow mjc: that's quite the production!! Nice. |
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Post by steev on Apr 15, 2011 21:59:57 GMT -5
OK, this is definitely on my need-to-try list.
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Post by synergy on May 12, 2011 21:37:24 GMT -5
I need to eye up some neighbours trees as mine are about two inches high in pots. I hope to pick up a few things to try a bit next winter.
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Post by 12540dumont on Jun 10, 2011 16:48:59 GMT -5
Alas, all our maples are Japanese and don't speak syrup. I end up making blackberry or strawberry. Someone point me to a site that explains the maple sugaring process, please.
I'm green with envy. Okay who among you are selling maple syrup?
PM with the details. I'd love to buy syrup that I can say, hey, I bought this from someone at Homegrown Goodness. If I can buy enough at a reasonable price, there's a beer recipe a brewing. I would crawl through glass before going to WalMart.
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Post by zachary on Oct 21, 2011 1:11:47 GMT -5
In the category of "other syrups", has anybody ever tried using watermelons as the starting material instead of tree sap? I remember seeing this notion years ago in The Mother Earth News. infoark.org/InfoArk/Sustainability/Mother%20Earth%20News/70/MEN_CD/mendemo/dcd/046/046-046-01.htmAt first glance the idea is appealing, but I've never tried it so I can't say if this is something which works better in theory than in practice. If I ever attempt this project, I'll run the softened pulp through a Victorio strainer before starting with the boiling-down work. |
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Post by templeton on Oct 22, 2011 6:36:13 GMT -5
Reading this thread reminded me of a eucalypt with a wierd name - Cider Gum, Eucalyptus gunnii - checked it out, a Tasmanian endemic, but apparently widely planted in Europe because of its frost hardiness. Was tapped by aborigines and early settlers for syrup.
Wonder if Raymondo has looked into this as an Antipodean alternative to maple? Would probably do well up on the (Australian) New England Tablelands, Ray.
And am mightily impressed with the production you folks get from your trees. but all that processing...Do you have to watch it like a hawk to stop it burning?
T
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Post by jondear on Mar 9, 2014 17:52:29 GMT -5
It's almost that time of year here again. Last year dad and I made a couple gallons. Now if I just had some good homegrown sausage to go with my french toast...
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Post by rowan on Mar 9, 2014 19:55:30 GMT -5
Talking of other syrups, I have been growing a couple of varieties of sweet sorghum for the grain because I don't have any way of crushing the stems for the juice. Is there a cheap way to make something to do this?
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Post by khoomeizhi on Mar 9, 2014 20:41:01 GMT -5
more 'other' syrups - just did the first little production run of yacon syrup this weekend, based loosely on info found here: www.cipotato.org/artc/cip_crops/1919-Yacon_Syrup.pdfonly had the certified kitchen for the overnight, and we didn't stick it out as long as we could have. using a lot of the broken and smaller yacon, we only only managed to process about 61lbs, ended up with about 74oz of syrup. will sell this batch and think about how to streamline the process for the next batch. it's nice to have something to do with the tubers that aren't saleable otherwise. |
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Post by nathanp on Mar 9, 2014 22:37:15 GMT -5
Maple syrup is nearly impossible in areas that do not have the correct climate. The more days of the year that have below freezing nights combined with above freezing days contributes to the greatest syrup flow in maples. The more consecutive days like this means more flowing sap. Too cold or too warm and it's a bad season. This article on Thomas Jefferson's attempts to "transplant" an american industry from New England to Virginia is a pretty interesting story. Jefferson' SchemeIt isn't just about having the trees, it is more about where you have the trees. |
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Post by steev on Mar 9, 2014 23:47:41 GMT -5
I'm told the native California Bigleaf maples can be used for syrup production. When I have a pond, I'll plant some, and might live long enough to find out.
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Post by trixtrax on Mar 10, 2014 0:24:59 GMT -5
I've heard that too Steev, but know anybody who has. I wonder how it tastes compared to regular sugar maples
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Post by Walk on Mar 10, 2014 8:57:22 GMT -5
Over the decades we've made syrup from several different sources. For many years we made boxelder syrup. The sugar percentage is lower than sugar maple (about 55:1) but the resulting syrup tastes just as good, with a more golden color. We used to cook it down over wood outdoors except for the final finishing step. We've also made syrup from apple cider (which takes much less boiling as it's already quite sweet), raspberries, sugar beets, and watermelon. We've known a few farmers who made sorghum and the presses are large, heavy iron roller contraptions (one of those farmers lost a couple of fingers in his press). I think it might be difficult to extract the juice without enough pressure but I'm wondering if you could steam juice pieces of the stalks? We made our sugar beet "juice" that way, then cooked it down to syrup. If it works at all it's probably only applicable to small, homestead batches rather than production.
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Post by flowerweaver on Mar 10, 2014 16:40:44 GMT -5
If we keep getting polar vortices way down here I might be able to tap my large Bigtooth maple.
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Post by blackox on Mar 10, 2014 17:06:38 GMT -5
I've been doing research on how to grind sorghum stalks for syrup (after buying multiple syrup types)and have not found a way to do that without a cane mill yet.
We've got plenty of old boxelder trees growing on the property, never knew they could be tapped for syrup...
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Wow mjc: that's quite the production!! Nice.
