My son and I are diving into a few new things this year. My son has studied up and is preparing to start working bees this spring. We found a local beekeeper for some mentorship and it is something that he has been studying up on for a few years. We would also like to dip our toes into maple syrup. Nothing grand but something to do and have a little to pass around. Wanted to know from some of you in the know about any good books or good advice forgetting started. thank you all in advance.

you tube
Lots of info there.
I just started myself and that's where I got the info to start. Pintrest has some too.
just

My neighbor got me started last spring and looking forward to making it again this year. Like bee keeping, perhaps find a mentor?

MapleTrader.com has a lot of info.The info.there and watching facebook is how I started.

This will be my 3rd maple season. I’ve ran 24 and 30 taps the last two years on mostly silver maple because that’s what I have in the grove around my house. Ran this system but with 1/4” pex spiles and I believe 3/8” hose? The clear hose should fit snug on the pex spile. It seems to work well for my little operation. On big trees I’ll run 2 taps and lead them into the same 5gallon bucket. On a good day that bucket will be full right to the top. Filter sap through coffee filters and boil in a stainless steam pan that the caterers use, heated on a turkey fryer. Then filter again with a wool syrup filter. I just made a stand out of 2x4’s to hang the filter above a pot for my final product. It’s a great way to get the family involved out in the woods. I made a big sled from a 50gallon plastic drum and put a bench on the front and racks to hold 5gallon buckets in the back and my 4year son loves to go for a ride on the sled and wrangle buckets. A reverse osmosis system would be a real time saver, but that’s a little further down the road.

http://community.homedepot.com/howt...p-a-Tree-For-Maple-Syrup-906500000000Gwm

I've been doing it now for several years and I'm no big operator by any means. I think I made about 6 gallons finished syrup last spring. In fact I didn't give as many pints away as other years so still have a lot left. Big thing I learned was can only go just so fast.. No matter what you heat with, wood, gas,electric.. It can be a slow process sometimes unless you got a big pan you can heat.. I have two of the stainless chaffing pans and one large restaurant type pan. They are mounted in 55 gallon barrel stoves I built..Seems Like once I get it boiling in the morning I'm at it all day until dark..My trees I tap on my land are small and not real sweet. So I'm boiling at least 40 to 1 to make my syrup.. I enjoy doing it and I stay busy splitting wood and tending the cookers.. It is really though a lot of work for the amount syrup I get..
I do enjoy making things though so I will probably be back out this spring.











Mac

I run about a 100 taps.
Keep your sap clean as you can and get a hydrometer to test when the syrup is actually syrup.