On Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:03:34 -0700 (PDT), RicodJour
wrote:

On Jul 29, 1:21*pm, Jim Elbrecht wrote:

Not the OP-- but here's why I want *my* silver maple. * It is 150
years old & has more character than I can afford to buy. * It also
shades the back of my house and my patio. * * * *

It is messy-- it drops limbs, seeds, buds, and leaves during the year.

But it also provides a few gallons of sweet maple syrup when the
spirit moves me to tap it.

How long does it take to boil it down, and where do you do it?

Forever- and in my kitchen. I haven't done it since I installed a
humidifier, so the extra humidity has been welcome.

I set it on a slow boil for a couple days-- It doesn't need any
attention until it starts to color up a bit. [Then things can get
tricky fast- I never had problems with boiling 100gallons of sap
adding too much moisture to the house-- but on a couple occasions it
went from syrup to sugar to carbon while I wasn't paying attention.
*That* stinks up the house.]

I probably use one burner on the stove for 12 hours a day for 2-3
weeks to yield 3-4 gallons of syrup & a bit of sugar candy. [wild ass
guesses - I haven't done it in a few years.

Hmmmm- just thought of another use for my new Bayou burner-- I might
do some sap next spring and just finish it in the kitchen.

Jim