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TY TY! I really enjoy making it- gets one out of the "cabin fever" syndrome, and now that I've made the real stuff, I can't stomach the fake stuff.  Was hoping for a bigger batch this year, but you learn to be grateful for what the Good Lord  provides. 

From my experience and from what I've read, it's all dependent on what the tree gives, and that is influenced by temperature, period of the seaon, sap quality , etc.  I've read where a long low boil supposedly brings a darker color, but my first batch (see above) was a long simmering cook, (and...

Judging from the weather forecast, this might be my last batch for the year. Last year, most of my syrup was made in late March and early April. Goes to show how the sugaring season is dependent on weather and not the calendar. This batch came out very dark, but is very flavorful. (4 quarts, 1...

You pull the taps and let nature do the healing. It will drip for quite some time, but it's not any different than if you were continuing to tap the tree. Once the taps are pulled, the healing process speeds up and the hole will eventually dry up. 

It's a part of the process. I don't know of anyone that doesn't have to deal with it.  I filter the sap before it goes into the pan (twigs, bark, bugs, etc). Then, I filter from the pan to the finishing pan (around 218 degrees for foam, niter, scum, whatever). Then I settle the finished and...

You might have misunderstood, and most likely I did not explain it well enough. When I'm boiling mine down, I'm boiling mine down. For the most part, I'm simmering mine on top of the woodstove, but when I'm finishing it off, or if I'm getting behind, I put it on the gas stove and put the fire...

If you go over to Mapler Trader forum, there is an entire section dedicated to filtering and bottling. You might find some information and advice there too.  Oh, and whatever you do, DO NOT try to filter cold or cool syrup. DAMHIK. Always warm it to help it flow. 

Commonly it's called "niter" or "sugar sand". Most people fight with this and solve the issue in various ways, mainly filtering.  After trying lots of ways to fix it on a small scale, I finally decided to just let it settle out to the bottom of the jar, and then decant the clear off of the top...

OK, see if I can figure out how to post pictures. This is how I hang my buckets. Drill the hole, tap  in the spile, hang a gallon milk jug by ZipTie to the hook. Some people say "What about the rain water?" Never had an issue. YMMV. Results of my "prospecting batch". I put a light behind...

Finished boiling down my "prospecting" batch of 11 gallons. Should have been just over a quart of finished syrup, ended up with just under. So, the sugar is a bit lacking but not too bad. Gonna look to put more taps out as time and weather dictate.  Have my first batch settling right now. Will...

Here is a link to a Cornell paper on Sap Flow: http://maple.dnr.cornell.edu/produc/sapflow.htm

5 taps + 7 hours = 4.5 gallons of sap. Still dripping hard, will have to collect in the am.  Boiling soon.......

I might have to collect tonight. Trees were dripping better than a drip a second when I first opened them up. Would be nice to have a few gallons of sap on the first day trying. Will let you know. 

Gonna hang a few prospecting buckets today. Could be a bit early, but I'm getting a bit itchy. Will see how it runs and what kind of sugar content it has. 

Atta Boy!!!! Glad to hear it all worked out, and that you not only made a great product, but you had fun  and learned along the way. Thanks also for taking the time and effort to post your procedure so all the rest of us can learn as well. Enjoy the fruits of your labor!!

 My wife told me that I was the only one that didn't follow the rules, but always had to do my own thing!! ;-) Hope it all works out. Best of luck!

I've made this "Doc's Best Beef Jerky" recipe, http://allrecipes.com/recipe/142948/docs-best-beef-jerky/ in the oven several times, and enjoy it very much. Only tweak I've made is to add 1/2 teaspoon of Cayenne to "heat it up" a bit.  Ingredients 2 pounds beef round steak, cut into thin strips...

IMO, learning and knowing the specific cuts- where they come from and what mucsles they are comprised of- will help as you educate yourself through your own experiences.  Take a pork butt for instance: You have a continuation of the muscle group that extends forward from the loin, and lays on...

If I remember my history correctly, pre-Civil War, maples were tapped to primarily make sugar to last for the following year.  On another note, here is something I find almost hilarious: Vertical Water : http://www.verticalwater.com  Seems as though there is quite a market for the sap taken...

It's all a matter of boiling it further until you hit the "candy" temperatures, depending on what type of candy you are trying to make. Having a good thermometer is critical. A site like this: http://whatscookingamerica.net/Candy/candytemp.htm has a chart showing the temperatures:   Cold Water...