Tree which can be tapped for sap/syrup

[TWP]

While the list may be "splitting hairs" on many varieties of the same tree species, it is a large list and you may have some of these on your property, or know where they grow in nearby forests.

http://www.backdoorprepper.com/2016/12/24/22-trees-can-tapped-sap-syrup

Note that some saps may be consumed without boiling down to thicker syrup.  It's the sugars you are after, along with a few other nutrients.

This is definitely a survival food which can add calories to your winter diet.  If you plan on boiling it for syrup, you need a larger flat pan, like a big cake pan.  It is not a fast process, but it is worth the effort and wood expended.

You will also need specialized tapping tools to avoid damaging the tree.  You also don't want to leave highly visible marks on the tree which might tell someone that you are in the area...

[230gr]

The big problem is the huge amount of fire wood required to boil it down into syrup that can be preserved. Since the sap is pure water, you could be better off drinking or cooking with it directly. It all depends on how much fuel you have available. TEOTWAWKI living is going to require a lot of wood for heating, cooking, heating water for washing and a host of other projects. As you range farther and farther out to cut and haul back (probably by hand... foot?), fuel use discipline will become ever more important. 

[eeyore]

Successfully tapping trees would not really work in my area, I was told that you need a certain amount of cold weather to make tapping  of trees worth wild.  That is why it limited  to Vermont and states like that.

[TWP]

eeyore, 

Do you have any reference on that information?

The sap flows in the spring, whether it has been a cold winter or not, because the trees need to pump nutrients up to grow leaves and new stems.

If it was a prior dry year, the amount of sap will be lower as the tree does not find enough water in the ground and will restrict its own growth to match.

Whether you have the necessary trees or not is dependent on the climate, which does limit this to areas which CAN grow the trees.

There is a LOT of information on the 'net about where this works, which trees work better than other (see my original post) and how to do it.

[230gr]

Tapping weather has warm days and freezing night temperatures. The sap froes up to the leaves (or buds really) when it worms up the down back to the roots at night. Maximizes sap flow at the time if it gets too warm too fast, they have a poor sugaring season and close down early. The sap is always flowing in warmer weather but you not going to get the surge needed for collecting volumes.

[eeyore]

When To Tap Maple Trees

Generally the sap starts to flow between mid-February and mid-March. The exact time of year depends upon where you live and weather conditions. Sap flows when daytime temperatures rise above freezing (32 degrees Fahrenheit / 0 Celsius) and nighttime temperatures fall below freezing. The rising temperature creates pressure in the tree generating the sap flow. This is basically a transfer of the sap from the tree above the ground and the root system below the ground. The sap generally flows for 4 to 6 weeks, with the best sap produced early on in the sap-flowing season.

http://www.tapmytrees.com/pages/tap-tree

This seems to agree with what 230 said, it has been years since I looked into it.  what I might have been confused about was that the differential is had to be greater (between day and night to be most useful), but I live in a marginal area, it would mean many more taps and time for a return of a few quarts of finished product.  But I have to admit there is nothing I have I bought from a store that compared to a gift someone gave me of true maple syrup.  If you have the time and resources it sounds like a great project, hope it works out for you.

[230gr]

Probably many of us could get some syrup from our taps and all sugars will be scarce and valuable in a long term SHTF situation. I wonder too if condensing the syrup would not be a good task for using solar oven. Lower temperatures give better, lighter syrup and the sun is free.   

[TWP]

230gr,  I like the solar oven idea for making syrup.  No smoke too.

[Jerry D Young]

Since I am in the (L O N G) process of divesting myself of quite a few things, and consolidating the rest, I was planning to give away to an electronic tinkerer my two small dish satellite systems. But on second thought, I may just keep the dishes and stands, and convert them to use as solar reflectors for things such as this project.

Thanks for the ideas.

Just my opinion.

[pqtb]

A quick and easy way to concentrate the sap into higher sugar concentrations is let it freeze and remove the ice.   Then boil down the remaining sap into syrup or make sugar.   It takes about 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup.   Do not boil sap in the house as it will cause a moisture problem and leave a slight sticky residue on ceiling and surrounding area. 

[230gr]

That could work if it gets far enough sub-freezing for long enough. Maybe if placed on very shallow trays but that not usually the temperature at "sugaring time".

Your right about boiling down sap indoors though there is one exception; some people hang their curing meat over the syrup steam to sweeten and flavor it. They say it is very good. 

[pqtb]

The best syrup is made when the temps get into the low 20's during the night and high 30's during the day.  If the temps get too warm for a extended period of time the sap makes an off flavored syrup and is a much darker color.  If one is running a small scale operation with buckets you can allow the sap to freeze over night and remove ice.  Most of the sugar operations around me are using lines and collecting sap into large collection containers.  The Lucky producers have the lines feeding into the sugar house.

[230gr]

The problem with concentration maple sap by freezing is you need temperatures about 0o F for hours which is not often seen in "sugar season" in the spring. Fine if you have am electric powered freezer that gets that cold but not so useful otherwise. The process is not dissimilar to making apple jack from cider but you have that going into winter.