Its time to make your own: Maple Syrup

If you can, it is also time to try to make your own maple syrup or other tree syrup this coming spring. You don't want to kill the trees, so if you are in a drought area, be mindful of how much you take from each tree.

I have no idea how prices will be affected by this release. I assume the prices will be higher than usual, which is already high.

If this group demands a payment from producers, controls prices, and then sells to make money for themselves to boot as the article states, you can bet this release is being done to make themselves a lot of extra money because of the global shortage. Demand = higher than usual profits. I am not sure, but as middlemen go, I could see this group taking more than it's fair share of high profits giving producers very little of those.

We do have discussions on the forum that focus on tapping and what type of trees are able to be tapped for syrup, if anyone is interested.

Comments

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    I didn't realize that we had a "marketing board" for maple syrup in Canada or that there was a "reserve" of any kind. Shows how little I know about the production of maple syrup in my country. I am in the west, though, so that's my excuse and sticking to it. :)

    Marketing boards were a good idea at one time, so that farmers were protected by stability. However, like many other organizations, they have gotten too big for their britches and are going above and beyond their original mandates. They are partly to blame for shortages in the market and then sudden price increases.

    With the drought that we had this past summer and the birch die off that continues here, I won't be harvesting sap. I am thinking about purchasing a couple of maple trees as a gift for my daughter. I know it would be many years before they were producers but they are so beautiful in the fall. Most of our fall colours are yellows and golds so the red would be nice.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    @torey When they dissolved the Wheat Marketing Board, it was a game changer for grain farmers. It was certainly a good move forward.

    I suspect that it would be positive if done to this marketing board too.

    There seems to be marketing boards for everything. Dairy, eggs, maple syrup, honey, and most likely more. I agree with your assessment.

    A few of those trees would be nice. I think that in BC, there is a big leaf maple that can be tapped? It isn't quite the same or course. I would have no idea what their status is at this point.

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    @LaurieLovesLearning Yes, the Bigleaf Maple (aka Oregon Maple, Acer macrophyllum), can be tapped, although I believe it takes a lot more sap, similar to birch. They don't grow in my area. They are primarily a coastal species and not much beyond 50°N, all the way down to southern California. Very common species so you'd think it would be used more, but I only heard of one producer on Vancouver Island and I don't think they are still doing it.

  • JennyT Upstate South Carolina
    JennyT Upstate South Carolina Posts: 1,273 ✭✭✭✭✭

    We have several different varieties of trees on our property and I'm still trying to what they all are. But I'm hoping to be able to tap some in the near future after I know what we have and which can be tapped.😊

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    @JennyT Upstate South Carolina Try starting an "Identify My Tree" thread (or two or three, so that we can tag it properly once identified). Post a picture of the full tree if possible, the bark & twig with buds. If it still has any identifiable leaves or fruits (even dried), post that too. If there are dried fruits, open it up & let us see the pit or seeds. Sometimes the number of seeds is important, sometimes not.

    I love identifying trees up here. I find it really fun. Maybe someone down that way would be more familiar with those in your area, but we could all learn from your exploration.

  • JennyT Upstate South Carolina
    JennyT Upstate South Carolina Posts: 1,273 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @LaurieLovesLearning I most certainly can do that! Any help would be most appreciated. 😊

    Most have lost all their leaves but I can get those that haven't along with the coniferous and in the spring get the rest.

    I'll try to get some pictures tomorrow.👍️

  • jowitt.europe
    jowitt.europe Posts: 1,465 admin

    @torey your discussion on the maple syrup inspired me to write about palm syrup or palm honey as I am still on the Canary Islands where they produce it from canary palms Phoenix canariensis.

    We spent one week in a tiny hamlet of 30 inhabitants and they still collect guarapo - the palm sap and then let it simmer for a long time until it is as thick as honey. I admire people who still do it, as they have to climb up to 25 meters high, then scratch the bud of the palm blossom, insert a tube. They get about 10 litres per day which they have to process immediately and get about 2 litres of honey. I have read that they repeat the process of harvesting for about 3 months and then let the palm tree rest for 5 years. One can recognise the palms from which the sap has been taken. They have rings. The rings are put to prevent mice and rats getting into sap during the harvesting.

    we did, of course, buy Palm honey and we did taste mistela- a liqueur made of palm honey and brandy.


  • JennyT Upstate South Carolina
    JennyT Upstate South Carolina Posts: 1,273 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'm afraid with the last of the preparations for my oldest 2 girls for their exams and semester-end projtects due tomorrow I did not get the chance to take any photos and post pics of our trees. 😕

    But our winter holiday break starts tomorrow afternoon and while they're testing I'll have free time to snap a few pictures.☺️

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin
    edited December 2021

    @JennyT Upstate South Carolina No rush. Life as a homeschool mom is always busy.

  • jowitt.europe
    jowitt.europe Posts: 1,465 admin

    @LaurieLovesLearning @torey yesterday on the main austrian news there was an article about the shortage of the Canadian maple syrup. Just imagine...