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ALMOST BEEKEEPING - RELATED TOPICS => OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES FORUM => Topic started by: jalentour on January 10, 2017, 10:51:15 pm

Title: Tapped 5 Walnut Trees this weekend
Post by: jalentour on January 10, 2017, 10:51:15 pm
Tapped when it was about 10 degrees so I didn't expect much, was thinking I would get results this in a few days when it warmed up.
This is my second year to tap for syrup.  Build a "arch" out of a steel barrel and a few more taps than the 10 I used last year.
If anyone has tips or resources to share please do. 
This seems like a nice hobby to go along with honey.
Title: Re: Tapped 5 Walnut Trees this weekend
Post by: BeeMaster2 on January 11, 2017, 12:46:02 pm
I did not know anyone tapped Walnut trees. What does it taste like?
Jim
Title: Re: Tapped 5 Walnut Trees this weekend
Post by: Psparr on January 11, 2017, 03:44:07 pm
The sugar content is real low. Makes good syrup though. Usually walnuts are a bit later than maples.
Title: Re: Tapped 5 Walnut Trees this weekend
Post by: gww on January 11, 2017, 07:53:16 pm
pspar
I have never tapped any tree.  I did read on a forum of someone tapping sycomore.  They said the syrup made from it had a bit of a butterscotch taste to it.  I also have never heard of tapping a walnut tree, Have you ever heard of tapping a sycomore tree?
Cheers
gww
Title: Re: Tapped 5 Walnut Trees this weekend
Post by: BeeMaster2 on January 11, 2017, 08:07:45 pm
Gww,
Those post were here on this site.
I think it was SC.
Jim
Title: Re: Tapped 5 Walnut Trees this weekend
Post by: jalentour on January 11, 2017, 08:20:07 pm
Walnut syrup is a little nutty, sweet and about the same consistency as real maple syrup.  It has less sugar so it takes more sap to boil down to syrup.  Friends who have tasted it like it a lot.
I don't have maple trees on my property to speak of but I have a lot of walnut.
Title: Re: Tapped 5 Walnut Trees this weekend
Post by: gww on January 11, 2017, 09:24:34 pm
I haven't did any tappin but everytime I see these type of post, tapping moves up one step on my things to do before I die list.
Thanks for posting.
gww
Title: Re: Tapped 5 Walnut Trees this weekend
Post by: divemaster1963 on January 11, 2017, 09:33:27 pm
I was tapping sycamores last year but the weather was so bad that there wasn't a good flow. got about half pint.  the early sap taste like honey but the late sap tastes like butterscotch. I can't do it this year because of the injury but I did get a sap pan made last year to process 100 gals a hour. I bartered for it.

john
Title: Tapped 5 Walnut Trees this weekend
Post by: Psparr on January 11, 2017, 09:39:47 pm
Little off topic, but here's my rig. https://youtu.be/whRR8BlfocY
Have been making maple syrup for five years now. It's a blast to make something so good just from a tree. It's a hell of a lot of work to get a lot of syrup, but for just a couple trees it will actually be fun.
Title: Re: Tapped 5 Walnut Trees this weekend
Post by: Psparr on January 11, 2017, 09:41:18 pm
Also check out Mapletrader.com lots of great info on their forums.
Title: Re: Tapped 5 Walnut Trees this weekend
Post by: jalentour on January 11, 2017, 10:01:09 pm
Psparr,
Thanks, I'll head on over. 
How much did that rig cost and time to put it together?
Title: Re: Tapped 5 Walnut Trees this weekend
Post by: 220 on January 12, 2017, 06:43:37 am
Thanks for posting, not something that had ever crossed my mind being in Aus.
We have about 50 walnut trees a few of which would certainly be large enough to tap.
Don't know if our climate would be suitable, we certainly don't get a hard winter freeze but we do have about 60 nights below freezing, might be enough to make tapping possible if I can work out when.
Title: Tapped 5 Walnut Trees this weekend
Post by: Psparr on January 12, 2017, 09:56:50 am
Not sure of the total cost, the oil tank was free. And there's a great salvage/scrap yard nearby where I got the stainless relatively cheap. Also had a buddy that tig welded, so that helped.
Title: Re: Tapped 5 Walnut Trees this weekend
Post by: jalentour on January 12, 2017, 10:54:51 am
Psparr,
What did you bend the stainless with?
Title: Re: Tapped 5 Walnut Trees this weekend
Post by: Psparr on January 12, 2017, 12:13:38 pm
It was a 3' by 5' sheet. I actually stopped by a Mennonite metal shop. They bent it in their brake. Then the ends were just cut to size and welded on.