Maple Sap Collection and Sap Processing Systems Jesse Mathews1, Youping Sun1, Steven Price1, Darren McAvoy1, Michael Farrell2, Paul Harris1, and Kelly Kopp1 Utah State University, Logan, UT
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The Forest Farmers, LLC, Lake Placid, NY
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Introduction
Starting a maple syrup operation as a hobby or a business can be a daunting task. This fact sheet can help a new maple syrup producer get started on their sugaring journey with information on sap collection methods and processing equipment. A separate fact sheet covers tree selection, tapping, and sap processing: Producing Maple Syrup From Boxelder and Norway Maple Trees (https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/extension_curall/2338/).
Collection Methods
Method 1: Spile and Bucket or Bag Pros
Cons
Simple and easy to use
Labor intensive
Few materials needed to start
Limited storage capacity
Removed at the end of the season
Hard to scale-up to many trees
Does not block access between trees and remains out of the way
Buckets and bags can be blown from the tree if not secured properly.
Figure 2. Sap Collection Bag
Figure 1. Sap Collection Bucket
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