While checking the sap and a surprise in the driveway

[WannaDig3687]

Our friends have tapped a sugar maple for us. We have never done this before, so we go check it when they tell us to. They sent us out Tuesday. I chose to go ahead of them because when we had checked it before, we had spooked some deer and I missed the photo op. So I walked as slowly and quietly as I could. I managed to get a coupe of birds. I don't have a very good camera, so they're not beautiful. The accomplishment here is that I actually got the photo before they flew away. Also, I am trying to learn how to enhance the photos with the software that I have. (I am currently looking for a new/used camera & either a laptop or computer. I'm undecided about that one.)


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Woodpecker original



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Another original



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OK, so, the woodpecker obviously was not intimidated by me or the flash. I got a lot of photos. I will only share one more.



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Then we went out to eat Tuesday night. When we got home we had a surprise in the driveway. A cute little fox was waiting for us. He scurried over to the grass and posed for a photo. I was bumbling and fumbling trying to get my camera turned on. He got impatient and left. This is how close we were.









Last night was a total missed opportunity. I came home to a possum next to the driveway, but my camera was here, next to the computer.

The good news is... more critter sightings means spring is near!

Thanks for looking!

WD

 

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[tamrock]

When I go to mining trade shows a few of the Canadian companies set out maple sugar candy. I always grab a little handful of them when they set a bowl of those delicious pieces out. One vendor told me don't be a hog, that stuffs expensive. I told him I can't help myself.

 

[Tpmetal]

Just put up 50 or 60 taps yesterday, I hope to Put up another 30 to 40 next week. Just waiting on a 150 gallon storage container to arrive. Didn't know they had sugar maples in ohio? or are you tapping red maples?

 

[Tpmetal]

When I go to mining trade shows a few of the Canadian companies set out maple sugar candy. I always grab a little handful of them when they set a bowl of those delicious pieces out. One vendor told me don't be a hog, that stuffs expensive. I told him I can't help myself.

People get hooked. I have some who buy to use it in their coffee. The look on their faces when I run out is like when a kid drops his ice cream cone. I too have a soft spot for maple candy.

 

[tamrock]

Just put up 50 or 60 taps yesterday, I hope to Put up another 30 to 40 next week. Just waiting on a 150 gallon storage container to arrive. Didn't know they had sugar maples in ohio? or are you tapping red maples?

About all I could ever tap from a tree here would maybe be Pine-Sol. So how much syrup would a 150 gallons of sap yield.?

 

[WannaDig3687]

When I go to mining trade shows a few of the Canadian companies set out maple sugar candy. I always grab a little handful of them when they set a bowl of those delicious pieces out. One vendor told me don't be a hog, that stuffs expensive. I told him I can't help myself.

HA HA! My hubby does the same thing. Every booth that has candy, he takes a few pieces.

 

[WannaDig3687]

Just put up 50 or 60 taps yesterday, I hope to Put up another 30 to 40 next week. Just waiting on a 150 gallon storage container to arrive. Didn't know they had sugar maples in ohio? or are you tapping red maples?

Well, as I said, this is new for us. I can tell you this little bit of history. We have lived in the area for over 30 years. Way back when, one of our neighbor's father produced local sugar maple syrup. We bought it and it was very good. Skip ahead to 7-8 years ago...we bought this farm land. The farmer was the very same guy. We kept him as a farmer for a few years, but things went south and we got a new farmer. So...we can't ask the old farmer because I know he wouldn't tell us if our life depended on it. But, this particular tree I noticed has a tap way up high where it had been tapped before. Now, my husband says it is sugar maple so ... ?

 

[WannaDig3687]

About all I could ever tap from a tree here would maybe be Pine-Sol. So how much syrup would a 150 gallons of sap yield.?

Isn't turpentine made from pine trees?

 

[Tpmetal]

About all I could ever tap from a tree here would maybe be Pine-Sol. So how much syrup would a 150 gallons of sap yield.?

depending on sugar content of the sap you get 1 gallon of syrup for anywhere between 35- 75 gallons of sap.

 

[Tpmetal]

Well, as I said, this is new for us. I can tell you this little bit of history. We have lived in the area for over 30 years. Way back when, one of our neighbor's father produced local sugar maple syrup. We bought it and it was very good. Skip ahead to 7-8 years ago...we bought this farm land. The farmer was the very same guy. We kept him as a farmer for a few years, but things went south and we got a new farmer. So...we can't ask the old farmer because I know he wouldn't tell us if our life depended on it. But, this particular tree I noticed has a tap way up high where it had been tapped before. Now, my husband says it is sugar maple so ... ?

easiest ways to tell are the bark and what color the leaves are in the fall. Bright red leaves are red maples, they also have smoother lighter bark than sugar maples. Yellow or orangish leaves in the fall with darker rougher bark are usually sugar maples. Though you can tap many varieties including silver maples. silver maples have skinnier leaves that appear more silvery on the bottom side of the leaves vs the top which is green (during summer not fall). The red maples give a more nutty flavor to the syrup where as the sugar maples are that super sweet syrup.

 

[Chadeaux]

View attachment 1550991

Last night was a total missed opportunity. I came home to a possum next to the driveway, but my camera was here, next to the computer.

The good news is... more critter sightings means spring is near!

Thanks for looking!

WD

You poor thing! I'll pack up a few possums fer ya 'cause I don't eat em, and I've run out of places to bury their carcasses ... you want live or dead possums? How many?

Just kidding about that ... last part. Only gift possums to lawyers and judges.

Here where I live, possums are about all year long. They're worse than rats and you can't hardly get rid of them!!! Truth is, I really have run out of places to bury dead possums! I've never seen as many as in the last year --- killed 6 in December alone with an air rifle (gammo red pellet in ear canal from about 25' works) from my "perch" (bathroom window) --- but I didn't kill ever one I saw. Weird thing is, I got some live traps (so I could "gift" them to the aforementioned) and haven't seen one since.

BTW, that's one poor lookin possum you got there. Looks like it's either a baby, or ,aybe a "slick tailed" squirrel (rat).

 

[worldtalker]

Was he (or she) giving you a good grin??



GOD Bless

Chris

 

[WannaDig3687]

You poor thing! I'll pack up a few possums fer ya 'cause I don't eat em, and I've run out of places to bury their carcasses ... you want live or dead possums? How many?

Just kidding about that ... last part. Only gift possums to lawyers and judges.

Here where I live, possums are about all year long. They're worse than rats and you can't hardly get rid of them!!! Truth is, I really have run out of places to bury dead possums! I've never seen as many as in the last year --- killed 6 in December alone with an air rifle (gammo red pellet in ear canal from about 25' works) from my "perch" (bathroom window) --- but I didn't kill ever one I saw. Weird thing is, I got some live traps (so I could "gift" them to the aforementioned) and haven't seen one since.

BTW, that's one poor lookin possum you got there. Looks like it's either a baby, or ,aybe a "slick tailed" squirrel (rat).

lol! I knew of your “love” for possums, you would be sorry I left my camera in the house.

btw the pic with the circle was where the fox was, but ran off. No need to send me any. I’ve got plenty of varmints!

 

[WannaDig3687]

Was he (or she) giving you a good grin??

View attachment 1551013

GOD Bless

Chris

yeah pretty much. I thought it was going to bite my tire! LOL

 

[kcm]

Been watching these folks lately on Youtube. In this episode (in the first few minutes of the show), he talks about how much sap it takes to make a gallon of syrup, as well as other types of trees that "can" be tapped. I'm sure there are more species, but still...I didn't even know THIS much before!

As for all the talk about possums, we don't generally have them here. This time of year, they're all possum pops.

 

[Chadeaux]

lol! I knew of your “love” for possums, you would be sorry I left my camera in the house.

btw the pic with the circle was where the fox was, but ran off. No need to send me any. I’ve got plenty of varmints!

oh . . . but they're so cute!

 

[WannaDig3687]

oh . . . but they're so cute!

View attachment 1551271

LOL!