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Can Non-Maple Trees Be Tapped For Syrup? Yes!
Image source: Pixabay.com
Tapping trees for sap and making homemade syrup is an easy and delicious component of being a homesteader and raising one’s own food. The three issues that often stymy beginners, however, revolve around the trees themselves.
People new to tapping often struggle with being able to tell sugar maples from other maples, discerning which trees are maples as opposed to other deciduous trees, and wondering what to do even when they can differentiate between trees but do not have access to maples.
It’s Not Just Sugar Maples … And Not Just Maples!
So, what if there are no sugar maples? The good news: It might not matter. Trees vary greatly by region and even by individual trees. This means that the red maple in your yard might produce better quality sap with a higher sugar content than your neighbor’s sugar maple, in the same way that your yellow Labrador dog might outrun your neighbor’s greyhound.
The best way to know is to try it. When in doubt, tap it and taste the sap. I happen to have a big old sugar maple that gives sap with a bitter taste, and a red maple which is excellent for syruping.
Source: http://www.offthegridnews.com/how-to-2/can-non-maple-trees-be-tapped-for-syrup-yes/
