Disclaimer: I received this product/service at a reduced price or for free. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinions based on my own experience with the product.
It’s still several weeks too soon here in Indiana to start tapping our maple trees but when I saw this new Maple Tapping Tree Kit plus the How-To Book, I wanted to check it out. I became a #mapletapper a number of years ago. Nothing tastes as good as your own maple syrup plus I know my trees are not treated or fertilized with anything that is not organic. The taps are what sets this kit apart from other similar kits and I am very excited to give them a try.
The taps and tubing are all food grade. In the past I have had problems lifting the large buckets of maple sap off the metal taps that I have. These new ones are plastic but the bucket does not hang on them. Instead the bucket can sit on a stand made of concrete blocks, a table or whatever other items you have on hand provided you tap that high on the tree. Otherwise, just sit your buckets on the ground. The tubing runs from the tap to your bucket carrying the sap with it. As long as the bucket you use is sealed well this means no more ants or tree debris falling into your sap. While straining the sap is still necessary as far as I am concerned, there will be less stuff to get rid of.
The light blue tubbing is highly visible against tree bark. It is also easy to see liquid through it and draws less sunlight than what a clear tubing would.
The book “Guide To Maple Tapping” by Julie Fryer is 80-pages and even though I have been tapping maple trees for years, I found lots of good advice in it. The book covers some basic information about maple tapping, the process start to finish, how to make syrup, recipes, additional resources and some final notes. The book is clearly written, the photographs and drawings are very helpful and I feel this is one book every #mapletapper should have on their reference shelf! I encourage you to check it out.
