Tapping Journal Michigan Maple Syrup Association

Tapping Report: Tom Cook

Click for Niles, Michigan Forecast

Reporting Producer:  
 
Tom Cook
866-456-2753
info@cookssugarbush.com
www.cookssugarbush.com


See reports below...
 
Tom is drilling the tap holes with a power tapper. Retired is the old brace & bit.
Maple Operation:  
 
Cook's Sugar Bush
297 Gumwood Road
Niles, MI  49120
(Cass County) US

Total Taps = 258
 
Betsy is seating the spouts with a light weight wooden mallet this helps to prevent the wood splitting around the spouts.

Inside view of the sugar house, notice the roaring fire inside of the evaporator. Normally the doors are closed on the evaporator except for loading wood into the fire.

Profile:
Tom and Betsy keep very busy between their day jobs and the hobbies that both enjoy. Betsy has a love for horses, they are her children all seven of them. Tom has raised Honey Bees since he was seven years of age and made Maple Syrup on his mothers stove top around the same age. In 1997 Tom decided to go full throttle with Maple, a Sugar House was erected and all the necessary equipment was purchased. The Syrup & Honey that is produced is sold locally as well as internationally thru there website.


Tapping Report Seasons

 Season   Tapping 
Dates
 Taps  Sap
 (gal) 
%
 Sugar 
 Syrup 
(gal)
2008 3/1/2008 - 4/5/2008 258 4855 2.86 145
2007 3/9/2007 - 3/22/2007 258 2985 2.5 84
2006 2/22/2006 - 3/28/2006 250 3575 2.5 103
2005 3/6/2005 - 4/2/2005 250 3400 2.6 101
2004 - 260 147
2002 2/20/2002 - 3/15/2002 230 1904 1.5 34
2001 2/25/2001 - 3/31/2001 339 6372 1.6 118
2000 2/24/2000 - 3/8/2000 230 798 2.3 21
1999 2/26/1999 - 3/27/1999 250 2800 1.7 56
1998 2/14/1998 - 3/12/1998 150 1386 1.3 21

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