Does Tapping Harm the tree?

Nope! While tapping does create a small hole, the tree recovers and it does not negatively affect the health of the tree.

What if ice forms in my sap?

Some people call this the “poor mans RO” (or reverse osmosis) because the pure water freezes first leaving behind more concentrated sap. You can either remove the ice chunks from the sap or leave them behind; this seems to be up to personal preference.

Can i stop and restart boiling my sap?

Yes! In fact, it’s quite common since boiling sap takes several hours!

Can i use the same tap hole every year?

Although the tree does recover from tapping, tap holes cannot reused season to season.