Greenbug -- you won't find commercially made maple tapping supplies at your local big box store. I'm only aware of a few online sources. However, the thing is, you really don't need to have any special equipment. For a tap or spiggot, you can use the stems of sumac or elderberry, both of which are easily hollowed out with just a nail. Or, you can use a piece of dowell and drill out the center with an electric drill so that it's hollow. Just tap the tree, put in the spiggot, and hang a bucket from it -- I just use 2 1/2 gallon utility buckets from the dollar store. If you want to, you can also hook a piece of vinyl tubing to the spiggot and have that run into your collection bucket. Oaks, no, I don't think you could make an edible syrup from oaks, too much tannin, which would be concentrated with boiling, probably resulting in a somewhat toxic and definitely inedible product.

Cheap, cheap, cheap. You know the import tool company that sells online, has mailorder catalogs and stores in many cities? Email me if you don't know what I'm talking about, or google for: floating solar fountain. Remember what I said about the complaints in the past that those things took on water. I'm hoping that if that is going to happen it happens before the 3 month warranty expires. Their Greenhouse vent openers failed just about the time the warranty went out. It also only works when the sun is shining, LOL. Not a problem here. Nell

keepitlow, The recommendations from the USDA and the Assn for Food Preservation say to can even fruit purees and syrups for five minutes (if jars are sterilized --- ten if not, so you sterilize the jars). But in England it's completely the normal process just to put hot fruit into sterilized jars. Since the worst that's likely to happen is mould, like Melissa I would happily eat your open-kettle-canned syrup (I'll even make the pancakes!). But I second the advice not to try to skip the canning at all unless you will keep it in the fridge --- SO sad to have good syrup go mouldy! Note that there does seem to be some evidence that the percentage of failed seals is somewhat higher if you don't do the BWB. I've done a few batches of jam that way in the past, and didn't have any noticable problem personally with the seals, but it wasn't a very big sample. I find it's not much more trouble to BWB fruit or syrup than to sterilize the jars so I do, but that's not a safety concern, since if you find a jar unsealed in your pantry you'll know not to eat it (and it'll probably be icky anyway). Zabby

I have syrup refrigerated. How do I use it on second fig preserves making? My Mother always used it but I have forgotten if she added more sugar soaked or what she did. HELP