How To Tap Walnut Trees to Make Syrup
— Or Indeed Any Other Tree!
I like maple syrup on my porridge. It’s sweet, nutritious and tastes great. It’s also expensive. So yesterday morning, my wife said to me, ‘Why don’t you tap the Walnut trees? There are loads of them.’
‘Oh yeah,’ I said, looking out over the walnut grove of the farm where I work. It once produced nuts on a commercial basis, now it’s tired and overgrown. And while the trees still produce nuts, they’re only appreciated by the family of wild boar who have taken up residence there.
The truth is there’s an untapped reserve of walnut syrup on my doorstep. So I rushed out to tap it. The results were spectacular. Here’s how you do it.
1. Find a walnut tree — this is an English Walnut, but Black Walnut trees are equally good. The best time to tap them is now (February/March). Cold nights (preferably freezing) and warmer days. In the morning about 10 o’clock.
2. Drill a hole about a centimetre in diameter at hip height. PS. If you’re planning to use your walnut tree for making chairs and tables — don’t do this!
