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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Box Elder Sap ( Anthony Curcio )

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  • From: Douglas Woodard <dwoodard@becon.org>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Box Elder Sap ( Anthony Curcio )
  • Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:59:36 -0400

Here it is known as Manitoba Maple. It is a great pioneer tree, like poplar and I would't be suprised if it performs a similar nutrient pump role. However, if you are trying to re-introduce native species to a landscape it's an appalling pest as it jumps into every available space, seeding into sod. You have to get on the little ones fast or they will be a lot of trouble to remove. They sprout freely from every stump and must be killed dead, not just cut.

Doug Woodard
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada


Matt Demmon wrote:
Thank you Anthony for jumping in to rescue the poor Box Elder. Here
are some of my favorite attributes:

-grows anywhere from Michigan floodplains to New Mexico train stations.
-delicious sap
-sometimes beautiful red streaked wood
-excellent for growing oyster mushrooms
-fast growth
-pretty blue stems
-excellent habitat for insect-eating birds, just the kind you want in
your fruit orchard.

That's all!

-matt
se mi z5 60+ degrees today

On Fri, Mar 13, 2009 at 9:39 AM, Anthony Curcio <apc@vassolinc.com> wrote:
What kind of product do you get from box elders. I tap sugar maples

with the kids at school. We have lots of box elders but never tapped them.



Jon (Rutland, VT)



Jon,

We, like many people tried to rid our farm of the “ Weed Tree”. Then one day
I saw a beautiful vivid red veined piece of wood in a cabinet maker’s shop.
Turned out to be Ash Leaf Maple or “ Box Elder”. Shortly after that
encounter my 10 yo son read that Native Indians reduced the sap of the Box
Elder to a syrup much like Maple syrup. We built a small wood burning stove,
tapped a few Box Elders, had a great time and have never gone back to Sugar
Maple syrup. BE syrup has a very nice honey/buttery flavor. I know it is
hard to believe but if you can look past the first impression we have found
something good in just about everything….

Except Mosquitoes…..

Anthony





Anthony P. Curcio
CEO
VasSol, Inc.
833 W. Jackson 8flr.
Chicago, IL 60607
Phone- 312-601-4431
Fax - 312-601-4451




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