First syrup of 2011

[Goggleeye]

While all you guys up north are enjoying your cold spell, I just pulled the first two gallons off the cooker for 2011:D

Mark

[3rdgen.maple]

A wise guy huh? Rub it in. Congrats hope it is a good season for you.

[Groves]

Nice work, Mark. How's the system running this year, and how's the baby?

[Dennis H.]

SYRUP, AAAAHHHH SYRUP!

Man go ahaead and rub it in. I haven't had any maple syrup in over 3 months and I think I have withdraw symptoms!

Good luck on your season.

[Goggleeye]

Nice work, Mark. How's the system running this year, and how's the baby?

System is up and running. So much nicer than last year's setup. I still have a few little kinks to work out yet, but the cooker is now under roof of the new sugar shack (although there is no siding on the shack yet). It's a beautiful sight, steam pouring out the cupola (and unsided eves:emb:) and all. And the tubing was all very much worth it. No collecting from milk jugs anymore:D And baby and mom are doing great, thanks for asking.

[Goggleeye]

SYRUP, AAAAHHHH SYRUP!

Man go ahaead and rub it in. I haven't had any maple syrup in over 3 months and I think I have withdraw symptoms!

Good luck on your season.

Wow. 3 months? I'd be having more than withdraw symptoms. I made sure I had enough to last, however we cut it close as we are down to our last 1 1/2 quarts.

[Goggleeye]

Big sap this past weekend! Couldn't keep up with collecting it and keeping up with the evaporator it was flowing so fast. Even lost a 55 gal drum:( when it overflowed and softened the ground, allowing it to tip over.

First syrup filtered absolutely crystal clear - clearest I've ever had, however, the second batch was a bit cloudy after it was filtered. The wife thought it was past density, could that be the reason for the cloudiness? Same methods were used for both, and we forced no syrup through the filters.

Looks like the weather is going to cooperate for another big run next weekend:)

mark

[Groves]

We finished our first batch over the weekend. Between 1.5 and 1.75 gallons.

http://idisk.me.com/mcgroves/Public/2011syrup1.jpg



This batch (right) is much lighter than batch 2 of last year (left) and batch 3 of last year (center)

http://idisk.me.com/mcgroves/Public/2011syrup2.jpg

[ennismaple]

That's some good lookin' syrup! We're likely 5+ weeks away from the start of our season so I can only envy those of you who have started already and tinker with things around the camp.

[Slatebelt*Pa*Tapper]

Excellent looking syrup there. Can't wait to start here..im out as well.

[Dennis H.]

Knock off the pics of syrup!!!:mad:

I have not had maple syrup in over 4 months and I am having serious withdraw symptoms.

Just messing with you, That looks like some really nice syrup. Hope the weather cooperates for you and have a noce long sugar'in season.

[RevDoc]

I just started boiling 2 days ago, in NE Kansas.
All soft maples being tapped.
So far, only the tiniest tint of bronze in the finished syrup, to let you know it's not water in the bottle.

So far as I can tell, there seems to be only 3 of us in all of Kansas sugaring.

[220 maple]

RevDoc,
Welcome to the site, with only three producers in the state of Kansas you can demand the top end price for your syrup. Basically anyone anywhere can buy Vermont syrup but how many can have Kansas syrup? In West Virginia where I'm located I only know of 44 syrup producers, makes are product very unusual.

Mark 220 Maple

[Goggleeye]

Well, it took a bit longer than I hoped in would, but I finally joined the 50 gallon club :D as we finished bottling the most recent run. Not been a great year for sap flow in SE Missouri, but I'm not complaining. Any more sap and my evap (or myself) couldn't have handled it all. Probably be finishing up in the next week or so, as it looks like we're about the end of the freeze/thaw pattern this year.
Mark

[Groves]

Not been a great year for sap flow in SE Missouri

Nor Southwest, but I'm not complaining either.

[RevDoc]

Thank You for the welcome, 220 Maple!

Oddly enough, I have little problem selling it for $10 a pint, which is the same price in the few stores that carry it in this part of the world.

I can't keep up with the demand, and was up two days straight boiling the last batch in two steam table pans on the kitchen stove.

I really, really need an evaporator, but I'm probably 500 miles from the nearest used one for sale, and can't afford a new one at any price, because of the shipping.