Jeric's 2011

[The Butcher]

We are a backyard operation, but I wanted to post the progress as we go for the 2011 season.

To stay married I promised I would take down and move the evaporator every year. This is a hugevpain but it's a battle I knew I would not win...

We are planning to tap on Sunday 2/13. We are tapping red maples because that is what we have near by.
Sunday we cleared the spot where we set it up last year.
http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af198/jat2242/Jerics2620115.jpg

here is a picture from last year.
http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af198/jat2242/Boil22820103.jpg


Good luck to everyone this year!!!!!

[morningstarfarm]

Nice..good luck this season...may the sap gods smile on us all:)

[The Butcher]

Good day today with lots of help.

Put in 77 taps all on buckets. I feel for you guys putting in hundreds, that snow is deep!!!

Put final touches on the arch and we had a pretty good test boil. A little to a bit more than a little smoke was coming out between the top of the arch and the pan. I think I am going to get some flat stove gasket and cross my fingers that will solve the problem.

As of this very minute the weather is looking good this week. Like everyone else I hope to be boiling Sunday!!!!!

[The Butcher]

can I hold the little sap that I have until late next week? It should freeze soild tonight or the next couple of nights?

I really don't have enought to boil more than an 45 minutes on my flat plan and I do not want to do it on the turkey fryer....

any thoughts?

Thanks!!!

[The Butcher]

it was nice to see the wind stay flat for awhile today. With the warm sun some of the trees were running!!!

I didn't figure that would happen until Thursday.

Hopefully the rest of the buckets will go up tomorrow.

[The Butcher]

I wish I knew how much we boiled today. It took awhile to get all the ice thawed out, but it was really nice to finally be boiling!!!! Here is my help for the day, my buddy Frank.
http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af198/jat2242/Maple22620111.jpg

Here is the finished product. Not much but, man I LOVE THIS STUFF!!!!!
http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af198/jat2242/Maple22620117.jpg

[Backyard Sapper66]

Really like the picture. Having boil envy on this end. Glad you got a chance to boil. The color of your syrup looks very good.
Hoping for a warmup soon so I can collect some sap and boil more than 3 gallons.
Happy sapping!!!!
Doug
:)