Tapped in Lancaster County, Pa

[Etown Maple Syrup]

Despite 53 degrees in the shade here today, taps are not running. The ground in the woods is still in the shade, and frozen, covered with 3 inches of snowy slush. A few trees on the southern sunnyside of the woods were starting to give up the sap, reluctently. Only collected 5 gallons today. The sun is suppose to be out Tuesday all day. I'm running out of patience.:)

[Dennis H.]

Keep it together down there!! It will run!

I am having the same thing this year. I think that the ground froze before we got the snow and now the snow is a blanket keeping the ground from thawing. Once the snow is gone my prediction is yo better have your tanks for sap and any container that will hold syrup ready because it is going to let loose.

Today I didn't even turn on the vac. It was so cold this morning and with the temps to get not much above freezing I just decided that it wasn't worth running the vac all day, now tomorrow..

Good luck and keep us posted of the progress.

[Etown Maple Syrup]

The "permifrost" is melting here. 65 today, 55 in the shade. I am thinking about shorts for collecting Friday? We collected 30 gallons today. I will need to boil Saturday. I moved the sap holding tank to a colder spot for ovenight storage. This may be the break in the ground freeze I needed. I will let you know tomorrow!:D

[Slatebelt*Pa*Tapper]

Fellas our tree's quit already, still some snow on the ground but they just quit, need some cold temps again.

[Etown Maple Syrup]

Interesting day in Elizabethtown. 65 in the shade and warmer in the sun. I decided to boil down the 45 gallons we collected this week so it would not go bad. I would of had trouble keeping it cold. The new oil tank evaporator worked great. I kept the stack temp at 750 and had the three front pans boiling well. The forth pan made a great preheater. Only collected 8 gallons of sap this morning from yesterday afternoon run. The taps are shut down. I hope it gets cold here. I would like to have more than one gallon of syrup.:emb:

[Dennis H.]

Wow, you made a gal of syrup already. Way to go Cassel FM. My trees shut down also. It isn't even worth firing the vac up today.

I looked at the weather and it looks like tonight it will get back down below freezing for us so it looks good for a nice run tomorrow. As a matter of fact all next week is looking real good for us down here..

[Etown Maple Syrup]

NO sap available for collection today. Winds blew my empty buckets ten feet from the taps. It is suppose to get below freezing tonight. We'll see. Attached is a photo sampling of my first batch of syrup.:)

[Etown Maple Syrup]

Well finally after a few days of "not running" I collected 33 gallons of sap this morning. Then it rained. Then the buckets blew away from the taps. Hopefully Saturday I can gather 20 more gallons to fire up another batch. I have experienced a "not running" when the wind blew hard last week. Good thing I do not gamble, I would be losing to mother nature:)

[Etown Maple Syrup]

To my surprise the taps were flowing today. Gathered a good 40 gallons and was able to fire up batch number 2. 40 degrees in the shade with full afternoon sun. I will finish it Sunday and start another batch. I know there is sap in the buckets for collection Sunday, but a few friends are coming out to see the operation and I requested they bring boots so they can experience the "sap haul":D Isn't that what friends are for?:mrgreen:

[Dennis H.]

Use and abuse them!!:lol:

2 years ago I had a family with 6 kids stop over to see the operation, I gave each one a bucket and said have at it. It reminded me of an easter egg hunt. It was fun watching and also getting a break collecting.

Good luck with the big run we are getting.

[GramaCindy]

Beautiful syrup. Hope my first batch looks as good as that!

[Etown Maple Syrup]

Thanks for the compliment on the syrup! I can say this here without seeming weird, "It sure is a pretty color!" Sunday was the best run so far. 48 in the shade. Good thing the friends came out. 60 gallons of sap collected. I was able to finish batch number 2 to syrup and start batch number 3. Since today is raining and it only got down to 37 last night, a fire in evap for a few hours will make today worthwhile! I calculated to the best of my ability, (using the one beer an hour method), that my evaporation rate at a 725 degree stack temp most of the time, is 6.05gph. I am very happy with that and will strive to do better next year. Without knowing exactly sugar content, again estimating, 45 to 1. Have a great day!

[KV Sappers]

Nice going. Sounds like your well on your way to a good year. In my little small world I collected 8gal and a quart yesterday boiled down to 19oz. I can't believe since I started this journey back Feb. 11 I've collected over 44 gal. of sap and have made almost a gal of syrup(17 oz short). I figure I'm doing about 45 to 1 also. Hope the sap god's keep smiling on us all.

[Etown Maple Syrup]

I was not use to the sudden drop in the overnight temps last night. It got down to 22. Even when the sun rose it only managed 32 in the shade at 3:00 this afternoon. Mostly ice in the buckets. I will wait until tomorrow to collect it. Looks like 35 gallons or so. I finished gallon number 4 of syrup this morning. Since there was no sap to collect, I got the chain saw out and cut a few dead trees down. I forgot how much fun that is, also! Back to boiling Friday hopefully!

[Dennis H.]

Yeah that was weird today wasn't it, it only got up to 34.

Good thing is that the sap in the buckets won't go bad.

[Etown Maple Syrup]

I read that red maples shut down earlier then sugars. I have all reds. Sap is running slower last three days. Some collected was yellowish. I have 50 gallons in the holding tank and sealed to the air so I will boil it off this Saturday and Sunday. It takes 12 hours total to boil and finish 50 gallons to one gallon syrup. I was 45 to 1 when the season started. Oil tank evaporator works great. I need a few improvements for next season. A couple of photos are attached.

[Dennis H.]

Not Bad, there is 2 gals sitting there! It looks like you did a fine job.
It made me laught when you said you already have ideas for improvements, we have a lot of time boiling to think of things done we.

Yeah you might want to start watching the sap, when it starts to get cloudy it is comeing to an end. Also I found that whe you are boiling it will start to get a real strong smell. Tastes good but the steam has a strong woody smell.

Look at the buds on the limbs. If they are starting to swell or they are opening up the end is here.

almost all my trees are on the north side of a ridge so they are not quit done, where as some trees that I saw in peoples front yard are just about leafing out.

I foresee maybe next week being the end for me so you should be close to that also.

[KV Sappers]

[QUOTE=Cassell Farm Maple Monk;140531]Some collected was yellowish.
I had the same thing on Sunday. Sap was a little yellowish but boiled down fine and tasted good. Tested sap and it was 1.0. After the snow on Monday the sap cleared up and the past 2 days the sap has been at 2.1. Collected 4 gal. today. Looks like after this rain moves out we're to get a couple of nights below freezing so maybe we have at least another week.

[Etown Maple Syrup]

A few more cold nights and another good run would be fine with me! I still have two cords of wood I can go through if needed. I will keep the yellow sap to boil and watch out for cloudy sap. I am very pleased with this seasons results. And yes, there is plenty of time to while boiling to plan for next season. I wouldn't have it any other way!

[Etown Maple Syrup]

I never thought I would say that, but my season has come to an end. :( The weather is way too warm (55 in the shade) for sap storage and the taps are shut down anyway. I boiled off the last 50 gallons yesterday. I am sure that this is the darkest syrup I have ever made. I need to finish it on the fryer today. Bummer! But what a great time over the last 6 weeks. I learned alot. I am looking ahead already! Thanks for all the kind words and ideas from mapletrader. What a great site!

[KV Sappers]

I never thought I would say that, but my season has come to an end. !

I'm not far behind you. I'm leaving the taps in for maybe 2 more days then I'm pulling them. Sap has really slowed down but I'm hoping to get at least enough for 1 more boil. Looks like you had a good year and it was a pleasure talking with you. Take care till next year.

[Dennis H.]

It looks like we are all in the sam boat aren't we.

I am with KV Sapper. we are to have a few days with night time temps below freezing, maybe it will give me one more run and one more boil.

[Etown Maple Syrup]

Cassell Farm Maple Syrup in Elizabethtown, Pa has taken First Prize at the 2011 Elizabethtown Fair in Northwest Lancaster County. Entering for the first time in this highly competitive category "pancake syrup." Maple Monk Ross says, "Maybe next year there will be an actual 'maple syrup' category since we all know maple beats sugar syrup hands down every time!" Proud Monks from Cassell Farm cannot wait to get things boiling again in 2012! Nothing like tooting your own horn, especially after all the hard work involved!
Thanks for reading...:)

[GramaCindy]

Cassell Farm Maple Syrup in Elizabethtown, Pa has taken First Prize at the 2011 Elizabethtown Fair in Northwest Lancaster County. Entering for the first time in this highly competitive category "pancake syrup." Maple Monk Ross says, "Maybe next year there will be an actual 'maple syrup' category since we all know maple beats sugar syrup hands down every time!" Proud Monks from Cassell Farm cannot wait to get things boiling again in 2012! Nothing like tooting your own horn, especially after all the hard work involved!
Thanks for reading...:)

CONGRATULATIONS Cassell Farm!

[KV Sappers]

Cassell Farm Maple Syrup in Elizabethtown, Pa has taken First Prize at the 2011 Elizabethtown Fair in Northwest Lancaster County. Entering for the first time in this highly competitive category "pancake syrup." Maple Monk Ross says, "Maybe next year there will be an actual 'maple syrup' category since we all know maple beats sugar syrup hands down every time!" Proud Monks from Cassell Farm cannot wait to get things boiling again in 2012! )

Bravo to you for a job well done!!!! All fairs should have an actual maple syrup category. I'm with you on starting to boil again. Bring on the cold and let the sap start rolling.