Is it Over?

[afretired]

Well, we have had some fairly warm weather for the last couple of weeks (60s). Tuesday Night it got down to 26 and Wednesday it was up to 50, and the sap started flowing again. I got 260 gallons and started cooking. It only made a few gallons and was dark and had an off flavor. Was it metabolism? Now what to do with it? Also, it has been warm ever since with no hope for freezing weather. So I guess for mid KY it is over :cry:. Time to start thinking about sorghum.

David

[skillet]

over all ready? we have not tapped yet. When do you guys first tap down in kentucky? Do you have a short season? Does it even snow that far south? The area we tap gets over 200"s of snow per year. Once it starts to snow around thanksgiving we rarely see the grass till mid march.

[afretired]

Yes, I really believe it is. The sap was running mid Jan up through the middle of this month. Now we don't get the kind of snow you get but we do get snow. One thing about Ky, if you don't like the weather just wait around a day or so, because it will change.

David

[adk1]

yikes, hasent even started a drop here yet!

[boondocker]

wow over all already huh? my main line is suspended about 5FT off the ground and i have no idea where it is lol..... my branch lines have sap in them and my barrel has some sap in it, but we need to lose some snow here bad before anything starts running to hard around my place. pretty crazy you guys start so early. hope you had a good year.

[220 maple]

afretired,
Don't throw that off favor syrup away, the Amish that make syrup I believe in Hopkinsville, Ky. had made over 200 gallons very early and was planning on bringing it to H. Brenneman in Someset County Pa. I would try to track them down and send it along, some money is better than no money. It will be grade C and bring the lowest price per pound maybe somewhere in the $1.75 range. maybe more maybe less? 11 pounds to the gallon, you due the math. 5 gallon times 11 = 55 pounds times 2 dollars for example 110 dollars, two rolls of tubing?

Mark 220 Maple

[BryanEx]

I just thought I'd mention that Kentucky is still at 0 in our Tap Count Poll (http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?t=10640) here on Maple Trader. See the first "sticky" in The Sugar Inn forum.

- Bryan

[nace]

well i'm hoping for freezing tonight for one more sap run. forecast for low 30's. same as last weeks forecast of low 30's, got to mid 20's and a nice little run. but after tonight, i'm pulling my taps. nace

[afretired]

Nace
I cooked after the last little run last week and it had an off flavor. I'm not going to waist the energy to try again. Yesterday I went down to Auburn to Federal Grove and talked with Lee Blythe. He was having about the same luck as I was having, his last cooking was "off" also. I hope you have better luck.

David

[Tim Wagoner]

Yes it is done. I made 95 Gal for the year I missed what I wanted by 5 gal. Sure wanted to see 100 gal but there is always next year. Like you now I am looking forward to sorghum can’t wait till time to plant. I am going to put an acre in the ground down in the bottoms may put some on the hill but last year lost all of it due to the dry weather. This weekend I will go out and start pulling all my taps flushing out my lines sealing them off until the next year. I collected my first sap Jan 4 and started cooking Jan 8 had 1500 gal in my tank when I started and made some real light syrup. Made me smile. Collected a total of 5244 gallons of sap my sugar content was down this year compared to last. Not sure why but my kids, wife and I and a few friends had a great time with the Maple this year. It still amazes me with the amount of sap that can come out of a tree and it not just rot due to the amount of moisture in the wood. So very cool! I hope everyone has a good Maple season.
Tim & Kelli Wagoner
T&K Farms
www.tk-farms.com

[The Birdman]

Tim I would say where you are yes. I'm about a week away.

[Kev]

Yes it is done. I made 95 Gal for the year I missed what I wanted by 5 gal. Sure wanted to see 100 gal but there is always next year. Like you now I am looking forward to sorghum can’t wait till time to plant. I am going to put an acre in the ground down in the bottoms may put some on the hill but last year lost all of it due to the dry weather. This weekend I will go out and start pulling all my taps flushing out my lines sealing them off until the next year. I collected my first sap Jan 4 and started cooking Jan 8 had 1500 gal in my tank when I started and made some real light syrup. Made me smile. Collected a total of 5244 gallons of sap my sugar content was down this year compared to last. Not sure why but my kids, wife and I and a few friends had a great time with the Maple this year. It still amazes me with the amount of sap that can come out of a tree and it not just rot due to the amount of moisture in the wood. So very cool! I hope everyone has a good Maple season.
Tim & Kelli Wagoner
T&K Farms
www.tk-farms.com

lol water does not rot wood, The combination of water and o2 rot wood.

[spud]

Yes, I really believe it is. The sap was running mid Jan up through the middle of this month. Now we don't get the kind of snow you get but we do get snow. One thing about Ky, if you don't like the weather just wait around a day or so, because it will change.

David

David,

Just looked at all your photos. What a nice set-up you and your family have. It's all about the family my friend. Enjoy everyday and have a great season.

Mike

[nace]

hello david: we went to the grove on saturday afternoon. saturday morning was the second day of a maple workshop with the butler co. ag extention, so we had two days of travel. i was going to boil sunday after church but had to run to louisville because my mom was sick( better now) so i iced down 30 gal. of sap in 5 gal buckets in an old chest freezer which i am glad i hadn't hauled off yet. still didn't boil till last night and so far it's good. 10 gal to near syrup in 8 hr's on my turkey fryer & roasting pan (after modifications) pouring off after each 5 gal. look's to be med amber but may get a little darker when i finish. i'm thinking it's lighter than your last batch because i did't tap till feb 21. i did have to dump the first 2 1/2 gal i had collected but the rest seems alright so far but i know i have to boil it quick which is hard to do at 1:15 min a gallon boil rate. have a great day...nace

[afretired]

Nace
I hope your mom is doing good. I've got most of my taps pulled and the lines removed. I thought about leaving them up but between the deer, cows, and falling limbs/trees I don't think there would be anything worth salvaging come next year. I hope your syrup turns out. My son has been cooking on a turkey fryer for the past two weeks in Morganfield. I think he is about fed up with the slow rate of boiling. He is cooking in the evenings after work and he gets three evenings on a 20lb bottle of propane. I believe we are going to have to build him a small wood fired evaporator for next year.

David