The end of a big season in Central OH

[maple marc]

Boiled off the last of my sap last night. Just the sweet remains. And it was a sweet season for my small operation. Final numbers aren't in yet, but I went over 41 gallons, which is a lot from 93 taps on a 2x4. We worked that evaporator very hard. Next year I hope to have extended it to a 2x6. I didn't make dark syrup until the last 10 gallons, starting last Friday, 3/15/2011, which was disappointing, because we like the darker syrup for candy making.

I was told here that it ain't over til you hear the Spring Peepers. Well, I haven't heard them yet and it really looks like it's over!

[talahi maple products]

Congrats on a great season, 41 gal on 93 taps is pretty impressive, Do you have vacume or just phenominal trees?

[sniperdodo]

HOLY MAPLE COW
That is more than three 500ml bottles per tap. Thats great. Did you check the syrup with a hydrometer because with gravity, those numbers almost seem to good to be true. Our season is just starting up so I hope I have as much success as you did.

[woodburner]

Sniperdodo, is your location Muncton NB? We are headed your way in Aug. Making the tour of the Maritimes with our small trailer and canoe. Have any must see ideas? We are having a great syrup year here one of the best ever. We have made 150 US gal. on 400taps.

[adk1]

wow I guess that is great. I will be tapping 100 trees on gravity and using a 2x4 next season. My goal is to make 15 gallons!

[maple marc]

Yesterday's boil put me at 46.6 gallons, and I still might squeeze out a little from the sweet in my pan. That puts me at .50 gallons of syrup per tap. I had 11 boils, and each batch was adjusted to exactly 67 brix with a hydrometer.

I have 93 taps, all on buckets. I am fortunate to have very, very good trees. Only one is what I would call "back in the woods." The other 92 are either in the yards, on a fence row, or next to a pond. I have been at this, on my small scale, since 2004, growing a little each year. I have learned which trees are superstars, bypassing the ones that do not produce. That is my advantage over the guys with lines. I know every tree. And I am lucky that I can pull my sap hauler right up next to almost every tree, so I can jump off, dump the buckets, and jump back on. I treat it like an aerobic workout. I can hit every bucket in 2 or 3 hours, and in a good run collect at least 250 gallons. My sap averaged about 2 percent.

I wish I had a better method of handling and filtering the hot syrup. It's just too risky pouring from one 5 gallon stock pot to another through a cone filter. I'm going to explore pressure filters. Could I pump the hot syrup from one stock pot to another? I guess the only risk would be a hose that got loose!

I hope everyone had a good season.
Marc