How much wood ?

[killingworthmaple]

I am planning on tapping 100 trees this year, I have never tapped this many before. The question is how much wood will I use. I have new 2x5 drop flue never boiled on it before. I was hoping some of you small producers could give me a guestimate of how much wood I should have ready.

Thanks
Nathan

[adk1]

No idea. I have a 2x6 drop flue. I have about 3 cord stacked. Dont think it will be enough. I will have about 120 taps.

[wiam]

The rule of thumb I have heard is 20 gallons of syrup/cord of wood boiling raw sap. This is a rough estimate.

[Dill]

All you can get or store before sugaring season. I don't know many people who shut down before they run out of wood.

[Jec]

I have about 2 cords for my lapierre 2x5. So you should probally shoot for that. I also will have 100 taps.

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

I will be running around 70-80taps. I have a half pint, and i have around 2 cords stackes and split, undertarp, thats almost alll hardwood, ready to go. If i use it, i use it, if i dont, i have more for next year. I would say with 100 taps, just have a good stack going because it goes fast.

[sjdoyon]

Everyone will tell you it's always better to have more than not enough. We are tapping 4,200+ next spring and were told to have at least 25 cords, we have about 30.


4,200+ Taps
7,5 HP Vacuum pump
Lapierre 600gph RO
3 SS 1500 gallon tanks
3x10 Inferno Arch
24x32 Sugarhouse

[adk1]

Think that is based upon hardwood though.

[red maples]

I tap 300 most on vac. on 2x6 drop ...last year I went through 6.5 cords and ran out of wood 7-8 cord would have been perfect. mostly white pine some hemlock and a little spruce. this year a spilt a slight bigger too so we'll see still dialing in. the season is only a few weeks so you gotta test what you can in the little time we have!!!

[killingworthmaple]

Thanks guys for the info. I have a cord stacked I will split some more today and stack it up. I agree it's better to have more than not enough.

[Brent]

OMG Brad that's astonishing. We have roughly 600 taps, and between the air over/under fire and the RO we used less than 2 cords. I had 3 cords laid up in one carport / tent and 3 cords in a second one. We didn't get 1/2 way through the first tent. It's full again and I think we're set for the next 2 to 3 seasons, maybe 4 if one of them is a bad one. I don't think we burned any more this year that we did last year on the 2x6 Phaneuf.

[Brent]

Anyone else having trouble with saving a edited post. I just tried to correct the above post to read 500 taps and it wouldn't take the edit. I tried to edit one a few days ago and that failed too !!

[mtcrumpit]

I have a 2x8, I burn mostly pine (white) and I use 1 cord for 10 gallons of syrup, very consistantly. I don't have a preheater or any of the other things. last year I made over 200 gallons, got to love those good years and burned a lot of wood. the price is right for the pine or I would use hard wood, for now the hard wood goes toward keeping the family warm. ready for another good year, hope it happens for a second year in a row.

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

I have about 2 cords ready. Hardwood mostly, alittle poplar. If i use it i do, and if i don't its there for next year. Just make sure you have wood, you don't want to run out mid-season.
I figure I won't burn all of it this season.

[BoarsNest]

Last year we had just over 120 taps and made about 22 gallons of syrup. We burned about 1-1/2 cord. We got into this years wood so the last day of boiling wasn't nearly efficient as we would have liked. Nothing like good dry wood. I have a 2 x 5 custom made flat pan evaporator.

[Cardigan99]

Last year we burned 3 cords of wood, mostly poplar and hemlock, for 46 gallons of syrup on a 2x6 raised flue.

[maple flats]

According to the North American Maple Syrup Producer's Manual, 25 gal/cord. I used 20 to guess ahead. Last year with 710 taps I had my best season ever and burned 7.5 cord on 206 gal produced. I had about 3x that ready and stacked. This year I will have up to a max of 1400 taps, all on vacuum (20") and I have about 20 cord, but will use much less wood because I bought an RO. Now I'll start putting up less wood, even though I'll expand for about 2 more years. At my age I expect to hold to the number I hit in 2 more years. Just maintaining will be enough work then.

[Ren]

Last year I burned 2 cords of hardwood and another 1.5 cords of soft wood like spruce, pine and anything that would burn. I made 34 gallons on a 2x4 divided flat pan with air under fire. I tapped 130 trees. There was a few 12 plus hour marathon boils. Hoping new pans will cut down on boiling time!

[adk1]

I have 2+ cord of 90% softwood, pine/hemlock. I am hoping that I have enough for around 120-150 taps on my 2x6