The Maple Hut

[softmaple]

I feel we are tapping really late this year with the weather the way it is. I'm going to tap this weekend and hopefully get a few gallons of syrup this year. I'm not counting on much. Today it is way too warm for February 1st. Can't wait to try out the new toys this year. We got a professional Cotton Candy Machine. Hopefully customers will be as excited about maple cotton candy as we are. If any local trader is looking for cotton candy pm me maybe we can work something out.

[wcproctor]

I'm in, I started yesterday got 140 in so far and in 24 hours got 75 gal of sap. Yes the is a F'ed up year! Good luck!

[SeanD]

Oh man, now I'm starting to stress out. I still have a couple things I have to finish up in my non-maple life, yet. A couple of days ago the long-range forecast had colder weather, but now it's in the 30's and 40's straight through to the 8th.

Do you guys have any ideas what your sugar levels are?

[MapLewis]

Mike,

We started tapping Monday... We have 100 or so taps out so far... Collected today & Boiled 100+ gallons on our oil rig tonight. Always anxious times with a new style rig. Today there were ants all over the tap holes and lots of moths (not Feb 1st signs). I hope to make a bunch of syrup real fast here before the trees bud out on us. I may tap more trees than I can handle just to get quick sap before its over.
Good luck!

[mapleman3]

Guys this really is not good....the issue will be now trees budding way too early. Sure we can get a freeze up...but hopefully before a bud out. Keep the faith...Mike how's the new little saphauler? growing fast important sure!

Im starting to feel not so bad about taking this season off...wow



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[David531]

Hi from Ashby, we've got maybe 80 taps out, it's been flowing good, we've got too much sap for our little Half Pint evaporator. Hopefully get thru it all by Sunday, but there's more comming i think. Got a few pots on propane finishing, and a new batch on the arch. We usually tap around valentines day, oh well, roll with it....
Looks good, lite nice flavor, lot of mother settling in the unfiltered, we'll filter the bigger batches this weekend.
Cheers, David

[sapbrush]

wow 70 taps on a half pint you must be busy i have boiled on one for years and i run maybe 45 taps and i cant keep up whats your secret, you have a blower on it

[PapaSmiff]

Mike,
I'm not tapping this year, since I'll be moving at the end of March. I have way too many other things to do, peparing for the move, so I can't be boiling sap. We are moving to Feeding Hills, near Robinson State Park. Unfortunately, there are NO maple trees in the yard of my new house. Next year, I'll solicit all of my daughter's neighbors in Agawam. The streets near her are lined with mature Sugars, Black Maples, and Norways. No competition for you, though. It's the other side of town.

Even though I'm not tapping myself, I still have the maple "bug". You may see me stop by on a Saturday or Sunday. I'm glad to help you out, if you need any help.

[softmaple]

we got in 173 taps 2 weeks ago and last saturday we boiled 432 gallons of sap. we figure it was about 4 to 7 gallons of light amber. this week so far we collected 6 gallons of sap it dosent look to good for boiling. the ro was awsome it took off 260 gallons of water or 18 hours of boiling. sorry i haven't written in a while family life gets busy. Fred is already collecting sap at 5 months old! I got proof too. i hope to boil on saturday if we get enough. hope all is well with your rigs.

Mike

[David531]

>>"wow 70 taps on a half pint you must be busy i have boiled on one for years and i run maybe 45 taps and i cant keep up whats your secret, you have a blower on it "


I work from home, so i can occassionally go out to the sugarhouse, throw some wood on and fill the preheater, still pretty slow when you've got barrells backing up, always thinking about upgrading, maybe next year, would love a 2 x 6. When the kids come home from school they collect sap and take over the evaporator. We bottled 2.5 Gallons of syrup yesterday, it's gotten dark, so i'm thinking we better pour on the steam.
Cheers, David