boiling in Iowa

[tbear]

Got back from vacation on Feb. 15th, tapped on the 16th, and boiled down 100 gallons sap today. The almost syrup is still in the pan and I'll finish it off on the stove tomorrow. The almost syrup color right now is really very light and it has an excellent sweet flavor. I do hope the next boil will be a bit darker as we seem to like that more "robust" flavor better. It was a good day despite the rain early in the A.M.. The improvments on the cinder block evap (an actual ramp, fire on a grate and not on the ground, seven foot extension on the chimny, and a small table top fan (my version of "forced air")) really made it a fun and smooth run. And boil? Man I'll say. Others might laugh at my 10 gal per hour but compared to last year? It was sweet (pun intended)!

[tbear]

Finished off and bottled seven and a half quarts today. It looks really nice and tastes great! I was a little disappointed getting less than two gallons of syrup from a day and a half of boiling/finishing/bottleing, but, who am I to complain? I bottled using two pots (one nested inside the other) with water in the outer pot and syrup in the inner pot using the water to bring the syrup up to 190 degrees. I'm hoping this will end the "where did that sugar sand come from? I filter it really well!" problem. Time will tell.

[tbear]

Boiled app. 80 gal. sap today and it only took 9 hours! My understanding is on a 2ft. by 4ft. flat pan thats about right for GPH. My Grandson Hunter came up to help me. I asked him earlier this week if he wanted to be my assistant, he thought that sounded like fun. I told him this morning that if he worked real hard and did a good job I'd promote him to "Chief Assistant". I went on to explain that if he was able to keep up the extremely high standards that I had set he could concivably reach that coveted position of "Executive Chief Assistant". Scaling the old corporate ladder now! He did a really good job and was more help than I'd really expected. He hauled firewood, filtered sap, ran the skimmer, fired the evap and kept the whole shabang running! Me? Not so much. Kinda gave directions," a little more wood", "a little less sap", "be sure to skim the edges good". It was great to spend the day with him. I think it gave his brain a break from thinking about girls! He's 13. We'll (he'll) finish the syrup off in the kitchen tomorrow. It looks really good so far.

[tbear]

Hunter and I finished off just under 1.5 gal this A.M.. I was explaining what a hydrometer was used for and that they were pretty fragile when I mentioned "on my wish list for next year I'd like another hydrometer (or two) and a few dozen more prefilters. After we had bottled up the syrup we went out to check buckets. Much to my disappointment I found I was missing 5 buckets! Casualties of the wind and swallowed by the creek no doubt. So I told hunter I should add five buckets to my wish list. His reply was that I might as well get twenty or twenty five more as there are lots more trees I could tap! I realize I'm probably biased (my grandson and all) but I really do think he "gets it"! What do you think? A maple junkie in the making? I sure had a good time sugar'in with him this weekend.

[mapleack]

Cool to hear about your success in Iowa, and good time spent with your grandson!

[tbear]

On Wednesday (March 7th?) boiled down about 85 gals. sap. I think I was close to 11 gph. Made the gaps wider on my angle iron grate and it worked like a charm. At least some part of the pan was boiling good all day and most of the day the whole pan was boiling hard. It was kinda fun to see! I think the little table top fan (my version of forced air) for air under fire and the longer stack helped too. Okay, so I'm sure of it! On Thursday (March 8th?) I finished it off in the kitchen (with my wifes blessings...what a girl!) and ended up with a little over 1.5 gals. I think it was the best of my season so far. I sure missed my grandsons help though..I was all stiffed up the following day! Hoping for one more boil (but then, I always am) but the weather may not allow it.

[upmep]

I am from iowa also. I tapped mainly boxelder and some silver maples. Made about 3 gallons total this year. Really enjoyed doing it. My dad helped some. Just wondering what trees you tap around here? My syrup got darker the later the season got. I think I liked the darker better.

[jeeptj19992001]

I am from iowa also. I tapped mainly boxelder and some silver maples. Made about 3 gallons total this year. Really enjoyed doing it. My dad helped some. Just wondering what trees you tap around here? My syrup got darker the later the season got. I think I liked the darker better.

boxelder? what kind of sugar constant can you get out that tree?
goggled it sweet, you syrup will get darker as the season goes on.