One order of extra light

[MustardSeedMum]

Cranked the old fisher wood stove up yesterday for a first run. As usual, he was a hungry fellow, eating through wood faster than the kids could collect them.

Ended up with 1 1/4L of extra light syrup from about 35L of sap. I've never made extra light before. Didn't think it was possible with my batch method.
Call me nuts, but I prefer the darker more maple-y flavour. This is like sugar with a hint of maple.

Pleasantly surprised at my sap to syrup ratio, though. Hopefully, that'll be the norm for my season. At my boil rate, I need all the help the trees can give.

I calculated that if I'm there to tend the fire to keep it cranked up, my evap rate is 1.5-2 gph.
School will be in session outdoors the next few weeks. Or maybe we'll just call it phys ed - collecting sap & hauling wood.:)

[maple flats]

Years ago we used to make syrup on a Fisher, (it is still heating our home). Try to get another pot or 2 if you can fit them on the Fisher. It seems we used to have 5 pots going and we kept a good fire going. We kept the nearest window open on each side of the Fisher as needed to keep it from getting too hot in the house.
Have fun, the kids will remember this and some are likely to do the same with their kids.

[happy thoughts]

I also used to evaporate on a Fisher though slowly in the house because it was our heat source. If you're using pots you might want to look for flat SS pans. I grew a nice collection through yard sales, etc. Flat square and rectangular pans will give you more surface area than round pots and with a couple of different size pans you might even be able to cover the whole stove top. Use the upper stove portion as a sort of preheater.

[MustardSeedMum]

Yes, I've heard that Fisher can drive you out of the house when it's fired up! We actually used to have it in our basement - but the cranky insurance company didn't want insure our home if we insisted on keeping it. So we got a new woodstove for the home and sent Fisher out to the yard - glad we kept it for sugaring!

I've got the biggest steam pan I can fit on the Fisher, a few roasting pans and pots. Whatever fits is on the stove.

5508This picture is from '09. Got to get another steam pan to make better use of the surface.