Tapping the 2013 Season

[Rossell's Sugar Camp]

Who will be the first to tap this season. it is looking warm in the 25 day forecase already.

[ennismaple]

Theron already won this contest! I know we'll be one of the last so my trigger finger's nowhere near itchy yet.

[Gary R]

Yeup, Theron should have started this thread, he's the man. I am cleaning the evaporator and tanks this weekend. I will decide on Monday if I will tap. I am seeing at least 5 days in a row good. A couple of them with rain. This would be very early but I'm sure some others will start.

[heus]

Gary how extensive did you clean your new evaporator when it was new? I did one test boil with baking soda but there is still residue left from the baking soda. Not sure if i should do another one or just rinse it out. Sorry for hijacking your thread Rossell.

[Jim Brown]

Well there is 14-16hes of snow in my yard yet and temps are Supposed to get to the 40's by the end of the week .I'm not going to hurry things just yet. Still have to get the water samples to the lab and get inspected before season gets started. Plan on the water samples Monday and will call the inspector When the sample report comes back.(about weds)
Still PLENTY of time

Jim

[Gary R]

Heus, I don't really remember if I used anything. I did have 2 test boils using about 200 gal. of water each time. The first draw tasted fine.

I'm still waiting until Monday to figure out if it's a go or no go. I'm headed out to take care of some porcupines. Then I'm tightening laterals just in case:)

[Father & Son]

Talked to Theron last night at Verona. He was thinking about being in the woods today.

Jim

[mapleguy]

just looked at long range forcast temps could be high 50's by nxt weekend but going below normal after that with snow still hoping for a normal avg. season

[Rossell's Sugar Camp]

i dont think its time yet. I would like to hold out until the 20th at least. preferably later.

[Gary R]

I'm hoping this can be the thread that everyone can post in. Traditionally, this has been the thread that everyone can keep track of how every ones season is going. Jump in everyone!

OK, enough of the chatter of should I or shouldn't I. I put my 134 vacuum taps in tonight. The pump is running at 27.5". Unfortunately I forgot to drain my ladders the last warm spell. They were frozen and I couldn't get the vacuum to the taps. The laterals weren't frozen. I'll turn the pump back on in the morning and it will probably stay on for a week. We should see three days of about 50 degrees and even three days of no freeze.

If anyone wants to stop over they are welcome. I should be making syrup about Friday. The weekend looks the best and I'll boil in the late afternoon. Good luck everyone and I hope someone else starts up.

Theron, are you starting the pump back up?

[Maplewalnut]

Gary good luck. I am sitting this warm spell out, I am just not ready. Cold again starting next week then all bets are off after that.

Mike

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

Put out 45 taps today. All on CV'c and gravity execept the one I tapped a few days ago, with a bucket, but hung on a CV. I tested the sap that came from the bucket from a silver maple, and it was about 1.7%. So I will see what happens...

[Rossell's Sugar Camp]

i am not biting into the warm weather yet. I am still preparing!!! we just put a cupola on the sugar shack yesterday!! i cut in 40 drop lines tonight when i got home. its a hard job with a one handed tool :lol: I am estimating that i will be tapped within 2 weeks. probably not within one week though.

[Dennis H.]

I also think it may be a wee early. I tapped around the 20th last year.
I am all for watching the weather and not the calender but I think it is just a little early. I'll see after this warm spell.

I'll be taking advantage of the warm spell though, I have tanks and evap pans to clean. Wow, not instant frozen water on the tanks trying to get them clean, this will be a nice change.
I also still need to get my yearly inspection done and I really don't want to deal with that while I am trying to make syrup.

[PATheron]

Dennis- I have the pump running now. I turned it on two days ago to keep the lines flushed out. Nothing has been running really just a releaser full per day. I have a couple things to hook up today to make two of the bushes work. Im going to do that this morning then I think its going to thaw out today some and I can start fixing leaks. Have had a lot of problems with porcupines. Good luck Dennis. Your a lot south you always get sap sooner. Theron

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

Yeah, I am not so sure how well this will work, as I am still not ready all the way, but everything is set up so that I will be able to boil... I just want to make some early syrup!

[Jim Brown]

We are not going to 'bite' on this warm spell Temp here this morning was 12' .we need to move vac pumps and gen trailers into the woods this week.Our scheduled day is Feb 9th at this point. Going to watch the weather after this short warm up

Jim

[ryoung]

Anyone know where I could get some PA jugs to bottle in(pints, halfs, etc) ?? I'm in DuBois area

[Gary R]

Try Dave Y on the trader here. He is located in Marianeville. Just send him a PM. Or, Jack Flargihty in Siegel. I work in Dubois at least one day a week. It would be great if I could stop in.

[Kyle M]

I tapped over the weekend I only have 5 gravity feed taps for something to do, I should have about 20gallons to boil down Sat Morning

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

I had 45 taps out as of yesterday and I only got 3-4 gals. today... :cry: And about 3 of that was out of 10 sugar maple taps. I think the reds are being picky today. These are all on CV's.

[Cameron670]

We tapped a few trees last night, moreso as an experiment than "starting the season" . I will post our results... Dad has the itch, its pretty funny. He is supposed to be working on the house.

Karl

[Gary R]

Good news and bad, mostly good. Only about 10 gal. yesterday. I dumped it as line cleaner, rinsed the tank and sap sock. Only about 30 gal. today. My bush is cold because it has a slight NE slope. The good news is that today's sap measured 1.9. Last year the best I was getting was 1.2. The best thing is the forecast for the weekend keeps getting hotter and sap weather extends into the middle of next week.

[PATheron]

Gary- Ive been getting the same thing here. Ive had the pump on since last saturday and it will warm up enough to put some cloudy sap in the releaser and Ive been running it on the ground. Last night it was finally thawing the lines out and you could here the change in the vac pump tone in the house as the leaks were showing up. Im hoping it thaws out enough today to get leaks fixed tonight and then Im thinking one real good run this weekend Im hoping. Ive had a lot of damage from a porcupine one on of the woods this year. Theron

[Mdot76]

I put out 4 taps yesterday as i logged on to mapletrader and saw some people were tapping already.
I got 5 gal out of 3 reds and one sugarmaple which are in my yard.
I will set out 20 taps down the road from me later. I'm afraid to pull the trigger on those
yet dont want to annoy the landowner with buckets everywhere for weeks on end with no sap to show for it.
Is there any harm in tapping early?
I know the tree can start to heal over but couldnt you just tap it again, or ream the hole slightly?
Just trying to figure out how to catch these early runs.
As a hobbyist the longer the season the more time i can spend sugaring.
THANKS everyone

[Dennis H.]

Once you drill the tap hole the clock starts ticking. Now if you get a freeze up that really slows down the clock but the clock is still ticking.

This weekend does look like excellant weather for sap running. I was going to decide what I was going to do this weekend, I am leaning to holding off a but longer. Next week for us shows that the highs will not get above freezing so I feel it isn't quit the right time yet.

[KV Sappers]

I agree with Dennis. As enticing as this weather has been the forecast for next week brings winter back. Highs not even above freezing. Forecasters are saying Artic air is on it's way for the end of Jan into Feb. Last year I tapped Jan. 24 which was earlier then 2011 and I ended the season Feb.28. I'm hoping this season is colder then last year. I think we're all a little jittery because of last year. I'll keep an eye on the forecast and go from there.

[Mdot76]

Still alittle confused what do you mean by the clock is ticking?
Couldn't i start with 5/16 spiles and redrill to 7/16 if the tree starts to heal
would that be bad for the tree to have an open wound for too long? Is that the issue?
How long can u have a tap in for?
Thanks

[Gary R]

Well it wasn't too bad of a sap day. I got 113 today, add yesterdays and I just boiled 143 gal. It's starting to smell good. Warm weather and rain tomorrow. Hoping for BIG SAP! The evaporator sure eats wood:) My new front hood stack is only OK. Still some steam, probably need a 10". It was pretty hot in the shack tonight, I'll just keep the windows open. I'm not concerned about the early tapping. We'll see how long the check valves keep the holes open. Worst case I get to visit other sugarmakers in March!

Mdot76, if using buckets they may only last for 4-6 weeks depending on temperatures. They are exposed to the air and more bacteria. Reaming has not worked that well. You may try to look for more trees. Tap roadsides and south facing slopes early. Then tap woods trees later. This could extend your season.

[Rossell's Sugar Camp]

I am not tapping until probably february at the looks of this forecast. Kv Sappers is right about the forecast. Here is a link to a 25 day forecast below for my neck of the sugar bush.

25 DAYS!!!!!!!!!
http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/coal-center-pa/15423/month/2129142?view=table

[Vermont Creation Hardwood]

I began tapping yesterday and will have at least one hundred taps in today. The forecast is for 39 today, 31 tonight, 42, 43, and 34 for Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Every hole I drilled yesterday ran. I'm starting with my most sun exposed trees. Managed to get one hundred of the new clear check valves from Leader. They don't have them on the shelves, you have to ask for them.

I put all my drops and laterals together in the field as I go from tree to tree. My trees are spaced out. My set up is gravity, using 5/16 down to my barrels, no mainlines. I've got a gentle slope in most places, maximum 15 to 20 feet of head.

It froze nicely tonight after a warm day yesterday and several above freezing days and nights previous. I want to get the first run this January, and any subsequent runs late January, early February. Last year was a disaster and there was no usable sap in March. Waiting till March anywhere is a losing strategy. Using the new check valves I hope to keep the taps open as long as possible. I prefer the early runs to the later ones.

[FunnyFarm]

Tapped about 83 so far. Figure to end up somewhere round 300 this year.
I'll likely hold off on the rest for another few weeks. Good luck everyone...

[Gary R]

The sap flowed pretty good today. I got 195 gal. from 5PM last night until 8PM tonight off of 136 taps. The Maple Baron, Dave Y was over for the evening. We made about 2 gal. of light amber:D Sugar content is bad at 1.1. The sugar sand is outrageous. No freezes for a couple of days. I hope the vacuum can keep pulling the sap.

I stopped and talked to Joe Burkett on the way home. He was re-mounting tanks. He put a piggyback on his Force 5. One big shiny machine!

[Dennis H.]

It looks like I might be tapping this coming week. I went up to the cabin to walk around the woods and the snow is melting fast. There still is a good base of snow on the north side of the ridge where my trees are but it is melting.

I checked the forecast and after Monday the temps are looking perfect for sap running. I would tap now but it isn't to get back below freezing until Monday so I think after work Monday morning I will be tapping. Then I will be on schedule for every morning doing a sap run after work.

I didn't think about until I was already 1/2 way to the cabin, I should have taken my drill with me to check the sugar content of the sap on trees that I am not tapping. I am curious how it is doing compared to last year, I guess I will find out on Monday.

[Gary R]

I got 175 gal. today and made about 1 1/2 gal. of medium. Sugar content still 1.1:( Some backyarders from the other side of the woods were over. Plenty of tasting going on. The snow is pretty much gone.

Dennis, good to hear your getting in the game. Good luck!

Anyone else actually making syrup?

[Kngowods]

Gary R how are your 3/16 gravity tubing working out?

[neil platt]

anyone tapping in new york yet??

[Gary R]

Kngowods, I don't have the 3/16 tapped yet. I'm going to wait for a warm up in February for those. All the sap I'm getting is off of 136, vacuum at 28 on the pump. I just checked the tank and I have another 100 gal. already.

Neil, a couple of guys are. Check out Brian Ryther and another in the finger lakes with 400 buckets.

No freeze in three days and the sap keeps coming in. Cold weather is coming tonight. I think I'm going to hold off draining the evaporator. We still should make the mid 30's a couple of days later this week. I want to see if anything runs. I have a heater for the arch. I might drain and clean the front pan today. The sugar sand is incredible.

[Gary R]

Collected and boiled 178 gal. today. Still 1.1 and we have moved to dark amber. This is unfortunately typical for us.

I have tested my boil rate. I installed separate blowers for air over and under this summer. Using both blowers I measured 55 gal./hr. yesterday. Today I ran under fire air only and got 55 gal./hr.:confused: I'm going to fuss with the dampers some more. However, maybe it will be better without the noisy high pressure blower.

[Jim Brown]

Gary; Hope you turn your pumps off soon! the maple trees in my yard have shrunk 6 inches with you pulling 28' LOL

Jim

[Dennis H.]

Well I am pulling the trigger and tapping the trees this morning.
The next week temps look awesome and with the past few days as warm as it was they should now be up and running.
Not sure the exact number but will know when I get back.

[Dennis H.]

It is offical I am now all tapped in. The final count for taps is 222.
The trees are running like crazy. The little hobby releaser was dumping right at 1 minute intrevals!!
I was not able to check the sugar content, I forgot the refractometer. I will check it tomorrow when I go back up to empty the tank.

It looks like tomorrow will be kind of busy for me. I have to run up to get the sap, the guy from the dept of Ag is coming in the afternoon for the annual inspection and then I will be boiling.

[Paddymountain]

Way to go Dennis H. 222 taps is a fair amount. with decent sugar content you might break 50 gal!!!!

[wiam]

Way to go Dennis H. 222 taps is a fair amount. with decent sugar content you might break 50 gal!!!!

With decent vacuum he might break 100gal

[KV Sappers]

[QUOTE=Dennis H.;199696]It is offical I am now all tapped in. The final count for taps is 222.
The trees are running like crazy. QUOTE]
Good for you Dennis. At the rate your going you'll soon have to turn this into a full time business. Keep up the good work and may the sap gods rain sweet nectar on you.

[Dennis H.]

Collected 200 gals of 1.5% sap. This should get me about 3 1/2 gals of syrup
The trees are running nicely today also, not as good as yesterday but good.

This will be the most sap that I every collected in a day and for that matter at one time!

[Turtlecreek]

HELLO OUT THERE!!!!, I made it throught the summer!!!

Anyway, I'm not tapping yet, I think I'm going to wait this out until the first of Febuary, at least. I have a noth facing sugar bush, and it takes forever for it to warm up, I almost have to wait for temps in the 50's to get everyting flowing. I have been working on my house so I'm no where near ready. I still have to clean everyting, get inspected, build a new evaporator door, tap, well you get the idea.

Good luck!

[lastwoodsman]

Collected 200 gals of 1.5% sap. This should get me about 3 1/2 gals of syrup
The trees are running nicely today also, not as good as yesterday but good.

This will be the most sap that I every collected in a day and for that matter at one time!

I gotta ask while sitting here in frozen Minnesota with temps dropping to -15 this week-end. Is this normal for you folks out there to be tapping and making syrup in January or is this earlier than your records show? After last year I am not sure what normal is and have never followed tapping to the east such as yourselves.
I am reading this thread and thinking wow this must be early for them as well.
Woodsman

[Dennis H.]

Yes this is early for me, but I do not tap to the calendar I tap to when the weather says.
Last season I was tapped in at the 22nd of Jan. So this year it is just about a week early.

I am seeing very favorable weather up until around Sun then it is to get a little colder, but just for a few days.

Turtle creek as for north facing trees go that is all I have. This past weekend of 60 degrees got it really going. You are not that much farther north than I am. I personally wanted to wait a few more weeks but I will take what I can get.

[bnbmaplesyrup]

Woodsman
I see you are in east central minn. We are in central Iowa and looking for a sugar bush set up on tubing for gravity and vaccum. Was wondering where you are located and if you allowed vistors to see your set up

Thanks Bill

[Gary R]

Lastwoodsman, I am still but a beginner with only 6 season under my belt. But the weather told me go:) I would never do it with bucket as this is extremely early. Calling for 45 on Saturday, maybe more sap! The big producers start tapping the first of the year and make syrup when they can so why can't we? We don't get near as cold down here. However, it still takes about 3 days in the 40's to get a run after a deep freeze. It was 67 here on Sunday:o

[Paddymountain]

Gary R.
I find it interesting that you had 67 on Sunday. Weatherman was calling for the same here in Central Pa. It barely hit 40 on Saturday, and only 37 on Sunday, it was steamy and foggy all day. I'm sure if the sun could have burned it off we would of had the same temps. Next week and the first week of Feb looks like honest to goodness winter, we'll see if they are right!!!

[lastwoodsman]

Woodsman
I see you are in east central minn. We are in central Iowa and looking for a sugar bush set up on tubing for gravity and vaccum. Was wondering where you are located and if you allowed vistors to see your set up

Thanks Bill

Hi Bill
Sure I love to have visitors! My sugarbush is located in the Sandstone Minnesota area which is 50 miles south of Duluth or 90 miles north of the twin cities on I35.
I am watching the fellas out east as the weather man is shooting for -25 at the sugar shack this week-end and early next week. I wll be tapping the first week-end of March which is about two weeks early for the area. Now if it would warm up earlier I will go up and tap earlier.
I have a pretty simple or basic system. there are other producers that are on your way up to see as well on the eastern edge of Wis. and a big one by North Branch right off 35. PM me and I can give you details.
Right now I am living in the enjoyment of the eastern folks making syrup in Jan!
Woodsman

[Dennis H.]

I am still boiling as I type, I've been at since 12:30 this afternoon.
I should get it all done before calling it quites for the night.

I have been drawing off some really light syrup. What a difference from last year when I made one batch of medium and the rest dark.

[psparr]

I am still boiling as I type, I've been at since 12:30 this afternoon.
I should get it all done before calling it quites for the night.

I have been drawing off some really light syrup. What a difference from last year when I made one batch of medium and the rest dark.

I tapped two weekends ago at the cabin. (Buckets) Was 6 days till I could get back up to boil. Temps were 50's a couple days. Only collected about 50 gallons, didn't have that many taps in. But made a little over 1-1/2 gallons very light syrup.
Weather looks good this week yet, but cold the next.

[adk1]

I am still boiling as I type, I've been at since 12:30 this afternoon.
I should get it all done before calling it quites for the night.

I have been drawing off some really light syrup. What a difference from last year when I made one batch of medium and the rest dark.

a few pics would be great for us that are still holding off!

[Gary R]

I boiled 65 gal. of sap in tonight. Most of it came from Sunday night. I drew off some more syrup. I have about 7 gal. It was 35 today and the laterals were full. My sap ladders are frozen so nothing came in.

Dennis, we need to get a friendly wager or poll going. What will you get next year, a bigger evaporator or an RO?:lol:

Paddymountain, that's strange about the temperature difference. Your probably only 100-150 miles from me. Heck it was around 60 on Saturday also.

[psparr]

6350
The day I tapped the temp was low thirties, and they were running like crazy.

[Dennis H.]

I'll take some pics tomorrow when I boil the sap I got today. Not sure who has a facebook account but I have been posting little comments and pics on my facebook page. I have a link to it in the signature below.

I finished up with the 200 gals of sap from yesterday at 8pm. I am still amazed how light the syrup is coming off the evap. I drew off less than I thought for the amount of sap I ran thru it but then again I started out with a fresh clean evap so I guess it took a bunch to sweeten the pans. Now I think I will drawoff more tomorrow.

Gary I don't think I will buying anything new for next year. I would really like an RO but it will have to wait maybe another year. I goal this years is to make as much syrup as I can with what I got. I carried over a bunch of vacation time from last year so I will be able to take off work more if needed when I have a lot of sap to boil.

[Dennis H.]

Finally done for the day, I get thru the 140 gals that I collected yesterday.
I had no intent running for sap this morning as the temps never really got much above freezing yesterday. I then got a frantic mother and dad stoping by telling me that the tank at the cabin was full again and I needed to get up there now!
So luckily I had yet to fire up the evap, so hitched up the trailer and ran for sap, got another 200 gals of 1.5%.

It amazes me that in just 3 days I have collected 1/3 of what I got the entire season last year!

Where is everyone else here in PA, it is like things just stopped. Gary you still boiling? I know Theron is still going that is why we don't hear from him.

[psparr]

My taps are in shade gap pa, near raystown lake.
Going up tomorrow to boil. Hope the buckets are full. I'll report on flow when I get home Sunday.

[Dennis H.]

psparr, your taps are not that far from mine. Dad's cabin is in Juniata county below Cross Keys. Not sure if you are familar with that area.
Good Luck.

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

Im done up here for now, too cold. Getting things cleaned up and ready for next month

[Gary R]

Dennis, wait until the sap really flows. Your going to want that RO :) Vacuum really does it. I am froze up. If I ever decide to re-do my tubing I will put in a remote pump house. Vacuum pump, releaser and sap pump in a small heated shack. If I got rid of the ladders I would get sap on them low 30* days. Saturday we should get into the 40's. I'll turn the pump back on for that. Sunday I am draining the whole evaporator. We will have a few days with single digit temperatures next week. I need to filter and can syrup on Sunday. I have someone who wants 12 pints.

[heus]

Clark how much syrup did you make?

[haymaker]

It's funny only a thousend Km away from Pennsylvania here in Northeast New Brunswick and temp this morning is -9 F. Good weather for working in the bush thou, cause you dont have to worry about getting wet. Here along the coast we tap around Mar. 1st.

[heus]

[QUOTE=Gary R;200246]Dennis, wait until the sap really flows. Your going to want that RO :) Vacuum really does it. I am froze up. If I ever decide to re-do my tubing I will put in a remote pump house. Vacuum pump, releaser and sap pump in a small heated shack. If I got rid of the ladders I would get sap on them low 30* days. Saturday we should get into the 40's. I'll turn the pump back on for that. Sunday I am draining the whole evaporator. We will have a few days with single digit temperatures next week. I need to filter and can syrup on Sunday. I have someone who wants 12 pints.[/QUOTE
Gary are you still happy with the evaporator? With my welded evap I never worried much about draining it during the cold but with soldered I assume you always need to drain it or put a light under it?

[Dennis H.]

Yeah an RO would be nice, someone should come up with a rental unit that I could rent for now.

It looks like I will have another 2 really good weather days then it will get cold for me also. That will give me a few days to catch up things. But it looks like by the end of next week things will be back up and running.
I am more worried about running out of wood. I don't think I am using any more wood for the amount of sap I have run thru the evap it's just that I will have that much more sap to boil. That may be the deciding factor when I stop.

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

Heus I will let you know when I finish it on the stove, which is boiling right now. Didnt have enought to fraw off, so I pushed the sweet out of the back, and into front, then am finishing it and cleaning evap. I will say that sugarsand is bad this year..

[Gary R]

I turned the pump back on this morning and headed to an all day forestry conference. It was 48 when I got home but only about 40 gal. of sap. I'm going to run it all night and boil in the morning. I also heard today that someone in Erie county has already made 100-150 gallons.

Dennis, if your thinking about enough wood on January 18th, you could be in trouble:lol:

Heus, I didn't have enough heat under it yesterday and I had ice on all compartments:o I would think even welded you would not want your flues to freeze solid. I am very happy with the evaporator. I just want to be cautious.

Haymaker, we do have variable weather. It is rare for us to have snow on the ground for more than a few weeks at any time anymore.

Anyone else making syrup?

[Dennis H.]

Boiled for more than 7 hours today. Got thru a lot of the sap that I have on hand but still have more to go.
I still have maybe 120 gals left!!
I know the trees ran today and I am thinking I have a full tank of sap waiting for me. The temps were in the mid to high 40's and the sun was out all day!
I am running up in the morning first thing to fetch the sap. We have one more day of nice weather and then it will get cold for a week.
Not too bummed out about that it will give me a chance to give the syrup pan a good cleaning and also clean the flue pan. Also will allow me to finish and filter the syrup that I made today and the syrup I will make tomorrow.

The niter/sugarsand has been really bad for this early in the season.

[Gary R]

Forgive me guys but I have sinned:o My tank was overflowing this morning. It didn't freeze last night. My 200 gal. tank is full. I pumped some to the head tank. I'll start boiling pretty soon. I might be at it for 5 hours. The sap was only 1%.

[Dennis H.]

This is truning out to the best year yet!
I just fired up the evap once more today and I have alot of sap to get thru. I went to empty the sap tank at the cabin and had another 200 gals and the releaser was dumping like crazy. I might run back up this evening to empty it once more befor the big freeze up for the rest of the week.
As it stands now I have collected 840 gals all right at 1.5%. I have a feeling it will be another 200 gals again when I go back up. Right now I have collected 1/2 as much as last year and in just 7 days!!

[Gary R]

Everything's drained and put away. I did not boil down the syrup pan. It might be a couple of weeks before my steam stacks close. It was 20* after I shut down and I had 2' icicles hanging off them. Jim Brown was over and we filtered 8.75 gal. Some medium and most dark. Great thing is I already sold 4.5 gal. of it. This early boiling has brought me about 25% of last years crop already. I've boiled almost 1000 gal.

[Dennis H.]

Great job Gary. You are already making dark?

I just ran for more sap, my dad gave me a call to let me know that the tank needed emptied. Added another 190 gals of sap to the total.
I right there with you Gary. It will make 1030 gals of sap so far, in just one week.
Mine as been staying right at what I would call a light medium.

[Dennis H.]

This evening was time to finish off the syrup that I made over the weekend. I added just a hairy inder 4 gals to the total.
I will be boiling again tomorrow, I still have about 300 gals of sap to get thru. Good thing is that it is to get very cold tonight so it shouldn't be a problem storing the sap.
Maybe I'll have a little natural RO action going on and help with me reducing that a little.

[Maplewalnut]

Excellent job guys! Looks like we're all in the freeze now for a week or so

[umpwood1]

I am all ready. Can't wait to fire up the new A&A 2x6. The next warm spell, I'm goin' in !:cool:
" Practice is over..It's game time "
Woody

[Turtlecreek]

Just a quick question for you guys, I am going to try some 5/16 taps this year, what size hole are you drilling with these, I currently ust 7/16 cast spouts, but I'm going to start the switch over if I like what I see with the 5/16

[mapleack]

5/16 hole, 1.5" deep

[happy thoughts]

Just a quick question for you guys, I am going to try some 5/16 taps this year, what size hole are you drilling with these, I currently ust 7/16 cast spouts, but I'm going to start the switch over if I like what I see with the 5/16

what mapleack said, but just make sure you actually have 5/16 spouts. 19/64 are also sold which is just a hair narrower so you'll need to use a different bit accordingly.

[Dennis H.]

I am still boiling, but is it freaking cold out here!
Kind of sucks having to keep a door or window open to get the steam out.

It looks like I will be running for another 2 hoours yet this evening before calling it quits. This work BS really get s in my way boiling sap!

[KV Sappers]

I am still boiling, but is it freaking cold out here!
Kind of sucks having to keep a door or window open to get the steam out.

It looks like I will be running for another 2 hoours yet this evening before calling it quits. This work BS really get s in my way boiling sap!

Hey Dennis, wanted to tell you great job your doing this year. I'm biteing the bullet this weekend. The timeing just did not work for me last week. Sometimes this being retired can get in the way of things. LOL. Love your facebook page. The videos have been great. Seeing the responses on your facebook page I'm sure your business will increase ten fold. I know you tapped at the cabin and I assume you did at home also. Your runs are impressive. Hopefully, the sap gods will thaw out this weekend and gush us all with tons of sweet nectar.

[Dennis H.]

I actually did not tap the trees here at the house yet! I am not sure if I will even.
If I end up getting 200 gals every day from the trees at the cabin that will be more than enough for me. I am not even sure if I will be able to handle that then if I got even more form the trees here at the house!

[Turtlecreek]

Ok thanks guys. I figures 5/16, but I just wanted to make sure since this is my first go around with these new spouts. I'm getting the Laparriere straight clear spouts.

[Gary R]

Dennis, maybe after this season you and I can get together on a couple of home built RO's. You could use it for your sap volume. I keep thinking about it because of my low sugar content. It's disheartening to boil many hours and only get a couple of gallons of syrup. I would have to hold sap though in order to make boiling worth while. There are some good threads out there and I can look at a few RO's.

It looks like I've started a home built auto draw off:)

Maplewalnut, did you ever go for the helicopter ride scouting trees?

[Dennis H.]

Boy was it painful boiling this evening. Still need to get thru a little more said that I got over the weekend.
It is so darn cold I am having a heck of a time getting said to the head tank. The pump is in the sugar house and warm but the sap starts to freeze in the hose as soon as I start the pump up.
I called it quits when I had to hand feed sap to the head tank.
I have some syrup to finish and filter so I will do that tomorrow and the temps are to get a little warmer by Fri so that is when I plan on finishing up with the boiling.
Next week looks like a good sap running week so I am also going to get the pans cleaned out hopefully.

Gary sounds like a cool project. As for the auto draw off I found a place to get the pid controllers cheap. I use one for my vac pump controller.
The biggest question is what type of valve to use.

[waysidemaple]

Dennis - what's the gallon count?

Started tapping late today. 100 in. Got the R.O. Hooked up to electric today so just have to put the membranes in and everything is ready. Hoping to get 500 or better in tomorrow.

Scott

[Gary R]

Stay tuned, I ordered the controller yesterday and bought other hardware today. We have sourced all the parts the most popular draw off uses. I'll start a thread when I get to working on it.

[jrthe3]

Gary I in with you on the home built ro also

[Maplewalnut]

Maplewalnut, did you ever go for the helicopter ride scouting trees?

Gary-

Never got up in the air soon enough, it got so warm I missed the green tip phase last spring. Hopefully this year because I need more trees!!!!

Good luck
Mike

[Dennis H.]

I am at 10 gals bottled as of today.
Not to bad for just one weeks worth of boiling.

[FunnyFarm]

Looking like a run this week and the next...Gonna tap the rest of my trees should end up with round 300 this year. My guess is the season is here!

[mapleack]

We put in about 600 taps today, another 200 or so to go tomorrow, then wash tanks, set releasers, test vacuum. May start running Monday!

[Dennis H.]

I finished and filtered the rest of the syrup that I have made this week.
The total for the 1st week is 12gals, 1 quart.
Looks like things will start to run again on Monday and I have everything ready to go.

[Z/MAN]

Anyone seen the long range forecast? After this two day heatwave I don't see any warm weather till mid Feburary.

[psparr]

Anyone seen the long range forecast? After this two day heatwave I don't see any warm weather till mid Feburary.

Is the weatherman ever right?

[Maplewalnut]

Paul-

I am tapping tomorrow. Saw the same forecast but I like a little run to get the last bugs worked out and chase leaks before the real season begins!!!

Mike

[Dennis H.]

The forecast I saw for down here is kind of odd.
Warm up for a few days then cold for a few then back to a few warm days. It like that for as far out that I can see.
Looks god to me. The cold days will give me the time to catch up.

[KV Sappers]

I'm tapping tomorrow. 15 on buckets, 4 on tubing. Figured it was time I tried this tubing. Gravity right now but who knows about next year.

[oldboyscout]

last year I tapped too late and ended up with nothing, but I'm still afraid to tap now. I'm a newb with only 12 taps. Should I really go out today? I'm in NE PA a little north of Wilkes Barre.

[happy thoughts]

I'm a little west and north of you. I think it's too early, especially for the small number of taps you have. You may not collect enough sap in in the days it might flow this week to make boiling .... and equipment cleanup.... worthwhile.

Also, if you're on buckets like me you run the risk of a shorter season because the taps will close up/slow down by the time of the good runs. I am waiting until around Valentine's Day or a little before because the long range forecast looks promising then. That would still be a bout 2 weeks earlier than what is normal around here. Most around here tap around March 1. Last year was unusual. I tapped on Groundhog Day and wasn't sorry. But I don't see this year being a repeat of last.

If you really have to try, just put half your taps in then wait a few weeks on the rest.

Just my 2 cents. I think this will only be my seventh year sugaring and I've never been anything but small. Others with more experience may have a different opinion than mine. Whatever you decide, hope you have a great year:)

[oldboyscout]

I'm still trying to get a system developed. I got a 55g drum for collection and have to cut and fit it. 5/16 health spouts that my buckets don't fit on, etc... So I'd love to have more time anyway.

[Springfield Acer]

I just got home from camp enjoying the last day of grouse season and hoped to get a good indicator of whether or not to tap from the weather forecast and this thread. I will have 120 on gravity and close to 100 on buckets. Everything this year is new including the evaporator so I'd like to get some boiling started while it's slow. On the other hand, after this brief warm up there's not much predicted for two weeks and I do not want my taps starting to close off in the peak later on. If I'm tapping today, I've got to start right now. If I only tap half, I will probably not get enough to even do a boil. As I am writing this, it has occurred to me that with the long delay after this week, I will not be able to leave the current batch in the rig waiting and will therefore have to drain the rig and finish it in the turkey fryer and do a complete clean up. I guess I'm waiting til around Valentines Day too......:cry:

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

Yeah up here its supposed to get real warm for two days in mid week, then cold again for a bit. Im thinking around the 10th or sometime around valentines day but no one knows for sure... :rolleyes:

[psparr]

Here's my little observation/ accidental experiment.

I was reading in the fall about fall tapping, and put in one aluminum bucket spout in November. Didn't get a drop out of it the whole weekend we were there at the cabin.
I left the tap in the tree without a bucket until I tapped most of my trees the first week of January. Hung a bucket on it and it is producing just as much sap as the rest

My question is, does the cold really effect the healing process as much as warmer weather would? I know it was only one tree (not very scientific) But none the less, it is flowing.

[waysidemaple]

I've got about 1700 in right now. I figure I'm about half way done with tapping. Looks like a warm up beginning of the week so hopefully ill get some sap. Should be a good little trial run for the vac pump, releaser and R.O. After this warm up ill go back to tapping. As of now the weather shows go time to be about valentines day.

Scott

[KV Sappers]

Well, I'm up and running. Put 19 taps in today on buckets. 4 of these are on droplines. Hoping the droplines help cleanup all the ants and moths I get. Trees were actually running a little today. Next couple of days look good.

[Dennis H.]

Alright KVSappers, way to go.
It does look like the next 4 or so days will be good running days.

[Beeman16137]

Decided to bite, put in 57 yesterday, all on tubing going to jugs. Looking at putting in more today. A bit concerned it may be too early (looks like after Wed. the bottom is going to fall out and it'll get cold again) but have been bit by the bug so figured we'd get them in yesterday and today. Should be able to put in another 25 at the house and another 25 at the farm. My oldest says she'll keep the D&G fired up during the day so that'll be a great bit of help. Getting some ideas for next year already to have some barrels at the farm but will need a pump to transfer to a holding tank.

[mapleack]

821 taps in as of yesterday, that's all I've got up at the moment. Tanks washed, releasers set. Hopefully be boiling tomorrow.

[berry boy]

put in 1777 over the weekend ran some today but I,m just letting it flush the lines for a few days.

[Maplewalnut]

Got about 800 in the last two days. Mix of cdl smart spouts with new drops, cv first gen and cv second gen on old drops. I'll wait a few more weeks for buckets though.

[Gary R]

HOLY SAP! It's great to see a bunch more jump in and make syrup. I hope the sap starts flowing well for you all. I did not expect to start getting sap until tomorrow because of how cold it's been. But tonight I turned my pump back on and the sap is pouring in. I have my front pan cleaned and back on. The sweet is half thawed. My father is coming over Wednesday. He has yet to see this rig boil. He's going to learn the ropes so he can help boil the first half of March.

[Dennis H.]

Yeah Gary it looks like we are going to have some sap coming in this week.

How are the trees on the 3/16 doing?

[Turtlecreek]

Im still not biting! It is going to get COLD again next week, so im going to sit on the sidelines until Febuary. I still have a little work to do on the arch, and im waiting for some new spiles.

[Gary R]

I just pumped up to the head tank to make room in the bulk tank. I probably should be using one of my bigger bulk tanks. The sap ran about 1 gal. per tap in just the last 12 hours. Sap at an impressive 1.1%:(

Dennis, I still have not tapped the 3/16 tubing. I need to set my tanks for collecting those. I'll probably do that this weekend.

[mapleack]

Running nice this morning, I'd say I've got close to 800 gal right now, need 300 brought in to flush the RO first. I'm guessing that i'll have around 1500 gal tonight. Still have to wash and assemble the evaporator, but I can do that while I'm recirculating concentrate tonight.

[Gary R]

Just shutting down after the second best sap run I've had. 285 gal. off of 136 taps in 26 hours. Made some syrup too! We'll be back at it tomorrow. I'm hearing hints of some decent weather next week.

[Springfield Acer]

Aw man! You guys are killing me just sitting here waiting!
If the weather report stays the same, I'm tapping next Wednesday afternoon.

[Dennis H.]

Holy cow Gary that is a lot of sap for one day.

It is looking like I will be taking Friday off work to boil down the sap that I am getting now. Didn't get as much as I was expecting yesterday when I ran up to collect but the releaser was dumping fairly often while I was there. I think it just a little to get the trees running from that deep freeze last week.

[Gary R]

Springfield Acer, now what were you telling my wife two days ago:cool: You can't trust the weather guy. If we get two sap days a week. Dennis and I are going to have a full crop in by late February. Many others will still be saying it's not time yet. You've got to get it when you can. It's almost 60 now. I've got to go pump off my bulk tank:)

[Maplewalnut]

Gary I couldn't agree more...if its above freezing tap em !!! No reason not to with check valves

[KV Sappers]

Didn't get as much as I was expecting yesterday when I ran up to collect but the releaser was dumping fairly often while I was there. I think it just a little to get the trees running from that deep freeze last week.

Collected 11 gal. this morning. I agree Dennis, I think the trees needed to thaw out a little after the freeze. Checked the buckets this evening and I'll have at least another 11+ gal by tomorrow morning. Will start boiling tomorrow. Forecast of high winds tomorrow with the temp dropping will probably shut my trees down for a couple of days. Looks like starting Sunday game on again.

[Gary R]

Boiled another 220 gal. last night. Finished of the front pan sweet from the last run. About 60 gal. in the tank from last night. I'm not sure if I'm going to boil it, hold it or dump it. I'll be filtering syrup this evening.

[mapleack]

Over 1900 gal of sap yesterday, boiled 1700 of it, somewhere over 20 gallons of syrup made. Have 200 gal saved for today plus another 200 in the woods if we get to it before its and icecube.

[KV Sappers]

Rain and wind played havoc on trees. Only collected a little over 4 gal this morning. Boiled down about 16 gal today got 2 pints of syrup. Sap is 1.5. Trees barely ran at all today. Doesn't look good weather wise till about Tuesday next week.

[Dennis H.]

That is a bummer KVSapper, If you took away the wind I think the trees would have done well for you. Next week is looking really nice for us.

I ended up getting another 200 gals this morning. Got all that in just 17 hours.
Vac is amazing!
I will be boiling all day tomorrow and most of Sat. I still have to run up again to get any sap that ran after I emptied the tank this morning. I need to first get thru some of this sap that I got.

[Gary R]

I couldn't dump the sap;) After I took a torch to the tank drain valve, I boiled the 50 gal. that came in over night. We filtered and bulked 5 1/2 gal. of syrup tonight. We are already pushing "B". That 1% sap is killing me.

[KV Sappers]

Good run Dennis. Are those trees up at the cabin mainly Sugars? I'm so glad this year is going great for you. I know you put in a lot of time an energy this past year getting setup at the cabin and the payoff has been great for you. Keep up the good work. The way your trees are running on vac do I foresee an RO system for next year? Just think .. if you had an RO system you could turn on the ones at the house yet and with the trees at the cabin I could vision you collecting over 300 gal of sap a day. You make us proud here in Perry County!!!

[waysidemaple]

Got 4700 gallons of sap out of this run on 1700 taps. Made just over 70 gallons of medium plus what's in the evap. R.O. is up and going and man I love boiling concentrate. Going back to tapping in the morning and then fixing a few minor hiccups I had. Pump is pulling 26.5" at the pump and 25" at the end of the longest wet dry. Also got a lead on a 2000 tap bush for next year. Might talk to that land owner this week.

Scott

[Jim Brown]

Hey Gary-Some guys will do almost any thing to get their picture on the front page of the Maple News!
I'll be over to get my copy autographed to prove I really know you!!

Go Guy!
Jim

[Maplewalnut]

Good job Scott. Passed you at Verona ( You were talking to randy loch) and meant to introduce myself but got caught up talking to someone else. I'll have to stop by next time I am up that way or at Theron's

Mike

[Dennis H.]

Great job Scott. How long did it run till you got the 4700 gals?
I was hoping to boil concentrate this year but I just couldn't make it happen. Maybe next if I can pull the money together.

Yeah About Theron, anyone hear from him lately? Is he OK?

[Paddymountain]

Got 135 trees tapped on gravity this morning, was supposed to be 150 in that bush, but I think they must of had a dozen or so buckets along the road. Gonna chrage my batteries and tap my vac trees at the house this afternoon!!! looks like next week things will start to happen.

[FunnyFarm]

Just finished up with last weeks run ended up with lil over 5 gallons. Cleaning up and getting ready for next weekends run...

[waysidemaple]

Dennis- it started running around 9am Tuesday and quit Thursday morning around 7:30ish.

Scott

[KV Sappers]

Mother Nature is not being kind right now. Frozen solid as a block of ice. Trees have not run since Thursday. Forecast not looking good till next Friday.From next Friday on looks real good for sap to start running again. Bring it on!!!

[Gary R]

Jim, I charge for autograph's:lol: The Maple News posted a thread looking for those tapped. I didn't see any activity so what the hell, send them a picture.

A couple of days ago I attended the ceremonial tree tapping. The State Secretary of Agriculture did the tapping. A couple of politicians and the news media were there. Terrible weather but a great day for promoting the maple industry.

Yesterday I visited Springfield Acer. You have to love them engineer's:D He has a new evaporator, sugar house and tubing system. Everything looks real nice and he's ready to go! Best of luck to you Randy.

[Dennis H.]

It was a day to finish and filter the syrup that I made the past 2 days.
1st batch ended up being 3 gals of dark. the 2nd batch was 3 gals 3 quarts of grade B!
I went from Medium to grade B in like a few days, there was alot of niter in these batches of syrup. way more than in the previous batches.

So I decided that I should clean the pans. I put milkstone remover in the syrup pan and gave the flue pan a good scrubing.
maybe tomorrow I'll pull the milkstone out of the syrup pan and rinse it out.

[doocat]

Looks like we will be tapping this coming weekend here in Susquehanna County. The long term looks good after Sunday. We will see at the end of the week.

Craig

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

doocat, where in susquehanna county are you? I am by Montrose, and plan to tap this weekend too or atleast start.

[doocat]

New Milford, east of SR81.

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

doocat, how big of an operation do you have? We arent far apart at all really. Only 30mins or so

[Springfield Acer]

OK, I'm done sitting on the sidelines. I started spreading out the buckets, lids, and drop tubes tonight after work. I got 63 taps in so far and should finish the bucket taps tomorrow night at somewhere around 100. Then drill in the 120 on tubing Wednesday night ready for Mother Nature to take over. 'bout time!:cool:

[doocat]

2800 on vacuum. Dreaming for more...

[Maplewalnut]

Uggghh...10 day forecast is colder and colder, only a pair of 38s for the high over the weekend. Orders are coming in but sap is not! Looks like it may be a little longer, might hold off on buckets another week....

[theschwarz1]

"2013: 2 x 6 A&A with hood and preheater indoors (yay)" How do you like your A&A? How long did it take them to build it? I ordered their hobby one with an added steam hood in early January....hoping to have it before the season really gets rolling!

[waysidemaple]

Finished tapping today. 3700 almost even. Got a few things to fix before the next run but for the most part I think I'm ready.

Scott

[Springfield Acer]

"2013: 2 x 6 A&A with hood and preheater indoors (yay)" How do you like your A&A? How long did it take them to build it? I ordered their hobby one with an added steam hood in early January....hoping to have it before the season really gets rolling!

I have only test boiled on it for about an hour. But it looks nice! I hope to do a real boil Saturday night or Sunday if the weather goes as predicted. I ordered mine in late April and I had it in June but they were probably slow then. Good luck and let me know how you make out.

[Springfield Acer]

OK, I'm all in! I finished tapping tonight and have 123 on gravity and 122 on buckets. All the buckets are sugar maples except for 16. All the gravities are reds.
C'mon mother nature!

[Gary R]

I tapped my 60 on the 3/16" tubing today. By the time I was done I had some sap coming out the end of a 500' run:) I still need to test the pumping system I built for that sap. Low teens tonight then decent weather for the next week. I'll turn the vacuum back on tomorrow. Maybe we'll be boiling by Friday.

Randy, get ready to fire that thing up for real!

Theswartz, I would think this is a busy time of year for A&A. Hopefully they can fit it in.

[theschwarz1]

If all goes well, I'll be tapping Saturday or Sunday....monthly forecast is predicting nice even weather through early April! YEAH RIGHT!!! LOL One can at least hope! 2 years ago was awesome!

[hepocole]

i've always boiled sap in a big pot on a fire outside, but would like to get more syrup. where can i buy some type of evaporator pan that i can use outside on my fire? i don't have an eloborate system just cinderblocks, i don't know where to get started?

[Gary R]

hepocol, I made some pans the last couple years. They were about 18"X27", welded stainless. Most people set them on blocks. I know someone who bought an evaporator and may want to sell them. If you want, PM me with a contact number and where your located. I might be able to track one down for you.

[Paddymountain]

Got 71 buckets up today. Sap was running fairly good. tomorrow I'll get the rest of my buckets up. Looks like a little rain Monday,and then I think things will happen

[Jim Brown]

We got 1086 in today and 300 last week just under 1400
Put in 26 buckets around the house for "THAT LOOK" as my wife calls it!
BRING IT ON WE ARE READY!

Jim

[Gary R]

Lot's of maple things to do today. Clean and put the evaporator back together. Figure out why my new Rule pump doesn't work well. We should be back in sap flow today. Tomorrow looks like a super day!

[Dennis H.]

Heading out this morning to split the wood I cut yesterday.
It was standing dead I just hope it will be dry enough to burn if I need it.

It is looking like this week will be the week for things to pick back up.

[Paddymountain]

Put up the rest of my buckets today. The ones I put up yesterday were about 1/4 full, not bad with 12 degrees this morning.
Total trees tapped:
gravity 135
vacuum 78
buckets 141
total 354
My friend will be bringing sap from at least 60 taps, bringing our total to appr. twice what we had last year!

[Turtlecreek]

I'm 90% tapped here, got in the woods and realized i forgot to put holes in a dozen buckets and didnt have the right drill bit with me! I have the arch all insulated with 2 layers of 1 1/4 ceramic cloth and 1/2 in fire bricks, that should keep the heat on the pans and make my evaporation rate go through the roof!!! Also have the new evaporator door all wlded up and installed, just need to put some ceramic blanket on it and we are good to go.

New for this year are Lapaerier clear 5/16 spiles. These things are really cool, when you tap the tree and put them in you can watch them fill up inside the tree, my son thought that was really cool, he was watching it fill then get his mouth under it and tastes the sap, to whitch he replied "I think this one is grade A dark amber, mu favorite!" God thes kids are great.

Good luck all I hope that I am swimming in sap, i would like to boil Wednsday or thursday, I have to head up to Potter county over theweekend so no boiling for me at least not on Saturday.

[waysidemaple]

Turned the pump on this morning and took till about 2 for the trees to start to kick in. Running pretty good now. Got up to 24.5" on the whole 3,700 still a few leaks to find. Boil what I get today tomorrow. Looking like maybe a thousand gallons. Dad has a closing on a house tomorrow so I gotta go help him clean what the old tenants left before 11 tomorrow. Just going to let the sap add up till then.

Scott

[Dennis H.]

Things are starting to up again.
Dad brought home 160 gallons of sap from the cabin today. He told me that it took till about noon for them to really get going but by the time he emptied the tank and head for home he said that the releaser was dumping about every 2 min.

[Gary R]

Yee Haw! Back to boiling after an 11 day freeze up. The sap still isn't running that good. The ground is still frozen. From yesterday and today I got 160 off of the vacuum and 78 gal. on the 3/16 tubing. They both ran about the same flow rate so it's starting good on the 3/16. I'm using clear seasonal spouts on that. I'm not to sure about them. I've had to re-seat about a dozen of them. i only put them in last Wednesday. Maybe it's because you can't see leaks in black spouts that well. Another 1.5 hours and I should be done. I've got the Rule pump working better and the new auto draw off hooked up. I must have the hysteresis set wrong. It's not opening until a degree over set point. More works in progress:)

[Turtlecreek]

Gary, I'm using the same spouts this year, I haven't had an issue yet. I'm using those square buckets that restaurants use to get boiled eggs and salads in. They work pretty well on those taps, i just wish the taps were a little longer so the flange would be out farther, it would make getting the buckets on them a little easier.

[Dennis H.]

The sap is flowing really good again. Went and emptied the tank again and I got about 210 gals in about 18 hours.
The sugar content is still right at 1.5%.
I'll be boiling for a few hours this evening.

[KV Sappers]

Sap is running again. I collected a little over 13 gal today. The sap I collected today was at 1.7%. That's the best I've ever had. Started to boil down this evening will finish tomorrow.

[Springfield Acer]

Yesterday netted 130 gal and my first boil on the new rig. It stated right up flawlessly and has hummed right along two nights in a row. I drew off my first syrup tonight and got some nice light sweet heaven. My % dropped yesterday to 1.9 from the sugars and 1.6 from the reds. I'm hoping for a better run tomorrow and Thursday before the cold break comes again.

[Paddymountain]

Gathered sap today, 90 gallons @1.4 for my reds on vac, 125 gallons @ 2.4 percent on my buckets. Started boiling about 7:30 and just finished up at 12:00.
I was really close to making syrup, temp went up to almost 219 just after throwing my last armload of wood in for the night. Next time we boil we'll be drawing off syrup!!!

Dennis H: How much syrup did you make so far?
I want to know so I can try and catch up with you!!!!!

[Turtlecreek]

Collected 40 gallons from 50 taps tonight, the sugars ran today, the reds are a little behind. I did a little test when I tapped by tapping some trees on the north side and some on the south side of the trees, it appears that the south side is running better, even on my north facing sugar bush.

If I get a run tomrrow I may fire up the evaporator on thursday, if I dont I wont be able to fire until Sunday sometime.

[Cameron670]

I have 18 buckets out so far, sap is running, but I think the ground is too cold or something. I'm on some huge trees, and the yeild isn't what I'm accustomed to. Going to run some tubing next week.
My low-tec flue pan is almost finished. Turtlecreek- have fun, We arent ready. I'm putting crank bearings in my 9700, and Dad is chained to the house, My sister is getting married @ home in may :)
Allready told Mom, Next year its Blizzard mania & maple blitzkrieg.

KJC

[Dennis H.]

PaddyMtn, with out looking at my notes I think I am at the 20 gals bottled up ready to go. This doesn't include what is in the drawoff pan, and I still have over 200 gals of sap to boil. I know I have some sap in the tank up at the cabin which I'll be getting in the morning.
So far I have collected over 1800 gals of sap and it was either 1.5% or 1.4%.
I couldn't be happier this year. Everything is working good no major issues yet.

KVSappers, so it is offically started for you now?

[Gary R]

Too cold here. Nothing yesterday. I have about 50 gal. frozen in the tank from Monday. Sunday when I started the vacuum again I found the bottom of my sap ladder froze and burst. Emergency trip to the hardware to fix it. My 3/16 sap has 40 sugars and 20 reds, it was reading 1.8 which is good for me.

Cameron670, I like your 2011 set up. I think many of us started on propane. It does make for pricy syrup.

Springfield Acer, if your the one with sap I might have to come over and watch you throw wood and drink your beer:)

[Maplewalnut]

Too cold here also. Got a hour or two run the last two days, enough to clean out the lines but nothing more. Still holding out for taping buckets but may pull the trigger this weekend. Long range still looks cold...and of course we moved our open house up a week this year since it was in 60's last year and 50's the year before in March. Go figure

[KV Sappers]

KVSappers, so it is offically started for you now?

I guess you could say it's offically started. I actually tapped Jan. 27. Trees ran for 2 days and I got 2 pints of syrup. Then we got that cold snap and the trees shutdown for 9 days. Boiled down another 2 pints today so I'm now at 1/2 gal of syrup. Next 2 days look good but the weekend and most of next week look like one of those on again off again weeks. At least my sugar content in the sap has been up so far. Pleased with that. You are doing great this year. 20 gal so far ...wow!!!!

[Dennis H.]

I can only wonder how much sap I would have gotten today.
I was not able to run up to empty the tank till this afternoon and when I got there there was no vac at releaser?? Moisture trap tripped!
It looks like there was most likely ice in the releaser this morning and it caused sap to get sucked up into the moisture trap. Oh well.

Once I got things working boy did the sap come rolling in. It wasn't a total loss I brought home about 100 gals of sap that so that will at least pay for the gas to drive up for it.
Needless to say I will be running up in the morning.

The rest of the week looks excellant weather so I am hoping to make up for lost sap today.

[Gary R]

I boiled 85 gal. tonight. Sap flow has been poor. The 3/16 did outperformed the vacuum the last few days. I think it takes too long for my ladders to thaw out. I've made at least 4 gal. of "B" the last couple of days.

[Springfield Acer]

Too cold here. Nothing yesterday. I have about 50 gal. frozen in the tank from Monday. Sunday when I started the vacuum again I found the bottom of my sap ladder froze and burst. Emergency trip to the hardware to fix it. My 3/16 sap has 40 sugars and 20 reds, it was reading 1.8 which is good for me.

Cameron670, I like your 2011 set up. I think many of us started on propane. It does make for pricy syrup.

Springfield Acer, if your the one with sap I might have to come over and watch you throw wood and drink your beer:)

I'm not planning to boil again until Saturday unless tomorrow brings a bigger than expected run. I have about 125 gal in the bulk tank which will last me four hours. Come on over and watch and chug!:rolleyes:

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

I got home early and was out checking a few other tanks and they seemed to be running good for only 20-25 taps bushes with a stream coming into the tank, so I went down the road and started tapping the new woods, got 68 more in and will have to go and fix a lateral today and tap it, and should have about 75 taps on down there, and there is about 50-60 more taps up across a path, but I am not tapping those yet, as it is supposed to freeze hard this weekend. I was amazed at a stream of sap coming out of the mainline, and it ran like that until after dark I believe. 171 taps in for me so far, when Im done It will be about 260 I am thinking...

[Jim Brown]

Well 150 gallon yesterday with 22inches vac and 1000 taps NOT a GOOD Day!(only good thing was it was 2%) Temp now is 27 and it is snowing Doesn't look like sap weather until MAYBE monday Not even going to start the pumps for a few days
Jim

[Dennis H.]

I have been working at getting thru the sap that is in tank here at the sugarhouse. I'll be wrapping things up here in about 45mins to an hour.
With the temps today in the mid 40's and the sun out all day I am really curious how much sap I'll have in the tank up at the cabin.
Tomorrow is looking really good for sap, keeping my fingers crossed.

Had a few people stop over this afternoon to see my sugarhouse and how I make maple syrup. It was fun, kind of like an open house.
I ended up selling them some maple syrup so it was well worth the time taken to talk to them, and I think they will be coming back for more when they are out.

[KV Sappers]

Sap ran really good overnight and today. I collected 10 gal. this morning and boiled that down. By the looks of the buckets this afternoon I'll probably have another 15 gal tomorrow. Keep it flowing.

[Paddymountain]

We got about 285 gallons of sap today, just got it boiled down. We made about 6 gallons of syrup . tomorrow is looking good. hoping for a good run
will boil again on Saturday, then filter and bottle what we've made so far.

[oldboyscout]

I tapped last Sunday night, but the sap has not run very well this week. Looks nice and sunny today so I'm hoping.

[Dennis H.]

Brought home a little over 200 gals of 1.5% sap this morning.

I started to boil this morning around 10:30 and I am going to try and get thru as much as I can today. I still have about 120 gals from yesterday so I have a full days or more of boiling.

[Paddymountain]

Dennis H:
Do you have the trees at your house tapped? I see you got your releaser for it.
Keep at it, I just collected 88 gal off of my gravity trees. There's 75 gallon in the cage tank from my vac, and I need to do my buckets after work! I'm going to wait til tomorrow
to boil, it was 1:15 when I went to bed last night.

[mapleack]

I was sitting on 900 gal plus when I stopped home at lunch, was running steady but not outrageous. Probably looking at 1400 gal for the day. My dad was going to start hauling at 3:00 and start the RO. Need time for leak patrol, dropped off to 19", from 21" yesterday.

[bowtie]

you guys in nw pa are in the same boat as us in allegany cty,ny and surrounding areas, if you have yard taps or lower elevation taps you have had decent runs for 3 days this week but if you are on a hill or dense forest it really isn't running much. i will not put out the rest of my buckets until next week sometime, which is fine but if the long range projection is right it might be another short year for us. it stated below avg feb( so far it pretty much right on) and well above avg march and april. lets hope it is wrong.

[Dennis H.]

PaddyMtn, no I did not tap the trees here at the house. I go the new releaser last week. With the amount of sap that I am getting just from the trees at the cabin it is all that I can do to keep up with the amount of sap coming in.
I wish I could hook up the new releaser, I am really curious how it will run.

I am really hoping for an RO someday. Then watch out, there won't be a maple in the area that doesn't have a bucket hanging or tubing strung from it!

[Dave Y]

there is no sap in NWPA. the guys that are getting sap are south and east.

[oldboyscout]

I just don't get it. froze last night, sunny and warm today, and I have an inch of sap in each bucket : (

[KV Sappers]

Trees ran good last night. Collected 17 gal 1 qt. this morning. Sap dropped to 1.5%. Boiled everything down ended up with 3 1/2 pints of syrup. Trees did not run that much this afternoon. Next couple of days don't look so good. I just need 1/2 a pint yet to hit the 1 gal. mark of syrup.

[FunnyFarm]

I pulled couple hundred gallons on a couple hundred taps last 2 days.

[Gary R]

It has been terrible but I've been giving all I got. I only had 71 gal. over the last two days. I boiled it today and made another gal of syrup. The next two mornings will be in the low teens. I didn't want it to freeze.

Dave Y, what have you been doing with no sap? I need to work in Dubois most of next week. Could stop for a chat because of no sap.

What about the guys around Pittsburg? Haven't heard much from them. Boiling?

Go get them Dennis:D

[Springfield Acer]

After two lousy days where it could have been better, today was much better than expected here in Mercer County. Everything is just idling and I only collected 20 gal Wed and 10 yesterday but tonight I garnered 95 more giving me 240 in the tank. I fired up at 9:00 tonight and ran another two hours. So far I have gotten 2-1/2 gal of syrup. The remaining 185 will be finished off tomorrow for another three gal and then it's time for a good cleaning. So far, I'm netting 60:1, about the same as last year.

[Dan W]

Collected 300 gallons Monday and Tuesday and boiled it off on Wednesday. Sap was running a little on Thursday but yesterdsy was pretty good I think. The buckets right outside the back door are full. Going to collect after one more coffee. I think it is going to be a pretty good day.

[Dennis H.]

I collected another 180 gals of sap this morning. It still is hovering right at 1.4%.
It doesn't look like it will be running much in the next couple days so it will give me time to finish and filter the syrup I have and also fix the evap.
I found the other day I have a cracked SS ball valve going from the flue pan to the syrup pan. Not a really big issue and once it is up and running it doesn't drip.
I have one waiting for me to pick up locally, $33, not to bad I thought.

[KV Sappers]

Collected 7 gal. and a quart today. Really did not expect the trees to run today so was pleasantly surprised. Tomorrow doesn't look good. Next week looks like on again off again. Will just wait and see what Mother Nature has in store for the next couple of days.

[KV Sappers]

I collected another 180 gals of sap this morning. It still is hovering right at 1.4%.

t
Hey Dennis, trees are running good for you. What is your syrup count up to now? I noticed your sap% is coming down also. Mine dropped from 1.7 to 1.5. Do you think this is a sign of the season ending?

[Dave Y]

Gary R,
Since I have no sap well actually I dumped about 500 gal on Thursday, not enough to bother with. But anyhow I am working on getting everything else ready for sap. we hung 1700 buckets today and plan to put out around 700 more tomorrow.

[andyp]

Had a good week last week especially thursday&friday collected about 500 gal.
We have 21gal.made so far. Every thing is shut down now.
It looks like it might be warm enough to run monday&tuesday
Sap has been 2%.

Andyp

[Gary R]

I had a surprise boil today! Jim Brown brought over 150 gal of sap. It was too little for him to deal with so we made a couple more gal of syrup today. Thanks Jim! I then went to Springfield Acers, watched him boil and drank his beer. His new rig is running well and he was making light syrup. I'm going to filter and can tomorrow.

Dan W and AndyP, great to hear from you guys. It must be a tad warmer down your way. Dave Y, sorry I missed out on the fun today:lol:

KV Sapper, I'd hope to think your season really hasn't started yet. Keep on boiling!

[Paddymountain]

Just put in an all day boil session. Started at 8:00am finished at 5:0pm. Meanwhile back at the ranch, my wife and her friend filtered /bottled what we had boiled on Tues/Thurs.
Then tonite we did up what I got today. Looks like things will be at a standstill for a couple of days. I drained the evaporator tonite and will give it a good cleaning before the next boil. Hope everyone is having fun!!!

[Dennis H.]

I finally called it a day around 8pm. I have been boiling since 11:30 this morning.
Figured I would leave enough sap in the tank tomorrow to make it worth while firing up the evap, then I got down to the house and found that dad went up to the cabin this afternoon and found that there was about 1/2 a tank worth of sap!
Well that adds a twist for the day tomorrow, guess I'll be boiling longer than I thought.

I plan on Monday being the day to filter the syrup that I made this weekend.

KVsapper, My sap has gone up and down a little since the start of the season. Some of it may be the refractometer that I am using. Temp does come in to play when using it. I try to keep it in the same condition each time but I have to imagine that it varies slightly each time.
Good to hear that you are keeping caught on things.
I think we still have a while to go to the end of the season. I just think we will be staying in this cold and warm cycle for a little longer. Doesn't bother me much helps give me time to get caught up on things.

DaveY, dump 500 gals!! Not worth boiling! Man I wish I was closer and had an RO. Isn't there any one near by that could use that sap?

[Springfield Acer]

I boiled for three hours today with Gary R who came over to check out the new A&A. Once heated up and rolling hard, we got an even 40 gal/hr but that ate up the 120 gallons of sap that I had left.
Now that it's hummin along I don't want to quit but, I do need time to stop and filter and bottle.:emb:
I'm anxious to see how many gallons of syrup I have from the 340 gallons boiled so far. It looks like 5 min maybe 5-1/2.

[Dave Y]

I know 500 gal seams like a lot of sap to some of you guys but it is not really in the whole scope of the season. It would have been just enough sap to get the rig dirty. I would have had to shut down an hour after I started. There is no one around here that could handle 500gal at one time. Besides it was crappy sap, it was cleaning the line out.

[Gary R]

We just got done filtering, bulking and canning 9 gal., one pint. My front pan was drained and finished off. I need to clean it and get ready if we ever get any sap:(

If any local retailers are looking for syrup PM me or call. I have two, 5 gal. containers of Dark amber for sale. We can talk about price.

[Dennis H.]

Made a run this morning to check the sap tank at the cabin. Dad told me that there was 1/2 a tank yesterday when him and mom ran up. Yeah right?
Well there was indeed 1/2 a tank, actually a little over 1/2.
There was some ice in it and I still got 115 gals! Yesterday weather was one of those questionable days for sap running. I guess the vac did it again!

I was really hoping to get thru all this sap today, I'm not sure if I can get thru it. It might be a late night. Right now I have something like 220-230 gals of sap to boil!

I have something like 6-7 gals of syrup to finish and filter and then there will be the syrup I get from this sap!

[FunnyFarm]

Just finished up this weeks batch ended up with 4 gallons that makes 7 1/2 on the season so far...

[Sandersyrup]

6874

What a difference a week makes. My trees went from beautiful light syrup to an extra dark. Both with similar flavor. I have 1 tree (out of 9) that runs sap with a yellow hue I'm wondering if I should boil that sap separately? I'm not sure it matters much but I'd like to make a batch of medium to compliment my assortment.

What else can cause a dark batch early in the season?

[Dan W]

Finished boiling this weeks sap today. What a fiasco!! Everything was frozen and temps in the low 20's didn't help any. finaly got going about 1 pm and finished around 5. Drained tie front pan and threw some vinegar in to clean it-lots of sugar sand after 550 gallons. It was a hecktick day. But on a positive note, #3 grandchild, Lily Elizabeth entered this world at 2:49 today. My son lives next door to me and has no interest in sugaring. Lily is going to be my best partner in a few years I'll see to that!!!! When she can reach the pedals on the Mule she gets a big cut.

[Run Forest Run!]

Congratulations on the newest addition! I know what she'll be doing every year for her birthday....helping Grandpa!

[Dan W]

You got that right!! If I can have anything to do with it, she will be the heiress to a great pastime and make a few bucks at it too. All for a zero investment!!! I
love kids!!

[Run Forest Run!]

Dan, I think baby Lily needs an appropriate nickname. She can be Grandpa's 'Sweet Water' Lily, given her arrival at tapping time.

[Dennis H.]

Congrat's Dan.

[Dennis H.]

Finally finished all the sap that I had on hand! I finished at 9:30 this evening after starting around 11:00 am.
It was a loooooong day.

[Dave Y]

Dan
Congrats on the granddaughter! Now that she is here things will go better.

[Beeman16137]

It's been a bit up and down for me concerning sap collection. A couple day stretch w/ ok temps and then COLD. Did one boil but have not drawn off yet. Look like today/tomorrow we might get something then Cold again for a few days. End of week and next week looks good to me. Gotta get more sap to see how well the D&G boils. Have some ideas for next year, maybe build an RO unit.

[Gary R]

Congratulations Dan, maybe we should find some pedal extensions so she can start early:)

Sandersyrup, there could be many influences on color. Did the sap sit for days and in any warmth? About all I make is dark and I boil every day I have sap.

[Turtlecreek]

Had to go away this weekend so no boiling for me. got home yeatrerday and it was very windy and everyting was frozen, that was a good thing since I couldnt boil over the weekend so all of my sap is nice and fresh. I have to go collect ice cubes tonight and finish a little project on the evaporator then looks like I will boild on wedensday.

whiloe I was at my cabin over the weekend in Potter county, I stopped by dailytappers shack and met his family and talked maple. If you didn't see his thread in shougarhouse design check it out it is listed as new old sugar shack. He is reusing a sugar shack that has been in the family for generations, the arch is built right into the ground, and they are still using the original english tin pans and a bunch of the origian stuff from years gone by. It was a really cool education on sugaring history!

I also stopped by Bryansons to pick up my bottles for the year. It was nice to see them again, your always greated with a warm smile and a feeling of being like family. They are working on a new woods and should start tapping next week. If you need supplies and are in their neck of the woods stop by, it is well worth your time.

[Dennis H.]

I finally have all the made syrup in jugs!!! I added 9 gals 3 pints to the yearly total. So that makes the season total so far 30 gals 1 quart 1 pint.

Now the bad news. I was looking over my sap collecting notes and the total amount of sap doesn't equal what I should have in syrup at the sugar content that I was seeing.
So I did some basic math and figured that with the amount of syrup that I have made compared to the amount of sap I collected the sugar content would have to be around 1.1%??????
How con that be? SO grabbed my refractometer and put some tap water on it and confirm my worst nightmare it was off and off about the amount that would have made the numbers work!! Oh crap!

So I am very happy with the amount of syrup that I have made so far and happy with the amount of wood that I have gone thru compared with last year, just would really like to kick myself in the but for not checking that refractometer more offten than I have been.

[KV Sappers]

I finally have all the made syrup in jugs!!! I added 9 gals 3 pints to the yearly total. So that makes the season total so far 30 gals 1 quart 1 pint.

Now the bad news. I was looking over my sap collecting notes and the total amount of sap doesn't equal what I should have in syrup at the sugar content that I was seeing.
So I did some basic math and figured that with the amount of syrup that I have made compared to the amount of sap I collected the sugar content would have to be around 1.1%??????
How con that be? SO grabbed my refractometer and put some tap water on it and confirm my worst nightmare it was off and off about the amount that would have made the numbers work!! Oh crap!

So I am very happy with the amount of syrup that I have made so far and happy with the amount of wood that I have gone thru compared with last year, just would really like to kick myself in the but for not checking that refractometer more offten than I have been.
Dennis - 30 gal+ is great. That's a bummer with the refractometer. Bottom line the trees will give us what they give us. Not much we can do about it. Your having a great season so far and the way the weather looks there is more to come.

[KV Sappers]

Trees started to thaw out today. Not worth collecting but they are running. Hope to boil later in the week.

[Paddymountain]

Dennis H: 30+ not bad!!!
as for sap to syrup ratio; don't forget your bottles probably hold more than what they are. My pint bottles filled to the top of the neck are closer to 18 oz than 16oz.
So unless you measure your syrup in a gallon pitcher or something similar you are going to be off.
We generaly average around 2-2.3 percent sugar content for the year, but when I divide my sap gallons into syrup made it usualy runs around 57-1
So make as much as you can and have fun doing it!!!!

[Sugarmaker]

What a great read from Dennis collecting so much sap he must be floating in it to Gary R's 3/16 tubing that is pushing sap everywhere, to Dave Y dumping that first sap of the year and then Dans new grand daughter Lily! Lots of good reading. Gary told me I needed to get on here to see what was happening in PA. Looks like lots of maple syrup being made in the early season. Andy P on the new rig and Andys Own going bigger as usual.
A little up date from up by the Lake. Some one had it right: if the trees were down in the valleys by the creeks we got sap, on the hills no way!
Cheryl and I tapped earlier than we have in several years. We set 500 on Feb 8 and I put out the remaining 100 the next day. We gathered and boiled 4 times this past week with average to low sap quantity. The biggest being 480 gal, smallest 230 gallons. Sap remained at 2%. Finished Friday night, just before we went into the deep freeze, at 26 gallons and some left in the evaporator. Mostly medium with a couple gallons of light.
Erie paper did a nice write up on Maple syrup and you can find it on www.GoErie.com An old man talks about making syrup:)
Hope the rest of the season if good for everyone. It should be really kicking in gear by about Thursday.
Regards,
Chris

[Dave Y]

Sugarmaker, It amazes me that everyone around me is making syrup, And all I get is enough sap to be a drop in the season , a week ago and nothing more. But I will boil two weeks longer than most.

[Gary R]

Sugarmaker, good to hear from you! Great your making syrup. I heard Triple Creek and Asbury have boiled too. I've gotten more sap in two days in January than the whole month of February so far. Our trees in the woods just will not put out at 35-40* temps. We need to get things thawed out first then the sap will flow. It rained last night and I turned the pump back on this morning. We'll see when I get home today.

[heus]

Gary in my neck of the woods (2 mile from Pa) even though it got to 37 yesterday my trees were froze. It is running now at 39 degrees though.

[Jim Brown]

Nice job Chris- A little free advertizing never hurts!


Jim

[Sugarmaker]

Jim Brown,
Glad to see you are making some syrup. Looks like the end of this week will be good and into next week too.
Gary,
I am going to gather tonight after work and boil Wednesday during the day. Should be a little eaiser rather than a late night boil.
Jason,
You should get some sap today. Be ready!
Regards,
Chris

[Gary R]

Well, as usual the sap run was bad. I only got 54 gal. I did clean the pan and boiled it and some unthawed sweet from two weeks ago. If we can believe the weatherman, starting this weekend should be a week of great runs. Might have to take some time off. Dave Y, I hope the weather breaks for you, you could use a good year. I might be helping S Durf put his taps in this weekend.

[Paddymountain]

Winter has returned to Central Pa. It was supposed to get to 42 degrees today, only hit 32. The wind is howling now and it's not going to get to forty til the weekend.
I have buckets with sap froze in ,I might just collect in some drums and let thaw out. We boiled about 750 gallons last week ; I guess we'll lay low and rest til
we hear the BIG SAP WARNING!

[Dennis H.]

I'm actually glad to see some cold temps. I need time to recharge, also the wife was getting a little upset that I was "not around" for almost a week!
It is nice to spend more time with the daughter.
If it isn't to darn windy today I'll get out and cut up some of the slab wood that I got over the weekend.

[Springfield Acer]

The temps thru Monday night and Tuesday agreed with my trees pretty well. I got good production out of my sugar buckets and my red tubing system. I took in 115 gallons last night which is my second best this year so far. I was a bit hampered by a broken shock on the four wheeler while collecting but got the end loop welded back on and was good to go. I will probably start boiling tomorrow night to be ready for the apparent good weather that is forecast to come.

[Sugarmaker]

I gathered in the dark and the remote pump was froze up so I bucketed it from the totes to the truck. Lower pump for the tank worked as I strained most of the ice out. Which was good because I cleaned out all the totes of ice for the next weekend run. Boiled that sap in last night so that it would not freeze in the sugar house. Made 4 more gallons of syrup.
Looking forward to a warming trend this weekend.
Regards,
Chris

[Gary R]

Springfield Acer, what happened to the four wheeler? Did you add the extra tank onto the front? You might need to buy a UTV if your going to haul that much sap:)

Sugarmaker, that must have been tough collecting. It was a cold blizzard when I got home from work. Sap was freezing fast!

I visited Dave Y today. We talked a lot of maple. He's ready to go, just need sap.

[Springfield Acer]

Here here on the blizzard comment. It was snowing hard with big flakes in the wind to the point that when I headed into the wind up to the barn that I had to look down and sneak a peek now and then to keep from hitting the fence. I needed my snowmobile helmet with the face shield if I was going farther. Both collection buckets and my dumping station were freezing around the top including the SS ice strainer and tank lid. I was worried that while driving back and forth to the bulk tank that my little Rule would freeze up but I managed. I think I got the four wheeler and all in the heat in the garage just in time.:o

[umpwood1]

Every bucket was froze this week. I brought about 100 of them to the house to thaw, got about 60 gallons. Now I am going to rehang them tomorrow morning. The stainless head tank is frozen also. Once I get the sap boiling I'm goin to dump some in the tank to thaw it. Hoping for a good week, I took some time off. My niece is coming over on Sunday to do a video. That should be fun. "PRACTICE IS OVER...IT'S GAME TIME !!"
Woody

[Dan W]

Just got inspected by the PA Dept. of Ag. The inspector has a new boss and he wanted to see the set-up too. He had never seen a maple operation and had a lot of basic questions. They forgot to bring a paper with the but will drop it off later that says there are 3 things that are allowed to be added to syrup. They could only remember 1 and that was defoamer. They said if it was used, it had to be stated on the label. Has anybody ever heard of this? I will wait to see it in print but I think it may have been a misinterpretation. I can't think of what the other 2 things might be though. I'll post it when I get it. It looks like we may get into the sap by the end of the weekend.

[mapleack]

Dan here's the regs http://law.justia.com/codes/pennsylvania/2010/title-3/chapter-61/6107/ You can add salt, preservatives and defoamer. No lable necessary for defoamer. Wait, just found this http://www.sugarbush.info/graphics/MapleProductGuidelinerev.pdf It says you do have to lable for defoamer. Hmmm. Gotta love our gov't.

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

Others could be DE..?

[Dan W]

Mapleack, They dropped off a copy of those same guidelines this afternoon. You would think anything that is used across the board in the industry would be taken into consideration as "the way it's done". I was under the impression that no preservatives could be used at all and where did the salt come from? Like Clark Farm suggested, should DE be listed as well? Where will it end? Maybe Dr. Tim can shed some light on this. Anyway, I received a good report and am good to go for another year.

[Springfield Acer]

I boiled all that i had tonight. The new A&A is great. However......about an hour and a half into my boil I heard a loud ringing clunk that was one of those sounds you just know aren't good. After what seemed like an eternity I realized that my main flue flapper had fallen shut! I killed the blower and went looking for the cause.It turned out to only be the ground end of the flapper cable that came loose and was quickly fixed. However, I apparently built up some extra heat and when I turned the blower on, it boiled like crazy. I started drawing off and the next thing I knew, I was at 220 and then 221. I actually held the syrup pan float down by hand to force feed new sap. I drew off almost a gallon in no time before it settled down and then it all cooled to 216. Wheh! It was foaming pretty good and I had a bucket of condensate sitting there just in case...
As it turns out, I made 2-1/2 gal in about 2-1/2 hours. A good night and tomorrow I'll get that good cleaning done.

[Dave Y]

While DE is added to your syrup as a filter aid, there should be NO DE left in your syrup! If you have DE in your syrup you better refilter it.

[Dennis H.]

Cut up the slab wood that I picked up early this week. I would have done it a few days ago but I can't stand be out in cold and wind!

Once I got that done I ran up to the cabin to check things out. Found that I had only about 15" of vac at the releaser?? Time for a walk. I found a dropline cam off a CV spout. I guess the past cold spell caused some ice to push the stubby off. Put it back on back up went the vac!

It ran a little today but not much. It ran enough so that the ice seperated from the tank for me to get the ice out.

While out for the walk to check the tubing I noticed that the ground is still frozen and crunchy so it may be another day before I get much sap.

[Gary R]

Weathers been terrible on this side of the state also. Lucky to get 10 gal. today. I did help S Durf and family hang 170 buckets. We also went to another producer that had a Smokey Lake Full Pint pan. I forgot to verify if it was a half pint arch. Major mods need done for that to work well. We also stopped at Boylan's. They've only done one short boil. Still a little work to do until ready to produce. It sure is a nice looking operation.

[KV Sappers]

Emptied buckets of ice today. Sap not running just yet. Need to get frozen sap out of tank yet then hopefully this coming week sap will be flowing again.

[Springfield Acer]

No sap moving of any consequence. I cleaned both pans and the bulk tank, made a few mods, and split and stacked wood for2015. The forecast is not as impressive now.

[Sugarmaker]

Gary,
Keith and I were about 1 hour behind you as we stopped to drool over all the new equipment at Boylans too.
They were doing some steam outlet modifications. They pump was shut off while we were there, just too cold in the woods for it to draw sap from frozen taps and lines.
Our trees were no better. Looks like a couple more days before we get some sap in NW PA. Did we tap to early?? Time will tell . Forecast doesn't not look great the end of this week, cold again?
Yikes the Taste and Tour is not that far away.

Regards,
Chris

[Turtlecreek]

I may actually get boils something tomrrow. this cold weather crap has to stop, although this slow start has let me get things around and clear my schedule so i can get ready.