Still waiting for a good run in the Upper Peninsula

[regor0]

Boiled last night for the first time this season. My taps are producing nothing to 2 quarts a day, only 1 tree is close to a gallon. Yesterday all I collected was 40 gallons off around 150 taps. Anybody else in the UP having such a slow start as me? We still have over 3ft of snow in the woods. Hopefully this week is better, my wife is losing patience.

[TerryEspo]

Hi RegorO:

I need to Google your location, but I think I am a bit north of you with the same stats, no overflowing buckets here, but getting enough to have boils to get a gallon or so each time.

Wonder if this is all we are going to get.

Good luck.

Terry

[TerryEspo]

LOL, just did a map search, man were close for sure.

I get it now why we have the same problem.

Hope it changes so we are complaining of too much sap.

Terry

[Cindee]

We are in Mountain Wi and it is exactly the same here as your describing. The biggest collection out of 80 taps was 42 gals. The past two days we have had another round of snow, yesterday was sunny and 44 and they did not run hardly at all and now we have pouring rain and its 33. I think we had one night that did not drop below freezing and we think that shut them down for a day or two.

[CampSNOcook]

We are 15 miles NE of Rapid River and I got all I needed(7.5 gallons) by last Wednesday. The Thursday/Friday before Easter was busy. Didn't like those really cold temps early last week which froze everything up. But once I thawed out, boiled down the remainder to call it a season. I still think there will be days in store for you in Negaunee yet too. All you need is the right combo for a few days to get going. Don't totally trust those weather forecasts though....they can be off a few degrees and that can really make a difference.

[U.P. Sapsucker]

I know a pretty large producer and he is only getting 50-60% of what would be a good run. The best I have had is about 300 gallons out of 506 taps. I think there will be some real good days yet to come when the base of the trees have a little less snow around them. At least that is what I'm hoping!! Hang in there.

[fishman]

South of Newberry and its just starting good here the last few days. 75 taps and 've been getting about 30 gallons most days until Saturday then have gotten 70 or over for the last 3 days. Still have close to 2 feet of snow. Have 150 gallons trying to boil before running taps tomorrow. Work is getting in the way. Hope I have enough wood.

[sugar daddy 1]

Boiled last night for the first time this season. My taps are producing nothing to 2 quarts a day, only 1 tree is close to a gallon. Yesterday all I collected was 40 gallons off around 150 taps. Anybody else in the UP having such a slow start as me? We still have over 3ft of snow in the woods. Hopefully this week is better, my wife is losing patience.
We said the same thing 3 weeks ago. Then we got the biggest 3 day run I have ever seen get ready it's coming.

[Mark]

I am in the west end of the UP and have not been getting much. It will break soon but wish that cold weather was not coming tomorrow. Three feet of snow in the woods and no donuts around the trees yet with more snow on it's way.

[DonMcJr]

Wow to think you's in da UP aren't done yet gives me an idea... buy a 2nd evaporator and take a UP vacation to our hunting camp in Gwinn for a 2nd yearly Sugaring Season!

Is the Producer along US 2 between the bridge and Manisique on here? That's the 1st place I ever tasted real Maple Syrup!

[regor0]

Don,
Hope you doing well after the surgery. I was watching one of your videos on youtube, were did you find those white "brute" cans?

[DonMcJr]

A restaurant Supply Store in Utica, MI...

link: http://www.macombrestaurantsupply.com/

[fishman]

Don-you can come up and help me. Think of it as a trial run for that second season. Don't worry about your shoulder, my wood won't care if u split it with one hand.

[fishman]

110 gallons off 75 taps today. got up to 40 ttoday. gonna be a long night.

[regor0]

Wow! Wish I had that problem. I'm still at 30-40 gallons on 150 taps. I added around 20 more last night, they were running good. Supposed to get 8-12" of snow tonight and tomorrow. Next week looks good, praying for a sap flood.

[Dan]

Hey that's good to know fishman that it's been running some this past week. Tapped on 3/24 27 taps mid Dickinson County. Gathered and boiled on 4/1 60 gallons, 4/5 24 gallons and so far made 1 1/2+ gallons syrup. Hope my buckets are nice and full this weekend when I get back.
7769777077717772

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCyyKaXtN-0

[PerryW]

dan, that thing's really putting up some steam! Love the block chimney!

[fishman]

've gotten yet gallons sap and made 12 gallons with 100 gallons to boil yet. Can't complain compared to negaunee area. You can keep all that snow your way tonight.

[fishman]

Make that 565 gallons. Phone has little things I'm not used to yet.

[Dan]

dan, that thing's really putting up some steam! Love the block chimney!
Thanks, for my measly 27 taps it works. Would like to move up to a real evaporator with flues someday there are 600+ tappable trees but that would mean more time, wood, sugarhouse ...

[fishman]

8-10" of fresh snow and more coming, schools are cancelled, roads suck and another 6" predicted for Sunday. I think we won't be getting much of a run for a few days. I'd like to get my hands on Phil the groundhog right now.

[JRCunningham]

Agreed--Phil would be stew meat if I got a hold of him. That said, we're grateful for the break here. We've had a few days of crazy sap runs last week and are spending the day catching up on cleaning and bottling (and plowing the foot of snow). We've hauled 1,600 gallons of sap so far this year and it looks like the season isn't going to be over for a while yet.

Best of luck up in Newberry.

[Grand Marais Boiler]

Have had some decent runs - with the on again off again am able to keep up - except for scrounging wood. Every year I'm going to have it ready for next year, but....... Last couple days have been way better than expectded - 67 gal.
Have collected exactly 500 gal. since 3/23 and lots of ice in jugs now. Looks as if it may drag on for another week

[fishman]

22 last night and sunny and headed for 40 today. I'll go out on a limb and predict a good run today.

[regor0]

Spent most of the day blowing the fresh 14" of wet snow yesterday. Boiled another 150 gallons last night. Looks like I'm going to need waders, snowshoes and a canoe to collect sap today.

[fishman]

That stinks. We only got 2" . Hope this stuff tonight misses us.

[regor0]

Finally had a decent run today I got 40 gallons off 60 taps. Haven't got to the others yet. Its snowing hard right now, but supposed to change to rain later. The rest of the week looks good.

[fishman]

Got 120 gallons off 75 taps. Gotten 16 gallons so far and this should put me around 19. My best to date was only 10 gallons. And there is the 2 gallons that I inadvertantly boiled over when it was only 1 degree from finished. Gotta pick up some more wood after work tonight.

[Grand Marais Boiler]

collected 56 gal from 76 taps - lost ???? to over flows

[Grand Marais Boiler]

Looks like we're fairly close - would like to see your operation when we're done?
Got 120 gallons off 75 taps. Gotten 16 gallons so far and this should put me around 19. My best to date was only 10 gallons. And there is the 2 gallons that I inadvertantly boiled over when it was only 1 degree from finished. Gotta pick up some more wood after work tonight.

[JRCunningham]

We put 280 gallons into the RO yesterday, boiling today. It's running like crazy here in Manistique, probably looking at another 280 gallons to collect today. This is the run we've all been waiting for!

I just cleaned out my tanks (again)--as I'm nervous about bacteria when it starts to get warm like this. I look at all the gear and say, "just hang in there for a bit longer"...

Best of luck! I pray for good sap runs and NO MORE SNOW.

--J.R.

[fishman]

JR when u put in 280 gallons how much do you get out that u have to boil down. looks like a decent run but i don't have time to run buckets and boil too. Got some wood today and am busy splitting. GM boiler we can get in contact after the season I'm just off 117 on Red Camp Rd.

[JRCunningham]

Fish:

I RO 280 gallons down to about 55 gallons for boiling. I have a 4x40" membrane (low pressure), and it takes me around 10 hours. I collect, run the RO at night, and boil during the day to try to keep within the 24 hour window. Last night I didn't do so well. My 1/2HP pump that supplies the initial pressure to the RO (before the boost pump) is squeaking and heating up. I found 30 gallons of warm sap in my barrel this morning. :cry: Gotta get that in the evaporator asap...

Good luck. Froze hard last night--might be another good one today.

--J.R.

[Grand Marais Boiler]

Collected 33 gal Mon., 24 yest. Finsished 4th boil last nite - 88 gal towards next. I try to boil as soon as circumstances permit, but a 24 hr rule isn't practicle with our set up. Got down to 30 last nite - will see what today brings. Good luck guys.

[JRCunningham]

I hear you on the 24 hour rule not always being practical. I find that I'm constantly chasing down the "slow link" in my process. Two years ago I had 2 2x20" membranes and that was enough to keep me boiling all the time, last year my single 4x40 membrane was enough but I couldn't evaporate fast enough. This year it's (again) the RO holding the spot as the slow link in the process.

This, to me, seems to be the greatest struggle in building a sizable operation: Capacity and scalability. I find that we can't simply build or buy a bigger "thing" without upgrading the whole rest of the operation. bigger evap, more filter capacity, bigger RO, more taps, bigger transfer pump lines, etc. Every time I make one "thing" in the process bigger, all the other "things" have to be dealt with. I've yet to answer the question about how I get from 300 to 1,000 taps a little bit at a time--seems next to impossible.

You know, folks, us yooper sugarmakers need to get together after season and share a meal/drink. As I stood outside sanitizing my equipment this morning (again), it occurred to me that I was absolutely exhausted. I thought about fishman splitting wood up in Newberry. Given the fact that my snowshoes are still on the porch ready for duty, I've got a four foot snow hill in my front yard, and it's sunny and 41 degrees, and the season is (in theory) almost over, I can't help but appreciate how unpredictable and tough maple season can be. Snow? Yep. Mud? Got it. Fermentation friendly daytime temperatures? Yep. Freezing nights? Sure.

Do I love it? Of course. But inevitably this time of year, I'm tired and ready for a break.

Anyway...let's all hang in there for this season end and get together in the off season and toast to a great year.

--J.R.

[fishman]

Sounds good to me. Trying to boil, finish and fight this flue bug at the same time.

[Grand Marais Boiler]

Got 20 gal today. With the warm up and the cool down thats coming, my taps may be "dried up" by time the next good day comes? :cry:

[fishman]

Looks like Saturday night at low 20s and Sunday being sunny and mid 40s might be it for me. Gotta get cleaned up and get the boat ready for some Coho and steelhead fishing at Grand Marais. Just went over 20 gallons doubling my best ever.

[Grand Marais Boiler]

It looks like you got exactly what they say you should get - 1qt./tap. I've never done that good. Congratularions!!
Looks like Saturday night at low 20s and Sunday being sunny and mid 40s might be it for me. Gotta get cleaned up and get the boat ready for some Coho and steelhead fishing at Grand Marais. Just went over 20 gallons doubling my best ever.

[regor0]

30 gallons yesterday, Nothing today. More snow 8 to 18" in the forecast. My glutes are sick of snowshoes. I think I may need to update my "BEER WHISKY TOTALS".

[Grand Marais Boiler]

Didn't collect yesterday - getting tired I guess, but figured it wasn't worth the effort for 1 or 2 gal. The last batch (108 gal.) is almost syrup - think I'll just let it set and see what happens Sunday?:confused:

[fishman]

Haven't picked up for a couple days now. We dodged most of the snow, only 2". Still hoping for one more good run tomorrow before shutting it down. My wife picked up a new toy-a digital thermometer. Just plug it into the laptop and I don't even have to check for density until 219. I then put it my coffee pot bottler and can see what my temps are while bottling. Hate to say it but I've gotta been bottling below 180 on some bottles at the end of the pot in the past. Just trying to keep getting better at this all the time.

[Grand Marais Boiler]

Collected 12 gal. Fri. (2 days worth) because didn't want it to freeze in jugs. Got 12 more last nite - thought it would've been better. Won't be able to today. Tomorrow will be the last goround then pulling taps.

[regor0]

Finally got 5 gallons of syrup of the evaporator last night, happy, happy, happy. Yesterday I only got 40 gallons of sap off 170 taps again. 45 degrees out and perfect sap weather but my trees don't want to give it up. Still have over 3ft of snow but my trees are starting to bud.

[michiganfarmer2]

Have you considered tubing and a small vacuum pump?

[fishman]

Got 75 gallons off 75 taps today. I don't consider myself a tree hugger but I need another 40 gallons to get 1000 for the year. Not supposed to get below freezing for a few days and I want to wrap it up tomorrow. Might have to put a turniquet on a few trees and squeeze the last drops out of those sweet suckers.

[regor0]

Fishman,
Just out of curiosity how much snow do you you have over there? I just got done gathering again today and got around 25 gallons off 170 taps. Actually i would say 25 gallons off 40 trees. Just for fun yesterday I went around and shoveled a circle around some of the trees, they were the only ones that ran any amount. I have 2 next to the driveway that a snowblowed around all winter, they will usually give around a gallon a day. We still have over 3 ft around most of my trees, supposed to get another shot tonight. Sap is still 3 percent. I didn't tap till easter weekend so the shouldn't be dry.

[fishman]

In the woods there is about 12-16" in Newberry. Just 4 miles north of town it's probably double that. It took a beating yesterday with all of the rain. Some of the fields are starting to show some bare spots so the deer are on just about every patch that shows. I'm going to start my last boil tonight after work and will probably finish tomorrow.

[Grand Marais Boiler]

Finished 5th boil and started next - collected 53 gal today. Sap is nice and clear again. Hoping for at least 27 more?

[JRCunningham]

GM, I hear you on getting tired. We're done here, and it's taking everything I've got to get the equipment cleaned up.

What a great season. I learned a lot, (especially about fighting the slime...), and I'm thrilled with how the syrup turned out.

Best of luck as you close it up for the year...

--J.R.

[regor0]

Made another 5 gallons last night. Trees finally started running, 105 gallons off 170 taps. Looks like today will probably be the end, warm weather coming. Wolves were howling last night arnoud 2:30 am, helping keep me awake.

[fishman]

You must have had a short season. A lot of almost days?

[fishman]

Just finished boiling and bottling the last batch. Total for the season was 1000 gallons sap and 24.5 gallons more than doubling my previous best season of 10 gallons. Lots of Christmas presents for this year. The only dark was the last batch of 2.5 gallons. Got the pan cleaned and most of the stuff put away. Still have to wash the buckets, taps and lines. I was tapped for 7 weeks and never had what I considered a great run. Lots of 3-5 days with nothing then a decent run for a few days. Little easier on the body that way but it sure draggged on. Thanks to every one on this site for all of the great ideas and suggestions for us little guys.

[Homestead Maple]

How much more of a season do you figure you have? We were just discussing how cold the weather was holding in Minn. at lunch time today watching the weather report. I would guess that you will sugar as late as some of the places in Quebec?
Made another 5 gallons last night. Trees finally started running, 105 gallons off 170 taps. Looks like today will probably be the end, warm weather coming. Wolves were howling last night arnoud 2:30 am, helping keep me awake.

[Grand Marais Boiler]

Thanks for the message JR. Its been a long, drug out season but that let me get enuff wood scrounged up. Had 3 or 4 "good" days, but overall its been our best. Was going to pull taps this AM but it got down to 29 last nite so I'll collect tonite and call it good. Should finish around 780g. Tapped 3/23. Would like to get down and see your Sugarbush sometime. - Have a great summer!

[Mark]

How much more of a season do you figure you have? We were just discussing how cold the weather was holding in Minn. at lunch time today watching the weather report. I would guess that you will sugar as late as some of the places in Quebec?
This weekend is going to be too warm but next week has freezing temps depending on which forecast you look at. We still have 2 feet of snow in the bush. We will keep the vacuum on and try to make it to next week and see if it runs. The snow is still not melted away from the bases of the trees. How long does Quebec usually go?

[regor0]

Thanks for me hope mark, I was going to give it up after I boiled tonight, But I think I'll hang in there till next week. I just can't believe I could go through a season without one "GOOD" run. A few days off warm weather to get rid of this snow may be all my trees need.

[Mark]

Not getting much of a flow today which is not a good sign. I have a test bucket that was tapped two weeks ago and it is running like mad. Sap will run next week but it all depends on how old the tap holes are. We will boil today and hope to get some dark or grade b. We have made almost all light amber with this cold weather and it went to medium amber yesterday.

[regor0]

I just went out and picked up some bags that blew off. Looks like this could be my best day:cool:.
49 sunny but windy. Got down to 27 last night.

[Mark]

Mine are starting to pick up so I am not quitting yet. Looks like I should be able to make a hundred gallons this evening. I really need dark syrup so I have to stick with it.

[PETE FELCH]

Mark are you using check valves? We have all checks and they have been in the trees for two months . Today 68 degrees and still close to a gal per tap.

[Mark]

Mark are you using check valves? We have all checks and they have been in the trees for two months . Today 68 degrees and still close to a gal per tap.
I have about 3000 of the check valves and have been waiting to see if they work well before switching over. This is the third year and have not seen a difference that I can tell yet. I am sure they work but it would be nice to see it to give me confidence to change everything out. I will go out and keep on looking to see if the check valve areas flow later this year.

[Homestead Maple]

Mid May some years.
This weekend is going to be too warm but next week has freezing temps depending on which forecast you look at. We still have 2 feet of snow in the bush. We will keep the vacuum on and try to make it to next week and see if it runs. The snow is still not melted away from the bases of the trees. How long does Quebec usually go?

[Grand Marais Boiler]

Hey guys, wasn't sure to post here or start new thread? How's things going out there? Tapped 40 (+/-), sat. & sun. Some were running, others not yet. Fishman - you busy yet?

[S&STappers]

Tapped 100 this weekend on tubing with sap puller. Have about 130 gallons so far

[northernlite]

27 taps, no sap, a couple days in mid forties, snow storm now, we had almost 60 days of below 0 temps this year and still 4 feet od snow on the ground. Second year tapping, learning a whole new meaning of patience

[regor0]

After a few years of tapping trees in the UP I've came to a realization. They just don't run as much as trees in other more southern climates. When I was using bags and buckets it was a really good day if you got more than a quart of sap per tap, and I would do a dance if I got 2 quarts or more. Now I have moved up to vacuum and I still have never come close to a gallon per tap or the mystical 2 gallons per tap on a great day. So I guess I'm happy with every drop I'm lucky enough to get.
And another thing, not to sound like Andy Rooney, do you think the fellas that tap with 4ft of snow and with out snowshoes, they must get bored? :lol:

[regor0]

My trees must have read my last post, almost all gave 2 gallons and some 3 yesterday.

[fishman]

How many taps you doing regor0. Yesterday was a great run for me too 2 to 4 gallons per tap. Would have been more but had a few tipped over and 1 fell off the tap. I think the wolves are drinking out of my buckets. Still running even though it only got to 36 last night.

[regor0]

I have about 200 on vacuum, would have put another 300 on it but the snow melted and I couldn't reach the mainline any more. Over the weekend I put 305 bags out. So 500+-. Next year I plan on jumping up to 2000 all on vacuum. I bought all the tubing and everything to do it this year but I was so busy with everything else it didn't happen.