Tapping the 2014 season

[Rossell's Sugar Camp]

Anybody tapped yet here in pa? I am looking here and I am probably about 2 weeks out. The weather looks like it will break here soon and the sap will begin to flow. Feel free to TAP in to this thread and post whats going on in your sugar bush.

I still have 5 cords of wood to cut and 500 spiles to change out. And I may put vacuum on 200 trees or replace a sap ladder (with 150 taps) with a mechanical releaser. The new vacuum system will cost me somewhere around 1000$ and the mechanical releaser would be around 650

[psparr]

Hoping I can hold out till Feb. Just ordered some 3/16 tubing, buckets arent cleaned yet, woods not chopped yet, and all this is almost 2 hrs. away at our family cabin in Shade Gap.

Should have around 200 taps this year. About 50 on 3/16 gravity.

Still looking for a small trailer to mount my sap hauler on.

I got plenty a time....

[Dennis H.]

I am kinda of hopeful for a late start this year.
I am able to get all kinds of overtime at work right now and it is great to get the extra money. Not sure how long it will last so I am taking advantage of it and working my butt off there to get as many hours as I can, hoping that the sugar'in season starts really late this season!!!
Everything is for the most part ready to go for me, I just need to haul the releaser up to the cabin and place on the sap tank and it should be good to go.

[Father & Son]

Dennis,
Did you ever do anything on building a RO?

Jim

[Kyle M]

Hoping to start in the next week or so, unfornutlay where i am located in south eastern pa our weather is screwy, very rare that we have more and a week straight of ideal temps, Usually can only get 3-4 weeks before taps dry up, I wish I would have started in Dec always worried Im going to miss out on some runs

[KGodshall]

I just checked Farmer's Almanac. Looks like some cold spells right through February anyway. Gonna stick to my "regiment" of waiting until last week of January and then looking for a "sweet spot".

[psparr]

Temps in Shade Gap are real good for the next two weeks. Im thinking about tapping half and see where it goes.

[calsum2]

I am just a hobbyist with less than 20 taps...but I am thinking about starting this coming week.....always looking for some trees to tap hear in Southeast pa

[Kyle M]

I am just a hobbyist with less than 20 taps...but I am thinking about starting this coming week.....always looking for some trees to tap hear in Southeast pa

Where abouts in chadds ford are you. Most of the trees I tap are at my parents in concord township

[calsum2]

I am a block off of route 52 from route 1. Ironically maple ln. Moved this year and found about 5-6 trees to tap but am looking for more . Just a fun hobby.

[Cabin]

This will be my forth year tapping red maples. Last year I taped 24 trees and made over 2.5 gallons of syrup. I have built an arch to replace the fire ring I was using and hope to tape 30-40 trees this year. It would be nice if I had more than 3 sugar maples but no such luck. Lucky there is no shortage of fire wood.

[Maplewalnut]

Welcome to the trader Cabin...Where are you located?!?!? Its great to see a neighbor on board

Mike

[Cabin]

Welcome to the trader Cabin...Where are you located?!?!? Its great to see a neighbor on board

Mike

Cherry Valley.

[Kyle M]

I am a block off of route 52 from route 1. Ironically maple ln. Moved this year and found about 5-6 trees to tap but am looking for more . Just a fun hobby.
I know exactly where your at. We used to use Longwood Vet right there and stephens for my koi

[Rossell's Sugar Camp]

temps are looking downright bitter cold for the next 2 weeks. normally would be getting itchy to tap soon but as of right now, we are keeping warm indoors. We are mostly ready just a few small jobs left. This weather better break soon.

[psparr]

Ran 20 taps on 3/16 gravity last weekend. Put 2 55 gallon barrels in series to collect the sap. Went up this weekend to one barrel overflowing and the other empty. My overflow into the other one froze up and didnt work.
I collected about another 10 gallons from 6 buckets. Ended up with a little over a gallon medium.

Temps look terrible for the next week though.

[mapleack]

Finished repairing lines yesterday and got the first 100 taps in. Going to try to do some every day after work so we'll be ready to go without a mad rush like usual!

[Rossell's Sugar Camp]

Andy. have you dealt with mike lynch before? I think he has mentioned you? Or maybe somebody else from your area.

[mapleack]

Yes, he's a good guy. Also we're members in the Somerset association even though we live in Indiana County, known them for years.

[Jim_9999]

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[unc23win]

Welcome Jim_9999 happy retirement :)


Jared
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KV Sappers]

Welcome Jim_9999. Congrats on your retirement. I retired 6 years ago and it's been great. I boil also using propane. It's expensive but works great for my very small operation. Enjoy your retirement and here's hoping the sap gods smile on you and all of us with sweet nectar.

[Z/MAN]

Welcome Jim_9999. I'm not too far away in Dalevile. Lots of good people and info here.
Paul

[doocat]

Brrrrrrr! Couple of weeks yet!

[Maplewalnut]

I'm drilling this week also. Figure I can do a couple hundred each night after work. That way if it finally snows I can go snowmobiling and if it warms up I turn the pump on. I'll wait a few weeks got buckets

[sjdoyon]

weather permitting, we will start tapping on 15 Feb with a crew of three. Normally get about 900 -1,000 taps done per day. Have several thousand new taps this year on a slope with over 35% grade so that section will take a little longer.

Anybody try out the new Precision Tapper?

[Sugarmaker]

I've been following the posts here for about 5 years, never posted, this is my first. I'm from NE PA, about 10 miles north of Scranton. Today is my first day of retirement from my job of 25 years. Plan on putting out 50 taps w/bags starting on Feb 1st. Would put out more but the big pole line project is screwing up my regular tapping spot, this year I'm going to be scattered all over a 25 mile area mainly alongside the roads and on a couple small properties. I have a small operation, Leader 2' x 4' pan that I boil with using propane, Smoky Lake steam pan filter, bottle into canning jars and maple leaf bottles. Small batch operation. This was always sufficient in years past, sold some syrup and gave a lot away. Now being retired I may expand, depends on how things go this season.

Hope this year is good for everyone!

Jim,
Welcome to the forum.
Congratulations on retirement! I am one month into that too.
We are at the opposite side of the state up near the lake.
Good luck with the bags I have never tried those. Went from buckets to all tubing about 6 years ago.
Have fun making syrup!
Regards,
Chris

[Jim_9999]

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[Jim_9999]

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[Sugarmaker]

Jim,
Whats your boiling rate? I understand the fun thing. Boiling outside must be a challenge some days? One of my favorite parts is getting back to the sugarhouse after a cold wet gathering event, firing up the old 3 x 10 and getting steam rolling in about 15 minutes. But its all about material handling and having the equipment scaled to your operation and comfort level. We put the fun back into making syrup when we went from 400 roadside buckets to 600 roadside taps on short run tubing, Cut our gathering time in half and eliminated lifting sap.
Still waiting for warm weather If you can believe the long range forecast then Feb 12 looks like a tapping day. Guess I better get the sugarhouse ready just in case.
Regards,
Chris

[Jim_9999]

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[Slatebelt*Pa*Tapper]

Soon here in Slatington pa, all though ground is frozen hard under snow, probably be another two weeks before going all 250+ taps in. Did put one test tap in today to monitor. Nothing flowing worth while yet.

[Sugarmaker]

Sugarmaker/Chris....my boiling rate is betwen 5 to 9 GPH depending on weather., worst part is windy days but I just suck it up and enjoy being outside. Not the greatest boiling rate but I figure pretty good for being outside. If I built a small shed and started boiling inside it would start feeling like a job so I keep my operation small & outside. I've been looking at Leader Half Pints w/a Smokey Lake Hybrid pan running on propane or natural gas, don't want wood. What keeps stopping me is not the price but it seems like I'm leaving the fun part behind and going for quantity. and turning my hobby into a job. Every year I look at them in the fall but keep my pan setup, don't want to lose the nostalgic feeling of boiling outside. My brother has a open horse barn near the State Park and he said I could use it to boil if I want to, I don't think I want to. As far as lifting sap buckets, I don't enjoy it but I kinda feel like I'm doing it old school so it doesn't bother me that much, but remember I'm only lifting 50 buckets not 600.

Do you roadside tap on your property or on whoever's property the trees are on? I've had problems in years past of people stealing my taps & buckets from roadside taps, now I walk in a couple yards and try to cammo out my stuff. In years past I tapped mainly on the pole line behind my house, this year the state is doing a major power line project that's pretty much ruined the pole line for the next several years.

Jim,
I travel about 35 miles to gather sap. 31 stops with about 20 taps per stop. Takes a couple hours on a good avg run day, longer on a big run. Yes the gathering sometimes is in the rain snow and cold. So when we get back to the sugar house and spend a couple hours drying out if feels good near the 3 x 10 King. Some days the family comes over and visits while boiling. Anyone that stops in is put to work firing or doing something even if its just checking sap levels or tasting syrup.

[adk1]

And that is the way it should be. Everyone gets more satisfaction out of the end product by pitching in

[Sugarmaker]

Very cold and quiet.
Replacing 2/3's of the taps with new spiles and drop lines.
Went to Keiths (neighbor) yesterday to help him with his first boiling trial with his new Creekside built pans. I think he was happy with the first test. Found some areas to improve in the plumbing coming to the rig. He has 30 inch x 7 foot dropped flue pan system, custom built to fit his beautiful hand built brick arch. The Casbohm built insulated door seemed to work OK too.
He has made some very nice upgrades to his system and will be able to boil sap much faster this year. New auto draw off will help him in the sugarhouse too.
I think he is planning to boil sap from about 300 + taps this year.
Regards,
Chris

[Springfield Acer]

Here in western PA it looks like one warm day Thursday the thirteenth and then cold again until Monday the 17th. If all stays the same, I'm tapping next Saturday.

[Jim Brown]

We are tapping this weekend putting in 1000.

Jim

[Sugarmaker]

If you can believe the weather reports, Jim Brown is about right for this weekend. Accu weather shows warming on the 18th. I think I will go put in the rest of my new drop lines this after noon. Need to get the water test done soon also. Bunch of tanks to clean, gathering containers to put out and then tapping and finding the sugarhouse again:)
Regards,
Chris

[Sugarmaker]

Things are froze up tight in our neck of the woods. Shaping up to be the best season we have had in 30 years! At lease that's what My dad would have said. Get your syrup making equipment ready! Did get out and replace 50 more drops. That project is done unless I go get more tubing and spouts. Based on forecast may be able to tap in a week.
Regards,
Chris

[Jim Brown]

Froze here also -4 this morning at 5:45 am! Need to install steam stacks and rinse evaporator and feed tank. Been too cold to spray anything with water at the moment! Forgot to mention that there is 2 feet of snow in the woods to.


Jim

[lpakiz]

Should I think about tapping today?
8700

[happy thoughts]

Should I think about tapping today?
8700

Sure. That's what I plan on doing after waking up to -13 here this morning. Just think about it after I take a hammer to the thermometer..

Forecast looks good for the next week and beyond in our neck of the woods. Hoping that holds so we can throw in some taps this weekend. If the long range forecast holds this looks like it could be a great season...... but I won't count my chickens just yet.

Good luck this year lp. Any warming in your future?

[Cabin]

Sure. That's what I plan on doing after waking up to -13 here this morning. Just think about it after I take a hammer to the thermometer..

Forecast looks good for the next week and beyond in our neck of the woods. Hoping that holds so we can throw in some taps this weekend. If the long range forecast holds this looks like it could be a great season...... but I won't count my chickens just yet.

Good luck this year lp. Any warming in your future?


I am hoping to get the rest of my taps in this weekend. Maybe this snow they are calling for will make the snowshoeing easier to get back to the trees. I get the feeling that it will be a long time before I can get the truck out back again.

[Sugarmaker]

Changed out the last of the drop lines and spouts this afternoon. Finally got a accurate tap count at all locations. If I hang 10 buckets in the yard around the sugarhouse we will be right at 600 taps for this year. I did put out a dozen CV's on one line. Will see how those work on gravity.
Also picked up some nice tires from grandson Nic. These are to replace old ones on the wood trailer. Kept getting flats.
Hope things are good looks like go time next week.
Regards,
Chris

[Gary R]

Taps are going in this weekend. Finally we can quit pouting about the cold weather. It looks like a great run next week. I hope everyone is ready and best of luck!

Sugarmaker, I saw the trailer yesterday. I thought you were getting it fixed up for all the additional sap you'll be hauling!

[heus]

Tapping this weekend just across the Pa border in Ohio.

[Sugarmaker]

Jason,
I hadn't thought about tapping this week end that's a novel idea. I may look at the forecast, looks more like the 18 or 19th it will thaw enough that it could run?? Its going to be cold over the week end per accuweather, be careful not to crack the trees. I could get my collection stations in place, just don't want to have those out if we are going to get a lot of snow plow action. It can cover them close to the road.
I did spend some time in the sugarhouse. float boxes installed, ashes and grates cleaned out and general redding up. Feels kinda like rearranging chairs on a ship that's going down:)
Talked to Keith, he got his water unthawed to the sugar house and reset his storage tank yesterday.
So we are close behind you on this side of the line:)
Regards,
Chris

[Gary R]

Sugarmaker! It's only been 45 days and you've already forgot what it's like to go to work:lol: Not enough time after work to get all the taps in and check the vacuum system. Good luck to ya!

It's pretty quite on here, is every one else tapping?

[waysidemaple]

Tapping full steam ahead here. 3,200 or so in today. Im really hoping to have all 5000 in by the end of the weekend but will see. Spent 5 hours pushing snow around today, and was woken up at 430 to pull my dad out of a 3 foot snow drift he tried to drive through on his way into work this morning. Long day in Granville Summit so Im headed to bed.

Good luck to all, wont be long now.

Scott

[Springfield Acer]

It's 5:00 and all my taps are in!

[Jim Brown]

Mine also!
Jim

[emericksmaple]

All of ours is in as well. We started on the 8th and finished up on the 11th. I am so glad we did. While we were tapping we only had about a 10" of snow on the ground, now we have almost 3 feet. It did warm up here a little Friday afternoon and our one woods ran about 150 gal, I didn't even bother to turn on the vacuum. But we are ready to go, now we just have to plow in roads to get to the woods to fix leaks when it warms up later this coming week.

[Gary R]

Well the chips were falling and we're all in! I plowed out the woods to my sap collection point. Vacuum pump was at 27.5" but there was a freeze in the mainline somewhere. I couldn't check for leaks. A treat today as my wife helped tap the vacuum trees. It was a bit snowy and cold.

8747

[Sugarmaker]

Sugarmaker! It's only been 45 days and you've already forgot what it's like to go to work:lol: Not enough time after work to get all the taps in and check the vacuum system. Good luck to ya!

It's pretty quite on here, is every one else tapping?

Gary,
Work? What is that? I did some cleaning in the sugarhouse today. Heard that Keith had tested his evaporator again, so went over to check. Another drain in his rear hood and he will be ready.
Regards,
Chris

[Sugarmaker]

Well the chips were falling and we're all in! I plowed out the woods to my sap collection point. Vacuum pump was at 27.5" but there was a freeze in the mainline somewhere. I couldn't check for leaks. A treat today as my wife helped tap the vacuum trees. It was a bit snowy and cold.

8747

Gary and Jim,
Great your ready and tapped or tapped and getting ready:)
It only got to 20 today, still too cold. But may do a little tomorrow in the woods.
Let me know when you boil.
Regards,
Chris

[molineutu]

I cleaned more buckets today and did the final cleaning of the pans. I'm with you sugarmaker still to cold here in the mountains. Only got to 24 today and almost 20 inches of snow and more on its way Monday night. So the plan is to get every thing ready and watch the forecast like a hawk.

[Gary R]

Woke up today with temps at 40! That's higher than the forecasted for today, yesterday. Need to work in Pittsburgh today. Hopefully turn the pump on when I get home. I want to flush the lines and check for leaks.

[Sugarmaker]

Gary,
Yes the temp at 7:00 this morning was 41! Nice! 50 degrees higher than normal:) I actually seen snow melting. I couldn't take it any more! I got some stuff together and was in the woods by 9:45. Couple friends came over at noon and helped till 2:30. I finished the 590 taps by 4:30. Bring it on! Hope we get one or two runs before it gets cold Sunday.
Regards,
Chris

[Gary R]

Sugarmaker, good to hear your in!

There is an upside to starting early. Time to fix all the problems. I turned the pump on this evening and the sap is coming in slowly. Since I tapped Sunday a mainline broke near a far ladder. Glad I had some spare fittings or we'd be sucking a lot of air. Had to fix a few chews on the 3/16's and that's running. I went to rinse the tank and the new frost free hydrant has no water. I think it must be froze:confused: The great thing is I should be boiling tomorrow!

[Springfield Acer]

Things are thawing out and starting to move. We gathered 50+ gallons this evening. Not bad for the first day. Hopefully a good run tomorrow and Friday with a first boil Saturday.
I finished up a bit of wiring tonight and am ready to roll.

[Sugarmaker]

Springfield acer,
Glad your boiling. Hope the start up went smooth.
250 taps is a nice size for your new rig.
Keep an eye on Gary for me.
Regards,
Chris

[Gary R]

It will be hard to keep an eye on me with all the steam around here!

Strange day yesterday. Didn't warm to the mid 40's until early evening. Got the BAT mobile stuck in the ice and snow last night. Had to plow again with the tractor. I really need to get chains. 50 at 6AM today! I brought up 55gal. from the 3/16 this morning and checked my vacuum releaser dumps. I've gotten about 1gal. per tap in less than 24 hours. A decent start. I will be boiling tonight:)

[Springfield Acer]

I thought that it would be easier to keep an eye on Gary if I posted his latest picture on the bulletin board at work where I work with Laura. For some reason, it got taken down.

[Gary R]

From yesterday to today I ended up with about 350 gal. of sap. I'm already done boiling for the night. We did draw off about a quart of syrup. Lots of butterscotch taste. I was very surprised. Sugar content sucks! 1.0 on the vacuum and 1.4 on the 3/16. I left some in the tank and should have a good boil tomorrow. Is anyone else boiling?

Springfield Acer, You'll pay for that:cool:

[Sugarmaker]

Folks,
I had help today, two friends and I gathered 500 gallons of 2.5% sap.
Started boiling about 4:00 and finished about 8:00. Grade was dark amber, made 5 gallons. The rest is in the rig.
Normal start up bugs worked out. Stack temp never got over 700.Firing with only slabs seemed to work well. Made syrup from raw sap to syrup in 3 hours. had had eight visitors to the sugar house too. Funny how the word gets out:)
Gary, sounds like you had a good start up. Get some chains for the BAT mobile.
Regards,
Chris

[cadocter]

Sounds like sugarmaker and gary are off to a good start! We had our first boil tonight too. We gathered around 100 gallon tonight off of about 110 taps. Still have the 3/16 to put up and buckets, that will be tomorrow. We boiled about half the 100 and plan on finishing it tomorrow. We got our taps in last Sunday. Good luck everyone and have fun, because that's what really matters!

[Sugarmaker]

cadocter,
Yes try to have some fun! Sounds like you are well on your way. What is the rate of sap per hour on that new full pint pan?
Regards,
Chris

[Gary R]

cadoctor, good to hear your getting sap. Enjoy your boil!

I've been hearing some bad sap reports from some guys on gravity and buckets. I'm at a total of 515 gal. for this run. I should finish all the sap tonight. Looks like a big cold spell. I'm going to drain the evaporator and clean the pan tomorrow. Man I love the auto draw off!

[waysidemaple]

Broke loose here. 2600 gallons out if this run and still going strong. Low sugar but owell. Hoping to have enough to boil by the end of the day tomorrow.

Scott

[Springfield Acer]

We boiled all we had this morning and just like Gary, I love the auto draw off even though I just got it tweaked before we ran out of sap.
I am one of those bucket guys fretting about my sap runs so far. 168 gallons to date thru yesterday and almost nothing tonight
Unfortunately, I discovered three small leaks in my preheater when I filled for the first time this AM. I'm tearing down and fixing and recleaning when it turns cold this week.

[Sugarmaker]

Folks,
Made another 3 gallons of dark amber last night. gathered 220 gallons of 2.5% sap Sat. Had friends family and neighbors stop in and visit. Grand daughters showed up and had a good time learning about making syrup, and tasting syrup.

Our local high school just got a new Leader 2 x 4 rig. The Vo Ag dept will be using the evaporator to boil sap from 50 taps on the school grounds. This is the same group of of kids that help with LEME.

Regards,
Chris

[cadocter]

Sugarmaker, we're running along at about 12-15 gallon per hour depending on who's running it and how clean the pan is. I'm glad to hear the younger students are getting into it too.
we've been running about 2% sugar so far. Good luck everyone!

[Gary R]

I got 110 gal. today. All boiled and ready to drain things. I was over to the neighbors and Jim Brown's today. All were doing a little boiling.

Springfield Acre, you have the pump. This cold spell would be a great time to put vacuum on your lines. You'll have plenty of sap then!

[Springfield Acer]

I'm thinking pretty hard about getting a vac set up during this cold spell. I got a total of 27 gallons over the last two days off 250+ taps! Now I see my weather forecast says nothing above freezing for the next ten days. I have to boil down the last little bit and then I'm draining down tomorrow night.

[Gary R]

It was that kind of production 4-5 years ago that pushed me to vacuum. I had 100 buckets and only made 5gal. of syrup for the season.

Some neighbors were over last night. We let the 12 year old son run the rig for the boil. I got to sit back, drink beer and watch! Pumps off and ladders drained.

[mapleack]

Pretty nice three day stretch there to get going. We've made about 20 gallons of really nice medium.

[waysidemaple]

Ended up with 66 gallons of good dark amber out of the warm up. Having a load of gravel delivered to the pump house at the big woods to hopefully help with driveway situation. Cold day for a 30 min tractor ride but owell.

Scott

[unc23win]

I never really was into Accu weather much (more into the 36 hour forecast), but I got the app this morning after hearing people talk about extended forecasts if it is right (or even close) starting the end of next week LOOK OUT only 3 days out of 22 below 40 and all freezing nights.

I am using this time to finish tapping and get everything ready its been a long prep season.

[Gary R]

I finally did my filtering and canning. Official total was 6gal. one quart of DA on a three year old kit. Looks like a good weekend to cut firewood.

[Sugarmaker]

So we tapped and made 8 gallons last week. Glad we had some good syrup left over from 2013. Canned 9.5 gallons of that into pints and quarts. Made a batch of maple mustard, and a batch of maple BBQ. Cleaned the sides on the evaporator and painted the black castings and rails on the arch with high temp paint. Visited a new sugarhouse in Cambridge springs on rt 99. got new tires on the old sap hauling truck. trying to stay warm. Around 10 below this morning, no warming in the forecast for at least a week.
Cold!
Regards,
Chris

[heus]

Wow Jim we are actually colder than you right across the border. -12

[mapleguy]

Once again I have succumbed to looking at the long range on accuweather. For northeast ohio starting late nxt. week through the end of March we are going to be flooded with sap and probably start complaining about no sleep. Sure hope so!!!

[heus]

Fingers crossed!!!!!!!

[happy thoughts]

Once again I have succumbed to looking at the long range on accuweather. For northeast ohio starting late nxt. week through the end of March we are going to be flooded with sap and probably start complaining about no sleep. Sure hope so!!!

That's what I think, too. And if the other guys are right about the full moon, it's going to be lunacy! Fingers crossed here, too!

PS It's balmy here compared to you others. Only hit -6!

[Sugarmaker]

Minus 14 F when I left the house. Not sure we will do much maple today. Just try to keep the house warm enough to survive.
Forecast looks like a little warming for several day towards next weekend.
Andy,
You did real good making 60+ gallons.
Regards,
Chris

[Sugarmaker]

Quiet - Very quiet:) Another 5 inches of snow this morning (should put us at the 7th snowiest winter on record or something like that). Large 3-4 gallon ice cubes are holding down the sap gathering containers. Temp is around a balmy 15 degrees. Hey that's 30 degrees warmer than Friday.
Keith and I made a trip to local Amish tin smith and he built the "EHE" (Elevated Hood Extension) yesterday for Keith's front hood. This is a proto that I designed a year or so ago and could not get anybody interested in building. Hoping it will work to reduce steam in the room from the elevated front hood. If it works I will take all the credit as usual:) This tin smith will build custom stainless steam and flue pipes from 6 inch to whatever you need including base stacks. Single to triple wall. Real nice folks!
Moving over to the honey side of the hobby. Have 5 gallons of goldenrod warmed and will can some of that today.
Regards,
Chris

[Gary R]

Yes, very quiet on the maple. The lines unthawed yesterday but the sap didn't run. Did some crow hunting today and the neighbors shot two coyotes. I'm thinking I should bottle the 18 gal. of wine I have ready.

Sugarmaker, do you have any crystallized honey for sale? That seems to go well on peanut butter and banana sandwich's:)

[Sugarmaker]

Gary,
Not much maple to talk about. Yes we may have some goldenrod honey in 1/2 lb jars that is starting to crystallize again.
Looks like one day this week it may get above freezing! May not be much syrup made before mid March in this neck of the woods??
Regards,
Chris

[Sugarmaker]

Folks,
So cold I started a thread on adding a wood stove in the sugarhouse:)
Keith is tapping today. Supposed to get near 40 tomorrow. That should at least thaw the lines.
Regards,
Chris

[Gary R]

My lines thawed out today:) It was 5 degrees warmer only 20 miles south of us. I was able to find a couple more squirrel chews in the 3/16. All fixed and it was running slow. Turned the vacuum pump on and cleared those lines. Should get some sap tomorrow but may not have enough to boil until Saturday.

It's been real quiet on here. Is anybody fired up for the next few days? Come on guy's you've got to want it!

[Sugarmaker]

Gary,
Most of us are frozen in place:)
I did get out to the sugarhouse today. It was above freezing so dicided to turn the water back on. Nothing! It has never frozen below ground so I thought I better check in the house and luckily the valve to the sugarhouse was off. Wheew! Glad I didnt start digging up the yard to find frozen pipes? I did do a quick check on 12 of the 30 collection sites. Most had a good size ice block in them. Some i could barely lift. Got those out of the containers.
I did load the gathering tank and pumps but there just wasn't enough to gather yet. Will check again tomorrow.
Worked on the buzz rig and cut a load of slab wood for Eric.
Regards,
Chris

[Gary R]

Sap is still slow to come. I did have about 100 gal. about 7PM. It's still above freezing now. I should get a nice boil tomorrow, late afternoon. If anyone is looking to get a maple fix your welcome to stop in.

Chris, my water line is new and it was frozen a couple of weeks ago. I guess when I put it in I didn't put enough stone in the bottom of the hydrant.

[slammer3364]

Going to try and tap some trees tomorrow,still alot of snow in one part of the woods,some places are accesible will try to tap there. Good Luck!!!!

[PATheron]

Things been going pretty good here at Pierce and Sons. After all year of tinkering in the woods got things working fairly well. All the taps are in the 20s inches of vac with 22 being the min as of right now. All four vac pumps working well and all five releasers working good enough you can take off and leave them and you don't have to worry. Gonna work in the shed all day today I think, various things to fix, some ro work. Gotta clean the tanker trailer this morning. Ros should be working good when Im done. Have one messed up tower but IM thinking the way I have them should be able to do five gallons a minute of 15% in one pass which isn't bad for a bunch of junk. Hope everyone has good luck this year. Looks like Monday and Tuesday are looking really good. Wanna start seeing some sap really running and make some barrels. Im hoping for two good weeks in March and two good weeks in april to hit a real good season. One big surprise last run, I didn't think it would run right with frost in the ground but it did because the last day it ran you could see the sugar coming up as it started to come up through the roots. For whatever reason the ground is readier to run than you would think. Like Parker says you gotta wannnnnnnnnnn it!!!!!!!!!!! Theron

[Slatebelt*Pa*Tapper]

This is it, get the taps in s.e. Pa, we put About 200 taps in here in Slatington between 1-2 pm, 1 gal milk jugs each had about 1/4 to 1/2 gal by sun set last night. suppose to hit 60 possibly 1 day next week. Should be cookin by mid week here. Then temps drop again for a few days then go back up. Hopin it last till at least the end of March. Good luck fellas

[Dave Y]

Theron,
With all the snow on the ground there is no frost. I dug some post hole about a month a go and there wasn't any frost under the snow.

[happy thoughts]

Things are starting to loosen up a bit here. The few drops that hit the buckets yesterday afternoon were music to my ears. Hoping for some good flow over the next few days if temps hold as predicted This waiting has been painful for all of us but with a little luck this could still turn out to be a great year. Keep the faith everyone, it's coming! :)

[waysidemaple]

Things are starting slow here. Running pretty good for how cold it has been. Frost is the main issue now out my way. I had very little snow cover when it was super cold in January and early Feb. Just gotta wait for things to thaw out and we should be good to go. So far Ive got about 700 gallons of 4700 taps since it started running yesterday.

Scott

[Gary R]

What a weird day. Got cold and shut down after lunch. I was still able to pull in 200 gal. I had finished off the front pan last time so the syrup started slow. We did manage to make a gallon of nice medium. We had a bunch of company down for the day and they got to see everything for the first time. A couple of them are smaller backyarder's. I think I convinced them to expand:) I am squeezing out everything I can.

[Sugarmaker]

Gary,
That's the way to squeeze them!
I spent most of the day yesterday in the sugarhouse making product for Maple Taste and Tour weekend.
We did not have a sap run. Too cold again in this neck of the woods.

Not good news from our area. My friend and fellow syrup maker Keith Talbot fell on the ice in his drive yesterday around noon and broke bones in both his shoulder and his hip. He is currently in Hamot hospital and will be moved to a rehab unit in Erie in next day or so. I spoke with his wife Bonnie and Keith was in a lot of pain.
A neighbor, Bob who was going to take sap the Keith's, will be gathering his and Keith's sap and hauling the sap to our sugarhouse for boiling. That's our plan if Keith approves.
Will have updates on Keith when I know more.

Regards,
Chris

[Jim Brown]

Chris when you talk to Keith tell him were are praying for him. He is a great guy! Temps never got above 35 in our sugar bush yesterday mains never thawed out no sap again. 15 here this morning and predicted high in the mid 30,s Most likely no sap today .
Chris please let us know if we can do anything for Keith

Jim

[heus]

Praying for Keith

[Gary R]

Chris, please send us our best wishes to Keith and Bonnie. I hope he has a speedy recovery. Let us know if there is anything we can do to help.

I was out crow hunting again and it was too nice. I called the wife and had her turn the pump on. A little bit of sap has already come in. The next couple of days look good for us. I may be sending some sap up to a Taste and Tour participant.

[Sugarmaker]

Gary, Jim, Jason,
Thanks I will let you know about Keith. He's pretty tough for 82. He just a did ton of work into his evaporator and brought a new woods on line this season too.
Just talked to Bonnie and Keith is up moving at least twice today. I told her a lot of folks on here were asking about him too. They are hoping to get him to Edinboro Manor for rehab. They are trying to get his med's adjusted to relieve some of the pain.
We will be collecting his sap (if we get some) and making some syrup for them.

We had a little thaw today but I don't think it got much above freezing. Spent most of the day in the sugarhouse making cream, crumb sugar and coated peanuts.
Regards,
Chris

[Bill]

Hi Chris
I just saw the news about Keith, please add our regards also. Let us know if we can do anything.
Bill Marge

[Gary R]

Well it's finally thawing out, but an average day. 185 gal collected. I'll be done soon. Hopefully tomorrow brings a little more.

Hi Bill! You guys getting anything up there yet?

[Bill]

HI Gary and all
We are going to collect on Tuesday, pipeline is doing so-so, we have 100 buckets I figure about 40 gallons in them. The snow is still 8" in the woods, but its melting so things should pick up.

Bill

[Sugarmaker]

Folks,
I am sure everyone is busy making syrup! We have made another 20 gallons in last two days and have to boil the rest tomorrow. Grade has moved up to Medium.
We got 500 gallon yesterday, and 700 gallon today. Sap sugar content has been from 4.2% down to 3 %.
We are picking up Keiths and Bobs sap too, so that boosts our sap quantity.

Keith report: While in the hospital he had a heart attack (Monday). He is felling much better and I will up date as I find out.

We are trying to get ready for the weekend rush:)

Bill I was in Waterford today, just ran out of time to get over to your place. Hope your making some nice syrup.
Regards,
Chris

[Gary R]

Sugarmaker, what's going on? We must be the only ones boiling!

I collected 345 gal over the last two days, OK production. S Durf came over today and got 200 gal. off of me. He needs sap for the Taste and Tour. I boiled the remaining 145 today before things froze up. Made a few more gallons of medium. A bunch of company over today also.

The past few days I've been to three neighboring backyarders. The smallest at 7 taps. Their pan was simmering along at about 1 GPH:lol: Another has 46 taps and a real nice sugarhouse, power, water, gas. His wood stove converted to boil a pan works nice. It was hot in there during the 60 degree temps.

[Sugarmaker]

Gary,
I talked to Daryl and he was going to boil today. Paul Burgess had made some syrup in Springboro along with Aaron Schultz. I also spoke with Jim Regals in Cambridge and he boiled last night in his new sugarhouse and made some syrup on his 2 x 6 Leader. We just have not had any weather to get good runs yet. Maybe after this weekend it will warm a little. Worked around the warm evaporator today as the north wind rattled the windows in the sugarhouse. Hey that new maple peanut butter 'stuffer' worked great! Thanks for spending some of my money! It was well worth it! Made it easier to fill the jars.
Made a batch of maple candy also.

Keith was going to be moved to Edinboro Manor for rehab today. Weather was not good so not sure he was moved from Hamot yet.

Regards,
Chris

[heus]

Just across the border we've made approximately 72 gallons all dark amber. Like Chris said we haven't had a real good run yet.

[Springfield Acer]

I boiled down my last 145 gallons tonight so I can drain down and clean. My syrup is getting into the middle of the medium range now. It started fairly light but still medium. I'm hoping to make it north sometime this weekend to visit a few of you professionals. I also will get a chance to try out my new finisher and press this weekend!:D

[Sugarmaker]

Springfield, Would like to see you in the sugarhouse this weekend.
Man cold this morning, maybe 5 degrees. Had to build a little fire in the arch to melt the frozen sweet. Looks like summer will be here tomorrow with some rain should get a run Friday night and maybe into Saturday?
Will boil this sweet in the pans for Saturday show and then may have new sap for Sunday event.
Where Gary R? Maybe working:)
Hope things are good out there!
Jason you did real good making 72 gallons! Lots of squeezing for that!
Regards,
Chris

[Gary R]

Jason, congratulations on that production. That is great for these trying sap days.

Sugarmaker, I have been working. Gotta keep those SS checks coming to ya:lol: I was so happy to provide help spending your money! Kaplan's I guess?

We filtered and bulked 6 1/2 gal of medium last night. I made some cream tonight and can barely lift a beer now. Very poor sap day. Mid 50's and less than 100 gal in the bulk tank. Going to visit a couple of sugarhouse tomorrow then some inlaws are coming for a boil.

Good luck to those on the Taste and Tour this weekend!

[heus]

Saps running like crazy tonight! Didn't start until 4 pm or so.

[Gary R]

Got home from the Taste and Tour and was sitting on 400 gal of sap. I'm just finishing up 250 of it and made 4 gal of syrup. I have the Girl Scouts coming over on Tuesday for a maple syrup making seminar. I don't see sap weather for the next few days. I want to hold some to boil that day. I may have to put a heater in the tank.

I went to Firth's today and they were boiling. The boiler was down so they weren't using the steam fired finishing pan:( Big barrels were being filled and multiple tanker trucks were arriving with sap. They had a bit of a set back. All of there sap tanks are vacuum tanks. A 15,000 gal one was only rated for pressure. The vacuum crushed the tank and it was unknown how much sap was lost. What a bummer!

[Springfield Acer]

Unfortunately, too many sweet things to do this weekend to make any visits to the tour spots. I was boiling today and making about 1-1/3 gal per hour which is high for me. I went out and tested the sap tank and it read 2.2%. The syrup swung noticeably darker today buy still medium.

[Sugarmaker]

Folks that have been making syrup have been busy for a few days.

Taste and Tour report:
We opened the doors of the sugar house Saturday morning at 9:30 and by 4:00 Sunday we had between 350 and 400 folks come in and visit. We simmered syrup in the front pan only and water in the rear pan on Saturday. After the tour that evening I gathered 870 gallons of sap from the approx 1100 taps (Keith's, Bobs and ours) and got most of it pumped in to the upper tanks in the loft.
It froze real hard Saturday night and when I got to the sugar house at 6:30 Sunday morning the sap was almost froze in the lines from the tank to the evaporator. I fired it up and proceeded to boil at a normal pace till about 2:00 in the afternoon. Everyone that stoped enjoyed the warmth and watching syrup being made. Let me tell you it is a challenge making 21 gallons of syrup while 30 to 40 folks rotate in and out of the sugarhouse each hour and trying to visit with all of them and answer questions too. I had a blast! I had good helpers: Cheryl, Adam, Shruthy, Kelly and Kevin worked the sales end and keep the treats made and stocked. Friend Gary G fired the evaporator while I tried to filter syrup. What an event!

Looks like more syrup weather mid week!

Keith report:
I went to visit him and he was in very good spirits and would like to get home soon. Thanks to all those who sent notes and prayers.
Regards,
Chris

Hey you can follow us on facebook now too:)

[Dan W]

Well, we've had 3 small runs so far amounting to about 500 gallons of sap on 260 buckets. It just won't run even with great temps. That is until today. Got home about 4 and the 2 dozen buckets I checked around the house had just started to run. Just checked one by the back door and it is half full already. Looks like tomorrow is going to be a good workout day. Better get new batteries for the headlamp!

[Gary R]

I think the Girl Scout visit went pretty well. I'm just finishing up 212 gal. Most of it was held over from Saturday. Made over 4 gal tonight of dark amber. The boil seems slow tonight.

Good to here from you Dan! That's surprising you have not got much sap. I'm over 1500 gal so far.

[Sugarmaker]

Weather warmed this afternoon. I was pruning apple trees. slipped and fell off the tongue of the trailer and smacked the ground pretty hard with my head and shoulder. Took me a few minutes to get my bearings. Didn't knock much sense into me. I took some family members visiting from Conneaut OHIO, gathering sap and we brought home 340 gallons. I need to pick up Keith's in the morning, he may have 200 gallon also.
Will start boiling in the morning and it looks like it may run some more too.
Regards,
Chris

[Springfield Acer]

Things were running great today. My brother in law was collecting when I got home. Four hours later, the buckets were almost as full again. He is going to collect in the AM.
We boiled for three hours tonight and I still have more sap than I started with.
Tomorrow could be a greater day but it isn't supposed to be too cold tonight.
Rain and low pressure coming in too.
I may have to slip out of work early tomorrow and get boiling.
Yee-Hah!?!!

[mapleack]

Tanks are almost full this morning, maybe things are breaking loose!

[Maplewalnut]

Jealous...26 degrees and snowing in NE part of state

[happy thoughts]

Trees are waking up here. They've been slowly but steadily dripping the last 2-3 days with temps looking good through Sunday. Should have enough to boil again by Sat. but probably just jinxed myself for saying that :o

Good luck everyone. Think happy thoughts! :lol:

[Gary R]

Maplewalnut, it's headed your way!

Steady decent sap flow here. Boiled 150 last night and have about 250 already this morning. I'm taking the day of to get a bunch of maple stuff done. My father is up from Florida to help for the next few days. Saturday we are hosting a maple seminar. A couple of the DCNR foresters will be here also. I expect 30-40 people. Help is lined up and we should be having a great time.

Get to boiling guy's!

[Maplewalnut]

Gary- Sounds like a great weekend. Enjoy time with Dad.

[Sugarmaker]

Folks,
I think we are at 87.5 gallons of syrup as of tonight. Boiled 1100 gallons of sap in 11 hours today. Made 22.5 gallons of syrup.
Made about 20 gallons yesterday.
Keith and Bob have been adding to the pile of sap, but were getting through it. Sap is about 3%. Syrup is Med to Dark. We have about 100 soft maples that may be just keeping us from making light syrup? Still very nice syrup.
Hope things are good out there.
Regards,
Chris

[Gary R]

Took the day off and we boiled about 275 gal. Left some in the tank. Primary wood pile is very low. Hauled wood today:) Filtered 12 gal. and made another 4. Things are going well. I hope things are good for others also!

[Springfield Acer]

Yesterday was an overwhelming sap flow and we had to collect in the morning to keep things from overflowing. Still some sap tonight and we boiled both nights. We actually lost ground last night and just held even tonight. Tomorrow looks like another great day weather-wise. I need to move wood Saturday.
Sounds like quite the shin dig Gary.
Chris- glad to hear you're rolling and able to keep up. Eleven hours? That makes my back hurt just thinking about it.

[heus]

Chris that's a great boiling rate.

[mapleack]

Two big days in a row, over 1,400 gal of sap both days. Need to get caught up on sleep, staying up until 11 when you've got to get up for work at 530 just isn't as easy as it used to be! About 140 gal of syrup made so far, if the weather holds out we'll have a bearable season yet!

[Gary R]

Sugarmaker, don't knock those reds. The only thing that light syrup is good for is fair entries:) Think about Triple Creek and how light their syrup is on reds (I know the secret).

It's great to here from you other guys. Glad the sap is finally running. We are looking at 5 days in a row of boiling.I'm happy my help came!

[Jim Brown]

Chris; no big deal with dark syrup.We have made 45 gal and it has all been dark amber or "B' And we have only a handful of reds tapped out of 950.


Jim

[Springfield Acer]

Today was quite a day. Between two friends and myself, we boiled from 6:45 AM to 8:15 PM.
I also learned that my new filter press spews hot syrup when you have a plate in backwards.
Once we got everything straight I was very happy with the results and finally got some bottling done.
It was a good thing since I ran out of syrup storage containers today.

[Gary R]

Wow! What a day. We have syrup everywhere. We boiled 455 gal yesterday. Did our Dog and Pony show and now have fat heads:) Great time by all. For some reason the syrup turned to "B" later in the day.

Springfield Acer, don't you wish you had that vacuum running:lol:

[Sugarmaker]

Guys you have done a great job keeping up with sap this past week. Sap runs were average here but with double the tap count it kept us busy gatherings and boiling. The soft maples were not much of a issue as all the syrup is coming out med to dark but great flavor. We boiled from 8 am to 4 pm yesterday and processed 825 gallons of sap with 17.5 gallons of syrup being made. I think we are at 107 gallons of syrup with everybody's sap. Sugar content still at 3%.
Off to look at new sugarhouse in Cambridge Springs owned by Jim and Joann Regals.
Cold here, 17 degress. We get a break from sugaring for a day or two. Season may be wrapping up after next runs??
Regards,
Chris

[heus]

Chris don't say that!:) I haven't even heard peepers yet. I think we'll be making good syrup for two more weeks at least.

[Springfield Acer]

Wow! What a day. We have syrup everywhere. We boiled 455 gal yesterday. Did our Dog and Pony show and now have fat heads:) Great time by all. For some reason the syrup turned to "B" later in the day.

Springfield Acer, don't you wish you had that vacuum running:lol:

Yeah Gary, now that the releaser is built and I spent the money on a pump rebuild kit, I'm thinking that I ought to be shot for thinking I want more sap after this week. That blasted slippery slope again!

[Dave Y]

A quick report form Forest Co. I should finish the day with 370 gal of syrup. Friday and Saturdays run produced 5650 gal of sap,off of 3000 taps. we have boiled 6 days and collected a total of 22725 gal of sap.
Hope everyone is having a good season

[Turtlecreek]

Bad new here in the eastern part of Union County. My sap has turned coudy, I nitices the reds starting to go now the sugars are at it too. I intended this to be a quick year, i needed to burn up sone wood I had sitting around, and we are just about ready to get our kitchen remodeled, so there goes my bottling room!

I think I am going to be pulling taps next week, normally i would wait this out, but since I was just making enough to sell to friends and give to relatives, I think im going to clean up and cut camp. After all if I wait much longer its going to be baseball season. This has been a late season!

[andyp]

Hi folks I haven't been on here in quite a while computer problems.
I just had it worked on again. I hope this post goes through.
That's all for now lets see if it works.

andyp

[andyp]

Well its finally working. Glad to see everyone is making syrup.
We didn't think we would have much of a season, but its turning out to be pretty good.
We had some very good runs last week we have about 30 gal made.
If we get another good week we should be close to what we had last year.
Gary that 3/16 tubing is fantastic it doesn't know when to quit running.
Continue making lots of syrup.

andyp

[Jim Brown]

Not much happening this morning temp here was 9 at 6:00am,Made 25 gallon over the weekend that brings us to about 75 gallon for the season .About a third of our regular amount for this time .May get a couple of more runs before its over. sap was still holding at 2% sat.And starting to turn yellow.

Jim

[Sugarmaker]

Andyp, Jim, Folks, good to hear from you.
We saw cloudy sap after 12 hours setting in the sugarhouse over night. It made some good syrup. But we have not made any light syrup. Was able to travel to four sugar houses over the weekend. Cheryl now knows I am off my rocker:) Visited cousin Gary Knowlton in Conneaut Ohio, Also Andy Ward in Conneaut Ohio on Saturday evening, Both have been boiling long hours on rigs that will do about 7 to 10 gallons per hour. Sunday Gary G and I visited Regals in Cambridge Springs and then Jim and Chase Bortles in Linesville. Both were boiling right along with a 2 x 6 and a 2 x 8 rig respectivily.
Regards,
Chris

[Sugarmaker]

A quick report form Forest Co. I should finish the day with 370 gal of syrup. Friday and Saturdays run produced 5650 gal of sap,off of 3000 taps. we have boiled 6 days and collected a total of 22725 gal of sap.
Hope everyone is having a good season


Dave Y,
Nice job! how was the grade? You have had good runs!
Regards,
Chris

[Dave Y]

Chris, the grade has been B and slowly moving up. the flavor has been excellent, been cleaning tanks and started from scratch twice. a just a dark syrup year. the runs have been decent, but not great.
How are you liking retirement?

[Sugarmaker]

Dave,
Thanks for the report on the grade. I agree that making Medium is the best we have done. Flavor has been good after the first 5 gallon. I did see some light syrup made at Regals in Cambridge Springs. I will try to post some pictures.
I cut a load of slab wood for Eric, a load for the sugar house and a trailer load for the house today. Enough wood cutting today, will try to give it heck tomorrow:)
Looks like some syrup weather coming the end of this week.
Regards,
Chris

[Gary R]

Andy P, great to see that computer is working. We've kept in touch and real glad the 3/16 is working for you also.

Glad for a little break. Acid cleaned the pan and hoping for things to clean up. We had a bad incident with DE yesterday. I started a separate thread on that one. Need to haul more wood from the secondary pile. One of you retiree's looking for something to do:lol:

Sugarmaker, how's Keith doing? Back at home?

[PATheron]

Update from Low functioning maple. Been getting some half runs at best Id say. None the less getting some sap. Been able to eek about 1000 gallons which Im pretty happy with considering. Got the vac up good everywhere. Got Pond water running right on every liquid ring pump head I have. Things in the woods are tighttttttttt.. Just finished up even tapping gravity lines I wasn't even going to do. Pretty much any bit of tube that Ive had lying around and any extra spile is stuck to a maple tree. Just like Parker says, Not gonna give an inch. Sposed to kick in Thursday so getting ready for the big runs. Sugarhouse working pretty good. Oil on hand. Shooting to make syrup till May. Wanna be trucking sap when the neighbors are mowing their lawns so I can wave at them as I go by. Theee( so much sap line you can see it from outer space)roooon. Oh, Bigsap dance worked pretty good but only did about half the trick. Gonna hit it again tomarrow.

[Sugarmaker]

Theron,
Always good to hear from the big sap kahuna!
Gary R.
Keith sees the bone doctor today. Haven't seen him in a week. I believe he is progressing well and ready to get home as soon as possible.
Dave Y,
The retirement thing is something everyone should try. Right? Loving it!
Guys today is restocking the wood shed day. Some buzz saw action on a couple bundles of slab wood. Hope to get it back to where we were at the beginning of the season and be ready for the big runs coming. Thoughts of cleaning everything to maybe come back up on the grade. Will see how ambitious I feel. Big sap should be on tomorrow afternoon and into mid next week too.
Regards,
Chris

[FunnyFarm]

Been busy for me this year. Haven't been around the forums much...Ended up with a bit over 200 taps and with this weather certainly looks like 2000 taps wouldn't have done me much better.
Not all years can be good i suppose. Weather looks like its gonna warm up and stay there so this next week is probably it for maple.I'll turn right around after this week though and tap around 250 birch
so maybe the birch will do this year what the maple couldn't. Good luck all...

[Gary R]

Not much happening today. The pump was on but a main line pulled out of a fitting. Pump couldn't lift the sap up the ladder. Things are still pretty froze. My two barrels have about 15 gal ice blocks in them and about 40 gal block in the bulk tank. Moved some firewood today and looking forward to a week of good weather.

[Sugarmaker]

Gary, Folks,
Same things here, blocks of sap ice just starting to float. Cut and moved wood today too:)
Had water line in sugar house freeze and break, So that was a repair for this after noon. Did a little shopping for new filter press. Did not pull the trigger on that yet.
Regards,
Chris

[andyp]

Kind of slow here today collected about 120 gal. Not running very fast except the 3/16 tubing.
Gotta love that 3/16 it runs even when others are shut down.I wish I had more of it maybe next year.
Sugarmaker now that your retired and all that free time now you can go for more taps and bees.
Lets hope for a big run this weekend it may be the end.

Andyp

[cur dog]

The weather man said low 40's today. We got to 38, windy and cloudy at about 4:00 PM. I think I got about 2gal. off of 500 taps. I just can't catch a break with the weather this year. :cry:

[slammer3364]

You are not alone.Same here for us might have 1 week yet,unless weatherman has it goofed up

[Gary R]

It is really running now!

Sugarmaker, I was told of a press on Craigs list. Might have to check it out. Can you handle all this high tech equipment:lol:

Sorry, I just looked it up. 7" Wes Fab hand pump. $700. Not for you!

[cur dog]

I've been trying to find a bright side to this weather. I've got it! Next years firewood is already cut split and stacked. :lol:

[Cabin]

Well it is interesting. I thought last year was bad for me. Gives us all a chance to dream of new toys. I am thinking of building a small RO system to run on 12 volts. I am too far back in the woods for grid power but I have a 100 watt solar collector and 2 150 amp hour trolling batteries. Well soon I can start testing the 'birch theory'!

[doocat]

I like the idea that the wood is done as well..

[cur dog]

You have to hold onto something, right?
Craig, if I dont have sap to work with tomorrow, I may swing over your way.

[doocat]

We better have sap.....

[mapleack]

Huge day here from running overnight! Hopefully we'll still make it to an average season, albeit with a bunch of really dark syrup. Looks good the next couple days, then maybe a freeze next weekend. If I wasn't an eternal optimist I couldn't be a sugarmaker! We'll keep going til we drown the peepers in permeate! :)

[Evets]

I was ready to pull my 19 taps this morning but instead, I collected 25 gallons of sap. That was a nice surprise. I didn't test it but it looked fine, except for one tree looked a little more yellow than I'd like. I think I'll leave my taps in til Wed. I won't have time to boil before then anyway.

[Springfield Acer]

Holy sap run! It ran hard here over night and still some through the day. Looks like an all day boil again tomorrow. Not very cold tonight so this run might be slowing down but Sunday and Monday look good again. Lately this has been feast or famine. It looks like a pretty good year but darker on average here too.

[krismast]

I was ready to pull my 19 taps this morning but instead, I collected 25 gallons of sap. That was a nice surprise. I didn't test it but it looked fine, except for one tree looked a little more yellow than I'd like. I think I'll leave my taps in til Wed. I won't have time to boil before then anyway. nice! Didn't get much of anything here for some reason. Only one tree ran really good. Sugar content is not as good as it was. If they don't start running in the next couple of days, I think it's time to pull the taps and clean up :cry: Still, I had a fun first year, and can't wait until the next!

[Gary R]

The low pressure and west wind came through us this morning. Hopefully you guys out east will get it tonight. I'd like to say if you didn't get sap today you should look for another hobby:lol: but, I know some are behind us in weather.

Cur Dog, I like the optimism on the wood pile. I hope there's some left also.

Mapleack, This stuff did turn real dark. Tastes fine but I don't know how long I want to make this. Hope things keep running well for you.

I came home to over 400 gal. I've gone through 200 and will take care of the rest tomorrow. We would be making more syrup but "we" have overflowed the head tank five times this season. I really need to hook it up to a float switch!

[cur dog]

Happy, Happy, Happy, Hauled home 300 tonight. The sap is still running and the pump is holding steady at 26". The weather man has missed the actual temp. consistantly by several degrees for 6 weeks. Hopefully that trend will hold, and we'll get some freezing nights this week.

[andyp]

Boiled 250 gal. today. It looks like this might be the end.
The sap started getting a little cloudy.
The weather forcast doesn't look good for making syrup.

Andyp

[Sugarmaker]

Folks making syrup have been busy! Nice job! Gary I need a float switch on a pump too. Maybe we could get together and fix both issues?
We had 1210 gallons of 3% sap yesterday at 5:00 pm Boiled till midnight, then started back up at 4:00 this morning. Made 25 gallons of dark amber with good flavor.
Went to Greenhill Farms auction and stomped around in the mud for a couple hours.
Gathered another 700 gallons of sap this after noon/ evening.
Will pick up new filter press and hope to have it on line for a boil tomorrow.
I think we are at around 130 gallons of finished syrup.
Just keep hittin' at it!
Regards,
Chris

[Springfield Acer]

We boiled for nine hours today and got thru all of yesterday's sap and some of today's.
Just like last Saturday, I was watching sap storage room and syrup storage.
We will filter and bottle again tomorrow to make room.
Sap is still above 2.0 but gets a bit cloudy after sitting just a short time.
Monday night might be the end here.
Gary - Don't you have more tank space?
Chris - Good luck with the press!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

AndyP keep boiling the cloudy sap. You can still make some good syrup with cloudy sap.

[Sugarmaker]

Springfield,
Hope Gary remembered to stop pumping into the head tank. He may be swimming for his life:)?
Sounds like you are having a great season down south!
Cheryl and I are heading out to pick up the filter press. This may help move syrup in the sugarhouse a little quicker. (translate that into having more time for visiting:))
We got about 4-5 inches of snow last night. Not sure we will get much of a run today? But we have the sap from last night to keep us busy for at least 7 -8 hours.
Hope every one is ready this looks like the week form syrup to be made.
Maybe we will make some light syrup yet????
Regards,
Chris

[heus]

I agree Brandon. I can't believe how many people think the season is over when they see cloudy sap. Chris what filter press are you getting?

[Jim Brown]

Nice to have kids and friends that take up the slack when things go to ........Ended up in the hospital for three days this week and the sap was running as you all well know My daughter Kim ran the rig and a friend collected sap,ran the ro and fueled the vac pumps, Made about 15 gallon yesterday and have the ro running now on 400 gallon that came in late yesterday.Friends and family saved the day

Jim

[Sugarmaker]

Andyp,
I agree with Brandon. Keep boiling it. Most of our sap now is just a little cloudy. That usually means we will make med to dark syrup. But it sure has good flavor.
I bet your are having a ball with that nice new evaporator. I know you really like to make syrup and its great you have your system set up.
I have to go check the sugarhouse to make sure nothing froze last night. I don't think it got that cold but always a chance.
Keep boiling!
Regards,
Chris

[CentralPAGuy]

Hi everybody, I am just a beginner who is making his way into maple syrup production. I probably have made 5 or 6 gallons of syrup with two very bad batches so far. The first batch, I was using propane and I fell asleep and burnt that batch up. But I changed my process to use wood as the propane was way too expensive.

Anyway, the sap is still running clear here in New Bloomfield. A couple of my taps are dry.

So how do you determine when the sap collection process is over --- I had read that the syrup will be bitter if you collect it after the buds have started to swell. Anyway, I am glad to be on the forum and say hello to all of you.

[Gary R]

Hello CentralPAguy, welcome to the trader. Your official now since you burnt your pan:lol: Typically the reds just quit giving sap. The sugars your syrup may turn buddy. If your boiling and it smells like wet cardboard its buddy. It will have a slight bitter, off taste. If your buckets have been up for at least 6 weeks your tap holes may be drying up.

I'm boiling along, no spilled sap today(yet). We had company stay over last night. Boiled 7 hours yesterday and have about 5 hours to go today. Everything is froze up. My sap has been cloudy for a week. I'm not sure how long I will boil. It looks like after tomorrow there is no freeze in sight. Maybe Wednesday and just call it quits. I'm going to think serious about an RO for next year. I will be replacing all my drops and I don't like 7-8 hour boils. I want to keep it fun!

Jim Brown, I hope everything is OK.

Chris, of my few maple toys I like the electric filter press best. It makes filtering effortless. It may take a while to figure out the process best for you but you will love it. Gotta haul more wood.

[Gary R]

Springfield Acer, I've got plenty of tanks:) The current one my releaser dumps into takes me 8 hours to boil it. I'd like to stay ahead of it some. Remember we aren't retired and can't boil every day all day. I'm glad these two big runs came on the weekend.

[Turtlecreek]

I agree cloudy sap doesn't really mean you have to stop inless is is stinky stuff! I figured I hit a good stopping point with kitchen renovations starting and all. I have boiled some pretty cloudy stuff in the past and it made some darker syrup, but I prefer dark anyway.

Next years plans will include a shack and maybe a new arch, if I can find the funds to buy one, the one I'm using now is getting pretty tired,, and I'm getting tired of patching it up everey year! So, if you happen to have an arch for a half pint I'm in the market!

[andyp]

I think we are are done. It is going to stay above freezing.
Nothing running today except the 3/16 full speed ahead.
Don't know how long they will keep running. I only have two lines
on 3/16 all red maples. I may get enough for a small boil yet.
Andyp

[heus]

Perhaps the best run of the year today just across the Pa border. By the time it freezes up tonight I hope to have pulled in 1200-1300 gal on 532 vac taps.

[Dave Y]

I started running hard this afternoon . This past run we collected 8500 off of 3000 taps. I think thats pretty good.

[Springfield Acer]

I did not boil and wish I could have. I canned nine gal instead to make some more room for syrup. It was very nice medium from two weeks ago. I will take off work tomorrow and boil all day since my 600 tank is full and there will no doubt be more coming tomorrow. If I can get 12 hours in tomorrow, it should pare it down to a reasonable stockpile with what tomorrow brings. I'm about beat thanks to these weekend blasts! What ever still trickles out Tuesday should be my last. It's been a great year after all.
Chris - I agree with Gary. I have a Wesfab 7" short and it is slick. It makes filtering so simple.
Jim - I hope all is well now. I'll be calling you again.

[CentralPAGuy]

GaryR,

I am thinking that it has been 6 weeks since I drilled -- I had a nice week in Feb and then nothing for about several weeks --- So, I was thinking that the holes might have sealed -- Just curious --- If I would have redrilled the same hole with a larger bit, would the sap be back running?

[Cabin]

GaryR,

I am thinking that it has been 6 weeks since I drilled -- I had a nice week in Feb and then nothing for about several weeks --- So, I was thinking that the holes might have sealed -- Just curious --- If I would have redrilled the same hole with a larger bit, would the sap be back running?

It has been too cold for the hold to seal. I tried to redrill once, it did not work. I think this will be the last week for maple.

[Sugarmaker]

Springfield Acer, I've got plenty of tanks:) The current one my releaser dumps into takes me 8 hours to boil it. I'd like to stay ahead of it some. Remember we aren't retired and can't boil every day all day. I'm glad these two big runs came on the weekend.


Gary R,
Jim and I resemble that remark:)
Jim, hope everything is OK! We have lots of friends and family that have helped out this year too. Sooo Nice!

New Press:
The press we got is a 12 inch SIRO from Lapierierr. We made 17.5 gallons yesterday afternoon and gave it a trial run. Don't have the amount of DE dialed in yet. We got through the syrup but had to use the bypass about half way through. The sugar sand cake was about 1/4 thick when we took it apart. Just thinking I did not use enough DE?
We sometimes have a long time between draws too. Maybe it cooled down some?? I liked the clean up process the firs time.
Big Thanks to Frost Ridge Maple for getting this filtering unit to us in one day from Swanton!!!

Acer,
Sounds like you are boiling as hard as possible.

We did not gather yesterday I know there is probably 600 or 800 gal waiting.

Dave Y, Those are great numbers on sap flow. How is the sugar content?

Andyp,
We had a freeze night before and last night too. Its still in full swing up here.

Big welcome to CentralPAGuy! Keep up the good work making syrup. Hope your having a great time!

Cheryl and I got to see Pat Mihailov's rig yesterday. Wow! Very impressive Force 5, 6 x 16 with steam away.
Off to gather sap.

Regards,
Chris

[Gary R]

CentralPAguy, on buckets the holes are exposed to air and bacteria all the time. The trees are probably closing off the tap hole area. I have not re drilled, but others have. You would need to go from a 5/26 to a 7/16 tap hole. It probably will work for a few days but all our trees are starting to heal. I'd do it if your looking to finish up this week.

Sap flows are unpredictable. Dave and Jason had super runs yesterday. I only got about 100 gal. on the vac. Things did not unthaw until the sun came out mid afternoon. By 10pm we were froze up. I did empty the bulk tank and got to wash it out. It needed it. Pan clean so maybe my grade will improve.

[andyp]

So much for the weather forecast wasn't to go below freezing is 26 this morning.
Looks like we might have one last good run.
Sugarmaker the filter press does not have to set to long without be used.
It doesn't take to long to to dry out. I did a small batch with mine and a
little while later tried to do another one but had to clean it and start over.
Andyp

[Machinist67]

Well, with a slow start and for only tapping on March 2nd, I have collected over 2500 Gallons so far on 140 Taps. Not to bad for 3/16 tubing. Hope I still have this week and next. I will be keeping eye on the temps.

[Gary R]

WOW! Almost needed the swimmies today. Tanks were drained yesterday afternoon. Since then I've gotten 435 gal off of 196 taps. Both of the 3/16 tanks were overflowing. 60 degrees and no freeze in sight. Tomorrow may be my last sap collection day. The big Red Maple in my front yard could be mistaken for a flowering crab tree:o

Machinest, we haven't heard much from you. Glad the 3/16 is working for you. We may need to talk pumps in the off season!

Dan W, are you still at it?

[Jim Brown]

My help is out collecting and by our count we pulled 1400 gallon in 12 hours. Not bad for our final run, Sap is starting to taste woody and the sugar is down to 1 1/2 Will be shutting down tonight!! Calling it a season(SUCH AS IT WAS)


Jim

[Maplewalnut]

Help....tanks overflowing, called in sick to work for tomorrow....this run may save the season. Rain evidently thawed the roots. Sap everywhere. Enjoy it while it lasts

[Gary R]

Maplewalnut, I have an idea! Bigger RO, run it off of float switches to start while at work. I imagine you could also set up camera's and activate things off the smart phone. I'm betting you have the technology and can build it:lol: Keep your head above the sap!

[cur dog]

What a crazy day here. We woke up to 10 plus inches of snow. Clouds and wind kept things from warming up and breaking loose early. Afternoon brought sunshine and mid 40's. The pipe coming into the releaser looked like a garden hose running. Ive been waiting all season for warm temps and sunshine to come on the same day. Sugar was up to 1.7 today. Hoping for a handfull of freezing nights to save the season.

[Springfield Acer]

I boiled for 12 hours today and processed 515 gallons. The syrup is dark but has a very light taste. I'm anxious to see what this looks like after the press.
We pulled in another 325 gal tonight and my buddy brought me just over 100. I am almost back to where I started at 7:00 this AM. Things were still running at 8:00 tonight and there should be a nice haul yet tomorrow then we're done. Too tired to try more even if it was still coming,

[Dave Y]

Stared the day with 2500 gal of sap made 40gal and still have 3000gal. For the biggest part of the day we were getting 300 gal of sap an hour. releaser was tripping every 2mis 50 seconds. I have a video and will try to post it later. will be boiling most of the night.

[Machinist67]

for your viewing pleasure. this is on my facebook page.https://www.facebook.com/david.yeany

Where is the video?

[Sugarmaker]

Gathered and boiled all day yesterday. most sap I have had in the sugarhouse. 1431 gallons on about 1100 taps between the three of us. Was a lat night. Have to get out there and boil the gathering crew is on there own today. New Siro is working but not sure how much DE to use? Made 28 gallon of medium last night.
Regards,
Chris

[PATheron]

Yesterday was our first real run of the season here. Ground finally thawing out. Not sure how much sap we got because I start ro'ing and trucking as soon as it starts but my one woods has 3300 taps on it and its tubed reasonably right. There are some areas with long laterals so its not perfect yet but it ran 4200 gallons in nine hours. I have a 5000 tap releaser on it and when it dumped the sap would back up in the primary stage till it was to the lines coming in so it was kind of over doing the releaser. My new red maple woods also finally kicked in which made me real happy. It ran as good as any of my other woods. It faces due north so starting later than other woods. This is crazy late for us. You can see red tips on the trees all over the area. Making all dark amber and B syrup with real good flavor. Don't know if good syrup will last the week, hope so. Looks like freezes at night all month. Gonna make syrup till cant keep it in evaporator. Everything working good just been too froze to run good till now. Theron

[Maplewalnut]

Maplewalnut, I have an idea! Bigger RO, run it off of float switches to start while at work. I imagine you could also set up camera's and activate things off the smart phone. I'm betting you have the technology and can build it:lol: Keep your head above the sap!

Gary- technology seems like a better option than my 5 year told me last night....Just quit your job dad! Bigger RO is definitetly in the future, dont know what I would do without it.

[Nbobich]

Pulling our taps here in swpa... Past 3 days we've gotten 5 gallons of sap on 34 trees... Looks like our trees dried up. Currently 73 here haha what a odd season!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[andyp]

Done for the season. Boiled off 420 gal. today. Had a better season than I thought we would have.
Made about 50 gal. all dark amber but good tasting. Now for the cleanup and look forward to the next season.
Andyp

[Gary R]

WOW part dux. Over 400 gal today also. The last 5 days I've boiled 1685 gal. I had to calculate twice! 72 degrees today and done. I was proud of the syrup today until the last couple hours. Still going after 9 hours of boiling. Black as tar. Pump is off and tank swabbed. Not sure I'll finish off the evaporator. Syrup sitting everywhere. Hopefully I'll bleach clean the 3/16 tomorrow if it's still running. Maybe We'll get to visit some sugar houses up north over the weekend.

[doocat]

lots of sap here in northeast Pa. No freeze for the next few nights but there is a glimmer of hope after that. At the height of the day releasers tripping every minute.

[PATheron]

Sap really running good at Pierce and Sons yesterday. Guessing we got over 15,000 gallons. Red Maple woods really worked good too. I was worried but its just been frozen all along. Think that ran around 3000 gallons at least on 2000 taps 1500 of them reds. Made just shy of 400 gallons of syrup in one day. Had to quit and still had some sap left so if we could have run that we would of hit 400 gallons, think we did like 385. Taps drilled in January all checkvalves. Gonna see how good the doctors duhickies work. Guess all our season happening in like three days. Theron

[Sugarmaker]

Folks,
We have just caught up. Last several days have been awesome. I might have slept somttime in there not sure kind of a blur!
Theron cant imagine 400 gallons in a day. More that 10 times what we make.
Gary cant believe your making that dark of syrup. Sounds like that's it.
Andyp, Sounds like you had a good season.
We are going to keep the taps in for the weekend, forecast has at least one freeze coming.
We had a lot of sap for our small operation. Our combined 1100 taps, on gravity, all kicked in and I had to keep boiling just to have room for sap:) We had a record 1430 gallons of sap on Monday, and another 900 yesterday. Many thanks to Gary G. and Bob S for gathering while I chugged away on the boiling.
I did make one small mistake this year. In the lull last week I restocked the wood shed with slabs, but they had been outside and had some moisture. We made about 50 gallons of syrup with those and they just did not burn as well but with the forced draft adjusted for more air we got through them. When I got back to the dry wood last night it was like rocket fuel and only needed about half the amount to boil hard.
The SIRO filter press did a nice job and relieved the filtering bottleneck in the maple syrup operation. Almost every container is full of syrup. We have made 208.5 gallons of syrup. Most Dark and Medium.
Off to check the sugarhouse to can up some retail syrup jugs and get things in order for the weekend run/s.
Regards,
Chris

[mapleack]

Chris, glad to hear you're doing well. I'd like to see that new Siro Press working.
We're up to roughly 245 gal of syrup made, still have to boil out the evaporator. It's looking like I'll almost hit my 1/3 gpt average. The last week has made the season for volume, even if the syrup is dark as heck. I'm keeping the pump running, will wash tanks and hope for a two day reboot if it freezes this weekend. Like theron says, you gotta want it!

[Sugarmaker]

Andy,
Yea at times over the last two days I just had to put my head down and grind through it. I am sure thats what most folks do. I can now see how folks with larger sap volumes and rigs not large enough feel:) A first for me. Much more sap and I would be calling Ray G. :)!
You should make some more syrup within the next week. Still lots of frost and moisture. We need a good rain and a freeze and we will be right back in it.
Amazing what a good nights sleep will do:)
Regards,
Chris

[unc23win]

I agree with you Chris I think a think another week is not out of the question at all lots of frost still here. I am still getting lighter syrup and good sugar content. Right with you guys getting the bulk of the syrup now.

I too have Siro and like it a lot there is a little learning curve (as to how much if any filter aid to use but maybe all presses are that way idk) but its a snap to clean. I am probably going to buy another inside canister so I can swap out filters and keep right on going if I am not done for the night. I do not like reheating and filtering. There is enough things to do already.

[Sugarmaker]

Jared,
Thanks for the info on the SIRO. I need to understand more about the filter aid usage. I usually start with about 3 gallon of syrup. how much DE should I add? Then after that I have maybe 1/2 to 1 gallon batches.
Also can you run hot sap thru then start back up with out taking the system apart? Yes I really like how these come apart for cleaning. I took ours apart and re-set up while the evaporator was making syrup.
Regards,
Chris

[unc23win]

Chris which one do you have? I have the 24" it says to start with 5 gallons of syrup. I seem to be getting 4-5 gallon first draw and then I get about 1.5 but I have auto draw and get about 12-15 gph. This is my first year with everything so I am learning. Last night we got the most through the Siro before it needed cleaning 28 gallons (it can supposedly do 80+). The problem I am having is I don't have much sugar sand YET, which is what the Siro likes so its hard to guess. Last night I used 2 cups in the first 5 gallons and tonight I am gonna try 3. If I take mine apart and clean the filter by the time its ready to go I have over 5 gallons. If I had another inner canister I could do it it a couple minutes. Some bigger operations have 2 entire canisters and just switch the hoses.

I never tried running sap through it then hooking it back up its on my list of things to try.

[Gary R]

I have never seen the SIRO. Hoping to this weekend! Can Frost Ridge give you instructions? I imagine it is still wanting to do depth filtration like a pressure plate. Two cups of DE is not near enough. I probably use four cups of DE just at the start. Add more later if I'm doing 10 gal. or more.

All ready cleaning the evaporator.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Gary,

Don't use bleach on any of your lines unless you want major animal damage unless you use calcium hypochlorite instead of sodium.

[Sugarmaker]

Gary,
You cant be done! Just clean stuff and be ready for next week!
Jared,
You must be using a RO for that ammount to come off? Or have a big evaporator. How thick is the DE on the SIRO filter when you take it apart?
We have the smaller 12 inch unit.
I used a small amount of DE (about 1 cup) on the first batch 2.5 gallon, it plugged after about 7 gallons.
We did make some syrup too. We are at just shy of 220 gallons grade B when we stopped at midnight. Hope to make some syrup next week.
Regards,
Chris

[heus]

Passed 300 gallons total last night across the border! It's turned out to be a great season.
Gary, like Chris said, don't stop yet!

[Daryl]

We pulled the plug last night. We have made 165 gallons and still need to finish a small amount in the head tank and what is in the evaporator.
It turned a bad start of the year into a record year in the last week or two.

[Jim Brown]

Do to my health issue we pulled the plug on Tues. have 20gallon in the finisher and the rig is still setting full of sweet. Looks like we will finish off around the 135-140 total. Still have need of 6 barrels of Med and three barrels of light .

Thanks

Jim

[Gary R]

At this point with low sugar content and the amount of wood I would go through it makes no sense to boil:( Last Saturday my company came from near Chris' house. It was 20 degrees colder 50 miles north of here. It doesn't pay to make this grade (I must be getting soft). I dumped a lot of sap off of the 3/16 last night. I already cleaned those lines with bleach. I know the salt residue thing so I flush with clean water after. I'm small scale so the extra effort isn't too bad. I've realized with the 3/16 any debris including bacteria build up will plug at the tees. The diameter is so small. I think it will be critical to keep those lines clean.

Sorry to let you guys down:) I hope to do a little visiting this weekend. I'll get to sit and watch others work!

[unc23win]

Jared,
You must be using a RO for that ammount to come off? Or have a big evaporator. How thick is the DE on the SIRO filter when you take it apart?
We have the smaller 12 inch unit.
I used a small amount of DE (about 1 cup) on the first batch 2.5 gallon, it plugged after about 7 gallons.

Yea I have an RO and a 3.5x14 oil fired rig. Make about 12-15 gallons of syrup an hour. I had about 2/3 of the Siro packed with DE from the top down 29 gallons through it. I am guessing I needed just a little more DE or sugar sand in syrup. I haven't had much sugar sand yet still making light medium syrup. I draw of into a kettle with a valve and mix DE in the first 5 gallons then run it through siro for 2 minutes back into kettle and then once it clears up I run it into barrel. Then I let the auto draw draw 4 gallons into kettle recirculate back to the kettle a little then run it into the barrel. I think the recirculating helps keep the syrup in Siro hot. If I could get just a little more through it I could do my whole night without stopping. But its a snap to clean and I like that a lot.

We had decent freeze here last night so today should be a good run and the forecast is looking good for some more.

[Sugarmaker]

Jared,
Thanks for the info. Everyone's situation is a little different. Still learning on this end with the Siro.
Hope you had a good run!
We did not get a freeze last night, so we got the day off. Spent the morning scrubbing the sap gathering containers. They needed it. We will see if the sap runs again this weekend and maybe into next week if lucky.
Regards,
Chris

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Chris,

Just curious why you went with a Siro filter over a filter press??

[Sugarmaker]

Brandon,
First if you have followed some of my other maple projects I don't follow others well. Like my AOF on top to the arch. Building a steam away with sap flow controls. Lift and roll away system for steam away.

I see you have the Lapierre plate press.

Well on the Siro. I had seen one used several years ago, and thought it looked like a nice unit.
-I was impressed with the simple design. A cylinder inside a cylinder with upper and lower end plates.
-The Siro filters 5 micron cloth, can be rinsed and re-used.
-The unit seems smaller than most plate presses
-I can set the 12 inch in my sink and open and clean it.
-It just doesn't seem to be as big of a monument in the sugar house.
-I have it on a cart (that I had) and can move it to each side of the evaporator.
-Price was very similar to the 7 inch plate presses.
-Pump and motor system are basically same as plate press so there were no surprises.
-I like the quick fool proof disconnects for the lines going to the Siro canister, making set up or disassemble quick.
-They say it may use less DE, I dont have that dialed in yet, and have never used a 7 inch plate press.
-I like the idea that the motor and pump are separate unit. I used the pump to move sweet from the front pan to the rear pan today.
-With more syrup being made in our sugar house this year it became apparent that a press would be a good tool. I debated both and talked to several folks, even a dealer that chose to go with a plate press.
I think this is kind of like raised vs drop flue.
At this point after putting 90 gallons of syrup through the Siro, we like it. Syrup clarity looks very good, as expected.
Regards,
Chris

[PATheron]

Things are going pretty good here at Pierce and Sons right now. I was really starting to worry with all the cold and frost this year but the weather is being good and were making syrup. I think that the trees are close to budding out but weve been lucky and they haven't yet. Luckily tonight looks like good freeze and even middle of week good freeze so Im pretty happy thinking were going to make a bunch of syrup. Even with no freeze weve been able to get enough sap every day to make 100 to 150 gallons of syrup per day. Up to between 2300 and 2400 now and were trucking in sap right now. Had plenty of typical breakdowns but nothing not easily fixed so Im feeling like were doing good. Got 3000 gallons right in my crosshairs and if we get these freezes Im hoping we even go over that. Gearing up to make the mersh. Gotta wannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn it!!!!! Hope everyone else gets some good luck too. Tough season. Theron

[Sugarmaker]

Theron,
I dont think we have had a easy season in 50 years:) Man, your systems are really doing well. I havent made 150 gallons this year let alone 150 per day WOW! that's a lot of sap handeling!
We are cleaning pans and getting ready for the sap run that should start this afternoon. We had a freeze last night and a skif of snow this morning. Not so cold that anything in the sugarhouse is in danger of freezing. Wood fire in the house feels good.
Did tally the numbers and we have gathered 10700 gallons of sap and made 220 gallon of syrup.
I did visit Keith yesterday and he is ready to get home and start on new syrup projects. He wants to put in a 3/4 main line on one portion of woods and extend a main line into a rental woods adjoining his property. He's looking great and has appreciated all the cards and visits.
Regards,
Chris

[Gary R]

Just got done filtering and bulking last weeks run. We made 24.5 gal. during that run, almost half the season. Our total for the season is 60.75 gal. Half "B", 5 gal. medium and the rest DA. The trees really don't look bad hear. A couple of sap days ahead but I'm mostly cleaned up. I gave some sap away and if I stuck it out, we'd be close to last years massive haul. I have a bunch of changes lined up for next year (no expansion :))

[Sugarmaker]

Gary,
More 3/16? If you run out of stuff to do we should be making syrup on Monday I think.
Regards,
Chris

[PATheron]

Chris- Looks like you guys are turning out to have a pretty good year if you've made 200 plus gallons that's over a third of a gallon per tap. Your doing bang up unless Im misunderstanding the numbers. My stuff has been working pretty well. Just some misc breakdowns. Cant believe the forecast here this week looking so made to order. The trees have red tips but were still making good tasting syrup although now thinking its com in color. We must be getting quite a bit of sap because its down to 1 percent but Im still making a lot of concentrate. I never know with in a few thousand gallons how much sap I get because I only run 6000 gallons of storage for 10000 tap so as soon as it starts running I just turn the ro machines. Im thinking tomarrow should hit maybe 2700 gallons or more and Im betting 3000 by Monday night. I just don't know if the trees will bud out or the taste will go or what. Just going to keep on trucking. My buddy is done tomarrow and he has 2700 taps and hes going to let me have the sap after its too thin for him to monkey with so that's going to give me almost 13000 to try to make mersh with. Sending my genius kids down there tomarrow to put his vac through the roof. Good luck to everybody still going, hope everyones season turns around like it has here. One other thing really cool. Its been froze up here real bad and I started tapping my warm bush jan 5. That's four months by my calculations and its still probly my hardest runner today and clear. If I make the mersh I may have run taps an honest 5 months. Theron

[heus]

4-5 months wow that's impressive Theron.

[unc23win]

Jared,
Thanks for the info. Everyone's situation is a little different. Still learning on this end with the Siro.
Hope you had a good run!

Hey Chris, I had a good decent run Friday not much today tomorrow should be good. Got all syrup through easy 24 gallons. I used 2 cups of de in first 5 gallons then ran everything straight through it was easy to clean. I have been using 1 micron filter.

[unc23win]

Well on the Siro. I had seen one used several years ago, and thought it looked like a nice unit.
-I was impressed with the simple design. A cylinder inside a cylinder with upper and lower end plates.
-The Siro filters 5 micron cloth, can be rinsed and re-used.
-The unit seems smaller than most plate presses
-I can set the 12 inch in my sink and open and clean it.
-It just doesn't seem to be as big of a monument in the sugar house.
-I have it on a cart (that I had) and can move it to each side of the evaporator.
-Price was very similar to the 7 inch plate presses.
-Pump and motor system are basically same as plate press so there were no surprises.
-I like the quick fool proof disconnects for the lines going to the Siro canister, making set up or disassemble quick.
-They say it may use less DE, I dont have that dialed in yet, and have never used a 7 inch plate press.
-I like the idea that the motor and pump are separate unit. I used the pump to move sweet from the front pan to the rear pan today.
-With more syrup being made in our sugar house this year it became apparent that a press would be a good tool. I debated both and talked to several folks, even a dealer that chose to go with a plate press.
I think this is kind of like raised vs drop flue.
At this point after putting 90 gallons of syrup through the Siro, we like it. Syrup clarity looks very good, as expected.
Regards,
Chris

I second that! Getting mine dialed in and liking it more each time. For a small producer Siro is great because it uses less de and it's just as easy to clean no matter how much syrup you run through it. A larger producer will like it the same. Some large producers have two or more filters well with the Siro you could have two canisters or two inside cylinders change lines (30 seconds) or change inside cylinder (2 minutes probably less) and keep right on rolling. Just my thoughts.

[unc23win]

4-5 months wow that's impressive Theron.

That's awesome Theron check valves cv2? Any issues pulling them?
Thanks

[Gary R]

No extra taps going in here. We've had a few long boils don't need to push it ant harder. Evaporator is all cleaned and stacks are down. Excellent freeze last night :o Had some clogged lines in the 3/16. I think it will take a lot of TLC to keep those lines running in the future.

Theron, are you still working your day job or are you a full time syrup maker now. Awesome job running all of that.

[PATheron]

The taps are all the cv2s. I have one woods with leader taps that look just like them but they don't have the ball. That woods was brand new so I just went that route. I know it was just froze up so hard that's why they've stayed so good. I always tap early and if it gets warm they might quit a little earlier but I already got my syrup and if its cold they'll run forever anyway. That's my theory.. They are a bugger sometimes to pull but I don't have any real problem. Once in a while the tip comes off but its in the hole and its not like a splinter that don't heal good so I don't see it as any real harm. Im still working day job. I putter on my lines year around and the kids help me in season and my dad helps all the time during season and that's pretty much it. Its hectic but I try to overcome any pain I have in season before the next one and am always finetuning. Today looks like the biggest run of the season and the whole week looks good only thing is I know the trees want to bud out so well just have to wait and see what happens. Theron

[happy thoughts]

Hey Theron. Good job! Sounds like the loincloth dance really worked :)

[Dave Y]

Theron,
how do you know the trees want to "bud out", have they been talkin to you?

[Gary R]

It was a beautiful day today. We got some visiting in. Spent a couple hours with Sugarmaker. I think we got a couple projects figured out. Visited Heus. All kinds of family around waiting for the sap tank to fill and start the RO. He was well on his way with the sap.

Hope everyone still boiling has a great run!

[NE PA Maple]

Gary R,

How do you go about cleaning your 3/16 line at the end of season?? I ran 2 of them this year, first time using tubing lines at all, and they are still running beautifully. I'm just curious what the best way to clean them is.

Thanks,
Char

[PATheron]

You guys aren't going to believe this. Bigsap dance huge success. Not sure how much sap got today but just my one woods with around 3300 taps on it ran at least that we can account for 9000 gallons daylight hours. Were thinking a little more but not sure. Been ro'ing all day but not really getting anywhere. Recirced a while but so much sap coming in it dilutes it from getting big numbers so sent it to headtank, filled that went to turn on evap and wont work. Tech guy working on it now. So back to recircing. So plan is Im going to recirc all night and keep trucking in. Getting rid of 1200 gallons of water per hour and trucking same in. Then in the morning turn on the evap and boil. Its also going to freeze tonight and do it all over again. Hope the ro's keep clickity clacking or Im screwwwwwwed. Things are going great. Theron

[PATheron]

Forgot to mention that that woods was all tapped in January I believe. I think it was the second one we tapped. Dave- If you look at the trees and its raining they look real red and my sap keeps getting cloudy now when it starts and then is still clearing up so Im thinking they probly are progressing but I don't really know that much about it. Maybe I can suck the buds back in. Theron

[Rossell's Sugar Camp]

All done. Cleaning things up. Made 201 gallons from 500 taps. Im pretty satisfied with my production. Burnt too much wood... 25 cords....

[Dave Y]

Theron, I know the signs of budding. I was just poking you a little.

[Gary R]

NE PA Maple, Do you know how much sap per tap they have run? Mine put out 23.3 gal/tap. Almost 10 gal less than last year. I had a lot of difficulties this year. I do not know the best way to clean it only what I have done. Some don't clean 5/16 and you get bacteria build up in a couple of years. That stuff is going to clog the 3/16. I cleaned both years with the sap still running. I start at the top with a bleach solution. pull each tap and quickly put in bucket of bleach water. It sucks it right up. Then I pull it out and let the drop clear of liquid. Then place a cap on old tap. There is not a post on the tee. When I'm all done I go to top and let it suck up clean water. This should chase most of the bleach out. Leave the top one open for a good while. This will let most of the water drain out. If bleach is left in the lines it will evaporate and leave salt behind. All animals will then chew on your tubing. Maybe UV Proctor has a better suggestion.

[PATheron]

Getting a lot of sap but sugar must be pretty thinnn. Making syrup though. Big run almost wiped us out but we got through it. Ro's on the decline but kind of to be expected because its really been sliming up the filters. Evaperator broke down on the biggest run of the year and had to go buy a 1500 gallon tank to put concentrate in but worked out in the end. Going to try to get the ro machines back to working better and get another batch to boil today. Making good tasting syrup but alfull dark. No signs the holes are bad I don't think. Theron

[Gary R]

I know I'm done for good so here are the season totals. Tapped the third week of Feb. First boil was Feb.21. Only 17 boils this year compared to 33 last year. Total of 4740 gal of sap, 3340 on VAC and 1400 on 3/16. VAC produced 24.5 gal/tap and 3/16 was 23.3 gal/tap. 200 gal was given to a friend. I had issues with the 3/16 so the production was down. We made a total of 60.75 gal of syrup. Half "B", 5 gal MA and the rest DA. Sugar content was better this year but it still took 75 gal of sap per gal of syrup. I did have a few spills that hurt me:)

I'm seriously looking at an RO for next year. I'll use less wood and reduce boil time. I need to repair my AOF as one side has warped. I'm thinking of adding air nozzles that blow from the ramp towards the door. All new drops for next year. I may also add a front pan bubble to improve grade and reduce niter build up.

Good luck to those still going. How did the rest finish up?

[Sugarmaker]

We made some syrup yesterday. Another 18 gallon. Puts our total at 246 so far. Most of it got in the jugs a couple gallons accidentally got dumped down the drain. I hate when that happens. Found one tote that was tipped on its end same as when I cleaned it and forgot to put it back. Lost a gallon of syrup there too:)
We had just over 700 gallons of sap yesterday. Most of the finished syrup was very nice Rich Amber grade (new grade system).
Last night did get to go to another sugarhouse in Crossingville. (Bob and Bonnie Boylan) They were making syrup like crazy of the 3 x 8 Sunrise evaporator.
It was nice to have Gary and Laura visit us and talk syrup for several hours. We enjoyed sharing syrup making information and potential improvements of the future.
Our trees have not a sign of buds so we will stay tapped a little longer.
Regards,
Chris

[unc23win]

I made about the same as you Chris 19.5 Gallons yesterday was a little weird. I expect today might be similar here no freeze last night. I in Tioga County right on the NY border. The forecast here is as expected just as crazy as it has been all along so who knows. Sap still testing 1.9-2.0 no signs of buds that I see. A couple more runs would be nice. I for one like the new grade system (even though PA hasn't changed yet) other than the golden it seems a little more forgiving with medium before you get to dark.

[JBurkett]

Well guys today is our last Boil. Sap is getting hard to work with, RO is fouling after only 2000 gallons or so. We had a good year all in all. Just over 90,000 gallons from 3400 taps. Our two big woods are 40 miles away and my Dad is truck driving beast. About a dozen or so 12 hour days (he's 69 and still going strong) He's also my best leak finder. My biggest woods (1450taps) did a hair over 40/tap. The other 3 were in the 22-24 range. Sugar content low the last two weeks, 1.5 we even saw some 1% sap a few times. No major break downs. We should finish with around 1475 gallons. We made a heck of a lot of medium syrup. Only a few hundred dark and B. I enjoyed reading all the posts those late nights boiling. Now for the clean up...

[PATheron]

Things getting near the end here I think other than could make a lot of mersh maybe next week if someone wanted to. Im out of vacation this week so itll be pretty much it for me. Got a freeze last night and next three days look very warm. My warm bushes are doing less now and the cold bushes are doing more. The syrup is very dark but still has good flavor. The sap quality is bad and hard to ro. Im really happy with my junk equipment being able to keep up with the hard runs the last week or so. It has taken its tole on the ro membranes. Sap has run so hard that I haven't been able to wash enough. Need more storage at the sugarshed probly. Only have 6000 gallon tanker for 10000 taps. Had to use the permeate tanks to hold sap while finishing up last batch of sap Im working on and don't like to do that. Going to end up with a third of a gallon per tap which Im super happy with being we made no syrup in March. Made the best of a real tough season. On the bright side the control went bad on the evaporator, brain box, and we had to have a guy rig up something that would work and when we did we had to adjust the air and fuel at the back of the evaporator. As dad adjusted it it just kept boiling harder and harder to we just made it boil as hard as we could get it. We timed it and we were drawing off 84 gallons per hour of syrup. Was very iffy just keeping up with the filter press but it was awesome to see. I know big professional operations do stuff like that but Ive never seen it. Was pretty neat. Hope everyone has the best season possible. Theron