Sap Flowing in Albany

[Albany Tap]

Tapped a few trees yesterday and the sap is flowing in Albany. This should be a great week to get started :) the weather is very promising.

[adk1]

as in Albany NY? Good luck with your season!

[The dairy farmer]

I'm gonna tap next week sometime if I can get all my lines up

[stoweski]

I'll pass. Waiting until V-day as usual.

Trees are frozen solid... Going to take a few days above freezing just to wake them up. Though this weekend will help them.

Gotta feeling it's going to be a good season!

Good luck.

[adk1]

I agree Stoweski, thinking its gonna be decent as long as the fluctuations keep up. Some saying gonna be a good start then warm up and not fluctuate..never know from day to day! I do know that we will be making syrup!

[Mountain Winds Farm]

just came out of the woods for some lunch ,have been hanging lateral lines all morning. Had to put a few nails in here and there and there is nothing running in Berne

[mapleguy]

Funny how climates are so different. I'm in northeast ohio about 20 miles south of lake erie everything still frozen here noticed the ground in the bush is frozen solid to. I'm looking at the 2nd week of feb. for tapping.

[Greenwich Maple Man]

Been tapping right along. Not a drop today .Trees are frozen rock solid here in Greenwich , Washington County!

[Deano686]

Plans are to check old lines and hang new next weekend with i hope to be a large crew. Tapping the following weekend.....here we go!!!!

[Jmsmithy]

Here in central Herkimer Cty (Russia/Ohio area) everything frozen solid! The ground the trees the people etc etc. :lol: Thank God too as new Sugarhouse not quite done (but very close to done enough) and new evaporator/hoods/ roof jacks not ready yet!!

[asknupp]

Russia, Ohio?

[Jmsmithy]

Nope. Russia NY, next to Ohio NY. At foot of West Canada Wilderness, south west Adirondacks.

[Albany Tap]

I got just enough from the few I tapped last week to get a nice sweet taste. A Very sweet caramel. Hope the weather is better for the rest of the week so I can tap the rest and get a jump on an early season.

[Albany Tap]

yes, well Guilderland, NY to be exact.

[Albany Tap]

Well it looks like Mother Nature is about to cooperate with us here Albany. The next 5 days looks very good. I hope to see a good run on the sap. GL everyone

[stoweski]

What did you wind up with today? I'm still out of town but will be 'all in' tomorrow when I get home. Figured it must have been a good day with the sun being out.

Where in G-land are you? I'm out on 158 near the reservoir.

[adk1]

Stoweski which reservoir are you talking?

[Albany Tap]

There wasn't any big run today. A few are starting to drip. Taking longer to thaw then I thought. A few more days of good weather so we will see. Im over off church rd

[stoweski]

Watervliet... or however it's spelled. Nowhere near the Sacandaga. :)

I figured it's been so cold that the trees would take a few days to warm up. Damp and ugly this morning (up here in Stowe it was sleeting then finally changed to rain). Fortunately we've skied all week so today is our travel day.

Let the big floods begin.. sap that is!

[sugarman3]

No need to hurry home from Stowe,long range after tomorrow looks like 2 weeks of cold weather,no temps above 32,'LIKE I SAID BEFORE,IT WILL BE AN OLD FASHIONED SUGAR'IN SEASON',when it comes it will be fast and furious,good luck this season

[Albany Tap]

Stoweski,

My Sister lives on the Reservoir she is back on Stitt Road. I love Stowe its great skiing there hope you are having a great time have a safe trip back.

[Albany Tap]

Nice and steady Sap flow today

[stoweski]

Sap is flowing ad the roof is dripping. What a mess out there! Can't keep my garage dry from all of this melting. Temp got up to 52 here. 100 taps so far... Can't get to the rest so I'll just have to wait. Hope to leave the sap from today and tomorrow in the tanks for the week and let it freeze. Won't be enough to boil. Man the wind is wicked!

[Albany Tap]

Lets hope this week brings in some more Sap. It's going to be a late season this year. My fingers are crossed that the weather doesn't just snap into the 70's. The later we go the better chances of that happening. Anyone have some good totals in the area yet?

[Deano686]

I'm with ya on the weather changing quick. A very late start for sure, and I certainly hope we get a chance to make a bunch before the warm weather is hear to stay. Such small runs, and long cold spells in between have got me sitting on a 180 gallon frozen block of sap. The extended forecast doesn't look like it will be thawing anytime soon.

[Albany Tap]

Great sap flow today in Albany and I am stoked :)

[Algonquin]

Had a good day yesterday, 10 gal. Of sap for 20 taps. This is only my second year so I really don't have much to gauge it by. I've made about a gal. This year so far, light and great flavor.
Today I'm going to fire up my half pint for the first time, as I haven't had enough sap at once to keep it going. This is my leap out of the turkey fryer boiling. I think that I'll put in a few more taps in case the season end quick, I was a little weary of putting out too many and not being able to handle it. Well good luck to all, Tom

[adk1]

Had a good day yesterday, 10 gal. Of sap for 20 taps. This is only my second year so I really don't have much to gauge it by. I've made about a gal. This year so far, light and great flavor.
Today I'm going to fire up my half pint for the first time, as I haven't had enough sap at once to keep it going. This is my leap out of the turkey fryer boiling. I think that I'll put in a few more taps in case the season end quick, I was a little weary of putting out too many and not being able to handle it. Well good luck to all, Tomwhere ru located in northville?

[Albany Tap]

Had a good day yesterday, 10 gal. Of sap for 20 taps. This is only my second year so I really don't have much to gauge it by. I've made about a gal. This year so far, light and great flavor.
Today I'm going to fire up my half pint for the first time, as I haven't had enough sap at once to keep it going. This is my leap out of the turkey fryer boiling. I think that I'll put in a few more taps in case the season end quick, I was a little weary of putting out too many and not being able to handle it. Well good luck to all, Tom


I am a small backyarder as well and I think I have 27 taps out. Yesterday I did about the same about 10 gallons. The trees in the shade were a bit slow and some of my bags developed leaks and had to be replaced(**** wind) so I may have had more. I wish I had the half pint but there is always next season. I made a brick rocket stove(doesn't use much wood to keep the boil) that boils a 6" steam table pan along with a side pre heater. I may add another rocket stove to keep up. Let me know how the half pint works out for you.

-Russ

[Algonquin]

I going to try it out tomorrow, I bought it used last fall and just finished getting it ready at 5 pm today. I knocked a bunch of brick out getting it home so that's back together. Next was where to set it up as I don't have a sugar house here and the town wouldn't be receptive to it I'm sure. So, I'd had a old trailer frame from a pop up camper, I put a deck on it, couple of tires, a sheet of cement board ... Good to go. Now just to get the nerve to light it off,lol. I'll let you know how it goes. Tom

[Albany Tap]

I going to try it out tomorrow, I bought it used last fall and just finished getting it ready at 5 pm today. I knocked a bunch of brick out getting it home so that's back together. Next was where to set it up as I don't have a sugar house here and the town wouldn't be receptive to it I'm sure. So, I'd had a old trailer frame from a pop up camper, I put a deck on it, couple of tires, a sheet of cement board ... Good to go. Now just to get the nerve to light it off,lol. I'll let you know how it goes. Tom

Thats great goof luck on the first burn. I have spent alot of time up there in Northville if thats where you are. I used to keep my boat on Sacandaga. Ahh Sand Island....don't get me started. Didn't get much sap today(2 gallons if Im lucky) kinda figures with this weather pattern that we are dealing with.

[Albany Tap]

Picture time. Here is what I have off of 27 taps so far. 94009401

Since I am a Freelance Graphic Designer I figured I would show off my labels they are a play on my last name. 9436

[scott135]

Tapped trees a month ago in Brunswick, NY. Hung about 30 buckets. First weekend in March boiled off about 12 gallons, last weekend had about 40 gallons, this weekend only about 28 gallons. Hoping to get warm days and cool nights in the next couple weeks.

Pics of my home built evaporator, needs work not getting as much sap boiled off as I expected, part of my product for this year, less than 2 gallons so far, and a pic of my label.

944594469447

[stoweski]

How does 400 gallons of frozen sap sound? Have two tanks filled to capacity and I can't get anything out of them... Yet when Thursday come around and the floodgates open I have nowhere for it to go until the tanks thaw and I can pump them out. Argh.

And Mr. Tice... Did you attend GHS? Or actually FMS? If so, what year?

[adk1]

Yeah that kind of sucks stoweski

[Albany Tap]

How does 400 gallons of frozen sap sound? Have two tanks filled to capacity and I can't get anything out of them... Yet when Thursday come around and the floodgates open I have nowhere for it to go until the tanks thaw and I can pump them out. Argh.

And Mr. Tice... Did you attend GHS? Or actually FMS? If so, what year?


Yes and Yes. I have 2 Brothers and 3 sisters. I graduated GHS in 92. Is there any way to heat up the tank without destroying it?

[adk1]

What is HHS?

[stoweski]

Name sounds familiar. I started @ FMS in 97. Been ther ever since - as a matter of fact I went mud boggin' there a couple of days ago after our fields were destroyed. :)

ADK... GHS... Guilderland High School.

I have no way of heating the tanks... 1 they are poly and 2 only thing I could possibly use is a blow torch. Probably not a good idea on poly.

My last name is Freeman. No doubt if they were there after 97 they know me. I had at least one Tice in class... Can't remember their first name though.

[Algonquin]

Ran the evaporator last night, boiled 25 gals and ran out of sap. What a difference the half pint vs. turkey fryers, so much faster and enjoyable. I boiled at 7 gal/ hr. I did stop firing the arch early so I could have run it a little longer but first time. I had 5 gals left in the pan that was only up to 212 deg. . I'll finish that on the stove. I didn't draw any syrup off , Im thinking I was running the sap into the pan too fast , still soo much better than the turkey fryer. Hoping for a good run the next week or two. Good luck to all. Tom

[super sappy]

Stoweski - My permeate tank froze pretty bad on Sunday night . Its a 325 horizontal poly tank . I bought the longest heat tape that I could find and duct taped it to the tank all around the botton making the tape have as much contact with the plastic as possiable. I had a bunch of moving blankets to pack all around it but it was not a tight job by any means . It thawed out overnight so i could get the ro washed ..... maybe this might be a solution you could use if the sap tanks are near a power supply - good luck- super sappy

[scott135]

How about a couple of electric blankets?

[stoweski]

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately my setup has my sugarshack (and house) uphill from the tanks so they're at least 500' away from any electricity. No portable generator either.

As it turns out my father dropped off an old ice chisel. It looks like something a farmer rigged up. A 1-1/2" pipe, 5' long with a splitting wedge welded to it.

Worked great for breaking through the top 6" of ice. Yep, there was sap underneath the ice.

I managed to pump 200 gallons tonight and am going to boil as long as it takes to get rid of it. I have a feeling a big run is coming starting tomorrow afternoon. Get ready!

By the way Albany Tap, your label looks nice! Congrats on your first syrup!

[Algonquin]

Just got home from work and checked the buckets, nothing running. I'm i the only one or isn't the sap running today? I guess I best have a couple of beers and think on this!

[sugarman3]

your are not alone,my son turned vacumn pump on at 5pm,barely a drizzle was coming in,told him it was the sap that froze in the line when pump wasn't running

[Albany Tap]

Just got home from work and checked the buckets, nothing running. I'm i the only one or isn't the sap running today? I guess I best have a couple of beers and think on this!

It will run tomorrow a few trees were dripping the problem was really cold last night

[adk1]

your are not alone,my son turned vacumn pump on at 5pm,barely a drizzle was coming in,told him it was the sap that froze in the line when pump wasn't running
Vern, it's gonna run tomorrow and over the weekend, we can finally make some syrup. I haven't boiled a single day in the month of march yet

[stoweski]

Vern, it's gonna run tomorrow and over the weekend, we can finally make some syrup. I haven't boiled a single day in the month of march yet

Put it for 'til Tuesday and you'll have a record! :D

Wonder, besides mud boggin, how this rain will affect sap flow.

[sugarman3]

hoping rain will pull the frost out of the tree i got some that have not run drop of sap,talked to a couple of loggers on wed and both said that when they cut a maple,no sap even comes out of the stump ,i think the tree's are still frozen,at least the larger ones, probably18 in or bigger.

[Saltlick]

From ny southerntier, after hard freeze wed. Night, 40degree Thursday. , no sap at 7am Friday. Tubing running just a little, buckets empty. Still some snow in woods. It's the end of March, is there any hope?

[5050racing]

Hard to believe you guys must be really worrying if it will ever happen,in north nj I doing pretty good,made some nice stuff hope it turns on for you guys and you can handle it at once!!! Be ready! Good luck

[Algonquin]

Did OK today, about 12 gals of sap for 25 taps. Some still not running at all , this is the best it's done any day so far this year. Hoping for a good weekend. Good luck all.

[stoweski]

Giving it a go...

After four days of not boiling, and watching the sap trickle, I have enough to fire up the rig again today. Not sure how much exactly as I have to empty 50 buckets but looking like 250 gallons or so. Definitely not what I expected as far as sap quantity but I NEED to do something... And besides, this rain put a damper on my skiing.

Here's hoping for a productive day!

[adk1]

Good luck stoweski, I doubt I will get a boil in today most likely will be a good boil tomorrow

[Albany Tap]

So I got a good gage on my sugar content. Its taking 1.65 gallons for every 8 oz of syrup.......Im sure that will change but so far so good.;)

[Albany Tap]

Did OK today, about 12 gals of sap for 25 taps. Some still not running at all , this is the best it's done any day so far this year. Hoping for a good weekend. Good luck all.

Thats better then I am getting from my 27. I collected 7 gallons on Friday and another 5 on Saturday. Today seems very slow even though the temps are right. I lot of my taps that were producing really well early have kinda stopped all together yet others are now filling the bags.

[stoweski]

Nothing is running here... Got to 35 last night... Nothing will run after a warm night. C'mon freeze!

[Algonquin]

Still nothing running, as of tonight I have 8-9 gals of sap from 25 taps for the last two days.I have two trees running good, they are on the road side. The others are in a swampy area. Hoping for tomorrow to start in the woods, going to be in the 50's.

[scott135]

Monday-Friday last week only had 12 gallons and another 12 Friday night to Saturday. Nothing on Sunday from 30 taps.

[stoweski]

Well, this is certainly getting old! We all sound like a broken record. The outlook for the next week is pretty grim as well. I originally started this hobby to make syrup for myself. All I've gotten so far is light syrup. I hate light syrup! Thinking about throwing it back on and adding water to it so it will eventually turn dark. That way I can enjoy it!

I'm bummed!

[highlandcattle]

Last 2 days collected approx. 450 gallons of 2%sap from 400 taps. Was a gusher yesterday Ron put in a wet/dry line last year and I think this has made a huge difference. Trying to save the season. Good luck everyone.

[Burnt sap]

We had the first run of the season yesterday small but none the less a start! 150 gallons, should run the rest of the week. Content was 2.2% Will be boiling this weekend!

[Albany Tap]

They started dripping at 830 hopefully I will get a few gallons today. I agree Stoweski all I have so far is very light and not much maple flavor.

[stoweski]

They started dripping at 830 hopefully I will get a few gallons today. I agree Stoweski all I have so far is very light and not much maple flavor.

That's good to hear! I was a bit concerned as the temp was forecast to drop to 28 but woke up to 33 this morning. Keeping my fingers crossed!

[Algonquin]

Same as yesterday , but the trees in the woods are starting to open up a little, maybe tomorrow.

[Albany Tap]

I am thinking its all over Johny. I will keep them in for another week then I will pull the plugs. Not what I expected but knew the closer we got to April it was going to be inevitable.

[scott135]

I ended up with 70 gallons of sap through Sunday, ended up with 2 gallons finished syrup. Much darker than last weeks. Leaving the taps in another week.

[Mountain Winds Farm]

After last night we have 4,000 gallons in the tanks and putting the hammer down . Trees have finally figure out what their job is!

[Burnt sap]

Weather man has us doomed! Calling for mid 50's to 60 degrees after Wednesday. The end is near...

[stoweski]

After last night we have 4,000 gallons in the tanks and putting the hammer down . Trees have finally figure out what their job is!

Figured you guys on the hill have had a couple of good runs this week. We've been very close to freezing but just haven't been cold enough. Some short runs here and there and that's about it. I'm going to be close to 25 gallons on 250 taps. :(

[lakeview maple]

We haven't had a run in 4 days, two nights of below freezing weather and 50's the next day and nothing ,thank God the buds are not popping or even showing yet.

[sugarman3]

You can blame the south wind and the east wind on those days if you have nothing on vacumn,that's what happened

[stoweski]

It's 24 here at 5:30am this morning! Hoping for that last big push of sap! Bring it!!!

[Albany Tap]

It's 24 here at 5:30am this morning! Hoping for that last big push of sap! Bring it!!!

I pulled some of my weak performers over the weekend I left in the ones that have been running good. It would be nice to get a last big rush today.

[lakeview maple]

Boiled off 200 plus today and made 5 gallons and a quart of dark amber , sap was running good hopefully enough to boil off tomorrow .I emptied the tank with the Guzzler first thing this morning and its back to 40 gallons in just 4 hours, that thing saved my season this year ,most of the sap I had was from that. 20 gallons so far ,way off the 50 of last year ,Im hoping for a couple more days before the season ends, it seems strange to be boiling april 10th,good luck all ,Al

[scott135]

Pulled my taps this weekend. Had 60 gallons, but the finished syrup is really dark. Finished the year with 5.5 gallons of syrup, from 35 taps, 200 gallons of sap. Hope to expand a little next year, get up to 50 taps.