Tapped in East Ohio

[SevenCreeksSap]

Seems like it's late but really just about the same as our first few years, but finally got 165 taps in, and started getting a good run yesterday, which continued today. Got the evap all set up, sap tank set, snow off the wood pile, and ready for the first boil tomorrow. Got spoiled the last two years tapping in January, hoping for a good season. I did order one more roll of 5/16 and will try to get up to 180 again, and if I have the energy and time may run a few more laterals to pick up enough to get to 200.

Let it flow!!

[Kngowods]

I have high hopes for tonight and tomorrow! I am READY to fire up the evaporator. Haven't collected much but it is runin now

[SevenCreeksSap]

We've managed about 100 gallons in two runs, okay for a start and at least got the pans sweetened up. looking at the cold week coming up might end up draining it all and finishing it off to get a couple of gallons of the golden honey first season syrup we always keep for personal use. The first runs are my favorite.

[SevenCreeksSap]

Finally a good run today with a steady stream into the tank, and a good long boil. will start drawing off tomorrow. Sap was still streaming in at 5:30 when I had to shut down, so maybe a tankful to start with tomorrow. Last week in the cold I added another lateral and finally finished repairing and replacing small issues, so ended up with 192 taps total for this season. Gotta work on some kind of vacuum for next year.

[Willis]

Glad to hear things are going well in Jefferson Co. I am way behind this year and missed first run. Finally got tapped last night and finished the last 20 after work today. 150 on buckets. Finished my pump to collection tank that I has been wanting to do, no more climbing up in back of Kubota and aiming for small hole in tank. Sap running decent today, hopefully better tomorrow. Should be boiling tomorrow afternoon finally.

[Willis]

Collected 150 gallon this morning, sap running good. Sap tested at 2.1%! Finally a good run and decent sugar. Last year I don't think I got over 1.5%. Hopefully this keeps up and this late season isn't a bust.

[SevenCreeksSap]

It really was running here saturday. I took a very rare "down day" and watched a race and didn't work my butt off, so today looked at the tank and had 140 gallons to start boiling today. didn't quite get done but did draw off about 6 gallons of super sweet that I'll finish at home and get maybe 4 gallons of finished syrup. Still haven't quite figured getting it finished on my flat pans, always seems to boil more in the center and I worry it will finish there instead of at the draw off, so I draw off at about 205 deg. and finish on gas at home in the Smoky lake finisher, then filter and bottle. Maybe this season won't be a bust if the next few weeks are like this weekend was. The forecast through next week looks really good except maybe a cold snowy wed-thurs. Good time to finish what I boiled today.

[Willis]

Great run today, hauled in 200 gal and many buckets were running over. Not bad since I collected at about 9 last night so my buckets would be empty for this run. Sugar is down a bit, only 1.6 today. Way behind on boiling since I can only do it after work and weekends. Had to scrub out our old dairy milk tank for storage. It only holds 400 gallon but block milk house that is partially buried stays nice and cool. Bottled first batch today, 9 1/4 gallons.

[SevenCreeksSap]

We've been having crazy sap runs also, at least for my setup. collecting about 150 gallons a day and trying to keep up boiling after work, not really winning the battle. still 175 gallons in the tank tonight, so I can see a weekend of boiling trying to finish it off. This is what we've been waiting for. still very nice clear sap too. I always draw off and finish on gas at home, and haven't had time to do the finishing. Going to have to wait until I can bottle it all to see how much we'll end up with, so far only bottled 3 gallons because we were out at home.

[woodburner]

Finished up the last of this run, made over 20 gal. form it. Sap went cloudy today, syrup is still medium , sap at 2.4. Like most I need a break. The next two days look good, the trees need the cold tonight. Plugging away here, saw swans heading north Sat. hope they can find open water.

[SevenCreeksSap]

Had one last good run Mar 27 and this is going to be it for us. sap is slowing down, starting to get cloudy, and I'm out of split wood. went through about three cords this year and I have enough to finish what in the tank and pans, I hope. Dont feel like splitting more wood right now. Pulled about 30 taps today and will pull all the rest tomorrow, March 30. we tapped all in by Feb 17 so had a good six weeks with taps in, though two of those weeks were frozen solid with no sap. Not sure yet the total of sap or finished syrup, though I have two freezers full of almost finished sweet, I get it close on the evap and finish on gas, so may be still finishing in June!

Not a bad season after all, at least boiled enough to get rid of all the wood, time to start over building that up, and already have a decent pile to start splitting when I feel like it again. expecting to finish with at least 20 gallons again which is what we did last year, and built up a bit of customer base at the farmers market.

[SevenCreeksSap]

We finally finished up all my frozen sweet over the weekend of 5-11. Bottled it all and finished with 23 gallons for the season. better than last year by 3 gallons, and enough work for me. Now to get it sold and make just enough for a hand filter press. we have refined our small operation so the filtering and bottling with the Smoky Lake finisher is much easier than before we got that. very nice piece of equipment.
Just a couple of finishing pans to scrub and done for 2014. I'm happy with it, already splitting wood for next year.