Otsego County 2015

[Brian Ryther]

It has been a battle to get to today. A long year of trials and tribulations. I began tapping today. There is no warm up in the near future but the weather is great for working outside. I feel I can take my time and make micro repairs as I go. Major repairs have been completed. New for this season will be a expanded RO, bigger vacuum pump, more concentrate storage, new sugar bush will be installed after everything is tapped in. More sap to purchase. Lets hope for a average year with only minor problems along the way.
Brian

[tuckermtn]

Go man go! good luck on the season, Brian. Enjoy reading your posts...

think you were part of a thread a few years ago about making maple a full time gig. are you 100% maple, or still doing some welding/fabricating?

again - good luck with the 2015 season...

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Good luck this year Brian. We started tapping last Sunday. I will be talking to you throughout the season.
Neil

[Maplewalnut]

Good luck Brian. Hopefully a better 2015 for you
Talk soon

[Brian Ryther]

Go man go! good luck on the season, Brian. Enjoy reading your posts...

think you were part of a thread a few years ago about making maple a full time gig. are you 100% maple, or still doing some welding/fabricating?

again - good luck with the 2015 season...
Hi Eric, I still find time to do a little welding. It helps with the bottom line and keeps me diversified. I am rapidly running out of time as my retail and wholesale sales keep me pretty busy with bottling and deliveries.

First major problem of the year. With the warm temps yesterday I turned on the vacuum pump and discovered that I have a bad batch of CV2's. I estimate that %15 have pin holes in them. PITA to find, pull, replace, or if they break off in the tree then I have to drill a new hole. I will continue to use the CV2 but every one needs to be checked before it goes into a tree.

[Maplewalnut]

Not again this year!!! Brian where is the pin hole?

[Dan Bolton]

Hey Brian! Good to see you at Verona a couple weeks back. Good luck on the 2015 season. Same to you Neil.

[Brian Ryther]

Thanks Dan. Lets hope for a decent year.

This is a photo of a Cv2 with a pin hole.
10389

Tapping continues to go well.

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Thanks Dan. Lets hope for a decent year.

This is a photo of a Cv2 with a pin hole.
10389

Tapping continues to go well.

Where is the pinhole Brian? It is hard to tell in the pic. From looking at it though, I am almost certain they are last years cv's. The "dome" on the back does not come out flush with the X by the looks. On this years cvs, the dome is flush with the cross where you pound it in.

[unc23win]

Is it the black spot at about 10 o'clock where the dome meets the outer ring? I think Neil is right they might be last years. PITA to have to go change them.

[Jmsmithy]

Great info Brian. Been reading your posts for awhile. Thx for helping this new commercial sugar maker!

Starting w/ the cv's this year. Hope don't have the pinhole issue but only have couple 100 need to examine!!! We're not too far north of you, SoWest corner of the ADK Park above Utica. Love to pick your brain sometime :lol:

[adk1]

Did u use any spouts from last year?i would find it hard to believe that leader would have any older spouts that had issues laying around for sale

[Brian Ryther]

The hole is what you see at 10:00.
JMsmithy stop by any time.
All of my spouts look the same so they might be from lase year. I purchased the bulk of my spouts during post season sale. The bad batch came from a separate purchase a few weeks ago. Who knows?
Great day for tapping. 30 degrees and sunny. My face is sun burnt.

[AdirondackSap]

Wow i must have got a batch of last years cv2 i just got them last month. Because the dome is not flush with the x on back of the spout. Is this years CV2 that much better than last years CV2?

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Wow i must have got a batch of last years cv2 i just got them last month. Because the dome is not flush with the x on back of the spout. Is this years CV2 that much better than last years CV2?

I wouldn't say they are better, they just "beefed" up the back of the spout to try and eliminate the pin hole leak issues from last year.

[Brian Ryther]

First day tapping in 3 weeks. With the lack of sugaring weather I have spent the last three weeks putting out more taps. I think I am going to get back to finishing tapping now. It is slow going with the 2+ feet of snow on the ground. Snow shoes are a necessity at this point. Once I finish tapping I will get back to adding taps until the flood gates open.

[Mountain Winds Farm]

missed you at the circus today . Lobby day!!

[treehugger]

-14 this morning. Usually tapped and running this time of year. I'm afraid if I tapped now I'll break my tapping bit!

[maple flats]

At least you'd need to be careful, broken bits can easily be replaced, it your fingers freeze and break off replacement costs run much higher!

[Brian Ryther]

Drilling holes whenever it is above 20 degrees. I would like to be all taped in before Wednesday. Don't plan on making sap on the warm day, Wednesday, but it would be nice to have a leak test day and a day for sap to flush the crap out of the lines. Two weeks and we will be in full production. I hope.

[Brian Ryther]

Finished tapping today. Pumps go on tomorrow for leak testing. Deep snow = tired tapper.

[treehugger]

I started today. I can usually finish in 2-3 hours for my small operation of 250 taps. 4 hours later 2/3 done. It was miserable snowshoeing up my hill with 2 feet of snow. Hardest tapping year ever. If it was like this every year I might reconsider this hobby of mine.

[Brian Ryther]

It is hell in the woods this year. digging mainlines out of 6 foot snow drifts. Miles of lines to be checked with wet heavy snow shoes. I did bring home the first load of sap tonight. I hope to boil tomorrow night.

[PATheron]

Brian- Nice job on Waaaaaaaanting it! Good luck, make lots. Theron

[Brian Ryther]

.08 sugar. 4k sap. sweetened pans and 5 gallons of syrup.

[Mountain Winds Farm]

way to go Brian, we expect to start collecting today as the lines are flushed out and tanks are ready.Really has not run that hard here as of yet. Trees are cold

[lew]

Sounds like we are in the same boat sap wise. We got 5k sap from yesterday and the night before. Haven't checked sugar content yet, but I did taste it of course, and it was not sweet at all. We will sweeten pans today.

[Brian Ryther]

Surprise run yesterday. 33 degrees. 1/2 gallon / tap on south and east facing bushes. zero sap from north facing bush. Got the sap to the sugarhouse minutes before valves froze last night. Looks like a humdinger of a weekend.

[Brian Ryther]

I love sugaring. It is hard work. Found time to micro leak check. Vacuum levels are the highest they have been in years. 2% sugar today. Gallon per tap. Checked tanks after boiling around 8:30 and sap looks like it is finally letting loose. Winds changed to the west and low pressure system moved in. slight freeze this morning. Amber Rich grade. Awesome Butternut Valley flavor.

[Brian Ryther]

Sap ran a 1/2 gallon tap today. 2.0% Quick boil tonight. next two days have lots of potential.

[Brian Ryther]

Good day yesterday. 170 gallons of syrup. Started at Amber and ended at Golden.

[Brian Ryther]

no sap weather for a few days so we spent our time adding taps and drilling new trees. next 4 weeks look to be super sap weather.

[treehugger]

If didn't have vacuum I'd have nothing. This morning had just a drip every 15 seconds. After 30 min of vacuum I have a steady stream of sap flowing. Was like this last year too. Only boiled once so far. Pathetic! I shouldn't have dumped that first flush run sap.

[Brian Ryther]

It has been hard to be patient this year. I spend my time adding taps and making the vacuum the best I can. After three days I have enough to finally boil tonight. Should be making steam 7:30 - 9:30. Only 4-5 thousand gallons to process.

[maplwrks]

Hang in there Brian. We're all in the same boat. I've saved sap for 3 days to have enough to boil tomorrow. I'll be selling and jugging syrup as fast as I make it!

[sugarman3]

your not alone,gathered today for the first time since march 17th,2200 taps ,well we got 1100 gal sap,but sugar was 3.1%,will be boiling tomorrow and canning as fast as i make it,should be fast as after running through ro-12.2%

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Pretty much the same up North. Little sap drizzles in but no real run. Next weeks weather looks good and my wife is off work. I'd like to fill a bunch of drums.

[Brian Ryther]

Sap every day but no dump runs as off yet. Cold woods only run 1/3 gpt. Warmer woods run 9/10 gpt. Neighbors seem to be in the same boat. Frost is still in the ground in most places. Sap is running 2.0% - 2.2%. very high for me. Syrup is bouncing back and forth between golden and amber.

[Mountain Winds Farm]

we pulled 2,000 gallons yesterday, about the best day we've had yet. The woods are cold

[treehugger]

I have been able to boil twice so far. It's running today but agreed, no dumps yet. Getting worried because it looks like the forecast won't cooperate. No freezing temp for the next 6-7 days.

[Brian Ryther]

Wow! Yesterday was the best run I have ever had. 7,500 gallons from 4,500 trees.

[Mountain Winds Farm]

very strange year for sure.

[Brian Ryther]

And it keeps hammering. 300 gallons in the past two days. Slight freeze forecasted for tonight.

[adk1]

Wow that is crazy sap man

[collinsmapleman2012]

hoping for a freeze tonight up here. pretty poor season, only like 40 miles north. we are in a weird spot where its always a little colder north and south of here. this is such a strange year though. ive never seen sap flow well on a windy day until this year, a couple weeks ago.

[Brian Ryther]

The sap just wont quit. And neither will I. Well over a gallon of sap per tap today. 80 gallons of syrup this afternoon. Finally into the new dark amber grade.

[Brian Ryther]

Hit the repeat button. Tons of sap. Sugar dropping every day.

[Brian Ryther]

24degrees last night. 1.5 gpt in 9 hours. still running hard.

[Brian Ryther]

Yesterday was the biggest gpt of the season. 8k of sap in 24 hrs. sugar 1.2% dark robust syrup. no buds and no peepers yet.

[saphound]

Yesterday was the biggest gpt of the season. 8k of sap in 24 hrs. sugar 1.2% dark robust syrup. no buds and no peepers yet.
That's amazing. I'm only an hour west of you and nothing like that here... must be the vac. Peepers peepin like crazy too the last couple days.

[Jmsmithy]

Vac is amazing. We had freeze last night and supposed to tonight as well. I'm boiling right now. 120 gals 1.8 in head tank same amount in storage tank and vac pulling sap as I'm typing this. We in mid Herkimer Cty in ADK Park, around Morehouse/Piseco area...oops. Time to fire !!

[Brian Ryther]

Light day yesterday. Only a gallon per tap. Hard freeze last night and the sap is back to running hard today. Expecting another freeze tonight. Should make good syrup through the weekend. 20 gallons of sap per tap as of yesterday.

[Brian Ryther]

Still rocking in the Butternut Valley. Big freeze last night and the night before. Gallon of sap every day. Boiling is going okay but filtering is slow. I can only push 30 gallons at a time through the press.

[Jmsmithy]

We turning here. Last boil today for great season.

How's the quality by you Brian? We in the Morehouse/Russia area, Southwestern ADK Park...

[treehugger]

Boiling the last bit of sap off today. Was an lack luster season for me. Should be about where I ended up last year. 0.15 gallon of syrup per tap.

[Brian Ryther]

Still after it. I jumped up two color grades last night. I wont mention the taste grade. Only 3/4 gpt yesterday but the sap is running hard today. over .4 gallons of syrup per tap. Might freeze tonight.

[treehugger]

Wow! I run 23" of vac. What do you run at? I can't believe the difference. I was mostly 2-2.3%. Unless my calculations are off which may be.

[Brian Ryther]

Wow! I run 23" of vac. What do you run at? I can't believe the difference. I was mostly 2-2.3%. Unless my calculations are off which may be.
Low end is 25.5" high end is 27.5 depending on the pump and the woods.
Great run today. 7/8 gpt of sap. freeze expected tonight.

[treehugger]

I thought I was done but it should run again today. The stuff i made yesterday was delicious.

[Brian Ryther]

Finished up today. The well water at the sugar house thawed out this morning so I figured it was over. .436 gpt. I am happy.

[doug jones]

brian are you tapped yet ?

[Brian Ryther]

Ill start a 2016 thread