Northeast Ohio ... 2015 Season. Let's Hear It!

[WoodButcher]

We're almost there boys! :cool:

Just checked on the lines and all was good. no huge branches down, no big repairs.... less squirrel bites this year for sure.

It must be the Coyotes looking out for me :evil:

10416

[mapleguy]

Yea won't be long now, but if the long range forecast were to be right we won't be tapping til the beginning of March. Have all my tubing maintained , taking buckets out today for a scrubbing and if it stays cold gonna set up another 100 - 200 taps on more tubing. Hope this year isn't like the last one!

[WoodButcher]

i hope the long term is right, so then i have time to take the snowmobiles out a couple more times before the melt. :)

Tapping the last week of Feb and sap pouring out first week of March sounds good... we just need some nice freeze/thaw cycles from there on out, which we have seen before.

[heus]

I hope this year is like last one for us. It was a record breaking season on vac. However I am not ready for it to begin yet!

[johnallin]

I hope another 4 weeks until it starts...I've got lots to do yet!

[flhr10]

Planning on tapping last weekend of Feb, same as last year. I worked in my neighbors woods yesterday and today, clearing paths to get to some new trees I found. We had 456 taps last year, going to make it a even 500 this year......or more.

[heus]

Planning on tapping last weekend of Feb, same as last year. I worked in my neighbors woods yesterday and today, clearing paths to get to some new trees I found. We had 456 taps last year, going to make it a even 500 this year......or more.

Flhr10 I take it you have a Road King? I have an 02.

[flhr10]

Had a Road King. Traded it for a New Holland T1510 4x4 with loader

[DRod2]

Squirrels were crazy at my place this year. Last year there were a few places that the tubing was chewed but this year they went straight for the fittings. I had four different taps that were chewed in half. It was almost as the squirrels were trying to protect the trees. I spent 4 hours fixing line two weekends ago and still have about 2 hours to go. Happy taping!

[flhr10]

heus, very nice pics on your website.

[WoodButcher]

yup definitely buried!

this was taken from my kitchen BEFORE the rest of the snow came down on Sunday night...

These trees wont be thawed for a while. 10567

[mapleguy]

I keep watching the long range and what I see doesn't look to encouraging. Probably gonna tap 3rd week of Feb. unless things change , we all know thats gonna happen hopefully for the better. Won't be putting any buckets out until some of this snow melts, has to be at least 18" in the woods, thank God for tubing. This year have only 600 on tube and 350 buckets lost about 100 taps due to land being sold. Good luck to everyone and have fun!

[waldo320]

Anyone tap in NE Ohio yet with the temps this weekend I think we're looking at another week at least??

[mapleguy]

With the forecasts I've been seeing I probably won't tap till 1st of March. Even then it doesn't look to promising

[waldo320]

Does starting that late affect the length of the season?

[mapleguy]

well as I see it , it really doesn't matter because you still need mother nature to cooperate, which at this point doesn't look good. I don't know how accurate the long range really is ,I look at the relative trend, and in this case it's gonna be to cold for sap to run. I believe even if you tap later than earlier you will still end up with the same amount no matter what.

[johnallin]

It all depends on when the buds open...which was mid March in 2012. That was about a 3 week season for those of us who didn't tap until President's Day.

With this cold snap, it's gonna take a week at least for the trees to thaw out, and then we can sit and "watch water boil' - which takes forever!

[mapleguy]

keep in mind the longer temps stay on the cold side the longer for buds to break so my guess is if the temps remain relative the season could go into the first week of April

[WoodButcher]

Well, it looks like the week of March 2nd might be tappin time... I dont know what the extended forecast looks like, but i dont remember a year where i tapped later than the first week of March...

[mapleguy]

Yea channel 5 predicts a 40 for this coming weekend

[johnallin]

I'll believe it when I see it....If it gets that warm, we're gonna have lots of water running off the land.

[mapleguy]

I hope it thaws enough so the snow isn't so deep. Most of my taps are on tubing but I also hang 350 buckets which won't go out for a couple of weeks unless we get a major thaw sooner

[WoodButcher]

I hope it thaws enough so the snow isn't so deep. Most of my taps are on tubing but I also hang 350 buckets which won't go out for a couple of weeks unless we get a major thaw sooner

same here... get ready for a calf workout!

[flhr10]

Fox 8 just had 36 for Sunday and 38 for Monday!!

[heus]

Yeah and back into the teens and twenties the entire week after.:cry:

[mapleguy]

Looks like this cold pattern is about to change for the better, so anyone gonna be tapping soon?

[flhr10]

We're gonna go for it this Sunday!

[heus]

I will probably begin tapping Sunday but despite two days above freezing its supposed to return to cold temperatures. I know this sounds pessimistic but I do not think we will have a real run for at least two weeks.

[Grand Square Acres]

We are planning on this weekend. The forecast here in central ohio looks good. The next 7 day shows 1 day below freezing the rest mid to upper 30s. I think once it warms up its going to do it all at once and make for a short season.

[WoodButcher]

ya... im going to wait until saturday to see the actual forecast. if its only a couple days, it might not be worth it.

With a knee-height base of snow here, i dont think there's gonna be a lot of sap flowing until we get a good thaw by the base of these trees.

im ready when mother nature is!

[johnallin]

We're ready to this weekend, but with lots of other stuff to do yet I may hold off until next weekend.

Too much snow on the ground and the trees are frozen solid, no single day on the 30's is going to change that.
Just looked at weather and now it's 29/19 for Sunday, 29/17 Monday with 39 and 36 for Tues and Wed....the back in the tank until Sat.

[christopherh]

I'm going to hold off until I see the forecast over the weekend to. I'm sure it'll change a few times.

[mapleguy]

I'm starting today now that they are forecasting a major snowstorm here Sunday through Monday .The snow is deep enough as is , they are saying we can get another 6 - 12 by Monday morning.

[Pete Cerup]

I'm going to wait until next weekend.

[waldo320]

Tapped today in Summit County some final touches to the RO system and evaporator and I am good to go!

[mapleguy]

Tapped in about 400 of my 650 on tubing Saturday will hopefully finish tubing Monday and with any luck hang buckets this week where I can get to. Has anyone else started tapping?

[christopherh]

Just looked at the forecast again, I'll be waiting it out.

[Lola]

Tapped in Summit County today as well. 3rd year for me, first year indoors, barrel evaporator.

[flhr10]

We put about 95 out today. The snow is crazy deep, we had to use the snowmobiles with a sled behind one carrying tapping supplies. Gonna wait till next weekend to finish the remaining 405. I sure hope the snow melts down because collecting is gonna be miserable if not.

[WoodButcher]

i walked the property today... great workout. no desire to tap in knee-deep of snow... ill tap next weekend.

i thought about hanging a single bucket just for a test, but thought it would be a waste of time since its been so cold this winter.

i will be very interested to see the sap yields that you guys get during this week... :)

[mapleguy]

I honestly don't see much of any kind of runs, but when you have a lot of taps you can't wait till the last minute. I read on here somewhere that Bascoms was already tapped in. I will hold off on my buckets for now cause the snow is to deep probably do those next week if we get the melt this week.

[christopherh]

I know a lot have already tapped to. I'll put mine in this weekend regardless.

[CrossBroMaple]

Going to start tapping my tubing in today, snow is deep out there. Buckets, on the other hand, I will be waiting on till the last minute.

[johnallin]

Same over here...all set for next Sunday to have kids and grandkids over to tap.

Hopefully by then some of this snow will burn off and we can get the Gator in there - if not we'll use the SkiDoo Tundra, it'll just take a little longer.

I'm thinking it's going to be a soggy soggy mess in another week or two..

[woodburner]

Tapped about 100 here in South Madison just to see how tough it is going to be. We have over 2ft of snow with over 3ft in places. Very tough going, glad I cut down to 300. I am drilling and the good wife is following and putting in the spiles. We are all on tubing, don't know how you would get buckets out. Not going to worry about this warm up tomorrow, just hope we loose a few inches and maybe get a hard crust by the end of the week to finish tapping. Good luck out there " we are all in this together".

[Grand Square Acres]

Put out 350 taps today some of the trees were sepping when I drilled them but most were dry. Will finish hooking up vac tomorrow then I will be ready for the warm up. Still have 25 bags I'll put out later.

[mapleguy]

finished all 650 of tubing Monday, now waiting for some snow melt to hang buckets. Snow was knee deep to waist high, one hell of a cardio workout!

[DASH]

We have put in a few taps, just a start. Very slow going!
It's all good until you get off the snowmobile and try to walk to the tree!

We'll get it done, we always do!

[heus]

At the rate I am tapping, I will be all tapped in by April. The snow is ridiculous!

[johnallin]

You're still ahead of us ;). Not even started

[mapleguy]

Looks like next week is the start of our season, 40's and 50's is what they say is coming! Keep your fingers crossed.

[WoodButcher]

It's tappin' day! :mrgreen:

Have fun out there guys...

[christopherh]

All my taps are in! Scaled back a bit this year. There are just some places I can't get to. Not much was running here today. Anyone else have a run?

[johnallin]

We are tapped today also. Some were running, but not much. Same thing over here...there are some I just can't get to. Maybe later in the week when it warms up.

[WoodButcher]

Anyone else have a run?

nope. put the tubing in yesterday, and this morning there was sap in the lines but the trees weren't warm enough to 'sweat' it out totally.
I put the buckets up today... the buckets were dripping maybe 1 drop every 10 seconds around noon today...

As predicted, still too cold out.

[mapleguy]

Checked mine this morning. Trees are starting to run but not much overnight. Hooked up line to tank this morning we'll see

[waldo320]

Yesterday I just started to get some sap in my bags. This week should be good!

[CrossBroMaple]

my vacuum taps ran very little yesterday as I was out fixing leaks. hopefully when I get home today I will have some sap in the tank.

[Pete Cerup]

I got them all in on Sunday, 152 on gravity. Checked on Monday after work and only had about 40 gallons of sap, maybe. Still thawing out there.

[mapleguy]

Had only 75 gal. in my tank ( 600+ taps}, most buckets had nxt. to nothing and quite a few didn't run at all. Buckets were tapped this past weekend. not sure what to think except that the trees are all blocks of ice and need time to thaw.

[mapleguy]

has anyone in northeast ohio even boiled yet?

[CrossBroMaple]

had about 200-225 gallons off my 400 taps on vacuum, sunday and Monday, so I did fire up last night to empty the tank and check out my new pre-heater set up. felt great to see the steam rise. no syrup made yet.

[maplejames]

I tapped 20 in Burton on Sunday and had pretty good flow right off the bat. Yesterday yield about 3/4 gallons per tap. Hopefully it warms up today!

[Ekrueger]

We tapped this weekend and were able to gather 110 gallons last night off of 230 taps. Felt good to see some steam again! Still charging up the evaportator, no syrup yet.

[maplehick]

We boiled twice, its ben a battle with freezing sap and fighting with the vac pump this year! But the pas are sweet and made 15 gal.

[Pete Cerup]

tapped my 152 Sunday and looked in my tank today and I have about 25 gallons…still frozen out there! ugh.

[WoodButcher]

I put all tubing and buckets in on saturday and sunday. Similar results, but not too bad.

i collected 185 gallons on 194 taps yesterday at 5pm. that a total over the last 4 days. they are wayyy frozens still.

[mapleguy]

I am curious for those of us that have boiled, what grade of syrup has been made. Due to the snow dept and loss of 100 taps ,due to land being sold, only have around 700 taps. Have collected twice and have only 600 gal. to account for which for me is horrible. Sugar is at 2.1 , but syrup is slightly darker than a grade "B". Sap is crystal clear also. So what is everyone making as far as grade goes?

[WoodButcher]

youll have some replies after tonight for sure... i have 340 to boil down. thats my total after 6 days.... 1.75 gallons per tap.

[Bryan Molnar]

Same thing here in parkman township in 6 days ive gathered about 2 gallons a tap.I actually have thirty five taps that have yet to even run.

[mapleguy]

gathered 40gal. from tubing (500) taps @ 2.1% 70 Gal. from buckets @ 3% (160) buckets. 6 gal. syrup made a bit darker than grade "B". Will boil out pans tomorrow and clean , then start fresh. I still believe we are going to have some good runs just few and late. what kind of grade is everyone making? Hope this gets better soon. will be tapping more buckets now that snow is more manageable

[WoodButcher]

There is something special about the first boil of the year...i took a quick pic for you guys 10 minutes ago...

On my initial boil, it takes about 60 gallons to finally get what i call the "stairway to heaven" ... The foam height increases towards the drawoff valve... :D

11073

[Sugarmaker]

Woodbutcher,
That sure looks like its going to be light syrup! How did it grade?
Regards,
Chris

[WoodButcher]

Woodbutcher,
That sure looks like its going to be light syrup! How did it grade?


Chris,
You be the judge... i havent canned it yet. It looks like DA for sure, but tasted like light amber... works for me :)

11099

[Pete Cerup]

After my initial run of 125 or so, i have been bone dry since. Was at Richards today and they mentioned re-tapping? curious about that since i did get a little run 152 taps on gravity. i'm chalking it up to mother nature. love to hear thoughts.

[heus]

Re-Tapping sounds crazy! The big trees haven't even thawed out yet.

[Pete Cerup]

thank god, i'm hoping today with this sun i will see a run today/tomorrow. i am out of sap and can't fire my evap up.

[WoodButcher]

hang tight. were gonna have a good run this week.
We need to remember this was the coldest February on record. That will mess up any typical year... fingers crossed.

[christopherh]

Still frozen up here to! I've never seen my barn concrete heave so bad this winter! We'll see what this week brings.

[mapleguy]

Tapped the remaining buckets yesterday (350). sap initially ran like crazy then slowed to nearly nothing. Tubing was dry. Re-tapping sounds crazy, my taps haven't been in for 3 weeks. Guys with vacuum should be doing something, seems like all the trees are weeping. This week after today looks promising. Have made 5 gal. of sub "B" and only processed 740 gal. of sap. Usually make 200+ gal. of syrup, so you can see how dismal this season looks. Also, have had a lot of niter and had to clean pans already looks like I'm making tar.

[WoodButcher]

The front pan draw off divider took some extra special elbow grease after a 10hr boil.

There were those brown "freckles" all over the bottom of that side of the pan, and some in the middle section as well.

i have a neat green plastic scrubby pad that attaches to my drill. it cleans them off with a bit of pressure. no scratches either. kind of like those rectangle flat green scrub pads for dishes. i rarely bring it out except for 1 or 2 times a year... lots off sand.

[woodburner]

The season so far, yuk. Sap started at 49 to 1 worst start for sugar we have ever had. We are running at 2deg brix now but getting very little sap. The first time we have ever not made any light syrup. Making good medium but no good runs. Good weather but no sap. Lost over 2ft of snow here in South Madison but little to show. Boiled all day 5 draws not enough in the finishing pan to make a batch. Yuk

[johnallin]

Just went out and got a whopping 20 gal from 135 taps.
Thinking was that it'll just spoil if the sun hits it tomorrow and will fair better in the sap tank in the sugar house.
Too bad it wasn't deep enough in my collection tank to float the sap hydro to see how bad the sugar content was, well maybe that's not so bad.
Only boiled off 60 gallons so far at 1.7%, but the trees were starting to drip as I was out there. Looks like rain on the way so maybe all is not lost.

[heus]

Best run I have seen in a long time today. Unfortunately I missed out on 3 hours of it due to vacuum problems. Brought in about 550 gallons in a 3 hour time period on 800 taps and it's still running strong.

[Aggravated Farmer]

yesterday was good. collected 15 gallon from 17 taps total. today I reckon there is a collective 5 gallon out of 20. hopefully later in the week we will have better weather.

[johnallin]

Best run I have seen in a long time today. Unfortunately I missed out on 3 hours of it due to vacuum problems

Heus, that's amazing, plesae send some of that over here!

[clw]

2 gallons per tap, making dark syrup, 10 miles from Lake Erie, center of state.

[Holliemac]

I blew it! I thought it had been too cold for the sap to run, and I should have tapped instead of messing around just going for walks on my snowshoes.
It was so cold and the snow was so deep I just didn't think it was time. I waited until we got our first thaw of the winter last week and it was already too late!
Those trees sneaked around and ran up their sap behind my back while I was in front of the fireplace rubbing my frozen toes. They laughed their buds off at me.
Next year I'll get em. They won't fool me! I'll tap in february even if it is 10 below with 2 feet of snow. I'll get the drop on those buds.

[mapleguy]

Collected 325 gal. from 350 buckets @ 3%. Was having a problem with tubing sap so took hydrometer with me to test, it was at 2.1%. The problem with collecting sap in a poly tank, you can't clean properly so all that sap has been spoiling, last year for that tank. Anyway thought I would test a tree nearby and wouldn't have believed without seeing for myself, sugar was at 4.6%. Of course that was only one tree, cause the entire tank avg. out to 3%.

[NRMapler]

Hello Everyone,

New to the Forums, and This is my 3rd year making syrup from trees in my backyard and my neighbors(in-laws). I had went from 5 taps last year to 13 this year and it was looking bad..
last year I got 35 gallons of sap from 5 taps, this year I was only up to 20 on almost triple the taps.

Well today all the trees that hadn't been flowing started to flow, some of which I had given up on, and moved the taps to another tree.

Hope everyone else is seeing good flows today. next year I will be a bit more patient.

Next year I'll have more trees available as my in-laws are moving to a new house with more land, will be looking to get a Leader Half-Pint if
anyone has one available in good condition it would be appreciated.

[Bryan Molnar]

Finally a nice run today averaged 2 gallons a tap i think its a start. I gathered at 3pm so i should average more tomorrow

[waldo320]

Really good run today too! Around 35 gal on 24 taps!

[Holliemac]

Me too! I got more sap yesterday than I had in any other day all season. I think the cold nights made it run. The trees in the field are all budding out, but the few maples I have deeper in the woods are running still. These trees are taller with mostly single trunks, so maybe it is because their roots are deeper, and so ran later, after the snow all melted. I had also pulled a few taps that had dried up, and had to re-hang bottles yesterday.

I bought about 45 more taps last year and I put most of them in this year. I use new gallon jugs --I buy water and pour it out to have clean jugs with handles on them-costs me a buck 20 cents each. I hang them on the spouts with thin poly twine, with just enough slack that I can pour the sap out of the jug without having to lift it off the spout. Then I form a piece of aluminum foil around the spout and bottle opening to keep the gnats out. I pretty much have to use a new piece every time to keep the buggers out, but it's easy to do-just takes time with cold fingers. I know this is all doing it the hard way, but my trees are all downhill from my house, and I'm not selling syrup, so this is what works for me. I can't imagine trying to pour sap out of a floppy bag. And I have squirrels too so I'm glad for this forum-no where else does anyone tell you they chew through tubing. They chew through elastic, plastic, and whatever else I try to tie the bird seed feeder lids on. Downright clever they are. With the cat on the sidewalk, watching him, too. Determined critters.

I use a propane grill with a side burner, out in my garage, to boil a large pan down, then I finish inside on two induction cooktops that I can put in the middle of the room, where the steam won't warp the cabinets. These have timers so if I fall asleep I don't ruin everything. This boiling by the batch seems to make a lighter, tastier syrup than any I have ever purchased. Everyone I have given a bottle to has said it was the best they have ever tasted.

So if you are just starting out and don't have enough to sell, you can have great syrup without investing your savings on equipment that you only use once a year. I know most of the guys here have what I would consider HUGE operations, and I wish I was close enough to visit them. I would love to have that many maples. The idea of 350 gallons of sap a day is awesome!

[Chris Zeger]

I collected about 50 gallons yesterday on 39 taps and running good again today I have a sugar maple in my yard got 3 taps on it getting about 5 gallons a day off of it I'm near mt Gilead a hour north of columbus

[Geauga Novice]

My first post on this forum. I have been waiting for it to break loose in southwestern geauga cty.

Last week I got about 12 gallons from 6 taps. So far this week I have collected 23 more and the trees were still flowing nicely as I emptied them this evening. I should easily get another 8 by saturday.

[mapleguy]

Gathered 350gal. from my buckets and 50gal. from tubing (Connected tank about 7pm Wed) Made 8gal. of ADark, should have more to gather this morning.

[newmod]

Collected 60 gallons yesterday from 100 taps. So far collected 180 gallons. I figured it would be me than that on 100 taps. Located in Loudonville..

[mapleguy]

collected 800gal. @ 2.7% made 30gal. of A-Dark. Looks like 1 or 2 more runs this season.

[heus]

All this talk about budding and only 2 runs left??? It is still early season here in Ashtabula county. Some trees deep in my woods are barely thawed out. No peepers at night yet. Sap still crystal clear. Have bottled 122.5 gallons as of this morning.

[Holliemac]

Hey Chris, that's a good take-you are fairly close to us, also, and I only got a dribble out of my trees yesterday. Guess I better go take a look today!
Good going! Thanks for your post.

[Holliemac]

Great to hear from you in Loudonville-thanks for your post-I hike the Mohican area often. We ski on PHL. I'm glad you're getting a good run. Do you market product?

[DASH]

I'm With you heus, trees in the woods are just waking up. We haven't had enough warm weather or sun to start the buds swelling, i think we have some time yet.
We waited, now it's time to make syrup!

[WoodButcher]

We definitely have some time left... it should be running all week. :cool:

[newmod]

Holliemac, No we dont market any syrup.. We mainly do it for the fun of it. We are at 100 taps now and going to expand to 150 next year with a new evaporator. Still for the fun of it! We will sell a little syrup to some select few people. LOL.

[mapleguy]

Went to niles ohio yesterday which is about 15 miles south of me and to my surprise all the red maples in that area have blossomed. I couldn't believe it but it's a fact. I hope we have a couple weeks left but it doesn't look very good. Time to go golfing and MC riding.

[WoodButcher]

ahh we'll be fine... we still have some time left, at least a week or 2. those reds always bud early.
Heck, i still have a couple 36"ers on the North side that have only produced 3-5 gallons so far!
I just let mother nature take over and not worry about it so much.

[mapleguy]

What amazed me was none of my reds are even close to budding but 15 mile south they are. sap on south side of trees is running pretty good, everything else is dry. Should run tomorrow into thursday plus the rain will be good for moisture content and after the freeze thats coming it should run good.

[johnallin]

Just finished boiling and bottling up 1-1/2 gallons of Dark Robust.
It's beautiful syrup, but boy am I ever way behind last year's numbers.
Trees were running a bit at 6:00 tonight, so maybe, just maybe, things will pick up over here.

[ohiofarmer]

Were running about a 1/3 of last year. 700 taps last collected on Saturday. Bags frozen last night 1/4 full. Were not seeing the run here in Auburn Twp. We have a good old growth woods, just not seeing it.

[Geauga Novice]

Were running about a 1/3 of last year. 700 taps last collected on Saturday. Bags frozen last night 1/4 full. Were not seeing the run here in Auburn Twp. We have a good old growth woods, just not seeing it.


My larger auburn twp trees ran a bit today fyi.

[WoodButcher]

it went from 3" deep in the poly tank last night, to half the 330gal tank today... so that's good since i have an open house this weekend . Really didnt feel like boiling water. :lol:


edited: i just got back. i collected 260 gallons on 194 taps... not bad at all

[CrossBroMaple]

happy and sad to report my vacuum tank ran over a little last night,400+ gallons on 400 taps in under 8 hours. seems to be tripping every 5-10 minutes. buckets are half full. sap is running here in madison. off to the sugarhouse i go.

[ohiofarmer]

Had 900 gallon collection last night. Trees still dripping at time of collection.

[woodburner]

Back to the deep freeze. Nice run this week , up to 70gal. half of last year. Sugar holding at 2deg. brix. Mostly medium syrup.Looks like another week then? Very dry cold March here. Needed the rest day. Cold night coming check your pans they might need some heat.

[mapleguy]

Yea looks like this week is it. After Easter gonna start cleaning up, gonna be real busy at the course for the upcoming season and no time for maple.

[johnallin]

Trees ran here last night which is a welcome site. Been pretty slow since Thursday, but syrup just got lighter, as I made some nice medium on the last boil

[mapleguy]

Made 20 gal. last nite. Started out as "B" then lighten up to MED To Dark. Can't get over how clear the sap is. 1 or 2 more boils then I think its time to quit, looking at the long range.

[heus]

210.5 gallons made so far. All has been medium (amber rich).

[Geauga Novice]

Collected 18 more gallons of sap from 7 taps tonight. They really were flowing last night. 4 of my bags were full so I lost a little.


All in all I can't complain, I was more prepared this year and will have tripled my yield from last year.

[WoodButcher]

collected 300 gallons in the last 24 hours. not bad at all. looks like 1 more collection late sunday, and its time to split wood for next year.

[mapleguy]

collected 1200 gal. yesterday syrup has become very dark, may hold out for what looks like one more run, then clean up and go golfing and MC riding.

[christopherh]

I have not seen sap above 2.5 this year. With 384 taps in, 200 on vacuum, so far I've only made 42 gallons of medium so far. Hoping for one more run this weekend. Using an RO 250 from Deer Run this year. I'm really liking it!! Definitely saves on the wood pile!

[WoodButcher]

Chris you're like me... on track for about a pint or so per tap. i wish we had a good freeze... like today.

not the best year.. normal is about a quart or so per tap. In 2013 it was .49 pr tap! :)

[milligkl]

I'm done made a total of 82 gallons on 410 taps on 3/16 tubing and 20 buckets although I rarely used my buckets typically pored them out due to excessive sap. My sugar content from the tubing ranged from 1-1.4% and the buckets was about 2-2.3%. Vacuum was consistently 27-31 from 3 different gauges. First year making syrup, big learning curve and experience can't wait for next year (with a RO so I won't be having any 14 hour boils)

[woodburner]

Pulled taps today. By the sounds of it we didn't to to bad. 103gal on 300 taps. Sugar was low also, 2.25 was our best and that came late, cannot figure that one out. Sure was an up hill season. We had a very dry and cold March. How did those with buckets do? We had a lot of high pressure days, sunny and clear. Now if I just had the sugarhouse and tubbing cleaned.

[WoodButcher]

Pulled taps today. By the sounds of it we didn't to to bad. 103gal on 300 taps.

hey thats a good year with how late we started ... .34gal of syrup a tap. anything above the norm of .25 (quart) a tap is nice.

off topic: when was the last time you replaced your spouts? I'm just curious.. been reading a bunch on how some people replace them every other season due to bacteria living in the spouts and that bacteria gets sucked up into the tapholes at dusk... thus 'scabbing' up the tap hole and reducing production of sap.

[woodburner]

I don't know what the norm is but I have some spiles I know are 5years in . We clean with water and air twice a year. Now after the season and in late Nov. We clean the spiles with peroxide or alcohol. I don't have a problem with them closing before the season is over. I can usually get six weeks. When I replace them I replace drop and tee.

[WoodButcher]

I don't know what the norm is but I have some spiles I know are 5years in .

ok cool. thanks for the info.

i think im jaded since i put up brand new tubing 3 seasons ago when it was the best year ever. a bit coincidental though.

Glad to know you're still crankin with 5yr old taps. ill replace my spouts next year... being on high-slope gravity i may or may not go with check valve spouts... i doubt it; either seasonals of the normal .39 cent black ones...only time will tell.

[Geauga Novice]

Slowly been boiling down my last collection all day (around 25 gallons of sap).

Pulled my bags and packed them away for next year.

[woodburner]

ok cool. thanks for the info.

i think im jaded since i put up brand new tubing 3 seasons ago when it was the best year ever. a bit coincidental though.

Glad to know you're still crankin with 5yr old taps. ill replace my spouts next year... being on high-slope gravity i may or may not go with check valve spouts... i doubt it; either seasonals of the normal .39 cent black ones...only time will tell.

I use the eco spile, small version, don't like the idea of the check valves. I also have a small vacuum pump'pulls 17, not much but I keep the system clear of leaks. I make just as much syrup with 300 taps on vacuum as I once did with 750 buckets. Vacuum and forced draft have been the best up grades over the years. I replace spiles drops and tees as needed, about 50 per year.

[WoodButcher]

nice. im hesitant to buy the CVs too. on gravity the difference would be nominal.
i've been down that force draft road years ago. too much wood consumption, not enough GPH gain for me.

my favorite add on was the auto draw off and stack temp monitor i built. made a couple for members here. one had an oil fired rig that i programmed so it would shut down the oil burner if the temp was +2 over draw off temp (no scorched syrup).

i hope to weld up an air over fire manifold like in the new fancy arches have... loading every 20 minutes or so would be great.

[woodburner]

Sounds good, I get 30 to 40 minutes on most fire ups. I increase the fan speed to bring up the boil and heat then reduce to speed to idle . I keep tinkering and making up grades all the time, goes with the territory. Have a good spring.