Lancaster Co. 2015

[Evets]

I'm just a small-time backyard hobbyist. I tapped a few trees today. A couple of silvers and a sugar. The sugar and two of the silvers are running a bit. I have access to a few more trees in the neighborhood and looking for a few more. Happy sugaring, everybody!

[Etown Maple Syrup]

Hello, I am also in Lancaster County, Pa. Elizabethtown. I tapped the one red in my yard yesterday and hung a sap sack on it. Today there was about 1/3 gallon in it. Also I put two taps in a sugar maple. Might be a gallon of sap from those taps. The rest of my taps go into about 150 reds at Cassell Farm. But they do not flow until the sun comes out for at least two days. So I am thinking end of February to tap those. A week later than last year but the freezing temps this year may push tapping back. Stay in touch and have fun this season making syrup!
Ross

[Sandersyrup]

Spent a few hours setting up my first 3/16 gravity near Strasburg. 29 taps Nothing drilled yet. Probably 40 taps going in total this year. Excited to watch the sap come to me this year instead of the other way around! Hoping for a good season!


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[psparr]

Tapped last week in Huntington county. I live in Lancaster county. Trying to have most of my trees on 3/16 this year. Have three runs of about 20 taps each. I only tapped 1 run last week and the 55 gallon drum was overflowing. Great news! But it was frozen solid. I mean SOLID! I was up last night and tapped the other 2 runs. Was pulling 27 inches overnight, and 26 today before I left. I love free vac!10599

[adk1]

That is really impressing, what kind of drop in elevation do u have from your end tree to your last tap?

[psparr]

Don't know for sure on that particular run. I'm guessing though it's not 30.
The other 2 runs are more than 30 from the last tap. I might put gauges on the lower end and see what I get.

[Sandersyrup]

I had a little run today. Not getting much vac. 13". Seems like to me my gauge itself was leaking air as bubbles were forming about 2' away from the gauge. Any tips on tightening things up? And where can I get a better suited gauge?


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[Sandersyrup]

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[psparr]

I found stainless ones on ebay. Got 6 for $30 and free shipping. They have single ones as well for around $6. Mine have an 1/8" npt thread. I just got an 1/8" fpt to 1/4" barb adapter. It was a pain to get it into the tubing but it went.

[Etown Maple Syrup]

I made some sugar maple syrup with the ten gallons I collected last week. Nice color and great sweet flavor. No, that is not a beer. Two pints of YUM!
10743

[Evets]

I tapped a couple more trees today. One of them fairly gushed as soon as I drilled it! :)

[Sandersyrup]

Nice! Pretty color!

Not a huge run in my direction today but I am finally seeing the vac gauge hit 20" when it starts running. Hopeful for next week. I've made about 1 gallon so far.


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[Dennis H.]

Nice looking syrup Cassell Farm, It seems the first syrup of every season is like the first time making syrup.

Next week is looking like a few good days so keep your fingers crossed.

[Sandersyrup]

Forecast says sap! But after that it looks like a warmup with no freezing nights. I'll throw a tantrum if this is my only sap week.


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[Etown Maple Syrup]

I recall a one week sap season about 5 years ago. The sap turns cloudy quick if not kept cold. So, boil ASAP to at least try! Of course I am using RED maples which shut off quicker, but you get the idea!
Ross

[Sandersyrup]

Well. 30 gallons yesterday. Not too bad. All on 3/16, nothing on my buckets. I might just have to fire up the evap in the snow today.

Oh yeah and I've been waiting for this forecast for awhile! I feel like a kid just before spring break! How will I survive the next two days?
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[Etown Maple Syrup]

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Sticky Nuts Maple Pecan Brown Ale now on Tap at Moo-Duck Brewery in Elizabethtown. Yes, they are using Maple Syrup in the brew!! Yummy!

[Sandersyrup]

What?! That sounds like my kind of brew!


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[Dennis H.]

You guys better be ready for this coming week, it is looking really good for us.

Good luck.

[Evets]

I sure hope so, and it's about time. I hope it doesn't warm up too much too quickly though.

[Jim Brown]

Well with the help of two pair of snowshoes our 500 are in ! Thanks to daughter Kim and son Doug1

Jim

[Dennis H.]

Was the sap running for you guys in Lancaster Co?

It started today for us east of Harrisburg, Slowly but it started.

[Sandersyrup]

Sap still flowing here in Strasburg! Pretty fast too.


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[Evets]

I only checked a couple buckets today and found a little in each. I think the next day or two should bust it loose.

[Sandersyrup]

Looks like today is the day. Woke up to 40° and my tubing was running at 7:30am! Pulled in about half gallon per tap overnight. Still next to nothing on buckets.


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[Sandersyrup]

Things a flying now. I did a flow test. 2 minutes per 8 oz sap. 24 taps. That's somewhere around 2 gallons an hour. Finally seeing better vacuum. 21"

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[KV Sappers]

Was the sap running for you guys in Lancaster Co?

It started today for us east of Harrisburg, Slowly but it started.

Dennis, put a couple of taps in and some are running but very slow. Lot of snow in the woods yet and the trees seem pretty frozen yet. With the forecast this week, I'm looking for them to take off pretty soon. How are you doing?

[Dennis H.]

Good to hear from you KVSapper. I put out a few buckets myself around the sugarhouse and so far they are very slow starting. I do believe it may have something to do with the snow on the ground, but I am glad for the snow, it will help keep things flowing when we do get the really warm temps that we are bound to get shortly.

[Dennis H.]

Sandersyrup, that is some good numbers on the gauge. You are running 3/16" tubing correct?
There are a few places that I have that are not easy to get vac to, but may be good places to try my hand at 3/16" tubing.

[Sandersyrup]

Yes, 3/16.

I'm completely smitten with it. No sap today on buckets but the 3/16 is flowing hard. Very happy.


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[psparr]

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/03/10/d6ee326a3784da52b6fb2cd0fff69bb1.jpglovin it!


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[Sandersyrup]

Maxed out!! Nice!


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[Etown Maple Syrup]

I pulled another ten gallons of sap off the sugar maple and boiled that down to two more pints. The red Maples on sap sacks are dry. The silver maples are still slowly running. Buds are getting bigger on all the maples around here. Another 50 degree day with an overnight low of 35. I knew this was going to be a short season year!

[Dennis H.]

Wow, Ross you are not kidding a short season. I can't believe the trees are that close to buds popping.
You are not that far from us and The ground here is still frozen solid in places and my trees that I hung buckets on have not even started to run.

[Sandersyrup]

I'm in Strasburg, my buckets are also empty. My 3/16 is flying though just the slightest freeze recharges everything.


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[Gary R]

This is my third year on 3/16 tubing. Mine usually run about 27". I've been averaging over 25 gal of sap per tap each season. It works great if you have the fall. There is a lot of maintenance to keep it running good. Good luck to you guy's!

[Etown Maple Syrup]

I have to admit, if the temps are right, the flow is great. Friday at noon I was tapping a neighbors two front yard sugar maple trees. The temp was 45 and sunny after a night low of 25. I have never seen the sap flow from a tree that much. It looked like I left an outside faucet dripping so it would not freeze. Very exciting to see that!

[Etown Maple Syrup]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HKP5qZeJCA&feature=youtu.be
Here's the video!!

[Run Forest Run!]

Whoa! That's fast!

[Dennis H.]

That is awesome. I think that we just needed a few days for the ground to thaw a little.

How are the rest of you trees doing?

[Sandersyrup]

I have 55 gallons of sugar maple sap for sale. Tested at 2% sugar. Fresh, I just don't have the equipment to process it as fast as it is coming in. I'm afraid it will go bad before I can boil it. It's making a nice dark red syrup. Name your price. :) pickup in Strasburg, pa. (10 min east of Lancaster)


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[Evets]

Hmmmm................

[Sandersyrup]

Getting dumped in the compost on Friday if I don't find any takers. :)


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[Evets]

Getting dumped in the compost on Friday if I don't find any takers. :)


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Private Message sent.

[Etown Maple Syrup]

Say it isn't so! Hopefully John you are able to catch up and begin again!
The Sap Tsunami stopped overnight. Expecting 3 inches of snow, up to 2 so far. Boiled down sap to 5 pints today. Expecting a run Saturday & Sunday.

[Sandersyrup]

I'm quickly approaching a yield of 1/2 gallon of syrup production per tap. Sap looks good all week too. I feel like I'm just draining the trees.


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[Sandersyrup]

Ack! Buddy flavor!!!

[Evets]

Uh-oh! Is your sap still running clear?

I made 2 gallons on Sat. Tastes great!

[Sandersyrup]

Still clear. Beautiful and tastes good. But finished syrup tastes wonderful but the last note of flavor is a shadow of buddyness. I think I still have 2-3 gallons of good syrup to be made.


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[Dennis H.]

The end is close for us also.
Today I noticed the buds on the trees are getting bigger!

[Sandersyrup]

Today marks the last day of sugar season for 2015 here. Did my last boil and pulled the plug. Vinegar in the evaporator for the big cleanup. Lots of syrup this year 20 less taps than last year but 7 more gallons of syrup (15 total) thanks to to high vac 3/16 tubing. I finally have a proper sugarshack aimed at passing 2016 inspections. I learned a lot this year and am grateful for the company on this forum. Lots of planning to do and wood gathering. Hoping for a new evaporator as well for next year asi boils for nearly 6 hours a day nearly everyday the entire month of March. I'll probably be on the forums most of the year as I make preparations. Thanks again everyone!

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~ John Sanderson

[Dennis H.]

Good job Sandersyrup.

Oh by the way, I have been meaning to inform you Lancaster guys. You may already know of this place but I will say it anyway.
There is a great company outside of Lancaster, Fillmore Container, that has glass 8oz and 12oz syrup bottles. Great prices also.
I picked up a few cases this past fall to see how they sell compared to the plastic jugs. The price for the glass is actually cheaper per container than the sugarhill jugs and that includes the cap and shrink tamper seal.

[Sandersyrup]

There is a great company outside of Lancaster, Fillmore Container, that has glass 8oz and 12oz syrup bottles. Great prices also.

Thanks!

I learned about them from somebody here last year. I actually started using Gamber container which is also local. Super nice to work with and a bit cheaper than Filmore.



~ John Sanderson