Anyone Tap in Northwestern Ct yet?

[MichtonTree]

Hi all, First time Tapper here. Plan on setting 12 taps in for my first try. I have an old wood stove with a 2 x 2 SS pan on top for boiling. Finishing in a stock pot on a propane burner. I've done alot of reading here, great info. I put in a couple of test taps with nothing flowing, so far, but figure it should start this weekend. Any opinions? Thanks

[markct]

I started a week and a half ago, not so much figuring it would flow but with the deep snow and working on snowshoes I knew it would take me a while to get my 1200 plus taps in. Still have about 200 to finish this weekend but those are 2 small areas and no vac on them so they usualy run a little later anyhow. I got just a tiny bit of flow yesterday maybe 100 gallons total but hopefully flushed out some of the lines atleast. Looks like perfect sap weather this coming week so plan to finish up Saturday and be ready to go!

[MichtonTree]

Yes I plan to get my 10 taps in on saturday as well.:lol: Thanks for the info.

[markct]

Sounds like a plan. Glad to see you have been bitten by the bug, 8 years ago I put in about 25 or 30 taps most were milk jugs hanging on the tap. Well a few years of just wanting to make a little more syrup and somehow I ended up with a project that consumes my spare time for most of the winter months!

[Pauly V]

Hahahaha..Markct a 100 gallon tiny flow..I have 8 gallons in 2 days..on 40 taps..I have a Sugar Boner...First year for me..adrenaline surge.

[harrison6jd]

nothing here yet but that sugar boner thing made me laugh!


Hahahaha..Markct a 100 gallon tiny flow..I have 8 gallons in 2 days..on 40 taps..I have a Sugar Boner...First year for me..adrenaline surge.

[markct]

Hahahaha..Markct a 100 gallon tiny flow..I have 8 gallons in 2 days..on 40 taps..I have a Sugar Boner...First year for me..adrenaline surge.

Lol yes I remember my first year when it was amazing to have 10 gal of sap, and would take half a day to boil it off! But by perspective 100 gal off over 1000 taps is like having a half inch of sap in the bottom of your bucket! Its hardly a sap flow day. I like your little sugarhouse, mine started small too 7 by 11ft, and now has been added onto many times and is still a little small!

[Pauly V]

Thanks Mark..it ended up being 10 x16..it was supposed to be much smaller..had a buddy salvage the 3x6 windows and scored the transom windows..so I had to make em fit..as soon as I finished..I thought how can I add on..haha..i'm looking to tap 20 more today off property..so 60 total..when i planned on 30..ya see whats happening here..?..

I started a new job in Cheshire..they have 100 plus acres...I have permission to tap...Ya see whats happening here..lol...I am using all buckets so truding through the 2.5 feet of snow is challenging..I dont mind all the labor involved. Its actually calming..

[tekwind]

Get yourself a pair of snowshoes!! Then you can tap even more with the extra time!!! All my taps are out in the bush and I have no snow machine! Its snowshoes and 5 gallon buckets for me!! Love it!!

[MichtonTree]

Well... I have my twelve taps in for my first year sugaring, and four taps started flowing as soon as I pulled the drill bit out. I'd say the season is starting... VERY EXCITING ! ... Don't know if I would go as far as Pauly V (lol)...but I'd say "Game on".

Temperature when in the sun in the forties.

[Helicopter Seeds]

Still have about 200 to finish this weekend

I am 2nd year and Small scale, but it took me a good half hour to get my last 4 taps in today... making 20 total. Is my hose and pail method so much slower then a hanging pail? I could see how the drilling was quick, but cutting the line to length and fitting it to the tap in the cold was not a two second task.
If I were to expand next year, where does the speed come?

[markct]

well mine are all on tubing most of which stays up year round, just a few sections across trails, pump lines over neighbors land etc that come down during the off season. Now that being said my taps are in yes, but once they are running the mainlines should be walked to find leaks and fix them. Usualy in the first week is when the most leaks are found but at times others will show up later. On bare ground or minimal snow I can do 4 or 5 hundred a day comftorably, could push for more but im no athlete either! With this snow its about half that on snowshoes. But it all gets done, got a hundred more in today and spent the rest of the day walking lines fixing leaks so the vac level is up pretty good now.

[Helicopter Seeds]

Ok, so if I keep the tap and lines set for each tree, then next year I won't be doing any assembly work, just drilling and tapping.
I won't be running big vaccuum lines in my Sister-in-law's back yard anyway.
Thanks for the insight.

[Pauly V]

I am 2nd year and Small scale, but it took me a good half hour to get my last 4 taps in today... making 20 total. Is my hose and pail method so much slower then a hanging pail? I could see how the drilling was quick, but cutting the line to length and fitting it to the tap in the cold was not a two second task.
If I were to expand next year, where does the speed come?

Are you running a 2 foot tube into a pail?..If so..I heated tube and connected spile before i got into the Bush. Drill hole, tap spile and connect to pail. I have 40 buckets and 20 tube/pails in this season.

[Helicopter Seeds]

Yes, but since each was unique, I did it at the tree, then tapped, measured off the line, and cut to length. I hate wasting material to save time, knowing I could have set each line and tap with extra length.
I just used a lighter to heat it up a bit, big help.

[markct]

Your droplines all need plenty of extra length. Cant tap the same spot each year

[MichtonTree]

10948
Trees tapped with buckets...waiting for the first sap run.

[MichtonTree]

4 gallons of sap from 8 taps. One and a half days worth.
11002

[MichtonTree]

Collected another 4 gallons from 10 taps in 9 hours today. Starting to pick up!
11018
Burying Sap in snow on north side of barn and house, till ready to boil.
11019

[MichtonTree]

No sap run today. Barely anything in any of the buckets. Although the sun was shining bright, it was just too cold. Temperature early this morning was 30 degrees and rose only to 34 degrees. Last night was too warm and today, not warm enough. Which is about in line, from everything I've read about sap runs. It going to get cold tonight 16 to 20 degrees and warm up to around 41 degrees, with some sun tomorrow. That may get sap running again.

[Sapling]

Nothing today in Bethany.

[MichtonTree]

Sap tested at 2.5%.
Made my first batch ever.
1/2 gallon worth.
http://mapletrader.com/maplegallery/data/610/medium/IMG_20150314_115032509.jpg

[Run Forest Run!]

Great photo! Congratulations on a beautiful first batch! :) You're hooked.

[MichtonTree]

Great photo! Congratulations on a beautiful first batch! :) You're hooked.
Thank you Karen, Definitely hooked :)...had so much fun boiling, with music blaring in the back-round.
Leo

[Run Forest Run!]

had so much fun boiling, with music blaring in the back-round.

That's how it's done Leo. If the neighbours start to wonder what's going on with all the steam and the volume then you know you are doing it right.

[valleyman]

Nice Michton!

[MichtonTree]

Sap run is on...12 taps in 2 days yielded 15 gallons
http://mapletrader.com/maplegallery/data/610/medium/IMG_20150316_173352709.jpg

[khuberpt]

I gathered 30 gallons yesterday in Wolcott, another 10-15 today. I have at least another 20 or so gallons in the bags/buckets. Now I have to figure out how to evaporate it all today after work!

[MichtonTree]

Ten gallons today from twelve taps...but looks like it will shut down again for a couple of days.

[Run Forest Run!]

Michton Tree, I think you are having too much fun. ;)

[Pauly V]

I have made 3.5 gallons so far. I have 50 taps. My first batch was golden color..almost a butterscotch flavor. My last 2 batches have been considerably darker and better density. Is a higher sugar content responsible for this? I have been boiling 219-220. My first year and I am having a blast!11256

[MichtonTree]

I have made 3.5 gallons so far. I have 50 taps. My first batch was golden color..almost a butterscotch flavor. My last 2 batches have been considerably darker and better density. Is a higher sugar content responsible for this? I have been boiling 219-220. My first year and I am having a blast!

From what I have read (remember it’s my first year too) usually early in the season the syrup is lighter and as the season progresses it darkens. Your boil time effects the color, I’m guessing longer boils will caramelize (darken) the sugar more. How clean the sap is also effects the color (bark, bugs and debris). Could also be too strong of a boil as you finish the syrup produces a darker syrup. Really, I’m not sure, I do not have enough experience to really say. Maybe one of the many seasoned sugarer’s on this site would know better.

[sugarridge48]

I am pretty new to this but in my exsperiance later in the season is always darker. I also have found if you just keep adding sap to a batch pan your syrup comes out darker. Small batches have always come out better for me. I also have noticed when I was tapping reds the syrup was darker.

[Pauly V]

My boil is pretty vigorous right up until i pull it..to eager perhaps to get it finished maybe...ive been doing 30 -35 gallon batches...i will experiment some more.

[MichtonTree]

Well, the buckets had about a quart in each (average) today and with tomorrows temps hitting mid 40’s, should have a nice run. I also have plenty of sap buried in the snow, . Looks like I’ll be taking off from work tomorrow.... It’s the right thing to do!

[MichtonTree]

Ten gallons of sap today from my twelve taps...and they were still dripping as the rain came...see what in the buckets in the morning???

[MichtonTree]

Checked buckets this morning, 12.25 gallons from twelve taps over night. Best run of the year, go figure. Taps still dripping hard.
I'll have a long day boiling on Saturday... but the nephews will be over to help.:cool: Will be a fun day!

[Run Forest Run!]

Enjoy your day of boiling Michton Tree. :) I think you're hooked.