Things I've learned sugaring over the years , but always foget

[bees1st]

1. If you're waiting for your syrup pan to come up to temperature , just turn your back for a few moments to do something else . the next time you look at the dial you'll often be startled by the results .
2. If you want a good freeze and the weather is saying mid 30's , just leave your sap transfer pump and hoses outside . They're almost always will be a freeze.
3. If you really need a good sap run , schedule an appointment that will tie you up the day after a good run , when you should be boiling to keep up. This can be made up to a year in advance with good results .
4. There are others but , I forget ....

[eagle lake sugar]

If you take two weeks off from work, the sap will start running the day you go back.

[Kilroy]

When the foam gets out of control & you've got 5 other things going on, never ask your wife to run in the house to get the defoamer.
Just say "hun, could you get me a fork with a dab of butter on it?"

[johnallin]

After boiling for 6 hours...

When you're running syrup through the filter press, into the bottling tank, watching the press and pressure gauge....
Make sure the valve is in the closed position on the bottler. or at least be fast enough to only have 2 quarts pour out onto the floor!

"Close The Valve Dummy!!" sign and all - I still can't remember that part!

[Russell Lampron]

If you take two weeks off from work, the sap will start running the day you go back.

It happens every year! I take the week before maple weekend off every year in the hope that I will make a lot of syrup and it never happens. The same thing happened this year too I go back to work and the sap starts running.

[syrup2make]

when your first fill up your evaporator pan, fill the firebox full of wood, and light the fire, always make sure the float valve that supplies sap to the evaporator is open.

[WI Sugarpop]

Don't open the draw off valve and turn your back to get something quick, it may not be so quick and when you turn around..........................................

[Birddog]

If you are warming up 2 pots full of syrup to filter, don't forget the second one is still on the burner when you are transferring the first one to the filter


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[Super Sapper]

A dust pan and 6 inch putty knife work nice to clean up spilled syrup.

[maple flats]

A wet terry towel lifts spilled syrup from the floor.

[BreezyHill]

When you wash ou a sap storage tank...close the valve before you start filling it...You tend to feel stupid when your young sons comes in and says why is sap running out side on the ground???? That would be becasues your Dad is a Dumb A$$. LOL

[lastwoodsman]

If you take two weeks off from work, the sap will start running the day you go back.


Amen--I've went to three and four day week-ends and found a partner. That is retired.

[Russell Lampron]

When you do a mid session rinse on the RO remember to switch ALL of the valves to the right positions to concentrate again. I did that "oops" on Easter Sunday and pumped the concentrate from 600 gallons of sap down the drain.

[Shiftman]

Check the ground as it thaws under your storage tank supports, it could become unstable as you load in 500 gallons of sap and rip out your drain hose when your not looking.

[Tweegs]

When side tying mainlines it is better to pull on the wire rather than push.
Unless, of course, you enjoy being flung like a cheap arrow through the canopy.

[Daveinpa]

Only a first timer but here's what I learned:
1. Homemade syrup is awesome.
2. If you decide to do it, be prepared to be married to your trees and your evaporator for 6-7 weeks.
3. A thermometer gets you to the ball park, a hydrometer scores a home run.
4. Don't plan to run your evaporator 3 hrs past your bed time.
5. It is possible to wear out a stainless steel scrub brush.

[backyard sugaring]

A Golden Retriever picks up spilled syrup on the floor very quickly. Oops dogs aren't suppose to be in the sugar shack. #1The things I've learned is have 2 Hydrometers. #2 Valves that need to be closed are always open. #3 at least once a year we have a good sap night when you thought you were all done boiling. #4 snowy days can be good for sap flow. # 5 It is an insane hobby that is a lot of work, but I love it .

[rayi]

Don't pump sap to the head tank then lean up against the supports to smoke a cigarette. The cigarette lasts longer than the time to fill the tank. It's only refreshing if it's above 80 degrees not 35

[obi96]

When finishing your golden nectar on the kitchen stove, the area under the burners can hold over a half gallon of syrup. (Two years in a row)

[morningstarfarm]

Learned several things this year...first and foremost is that the direct translation for "good enough" is... Do it again..
Learned to treat vacuum lines like your wet line....because at some point it will be...
Learned to never ever hang another wet line of any size on single wire...the cost and time to double it is worth it...
Learned to stop trying to save money in the sugarbush...that's where we actually make money...thx gramps it only took 20 years to learn that...
Learned on long side lines to have a ball valve every couple hundred feet...better to shut down a few taps than all until you can fix something...
Oh my the list just keeps going...

[Sugarmaker]

Never try to stack 325 gallons of sap into a 250 gallon bulk tank! Sap seeks its own level on the ground.
Regards,
Chris

[jimsudz]

I learned that no matter maple season starts every spring, i'm never ready.

[TheMapleMoose]

Don't waste your money on advertising to draw visitors to the sugar house, just get20 gallons of syrup ready to filter. There will be 15 people watching you when its time to add the DE.....or defoamer.....

"What are you putting in?"

"What? Me? Uh...nothing?"

[eagle lake sugar]

I hear ya Maple Moose. Also, don't walk around playing tour guide and answering questions just before a draw, 230 degrees is a little too hot!
Don't waste your money on advertising to draw visitors to the sugar house, just get20 gallons of syrup ready to filter. There will be 15 people watching you when its time to add the DE.....or defoamer.....

"What are you putting in?"

"What? Me? Uh...nothing?"

[TheMapleMoose]

I hear ya Maple Moose. Also, don't walk around playing tour guide and answering questions just before a draw, 230 degrees is a little too hot!

Haha, yup. That's a classic move.

[peckfarm]

Fix all your lines in the woods by the end of autumn before the big snow storm.