With rain, a question of practice

[Maplehead]

I run a small backyard bush. I've only got 16 taps running.

And they are running but today it's pouring out.

So, do I collect what's in my buckets or just dump it as it might be just an equal mix of rain and sap?

I don't want to waste precious boiling time.

[softmaple]

i would check the sugar content with a sap hydrometer first. my experience is that when a low pressure system moves through the sap tends to flow more. just casuse its raining does not mean its all rain water. do you have covers on all the buckets? check around the bucket and see if any water could be getting in the season from my point of view is too short to dump any.

[Maplehead]

I got covers but no hydrometer.

I'll tell you though, yesterday's sap, which is the first I collected this season, tasted **** sweet.

I guess I'll just have to taste test.

[Fred Henderson]

As long as you have covers on your buckets keep the sap and boil it. A little water will not hurt a thing just makes boiling a little longer.

[softmaple]

i would check it out. if its brown flush it down, if it clear have no fear. i had a couple brown ones today.

[saphead]

Nice operation and nice web site as well!

[Maplehead]

I had a couple brown ones as well.

I just bought ten used buckets from bascom's, I was in a rush to put them up and I didn't wash then. they looked clean. I thought maybe the brown was from rust or something but there's none in the buckets.

What's up with the brown?

Also, I didn't get much sap today anyways. I guess the lack of sun slowed things down.

[softmaple]

ya we did too 1/3 less. i did a sugar content test on some and it was at 0 on the brown ones.

[mapleman3]

Boil It !!!!

[Sugarmaker]

I agree with Jim, Boil it!

We had a little brown sap (very light) I am sure from some minor amount of rain running off the trees. Our sap that day (3-1-07) in total (175 gal) tested 3% and made fancy syrup. One thing I look for on buckets is a piece of bark that may be directing rain into the bucket right at the place the lid meets the tree. I try to carefully reposition that piece of bark.

The two times of gathering with the tubing/totes I did find the best looking and cleanest sap we have every had.:)

Sugarmaker

[Maplehead]

So you guys are saying the bark and leaves might be the cause of the brown sap.

Mine was pretty brown. For now I'm just dumping it. It's only two buckets and not a lot of sap out of either of them.

Funny thing when I tapped on Wednesday. An old maple I found had two old taps about eye height in it. And I thought I was the first to ever tap in Holliston.
(We're only 27 miles west of Boston, right next to Hopkinton, which is the start of the Boston Marathon.)