Abbott's Family Farm 2016

[abbott]

Clearly this year is going to be different. But aren't they all?

I started tapping at 9 am Monday and had my vacuum line all tapped by Tuesday afternoon. 760 or so. At least the rain didn't pick up until the very end. No sap as of 7 pm last night. But apparently it let loose eventually. 170 gallons in the tank this morning. 31* until about 11 am, then it finally warmed up enough to check for vacuum leaks... and gather a bit more sap. Looks like I get to boil for a few hours tomorrow!

My three year old wants to know why there isn't any snow in the fields. Any answers?

[Mitchman]

Well Steve, You could tell him it was dropped off in the Sierra Mts. and by the time the storm got here it was all pooped out. Cause they really need it. Friday & Saturday are going to be the same, you will be boiling this weekend.

[abbott]

It seemed like it took forever for the sap flow to pick up on Saturday, but it ran strong all night and through the day on Sunday. Almost two gallons/tap over the two days. And a very strong 2.5% Brix, no less. Sunday's boil was a bit short due to other obligations, so I made up for it yesterday with a 13 hr, 1010 gallon marathon. The syrup started out as a "dark color", but quickly came up to an "amber color" - almost golden.

I've been taking advantage of the low snow level (and corresponding ability to drive the Jeep everywhere) by adding more taps. Friday I ran 900' of mainline and Saturday I ran the tubing for 70 new taps. I'll get them tapped and connected in today. There should be 25-30 more taps available from the new line as well, if I get to them this year. I'm thinking if I can push the total on vacuum to about 850 and not tap the gravity taps this year (meaning I don't have to haul any sap) that should be a good place for the year.

[abbott]

Totals so far: 3630 gallons of sap collected, 90 gallons of syrup made (plus the pans are still sweet). Over 25% of my expected crop. Mostly amber, but crept up into golden for the last boil on Monday. With really warm temps in the forecast for next week, I expect the syrup to darken up. The syrup pans aren't too bad yet, but I plan on cleaning them before things get busy. I won't bother with the flue pan this time around.

It has been a very promising start, but who knows?

[abbott]

Whatever happened to that promising start? I don't expect the buds to open for a couple of weeks, but we're going to need the temps to trend a bit lower than forecasted between now and then to salvage the season. Looks like a freeze tonight and Sunday night is promising as well...

I'm now over 6000 gallons of sap (7+ gallons per tap) and 160 gallons of syrup made... closing in on 50% crop. The sugar % has been quite acceptable.

[maineboiler]

I have made 15 gallons of Golden Delicate ( did't make any last year) It's been a good early season so far but it looks like it's really going to slow down. No sap for the last 2 days, maybe there will be a run tomorrow but next week does not look good. Is the end near ???

[abbott]

I made a lot of amber early on, then some golden, but quickly went to dark in the last couple days.

This is my ninth season. The only one I've been a part of in which the buds swelled up before April was 2012. And not too much north of here they were able to ride out that incredible warmth and make syrup in April. So far we have not seen ridiculous temps like that, so there is still hope for a "second season" even if we have another week plus of warmth before then.

The beauty of vacuum is that it evens things out a bit. I'm hoping for frosty nights tonight and Sunday, then run the pump for several days straight to keep the sap running. That could very well get me to 75% crop, then hope for some more good weather to get me the rest of the way there. Without vacuum you really rely on mother nature to provide the cold nights you need.

[maineboiler]

I hear you but I am still pretty small time, with mostly drop lines and some buckets. On the bright side, I get some days off this way

[abbott]

Started boiling before sunrise today and just got back. Topped 200 gallons of syrup total on the year... 340 would be "average" considering how many taps I have out. But the forecast is looking better by the day. We've got some warm ones to ride out this week, but its looking like we'll cool back off for the weekend. Though I don't put too much faith in a forecast almost a week out.

[abbott]

Sap is down to 1.7 brix. The lowest I have ever boiled is 1.5, but I have a feeling I'll be lower than that before the year is out. Hopefully there is enough cold this weekend to bring it back up. But I've got plenty of wood ready!

Total to date: 244 gallons of syrup. Will go over the 75% crop mark tomorrow for sure.

[abbott]

I got about as much sap today as the last three combined. But still not exactly impressive. Not warm enough for long enough. But better than too warm!

In other news, a big chunk broke off one of the doors on my evaporator!

!!!

The crack had been spreading, but I was refusing to believe that it could actually break off. I piled some firebricks and insulation behind the hole for the rest of the day. I'll try to get a picture of tomorrow's "fix."

[Mitchman]

Yea Abbott!! it only lasted a few hours but it sure took off !! Hope your fix goes well !!

[abbott]

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I took it to my cousin and here is the solution we came up with. Hopefully it lasts for the rest of the season!

[abbott]

I was surprised at how early we froze up last night, considering the forecast low was only 30*. But the lines had ice in them by 7:30pm and we got down to 29*. Should be another decent run today, depending on how long it takes to warm up. It was 90% blue sky at 6:30, but no more!

I expect to go over 300 gallons of total syrup today and will be close to 90% crop. The color has lightened up somewhat - maybe some more amber today? Sugar is holding at 1.7 brix. It didn't go up with the cold spell, but at least it isn't plummeting anymore.

[abbott]

Passed last year's syrup total today, and I'm basically at 100% crop for this year's tap count. Sap was back up to 2.0 brix yesterday, but seems to be on its way back down now. I still have firewood aplenty (though I was kinda planning on having extra to save for next year) but I'm running low on 5 gal. containers to put syrup in. And energy to keep at it. Making a light Amber Color today. No Very Dark yet.

[McAllister farm]

How many taps you have in this year?

[abbott]

How many taps you have in this year?

Nice to see you on the Trader, Keith.

860, all on vacuum. Syrup count now at 351 gallons. I spied on you via Facebook a few days back. Who are you teaming up with this year? Looks like you have a serious production going. If I can get away while you're still boiling I'd love to see the operation.

[abbott]

Sap flow has slowed way down on vacuum and sugar is plummeting. But syrup count is up to 395 gallons - more than I would ever have expected. Haven't made any very dark yet, but will tomorrow. If this were the end I'd be happy and ready to move on. But I still have 2 1/2 cord of wood, so we'll see what comes after the cold snap.

[wurmdert]

The loads I dropped off this morning were 2.0 and 2.1 not sure about the stuff that ran today. Really hoping for at least a "buddy" run or two after the weekend.

[abbott]

The loads I dropped off this morning were 2.0 and 2.1 not sure about the stuff that ran today. Really hoping for at least a "buddy" run or two after the weekend.

I'd been hanging around 1.9/2.0 for a while, but 1.5 now.

If the sap gets buddy I'm done. But if I were you and could sell it... I'd be all in!

[RollinsOrchards]

We had a nasty crack show up on our evaporator door last week. We put the JB Weld to it to prevent spreading and glued some insulaton to the inside of the door.

I had about a square foot of the ceramic cloth insulation, sometimes called ceramic fiber, in the inch thick size from doing some repairs to the arch a couple years ago. We theorized that if we could attach that to the inside of the door it might at least keep them from getting cherry red. We have attempted that before but had not yet come up with a fastening method that worked long term. I am pleased to report that one aerosol can of 3M 77 spray adhesive has stood the high temps this week and is really easy and quick to apply. Clean the door and spray it and the cloth with the adhesive, wait ten seconds and press together. (disposable gloves recommended) Ready to use in 5 minutes.

[wurmdert]

I'd been hanging around 1.9/2.0 for a while, but 1.5 now.

If the sap gets buddy I'm done. But if I were you and could sell it... I'd be all in!

I am really fortunate to live close to a sugarhouse that will buy sap until it wont go through the evap. anymore. lol lol

[abbott]

Tanks are clean. Releaser is clean. Lines are probably full of junk...

With all the cold we've had, tomorrow might be a bit of a dud. Its going to take some time for the trees to thaw, then we'll see! I went out and bought more 5 gal. jugs last week, now I need something to put in them.

[abbott]

We had a nasty crack show up on our evaporator door last week. We put the JB Weld to it to prevent spreading and glued some insulaton to the inside of the door.

I had about a square foot of the ceramic cloth insulation, sometimes called ceramic fiber, in the inch thick size from doing some repairs to the arch a couple years ago. We theorized that if we could attach that to the inside of the door it might at least keep them from getting cherry red. We have attempted that before but had not yet come up with a fastening method that worked long term. I am pleased to report that one aerosol can of 3M 77 spray adhesive has stood the high temps this week and is really easy and quick to apply. Clean the door and spray it and the cloth with the adhesive, wait ten seconds and press together. (disposable gloves recommended) Ready to use in 5 minutes.

I wondered about JB weld. I'm not sure how much it would slow the spreading... the insulation should help a lot, though. My bolted together door has held up fine thus far. I really want to build a high efficiency arch with AOF, which would obviously require airtight insulated doors, but there's a pretty good chance that it won't happen this offseason. I need to learn to weld first, but have plenty of family that are qualified to help. I might just have my cousin build me a set of plate steel doors for next year... maybe the 3M 77 would do the trick to stick some ceramic cloth to them?

[abbott]

I went out and tapped a big sugar maple in my yard and hung a half gallon jug on it... I had a quart of sap in two hours. After tasting I had to test it. 5.3 brix.

Meanwhile I had started the vacuum and gone out to walk the lines to find the spout that had come out. I think the releaser managed to dump 2-3 times in an hour and a half. I ran that on the ground and closed the tank valve. Maybe I can keep what comes in now, maybe I'll have to run some more on the ground. It's still just a trickle coming in, so we'll see. I haven't tried testing that sap yet, but I'm only expecting 1.5 brix.

But, based on my test tree, the sap isn't buddy yet and I think the trees will run some more once they get thawed.

[wurmdert]

Running hard here, looks a little cloudy but dosn't taste or smell off. Takin to sugarhouse bright and early.

[abbott]

Emptied the tank at 5, but its looking a lot better. Pretty sure I'll keep what comes in now. Still running pretty slow. Tested at 1.6, but we'll see what that looks like in the morning.

[abbott]

Running hard here, looks a little cloudy but dosn't taste or smell off. Takin to sugarhouse bright and early.

Not running hard here. Did you have a good load this AM?

[wurmdert]

Little over 600 gals ranging from 1.7 to 2.0% syrup still good no off flavors. Maybe 100 gals was in tanks left over from little runs during the week.

[abbott]

Little over 600 gals ranging from 1.7 to 2.0% syrup still good no off flavors. Maybe 100 gals was in tanks left over from little runs during the week.

Impressive. Mine must be drying up. My test tree has cranked out a couple gallons so far, though I think the sugar is going down.

[wurmdert]

very pleased with this season because I always reinvest my sap money now I can expand even MOOORRREEE :mrgreen:

[abbott]

Alright, that's it! Syrup taste is clearly changing, probably buddy flavor but I'm not sure. The sap has been clear and the syrup color was back up almost to Amber at the end, but it was tasting more questionable all the time so I shut off the pump and quit boiling with 300 gallons of sap in the tank.

Total syrup: 435 gallons (up from 333 last year) which is just over a half gallon per tap. Since I figure .4 gallons a tap is average production, the final number is 125% crop, a personal best.

[wurmdert]

well done abbott, congrats. on a new personal best.

[Mitchman]

Yes Way to go Abbott, I'm still boiling for my brother, taste is still very good, so we will try another week. He's got the bug for sure!!!!

[abbott]

Alright, so its definitely the buddyness that got me. Hard to see whats going on in the woods, but I found several of the big stonewall maples up here at the house that have buds that are clearly enlarged (maybe 1.5 times dormant length) and showing a lot of white color at the tips.

Good luck to you guys farther north. Hard to imagine you make it another week Mitchman, but hopefully the sap runs hard for a few more days... the weather should be great! Is your buyer still making grade A Wurmdert? I assume you're still in the game until he quits boiling. I have a feeling you're going to have some really impressive numbers in the end.

[abbott]

Ok, here's a comparison of the last 4 years (about 80 of my taps were not on vacuum before this yr):

yr.... -- taps -- sap... -- syrup(%crop) sap/tap(vacuum only) sap:syrup
2013 -- 805 -- 15355 -- 340(113%) --- 20.5 gal --------------- 45:1
2014 -- 845 -- 12740 -- 290(91%) ---16.3 gal --------------- 44:1
2015 -- 850 -- 13220 -- 333(104%) --- 16.7 gal --------------- 39:1
2016 -- 861 -- 19040 -- 435(126%) --- 22.1 gal --------------- 44:1

It was really nice to use less wood last year... that's what made this year possible for me, since I had a big stockpile. Of course, 2012 was my worst year at 79% crop. Having vacuum really seems to even things out. This year could have been even better, but many of my taps were clearly drying up at the end and slowing way down.

[maineboiler]

Congratulations on a very productive year. I had a good one in Oxford, collected a little under 2,000 gallons of sap and made 40 gallons of syrup, 1/3 of which was Golden Delicate. Made 22 gallons last year with about the same number of taps. I was happy.
Feels good to have everything cleaned and put away for the year. We will see what next season brings

[West Sumner Sugar]

Truly impressive from a single man operation! That is huge dedication. Very nice job for sure!

[wurmdert]

Alright, so its definitely the buddyness that got me. Hard to see whats going on in the woods, but I found several of the big stonewall maples up here at the house that have buds that are clearly enlarged (maybe 1.5 times dormant length) and showing a lot of white color at the tips.

Good luck to you guys farther north. Hard to imagine you make it another week Mitchman, but hopefully the sap runs hard for a few more days... the weather should be great! Is your buyer still making grade A Wurmdert? I assume you're still in the game until he quits boiling. I have a feeling you're going to have some really impressive numbers in the end.

Last Barrel yesterday was extra dark and robust, but yet I will be in the game until the sap wont go through the evap. which is really strange to see. Congrats a great year.