ice question

[chuckwagon]

My buckets have been getting quite a bit of ice in them,should I just pour off liquid and throw ice away or is there enough sap in ice to make it worth while boiling ice down.thanks

[Mille705]

Depending on how hard the freeze is we do. We use mostly 5 gallon buckets and if there is ice on top we through that out and keep the sap. Last week we did an experiment and kept a couple of buckets of ice. We melted it down and tested it at about 0.2. The sap we collect tested at 3 and we had been running about 1.8. So might be sum but I am not worrie about it. Less wood to burn

[chuckwagon]

Thanks,I have been throwing it,I just got wondering if it was worth keeping,doesn't sound it.

[saphound]

I did the same thing last year..thawed some ice and tested it at .06. I still chuck the ice but there is some sugar in it.
Here's what can be done with it though..looks like pretty good syrup! :)

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?27771-Mother-Nature-at-her-finest.

[chuckwagon]

Thanks,I guess if someday if I have alot of time,only have 1 or 2 days I can boil now I'll boil the ice also but if mother nature helps me to get some water out I'll take her help for now.

[Snappyssweets]

Yeah that was my daughters decision to melt the ice.
Still made me decide that if I have enough ice I will throw it in a pan to melt and boil down on the stove. Took her about four - five hours in a 4 quart pan to melt it down and then put it in a smaller pan then a smaller pan. Before we began to monitor the temps on it. Still a half pint out of five or six gallons of ice is not bad.

[Sugarmaker]

Throw it out.
Regards,
Chris

[chuckwagon]

I guess 1/2 pint is better then nothing,I will probably wish I had that when I run out.going to have to ramp it up next year,I must say this was quite the learning experience (1st timer)learned so much on this site,hopefully more sap coming sunday,hasn't ran in a couple days now.

[EriobNY]

Its fantastic that your daughters are involved - they will remember your support of their idea and it's success. A+ !

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[chuckwagon]

I agree,it's great to get to kids involved,

[Eds Constructors]

To give some input, I have a 35 gal storage drum, all but 18 gal froze, I boiled that out and got 2 quarts of dark amber, on 35 gal I would have normally got 3 quarts and maybe 1/2 pint. So there is definitely some sugar in there, at the end when there is no more to boil and ice left, mash it and melt it. Hoping for a few more good days at least here in CNY.Best of luck to all!