Nova Scotia 2017

[cbmapleguy]

What's everyone up to NS? We've been busy since early Jan. setting up new bush and equipment. We're aiming to get another 500 tabs on board this year. We purchased a new 2 x 8 DG and 400 GPH D&G RO late last spring. 2017 will be the first year with it.

We've had a perfect Jan. for working in the woods; little snow and sunny days. We have all the mainline up, laterals ran and tightened an have just started adding drops and manifolds last week.

Cheers for now. Looking forward to 2017 sap season

[CBLA]

Best of luck in 2017! I thought I heard that the sledding was pretty good up there this year.

[cbmapleguy]

Best of luck in 2017! I thought I heard that the sledding was pretty good up there this year.

Is very good. We just received about 24" of snow in the last 48 hours.

[CBLA]

LOL! yes lots of snow. I have about 3 feet on the ground at the camp.

[dbg]

The forecast is looking promising for the end of the week, I put about 125 taps in today, about half of what I intend to do. I hope the forecast is correct and we get a run in the next few days.

[CBLA]

Yes, the forecast looks good for a run Thursday to Sunday.

[maplesyrupstove]

Put my taps in yesterday and today got a barrel of sap tonight. should run good tomorrow when I turn the Vacuum on. My friend in the Valley is tap too. Darrell

[Pibster]

Tapped half my trees yesterday afternoon. Most trees were running well.

[Maplebrook]

I'm selling my evaporator. Here's the link to the Kijiji ad:

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-home-outdoor-other/bedford/maple-syrup-evaporator/1242196381?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

[erikb]

We ran our new 2x6 evaporator in the new sugar shack yesterday for the first time. We have been working outside for about 14 years so having a building was really nice.
Had about 200 gallons of sap to start with. Hopefully this really warm weather wont mess the treees up.

[MarkReynolds]

I'm selling my evaporator. Here's the link to the Kijiji ad:

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-home-outdoor-other/bedford/maple-syrup-evaporator/1242196381?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true
Just checked out your evaporator looks amazing just what I'm hoping to get, if you weren't so far away :( what was your evaporation rate with that thing?

[Maplebrook]

Just checked out your evaporator looks amazing just what I'm hoping to get, if you weren't so far away :( what was your evaporation rate with that thing?

50-65 litres an hour, depending on how hard you pushed it.

[Loon Lake Louie]

Sounds like everyone is off to a good start. I don't have any taps in yet ... but sounds like I better get at it!!! Hope everyone has a great year with lots of syrup made.

[CBLA]

managed to get 75 liters of sap and 2.2 liters of light syrup.

[cbmapleguy]

-17 with the wind. doesn't feel much like spring but we're almost all tapped. The old system had a chance flush this past week so the next thaw we get, we'll be collecting.

[cbmapleguy]

Just finished up our first boil. We had a surprise run over night Wednesday and most of Thursday. Good sugar content too, it was just under 2 which is higher than our norm. This was the first run with the new DG ro and evap; both worked flawlessly.

[Loon Lake Louie]

How's she goin'? Set some taps a week ago and only got enough sap to cover the bottoms of the bottles. Hopefully this cold weather will break and the sap will run soon.

[Pibster]

After tomorrow's expected run, I should be above last years total. I'm hoping for another week or so. It's been a strange season, glad I tapped earlier than usual.

[CBLA]

Hopefully this weather breaks soon. I have managed to get about 8 liters of syrup so far. The first run has been the biggest so far but that was a month ago.

[Shon]

well heres to hoping that this coming week is the week.long range i figure it gonna go right to summer very fast like

[cbmapleguy]

Sure hoping we get a spring, winter is dragging on now. Was looking at last years records and we're pretty on the same pattern; off by a day or two.

[CBLA]

yes, lets hope the weather breaks this coming week.

[vernon]

Seems like we get 1 little run per week, then froze up for another week? Looks a bit better for next week. Mother nature has to soon step in. We had more snow last night again?

[dbg]

Finished boiling Friday evening, long drawn out season but ended up with more syrup than last year. I think the sugar content was quite a bit better. Started cleaning up yesterday, do some more today I guess.

[CBLA]

I managed another boil on Friday, hoping for one more boil. currently I am at half of last years total

[Pibster]

Last boil for me was Thursday night (6th). Ended up with around 10% more sap than last year.

[Loon Lake Louie]

How's she goin'? Wow what weather eh? Anyone setting any taps yet? I was thinking after seeing the forecast into the weekend I might set a few tomorrow to see what runs. Any thoughts?

[ksmeagher]

I stopped in Fenwick on the why home from Springhill tonight, the first sugar camp was boiling Mondays sap and the two larger ones are a couple days out from finishing tappping. I've got 600 taps,on two shurflow pumps for vacuum might wait a week yet, and if i was still running buckets definitely wait at least a couple weeks minimum.

[CBLA]

I put out 24 taps yesterday. Its been a weird winter. I have a feeling its going to be like the 2017 maple season.

[Loon Lake Louie]

Been getting some sap but the temps aren't working out too good. My sap is frozen in the bottles and cans and I can't get it out to boil. Trying to melt it some and then boil. Made some syrup though and it's as good as ever!!!! Hope everyone is having a great season!!!

[CBLA]

yes, these last 4 noreasters have been a real pain. I have 2.5 feet of snow at my camp now.

[Pibster]

I had a really good run on Saturday even though the temperature hovered around 1 degree all day. Should be good today and tomorrow, fingers crossed.

[Loon Lake Louie]

The sap has been running pretty good here for about a week. Starting to get a little cloudy now and buds coming on the trees. Tap pulling time I expect. Of well another fun year and lots of syrup made.

[CBLA]

I pulled my taps on Saturday the 14th. It was a very strange year. much like last year.

[Loon Lake Louie]

How's she goin'? I had some pretty good runs this year although later than I thought. I pulled my taps yesterday and had a lot of sap hanging on the trees. Since the trees are budding I poured out the sap, said a prayer of thanks to the trees and left the sugar bush until next fall. A good year for me. Made more syrup than I have even made in 17 years.

[Pibster]

I packed it in on April 2nd. Had so much sap I was tapped out and the wood was getting low. The trees kept producing well for another 10 days but I determined not to let them draw me back in. Pulled the taps last weekend. Very long, up and down season. But it ended up being my best year since I began 8 years ago.

[dbg]

I called it a year on April 4th, I burnt all the wood I had at the Sugarshack and most of what I had at home for my garage. Great year, 30% more syrup than last year. Did anyone else find the Niter really bad late in the season?

[Dlee]

Don't think the niter has been any worse for me but sure was a lot of sugar sand in the filter today way more than usual not sure if its because its so late in the season or what?:confused:

[maplesyrupstove]

All tapped this week, ran a little the other day. Going to be warm Sat an the next weeks.

[CBLA]

I tapped in last week, hoping for a run this coming week.

[maple cove]

Should be all tapped today. Let the sap flow and the fun begin.. good luck all.

[Syrup By The Sea]

Hello from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. My first post!

Started tapping last weekend as the trees were just waking up. 20 trees with as many old fashioned buckets....all red maple. Going for 30 more new ones this year starting tomorrow. Using 5/16 spiles with tubing and ice cream buckets this time, so will see how that works. The wind off the water keeps flipping my lids up and causing the older buckets to sway, so hopefully the tube method eliminates some of the those issues and I can bury the buckets in the snow pack to keep the sap cooler.

Tapping 20 trees since 2013 almost every year with cinder blocks, three steam pans and a stainless stack. Usually get only 3 to 4 liters of finished product, so hopefully the 30 additional trees ramps it up a bit.

Anybody tapping in Lunenburg? Looks like a gorgeous day this Thursday @ +8C.

[CBLA]

no boiling yet. at this rate its going to be a very short season.

[Shon]

not boiling yet but should be.missed past few days of good runs while tapping an still have some more holes too drill yet.seems the older i get the slower i move lol.

[Syrup By The Sea]

...tapped 25 more trees today with the tube and bucket system. Wow, some of the trees were wide awake and dripping like crazy with the warm sun. Hope to see some good results in the next few days. Only collected ~15L of sap from 4 of the 20 buckets though. Hope the rest wake up soon...

[CBLA]

The next 2 days look promising

[Loon Lake Louie]

Set out 12 taps last Sunday and by Thursday I had 20 liters of sap. Hoping to boil by this Sunday. Hoping for a great season!!!

[CBLA]

boiled for the first time on Saturday. 160L of sap - 4L of syrup.

[Rodshobbies]

Boiled 200 gallons of sap on Saturday. Hopefully lots more to come. Any chance anyone close to central nova Scotia running a guzzler pump that I can pick your brain for a few questions. Thanks in advance.

[CBLA]

pulled my taps on Saturday the 13th. finished with 32 liters of syrup!