SmellsLikeSyrupNH 2017 Updates

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

I've been away for work for the past 4 weeks and I was worried I was going to miss some of the season. Seems like my worries were unfounded. I got home Friday night and fished in the derby this weekend but had my plan in place to start tapping yesterday. I was happy to see some of them dripping right away.

I got 172 in so far and haven't tapped my largest location. I had 160 taps last year and I'll be over 250 this year.

A few pix:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170215/6cb3a08e78ed0b0c0c6b3b3dd40c16e7.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170215/35eef216e5fc4400499e769f2f074510.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170215/bcc10d2f1a0ed37e10bcb8af21d3d2c2.jpg


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[Wingo87]

Looks good! It's going to be a lot of work emptying all of those! Time to switch to tubing next year! 😊

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

I wish I could, but these are just small properties and tubing just doesn't work for the layout, too many trees are spread throughout the properties.

I actually enjoy the hard work of collecting, but I think at 250 ive reached my logistical limit lol. My 12yr old helps me but he isn't quite strong enough yet to do as much as I would like him to do. For the next few years I'll be glad to have him emptying form the trees and I will haul it to the truck.

[Wingo87]

Nothing wrong with a little had work! Good luck, I think it's going to be a good season!

[mudr]

I've been waiting patiently to hear your review of the new RO. You need sap, stat! Get that puppy fired up.

[BAP]

Good luck. Sounds like we should have some good sugar weather this weekend providing we don't get totally buried in snow tonight. If you were fishing in the derby on Lake Winnipesaukee this past weekend I'm glad you weren't one of the ones that fell in.

[n8hutch]

I hope you guys in southern NH get lots of sap, as for me in my neck of the woods I hope it holds off a few more weeks I'm not even close to being ready, the snow is 4-5 feet deep in the woods in places. Going to need a step ladder to pull the taps.

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

LOL Hopefully by Sunday I'll send you my 1st pass and 2nd pass results.



I've been waiting patiently to hear your review of the new RO. You need sap, stat! Get that puppy fired up.

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Thanks Bap,
AWFUL situation there....I was on Sunapee and on a solid 14" of ice. That snow storm last week covered all the weak areas and it was just a matter of time before someone went in :-( Those folks not being local just assumed because there was a fishing derby that the lake was all safe, but those of us who ice fish a lot have known for weeks the lake wasn't safe. I was a bit disappointed to not see the Meredith Rotary at least put out an advisory. Those people probably weren't even fishermen, but they were out there because its such a big event.

-Scott

[Russell Lampron]

Looking good Scott, good luck with the new season.

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Thanks Russell!


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[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Looking good today without even getting the right temps.

My refractometer measured 2.5% and one of my spots and 3.2% at another. Is that reading a bit high?? It's my 1st year using one. I calibrated it with distilled water and it seems to be ok.

Thanks


15468


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[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Collected 190 gallons of 2.5% yesterday morning. Came home and ran it through the new RO, and got it up to 4.2 at 225psi. Ran a 2nd pass and it removed some more water but my refractometer didn't seem to change. I tested the permeate and it was still reading 0 but the concentration was maybe 4.4%. It's just a cheap one and as long as that permeate keeps reading 0 I guess I'm ok with it. I reduced the sap to about 120 gallons and started up the new evaporator. Took 5 hours to boil it all down, got to see what a nice gradient looks like in the channels and I drew off about 2.5 gallons.

I did notice as the day wore on, all 3 channels in my Syrup pan seemed to darken up as though I lost the gradient. Just gotta get used to this I suppose.

I never checked my bags yesterday afternoon and can't until after work today so I know I'll have a lot more to do. :-)

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170220/349199013bf2acf742cccb99587a6d71.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170220/99f4dae5ed75e574052a9e1d365f8fc4.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170220/6ec8bde6d4e40218e7dea72bda120707.jpg




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[unclejohn]

Hi- we've been collecting sap for several years in plastic buckets on the ground with no lids- this brings challenges, like wind, bugs, bark chips, a dead mouse in one and with the warm weather the raccoons have been knocking them over. I think I have had it with buckets- lots of work cleaning them after season and again before season. We got 10 gallons of syrup this year so we are content. Now that our season is over (was 79 degrees today in MO) I am re-evaluating our use of buckets, and I really like the idea of bags hanging from pieces of pvc pipe. I know you are busy at the peak of your season, but would you please answer a few questions about your sap collection-

1) how do you keep the bag from slipping off the pipe- does the twist tie really hold it that tight?
2) exactly what kind of spile do you use to hang the pipe on? HOw deep a hole do you drill into the living tree tissue? and where can I order that spile?
3) how big a hole do you drill in the pipe- maybe can you provide a closeup photo of one of your pipe/bag arrangement
4) do you lose sap when you pour the sap into your tank?
5) how do you collect sap when it freezes?
6) what is the cost of a bag- can you use clear plastic bags from Uline or other industrial supplier?

Thanks so much in advance for your time to reply. John in Missouri

1562715628

[eustis22]

um..it looks like your trees are on a slope...have you considered tubing?

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Unfortunately these are just 3 small locations and all are on very flat land as well as 2 out of the 3 spaces the trees are very spaced out in clusters. IF I tubed it I would have to remove it each season, and also would need a pump at each location because they really are all on flat ground. Its a lot of work, my shoulders are sore from carrying 2 5 gallon buckets at a time lol. I am up to almost 700 gallons total since sunday and Ive carried every single gallon to my truck in buckets. My son and his buddy at least are helping me collect it, but neither is strong enough to carry full 5 gallon pails as they are just 12yrs old.


um..it looks like your trees are on a slope...have you considered tubing?

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

I'll attach some pictures for you.

1) The weight of the bag with sap holds it pretty securely on to the spile. I use a rubber band with a half hitch over the tap to secure it when its not running or on windy days. The Zip Tie/wire tie holds very securely if you pull it tight enough. all my PVC pieces have a groove so the zip tie secures it in that groove and I have only had 1 fail in 3 years, which means to me I just didn't pull it tight enough. They hold about 3 gallons each.15645
2) Just a standard CDL 5/16 spile. Drill about 1.5" just as you would any tap.15640
3) Its about a 1" hole. 15641
4) I don't think I lose any sap, I remove from the trees and dump into 5 gallon buckets and then carry to a tank in my truck. 15644
5) When it freezes I don't collect. Or if there is ice, I just dump the liquid and leave the ice....it all evens out.
6) The bags are 5mm UV resistant bags that most maple houses seem to sell. I believe they are about $.22 per bag. I got mine from Slatterys Maple Farm in Maine.




Hi- we've been collecting sap for several years in plastic buckets on the ground with no lids- this brings challenges, like wind, bugs, bark chips, a dead mouse in one and with the warm weather the raccoons have been knocking them over. I think I have had it with buckets- lots of work cleaning them after season and again before season. We got 10 gallons of syrup this year so we are content. Now that our season is over (was 79 degrees today in MO) I am re-evaluating our use of buckets, and I really like the idea of bags hanging from pieces of pvc pipe. I know you are busy at the peak of your season, but would you please answer a few questions about your sap collection-

1) how do you keep the bag from slipping off the pipe- does the twist tie really hold it that tight?
2) exactly what kind of spile do you use to hang the pipe on? HOw deep a hole do you drill into the living tree tissue? and where can I order that spile?
3) how big a hole do you drill in the pipe- maybe can you provide a closeup photo of one of your pipe/bag arrangement
4) do you lose sap when you pour the sap into your tank?
5) how do you collect sap when it freezes?
6) what is the cost of a bag- can you use clear plastic bags from Uline or other industrial supplier?

Thanks so much in advance for your time to reply. John in Missouri

1562715628

[unclejohn]

i will discuss the bag method with family- its likely to reduce our hassles. john

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

My March 1st update.

REALLY happy I bought an RO, can't really emphasize how great the time savings have been.

It's reducing about 50% of my water and with the new evaporator my boiling sessions are lasting 3-5hrs instead of 10-12.

AMAZING!!!

Up to 18 gallons bottled. I have another 4-5 in the evaporator right now with my continuous flow setup. I also have 5 gallons that has yet to be bottled.

Some new pix.
My gradient setup in my back pan:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170301/d8391e7a59f6bbbe97064e3335462dcf.jpg

My syrup pan this morning, Ive lost the gradient there but my draw offs have been fine and it's flowing properly.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170301/8ea2f4ce6603f3e09603ef5393260491.jpg

Lastly, some of my bottles. Bottle on the right was my 1st bottling session on Saturday and bottle on the left is from yesterday. Yesterday's batch went through my friends filter press instead of me filtering and bottling with felt and papers like I did in Saturday. Wow that has to be the next thing I buy, huge time savings and such a cleaner process.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170301/7c0d1ca7e1fafb89636e3cb6b7fb43fc.jpg







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[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

So far its been a productive week.....got 250 gallons on Sunday night and 225 gallons yesterday. Had some RO issues, my procon pump doesn't seem to be sucking as hard as it should be. I put a submersible pump in my tanks to feed the sap to the RO and that fixed the problem, but the procon probably needs to be replaced or rebuilt. Not sure which right now, but either way my bandaid solution is working to get the sap processed.

I have a lot to boil right now, I have approx. 12 gallons to still bottle and after this run should be another 12-14 gallons. Its currently 200 gallons of 6% so looking promising.

So far 25.5 gallons bottled....

Approx 24 more to go after this sap, my goal of 50 gallons is in sight!!!

-Scott

[Russell Lampron]

You should have a feed pump for your RO anyway. It makes life a lot easier for your main pump.

The sap hasn't been flowing that good here. I have a cold woods with mostly red maples and only got 250 gallons from 700 taps today.

[CaptT820]

Sap has been flowing slowly here too. We have a decent amount of sugars, but the woods are very cold. Only retrieved 6.5 gallons of sap on Monday. Bumped that up to 20 gallons yesterday. As others have said, the woods take an extra day to warm up with all of the snow on the ground. Still learning our sugarbush by taking down as much data as possible. I think we have at least three legitimate microclimates just on our small parcel alone, as we have areas that run and don't run that are very specific to the day or day before weather.
Question for the group as we are a bit new at this, we are just on gravity right now, if we went to a vacuum style system, how much of a sap increase could we expect? Thx

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Thanks Russell, that really does seem to help. I was hearing some "chattering/vibration" from my pump as it worked unless I pushed the psi up to 220, that seems to be its sweet spot for running smoothly. Once I added the submersible pump it runs a lot faster and quieter at 200.



You should have a feed pump for your RO anyway. It makes life a lot easier for your main pump.

The sap hasn't been flowing that good here. I have a cold woods with mostly red maples and only got 250 gallons from 700 taps today.

[mudr]

So you gave it a "farmer added option" as we say back home. Did you note a change in the removal rate? If I recall, you were removing 30% of like 150 gph before (right?). Are you able to achieve a greater amount of water removal with the submersible in front of the RO?

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

im still doing 2 passes and with 2 passes im removing 50% of the water on average. It does go faster with the feed pump, that much I can say. I honestly can still say im very happy with the investment, just a learning curve for me still but im getting it all worked out.

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Just finished collecting for my final time this season. Got another 250 gallons from my 250 taps. The trees seem as though they are done, my sugar content is way down. Also I'm getting sap out of trees that looks the color of ice tea. Overall it's been a very good season for me, my goal was 50 gallons and after I bottle everything I have I should hit that and then some. Wanted to show an example of the sap out of my trees, the taps are about 10 inches away from each other on the same tree and look at the difference in the color.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170329/690a991f770e3db19c2fce8284975117.jpg


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