Tapped in Laporte County

[Tapping Wolf]

156 taps all sacks and buckets hung Saturday, trying to get this early run...over 200 gallons of sap this morning, haven't tested the sugar level yet...boiling soon.

[Tapping Wolf]

Well, made about six gallons in the last week...now it's going to get cold again, figured it would but it looks like this cold spell might last 3 weeks or more...hope we don't have a short season where it goes from really cold to full on spring/now it's time to plant, glad I started early, in case the regular season only lasts a week or two. Guess we'll find out when it gets here.

[MunsterMapler]

Yeah the weather doesn't look like it will be good again untill the last week of Feb. Probably gonna finish up the sweet in my pan this evening when I get off work, and clean my pan and storage tanks

[achesser]

I finished off what was left in the syrup pan in the evaporator at the house and looks like everything will be on pause for a while. It was the first January syrup we made before and it was nice to run everything and know it is working.

[Tapping Wolf]

Sap is just starting to flow but I got 200 Gallons this morning...trees have finally thawed out again...should be a great week!

[Valmere Farms]

All vaccumm taps in and full throttle. Already RO about 400 gallons and boiled off and will have another 400 by morning. If there was a perfect forecast the next 10 days look like it. Get some sleep while you can. Good luck!

[dsaw]

Valmere Farms, good luck on your season up north, we're done down here in the south. If you don't mind sharing, where do you get your printed bottles?

[MunsterMapler]

Yeah I finished boiling 240 gallons yesterday evening. I think I need to build an ro! It's hard to keep up with that much sap on my 2x4.

[Valmere Farms]

Sugarbush supplies in MI.

[Andrew Franklin]

Love those bottles! Do you mind me asking what they cost and how much you charge per bottle?

[Valmere Farms]

$9.75 per case of 12 through Sugar Bush supplies. I sell them anywhere from $12 on the farm to $16 at some specialty stores.

[Andrew Franklin]

Thanks...I think the very marginal extra cost vs what I have paid for plain bottles is worth it...they look great! I'm giving about 25% of mine away (150 total bottles this year) and selling the rest for $11 per, but if you count my time I'm probably losing $50 per bottle. But, it's all for fun - I do it because I enjoy being out in the woods on the first warm days...means spring is around the corner. That said, to cover new taps and drop lines I think I'll go to $15 per bottle next year.

[Valmere Farms]

I think 90% of the producers on here do it for the enjoyment not for the profit. However, with that said 90% of the customers who buy our product would pay double just to support our efforts. Professionalism with our product is whats sets us apart. Not sure what type of bottles you are using, but a few pennies more might make the difference between a $11 and $15. I'm an IU grad and you have plenty of places to market your product if you wanted to get bigger. I would tell all the IU students that a teaspoon a day will help you get straight A's and sell them for $30 on Kirk wood street at midnight. You'll make enough money to expand your operation in one weekend.

[dsaw]

Thanks Valmere, I'll be trying those out next year. Perfect timing, I almost completely depleted my current bottle supply. Andrew, what size bottle are you using? I'm using 8 oz. I was planning on selling at farmers market (where my wife sells bread) for $8, but may up it to $10.

[Andrew Franklin]

That's funny! I'm an IU grad as well, and my property is about 15 minutes from campus...maybe I'll go hang out by Kilroy's! dsaw, I use 8 oz bottles as well. I see temps in the 20's next week, but I'mm assuming the trees have started to bud, so I'll probably go pull my taps soon. One more run would have been nice, but I'm also ready for some free time on the weekends!

[dsaw]

I hadn’t looked at weather, I could get another run in this week. Not sure I’m still up for it. I’m down at my land this weekend, but was here to clean up and start flushing my lines. I pulled my RO membranes and put them in storage; but I could pull them out and re-flush them. Doubt I will, but will look at trees tomorrow to see if there are signs of budding. Flower bulbs are up, so it’s close to done. Plus, already in enough political heat for being gone from home too much; so pretty sure I’m done.

[Andrew Franklin]

I hadn’t looked at weather, I could get another run in this week. Not sure I’m still up for it. I’m down at my land this weekend, but was here to clean up and start flushing my lines. I pulled my RO membranes and put them in storage; but I could pull them out and re-flush them. Doubt I will, but will look at trees tomorrow to see if there are signs of budding. Flower bulbs are up, so it’s close to done. Plus, already in enough political heat for being gone from home too much; so pretty sure I’m done.

Personally, I would put not being up for it and political heat tied at the top of the list - lol! Excited about two things...my first batch was off due to mold not being flushed out but I took it down to sugar. My wife is blending it with coconut and almond oil and some other things and has made a maple scrub that all her friends want to buy...a new reason to boil everything, even if not good for syrup. She is selling 3 ounces for $15 and has already used up all my "off" sugar. Second, just made a fantastic batch of maple bourbon. Can't give away all my secrets, but it's Jim Beam based with two other bourbons and then about 10 ounces of syrup to make a little over 2 liters of bourbon...pretty tasty!