Tapped in Sterling [Archive]

btflaw

02-17-2018, 01:48 PM

Just threw in 25 taps or so, should be enough to get everything going this week. I had taken a couple seasons off but we are back. We use three homemade evaporators. Looking t snow tonight but the upcoming week looks good.

btflaw

02-21-2018, 08:47 PM

Here are some pictures of our first boil yesterday with our 3 maple mistress as I like to call them. Did about 40 gallons so far.

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dennisn418

02-22-2018, 09:16 AM

40 Gallons finished syrup?

I'm in Sterling too. Hasn't been the best run so far...

btflaw

02-22-2018, 10:56 AM

Hi, Glad to hear of another Sterling maple enthusiast. The 40 gallon was the sap quantity not syrup. I agree it has been a lackluster start for the sap flow due to the weather. I think it should get better going forward based on temps.

Biz

02-22-2018, 12:36 PM

Just had a great run next door to you in Princeton. I just a really good run, boiled 350 gallons of sap in 3 days from my 120 taps. They ran 3 days straight. Most on 3/16 gravity, 22 on pump. Hopefully things turn around for you this coming week, looks like a good one.

Dave

johnpma

02-22-2018, 12:42 PM

btflaw

02-23-2018, 07:46 AM

Sounds like quite an operation, although I started over 40 years ago with several large gaps in between we still are old school as you can see from the pictures of the evaporators and we are still using 5 gallon buckets for sap collection on about 25 taps this year. Keep thinking about a shack. I will be boiling and bottling today as well - your bottle product looked great

Biz

02-23-2018, 08:51 AM

Hey btflaw, I started sugaring over 40 years ago too, when I was like 11 years old, with a 15 year gap.

John - new evaporator is working great! The faster boil rate is taking some getting used to. Burned my a batch of syrup already and ruined about 3 gallons of near syrup. The pans are now officially broken in. :) Operator error on that one, need to be much more attentive to it than with the last two evaporators I have used. Then on Wednesday it was bubbling up good with a really hot fire, nearly ready to take off, went out to grab an armload of wood and next thing I knew it was waay overdone and nearly scorched the pan again. Scrambled to dump a pail of sap in. I think I hit the perfect storm of very hot fire, sap not quite running in fast enough to keep up with the level, and syrup in the finish pan bubbling up too much before I could add defoamer. Yikes, live and learn. I have raised the level up a little to help prevent this. Made about 5 gallons so far not including the grade "BBQ" batch. Looking to be another crazy week coming up.

Dave

btflaw

02-23-2018, 05:19 PM

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Just finished our first bottling for the season, the syrup is on the darker side but it has great taste and consistency. I wish there was better lighting to capture the true color as it was still hot. All and all not a bad week and it kept my 13 year old son busy as he is learning how to do it old school.

dennisn418

02-25-2018, 03:01 PM

Apprehensive the season may be a short one.... not many days ahead under freezing...

btflaw

02-27-2018, 08:34 AM

Hi I am unsure as well, just checked the buckets this morning and there is so little it is not worth firing up the evaporators today. Next week looks more seasonable which maybe ok as long as the trees do not start budding early due to these warm spells.

jrm

02-27-2018, 07:16 PM

Apprehensive the season may be a short one.... not many days ahead under freezing...
In Acton, metro west, I've collected all of 5 gallons sap out of my 15 taps... primarily from one tree. Taps in for less than a week, but with the forecast, not certain it will turn around. Lousy. Haven't even boiled yet.

btflaw

03-01-2018, 09:54 AM

Biz

03-01-2018, 10:54 AM

Still running here, moderately. We are higher elevation than Sterling so it is freezing at night mostly. Been collecting 40-60 gallons every day this week from my 129 taps. Sap ram all night so I expect sap today. I already have more than 50% of last season's crop, and it's only March 1st. Forecast looking good for next couple weeks.

Dave

jrm

03-01-2018, 01:44 PM

Hi Janet,
It seems everyone in our area is experiencing the same, managed to get about 25 gallons to boil down today before the lousy weather set in. Hopefully this will have a good sugar content and your taps have started to run.

Didn't get any more, yesterday boiled the 4-5 gallons down to about 2.5 qts. I just put it back on the fire and added another 1/3 to 1/2 gallon, I just pulled from one tree. To bring as close as I can before finishing on the stove. Sugar average 2.5%, so not too bad.

A few other taps had a bit in, mostly drives, and mostly yellow. End of next week, we may drop to just below freezing. All I can do is hope.

btflaw

03-05-2018, 10:10 AM

Hi Everyone,
I am done for the season in Sterling. Just found out I am scheduled for a hand surgery this Thursday and recovery will probably outlast the season. Pulled the taps and tubes and buckets this morning still no real flow to speak of, figured the cleanup process will be easier while I still can use both hands. Managed to make probably almost 3 gallons of dark but delicious syrup which was enough for us to use and share with friends. Just could not see myself lifting hot pans off the 3 outdoor evaporators one handed. Wishing everyone a good season and as always it has been a pleasure conversing with fellow syrup aficionados and reading Maple Trader. Best wishes to all.

dennisn418

03-15-2018, 11:43 AM

Hope your recovery goes well.

Looks like things may pick up after this last snow storm...getting some good weather.....just have to bring a shovel along.

btflaw

03-15-2018, 04:19 PM

Hi and thank you for the well wishes. I definitely made the right call I think calling it an early season. The hand is pretty much useless for many more weeks, add to that the lack of sap and more snow, it would have been challenging for sure.

How are you doing and are your taps flowing again once everything gets dug out? They are talking another 12"plus next Tuesday/Wed. Looks like March is the new February.

dennisn418

03-16-2018, 01:01 AM

I' I I've been saying for years that the season clock is advancing faster then the calendar... regardless sapp is flowing good today and the weather looks decent I don't have a lot of taps so the snow is easy to manage. hopefully I can pull off a gallon or 2 of syrup by season end. Unfortunately a few trees I hope to be pro
ductive are being quite lazy hopefully they pick up

btflaw

03-16-2018, 08:25 AM

Agreed, the higher sun helps but you still need the right temps. Glad to hear it is flowing today.

dennisn418

03-27-2018, 07:45 AM

Looks like this will be the last week or days of the season...kinda of hoping so....I'm ready to get some beets in the ground.

dennisn418

12-31-2018, 11:11 AM

When are folks going to be tapping? Last year I got in late...should i do it this weekend or wait...hasn't been very cold at all

SmellsLikeSyrupNH

12-31-2018, 11:26 AM

Seems a bit early...im in NH and wont be doing it until at least Mid February. Watch the weather, look for consistent days above freezing and below freezing at night. we havent really had our winter freeze yet, never mind the spring thaw start.

dennisn418

01-07-2019, 02:15 PM

Looks like we are finally getting the cold snap we need. Hopefully it lasts for a few weeks and then we can see some sweet!

bigschuss

01-10-2019, 08:42 PM

Looks like we are finally getting the cold snap we need. Hopefully it lasts for a few weeks and then we can see some sweet!

Not sure where you are in Mass. But out in the Berkshire hills, I am, on average, still 2 months away from seeing any sweet.