cold snap.

[prairietapper]

how are things running up North Dogpatch? it has stayed to warm here. but we are getting a couple day cold snap so I hope that resets the trees here

[dogpatch]

Collected about 100 gal this morning from yesterday's run. Nothing was running yet today. Looking for some good days ahead.

[HawkeyeMike]

Here in west central IL (Henry Cty), have gotten nothing these last few days. Just too cold. The next couple days won't get much above freezing either. After that, though, I'm expecting the trees to go wide open again for a few days. So different from last year and the extreme warm temps.

[prairietapper]

we had about week of not cold enough. so I am very thankful for the cold! it does look good for the weekend and just after! boil on :)

[dogpatch]

Where abouts are you located HawkeyeMike? I'm next to you in Bureau county.

[mol1jb]

Ya for the weekend till the middle of next week will be gushers I bet. Hang on to your hat!

[prairietapper]

the Surflo is gushing :) a couple buckets on sugar maples are running good too. the 3/16 locations in town were not running yet. but it looks like a good boil is on for tonight!

[TreeTapper2]

Didn't run as well as hoped today. I suppose if I had them on vac it would have been awesome. We have surpassed last year's numbers so I can't complain. Definitely love the RO. It has reduced cook time and saved a ton of wood.

[prairietapper]

Didn't run as well as hoped today. I suppose if I had them on vac it would have been awesome. We have surpassed last year's numbers so I can't complain. Definitely love the RO. It has reduced cook time and saved a ton of wood.
nice! I keep saying I am going to get one and I will. but I am tempted to get a hand pump filter press first
I did not get a lot either but it seemed to be about 45 to 1 ... so I will not complain either! I am about 30 gal behind the last season I sugared ...again I have syrup so I shall not complain

[HawkeyeMike]

Dogpatch, I'm just north of Geneseo, in a 40-acre stand of woods between the Green River and Hennepin Canal. Where in Bureau are you?

[dogpatch]

I am near Tiskilwa. I have a producer in Port Byron do all my boiling. This week looks great. Send me a PM if you would like to compare notes. Marc

[TreeTapper2]

Prairietrapper, I hear ya on the filter press. It is definitely a growing desire.
I did not expect much from yesterday but did end up with 50 gallons which put us over the 1000 gallon mark. :)
Looks to be another two weeks to go.

[HawkeyeMike]

The trees came alive this week with sap, but at least around here the season is about over. I noticed just yesterday buds and even small leaves on some of my trees. So I guess they really came alive...bummer. I plan to do a final boil this weekend, and then shut the operation down for the year. Good year overall...I went from 30 to 52 taps and more than doubled my final syrup output.

[prairietapper]

good deal on the taps and syrup increase!
Yeah I have been watching too. getting a decent run the last few days but it is nearly over for us.
as an aside did you know maple is finally allowed under the cottage food laws in IL? I just checked again

[HawkeyeMike]

Prairie, what website are you looking at regarding the cottage food law for IL? Thanks.

[dogpatch]

I am going to two collections today, as I had containers running over this a.m. Hope to get a few more days before season ends. Went over 2100 gal so far.

[prairietapper]

Prairie, what website are you looking at regarding the cottage food law for IL? Thanks.
Here are two links for info
http://web.extension.illinois.edu/cottage/what.cfm
http://www.ilstewards.org/policy-work/illinois-cottage-food-law/
and then I called Springfield from a link I found on the il.gov site and talked to a gal down there who confirmed that as long as you register with your county you can. the county can require the food service management lic. ( mine does) but you can get that online. they can also charge you to register but the state limited the amount they can charge you for that to 25 dollars or less the lic I have to get will cost 125. which for this state and my county is pretty cheap lol
the other good thing. since I tap trees on my property also that lets me increase where I can sell over what it would be if I only collect on other peoples property. but you can still do farmers markets and direct

[prairietapper]

nice Dogpatch! mine stopped running last night and have not started back up.

[TreeTapper2]

Looks like another season is nearing the end. Bitter sweet it is. Had our best run ever. Collected 146 gallons this morning and they are still running.

Thanks for the links prairietrapper.

How has the season been over all for everyone? This has been a record breaking year all around for us. Looks like we will triple our sap and syrup. Only increased taps by 30%. Can't wait to see what vacuum does. Might need a life preserver. Lol.

[prairietapper]

you are welcome!
My season...
This is the least amount of syrup I have ever made in a year. the last season I made any was a record 36 gallon. On a 2x4 it kept me hopping since I do it myself with out help. Although a brother will occasionally watch the evap while I sit down to eat. this year it looks like 4 1/2 gal. will be all I get. I was a little undertapped Some of the new lines did not produce as much as I expected and I did not want to have to deal with a bunch of buckets anymore. I talked to a farmer today about next year since I want to step it up. He owns ground along a river I used to tap. but I only tapped the edges before since it was to much trouble with buckets. he bought more ground since then and now owns on both sides of the river. I can go 3-16 and leave it up like the real guys do! I think I am going to run lines a lot higher than the norm. I suspect it will cost me on production over best practice. but I am hoping to avoid as much deer damage as possible. they kind of funnel down through that piece of property due to lay of the land and cover.
I would not mind input on that idea from those who have done this a long time...

[dogpatch]

PrairieTapper you will be amazed what 3/16 will do. I too have an abundance of deer on my land. If possible try not to cross the trails they use, or run your line next to the trail. I have much more trouble with squirrels than deer.

[prairietapper]

I all ready love it! although this is only my second season with it. many of my spots I have been using it have less than optimal number of trees (5~9 ) and far less than great fall. but the increase in sap over buckets is still obvious even with out the longer time to heal factored in. the new location will have many more taps per run and a lot more fall for most of the trees. the setup at my moms has the surflo and 15 taps. it kicked butt! for 15 taps ;) the new bush is remote and no power so I will buy a 12 volt one for there.
It was cool, I stopped at a place today that I always wanted to tap but the previous owners were not very receptive. The new ones are very receptive... a little to receptive he and his wife tapped their first trees this year! so I answered several questions and made it clear they could call any time. if they do not continue they will let me tap it. but I suspect they have the bug :)

[Traunik]

This is my first post here and first season tapping. Looks like everyone had a good season, thanks for the updates, I've been lurking for several weeks and finally got around to posting a comment. I'm currently at about 4 gallons of syrup, but I'm going to have to go back and refilter most of it due to sand. It's been a fun season and learned a lot, tapped about 6 silvers and 10 sugars. The silvers budded out a few weeks back and it looks like the sugars may do the same here very soon. Hoping to squeek out a few more batches on my double burner. Plan to step it up next season and build an arch in the yard of some sort, LP evap is expensive and time consuming and I have access to plenty of wood inour timber. Well, I was planning on only making a batch or two and it turned into an obsession, but wont have to worry about the family running out of syrup anytime soon, we are stocked!

[mol1jb]

Looks like another season is nearing the end. Bitter sweet it is. Had our best run ever. Collected 146 gallons this morning and they are still running.

Thanks for the links prairietrapper.

How has the season been over all for everyone? This has been a record breaking year all around for us. Looks like we will triple our sap and syrup. Only increased taps by 30%. Can't wait to see what vacuum does. Might need a life preserver. Lol.

We are finishing all our sweet from yesterdays evaporating today. We tapped the last week of Jan and our taps are slowing down. It was a good season but with all our new equipment it could have better. It took a while working out all the kinks and fine tuning everything. Overall we are happy with our 30+ gallons of syrup.

[dogpatch]

Welcome Traunik. Another Tapper in Bureau County!! Obsession is correct. This is my 5th year and I can't wait until next year and this year is not over yet. Where are you located? I tap near Tiskilwa.

[prairietapper]

It looks like another 5 or so in the canner after tonight's boiling so that gets me up to about 8 or 9 is all.. I am regretting not tapping in Jan like some of you did ! lol
Yes Welcome Traunik!

[TreeTapper2]

Last boil of the season. I think I'm making chocolate syrup....it is dark and strong. Actually not bad tasting.

Is everyone else done in Illinois?

[prairietapper]

I am hoping to have one more boil, I am not holding my breath!

[dogpatch]

Last one for my sap will be Saturday. I am getting about 1/2 as much flow compared to about 1 week ago. Still running 2% sugar. Sure can't complain, this has been a banner year.