Starting setup North of Nashwauk 2021

[Jukenjer]

Walked out line placements on Thursday 2/25/2021 using a compass and range finder following a well mapped out plan by our brother in law. Left foot prints in about 6” of crusty snow so my crew of wife, 85 year old father and 70+ yo other brother in law can follow and run the lines on the 26th. I came behind and placed the end of run hook, stretched the lines and tied them off at the collection point. Total of 12 - 3/16 lines, having a decent amount of slope, with approximately 200 taps complete. Not a bad day in the woods for us in our 50’s, 70’s and 80’s. So far no interest in the younger generations helping. Will finish all plumbing today, tap 28th or 1st which looks to be in time for a least a weeks worth of ideal temps that I can see.
Good luck everyone. Most importantly have fun and be safe!

[goose52]

Read your post with interest. My younger generation all like the idea of making our own syrup but seem content to let me do the work! To be fair they are working and have kids of their own so they have other priorities. Sappage is starting here, but can't get to the bush until late on 3/1. Good luck.

[Jukenjer]

3/2/2021 only a few wet taps with temps reaching 45 late in the afternoon. Today 3/3 once again reaching in the 40’s after noon but with full sun since early am. May take a few days to wake the trees up. Waiting for somewhat of a flow so I can make repairs and add the vacuum to assist the natural gravity and pull sap up from 6 lines at a lower elevation than the collection point.
It’s coming.... unless the weather forecasters have it all wrong again 😂

[ChaskaSap]

Wishing you luck. Down in the cities it started this morning at 9:00.

[sweet acer]

Looking at notes from 2015 which was a similar winter, with frost deep in the ground, I do not expect the sap to run until mid March or later. However, we will put out a test tap today. Happy tapping north of Marcell.

[Jukenjer]

Fairly windy today with a decent flow with the assistance of a Shurflo 4008. Not expected to go below freezing until 5 AM so pumps will run all night. With any luck we will have our first boil down on the 9th. About 100 gallons in the tank with a typical mass boil of anywhere between 150 and 275 gallons.
Let it flow!!

[Jukenjer]

First boil on 3/9. 140 gallons in the tank with a 1.2 BRIX reading which I think is a bit low. End result was 62:1. Nothing flowing but maybe today and the next two weeks look favorable.
I still had a lot of Nitre even after filtering through pre filter and Orlon filter. Have to let settle for three days before reheating to 185 and bottling. Any ideas of filter improvements without breaking the bank?

[Eric Holm]

We’ve used dish towels and wire mesh kitchen strainers for 4 generations. Probably as thrifty as you can get. Admittedly not a high speed high volume operation, I run about 35 gallons of finished syrup through a dish towel every year. Once right out of the stove and one pass just before bottling. Produces beautiful clear syrup. Tried attaching a photo but not sure if it worked.

[Jukenjer]

Thanks @Eric Holm for the filter tip. I will have to give it a try.
Last two days nothing running. Hoping today the flow returns to which it looks like maybe an end on April 1st according to the extended forecast. So far produced 20 gallons of syrup. Does not look like it will be a stellar year but a good year overall in the bigger picture.

[BigPine]

Eric Holm - I too am trying dish towels. My helpful Wife donated a few and I cut them in quarters. I put 3 - 4 in my filter 'rack' and peal 1 or 2 out as I go. Then repeat. So far, very good. I only do about 10 g of syrup. Thank You Eric!

[Jukenjer]

Just boiled down 400 gallons over two days. We pre filtered out of the big tank and it did not want to go through. We then finished it off the tried filtering again with pre filter and orlon filter. Again a thick sludge quickly plugged the pre filter. I am sure it is something with the trees and not our process right? That was painful with tension amongs the group 🤣.
Thinking more and more going to a vacuum filter. Will have to search this forum for what works best.
Anyone else see this sludge recently?

[Tapping Gold]

Jukenjer, I'm south of you, just north of Mille Lacs. First batch on the year for me was dirty. It was only 100 gallons which once the first pre-filter plugged I pulled it out until the second plugs and so forth. One year i recall using six pre-filters, this year only four needed so far.
You tried to filter four times that amount i did. I can understand your frustrations unfortunately more pre-filters needed. Once there plugged cant force more thru.
Its nothing your doing, i call it a dirty batch. Happens once and a while for me.
If someone has a better explanation to why the dirty batches happen I'd be glad to listen.
Hope that helps

[Jukenjer]

Done!! Taps pulled, lines sanitized and tanks cleaned. Not a bad year for us with 44 gallons of syrup. Now bring on the pancakes!!!