Half Tapped

[newman_maple]

I put in 20 taps yesterday and 10 today. It was really beginning to run this afternoon. I should have a good start before the cold back in in the middle of the week. The biggest problem will be the mud with the rain moving in.

I will only have about 60 taps total. Plan to wait to see what the weather forecasts show for next week and beyond before tapping the rest.

[newman_maple]

I put in 25 more taps this afternoon and collected 20 gallons from just them. Brought in about 45 gallons total. Boiling now and will be at it all day tomorrow. Gonna be a big run this week with very warm weather. Might need a cool down in a few days to keep the taps running. The mud is becoming a problem already too :(

[Sugarmaker]

Newman,
I think you have to have mud to make syrup! Got to love it!
Where is Adams Co? I assume south Ohio?
Chris

[newman_maple]

Chris,

Adams County is indeed in southern Ohio. I am about half way between Cincinnati and Portsmouth. I am about 25 miles north of the river.

I am finishing off what will be at least three gallons this eveing. I am trying out a new filter so I am going to put it into glass jugs. I hope to avoid pouring off this year. That is a pain.

I suppose you are right about the mud. No mud, no syrup! Thanks for the reply.

Eric

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Big buck county!

[newman_maple]

There are indeed big bucks in these woods!

I have ants in a few buckets. Any words of wisdom on this matter? I have been able to keep them out of my tank, but I have never had them before.

[tappin&sappin]

newman,

Ants are typically a problem for me here NW PA in late March. They will go away once the cold sets back in. Until then, filter them out!

- Jake

[Mike N RI]

I was surfing and found the following unfortunate news: There is an auction February 23rd in Rootstown, OH at 11am--looks like a complete maple operation with a 4x12 Grimm, syrup pans, hoods, stacks, tanks, pumps, auto drawoff, buckets,etc... see website: http://www.kikoauctions.com/Listings/Auction_Listings/2008/022308TallmadgeRd.htm

[jemsklein]

its 2 bad that it is too bad its to far looks like there is some good stuff there

[newman_maple]

I would like to go to that auction, but it is too far for me too. It is 4 1/2 hours north of my location.

I wish I could have built a sugarshack this year. I am cooking outside and I will be boiling in some rain and cold weather this weekend. I think I will have to draw off late Saturday night and let my tanks freeze up. I should get my sap that is more than a day or two old boiled down. I have a four day weekend next week so I am counting on a big week next week!!

[maplekid]

that auction is only a couple miles from my house. i think its out of the old sugar camp out there

[Brent]

I wish this *&^% forum put up threads on a time delay ( of about a month). I still don't have my new evap. 2 -3 weeks away. Nobody's tapping up here and you guys are filling the jugs. It ain't fair.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I am just thankful for this form. Look at it this way, you are filling jugs sometimes 1 to 2 months after others have quit filling jugs and wished they were still filling jugs.

[Dave Y]

If you make enough syrup you can fill jugs all year round!:)

[Brent]

None of that helps a bit. I got a match in my hand and I'm itchin' to light the fire.

I may light something I shouldn't and claim mental anguish, not responsible for my actions.

[newman_maple]

I just got the fire started. I have 100+ gallons to boil in my little 2' x 3' pan. I hope to put a big dent in it or do it all before I draw off late tomorrow night. It is going to be a long night and a long day tomorrow. I do not plan to be outside boiling Sunday with below zero wind chills.... brrrr.

[Brent]

You sound like me last year ( and maybe this year if the new evap doesn't come )

We were pulling in 100 to 120 gallons a day for a while and trying to do it on a Half Pint flat pan. Long Long LONG days.

Good luck with it. and remember at 1:30 this morning ... at this level we're doing it for fun.

[newman_maple]

Brent

Some of my friends think I am nuts, but they are very glad to take a little syrup off my hands. I will definitely be (at minimum) under roof next year.

I hope you get that evaporator!

Eric

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Eric,

You can fill up the firebox with wood and check it aprox every hour and add more wood and sap as neccessary. If you play with it long enough, you can fill the pan up with sap and the proper amount of wood in the firebox and go to bed and the next morning you will have 1 to 2" in the pan. I had a 2x3 pan with 6" sides and it would hold about 15 gallon and I would do this sometimes when I was a kid and it takes a few times to get the hang of it. Start off on the conservative side and keep adding a little more wood until you get it right.

I am sure I will get some criticism for this, but it works and works good. If your pan is deeper than 6", you could do even more.

[newman_maple]

I may let it boil tonight when i call it an evening. I have an 8" pan and a preheater so I know it will not boil down to nothing. I may let it do its magic tonight since there is no call for bad weather overnight. Last weekend, I let the fire go way down, then I covered the pan. If I have a fire going when I go inside, I will save a couple hours minimum of boiling time. I am not going to have a raging fire, but with 6 1/2 gallons in the preheater and 25+ in the pan, I should be fine.

[troes30]

with our rig, i hate to go take a whizz talk about a nap. little different with a 6x16-steamaway-RO.:)

[newman_maple]

I am going to take it easy on the night boiling tonight. I will make sure the fire is pretty low and let it steam away vs. leaving it with a rapid boil. I need to experiment before I go all out!

It would be nice to have a big rig like you, but I do not enough trees for such luxuries :)

[newman_maple]

I have collected very little sap this week. I have about 40 gallons frozen solid waiting for some boiling. I may thaw and boil tomorrow, but the weather has not been warm enough this week to get a run. We are supposed to get a quick 50 degree Sunday afternoon so I may have a good run over the weekend with little time to boil.

I am at the mercy of the weather this season. I will be under roof next year which will give me more flexibility.