Eastern Ontario 2023

[paulslund]

So watching the weather forecast and wasn't concerned about the warm spell this week as originally next week was still cold.. but now the forecast for next week shows great sap flow weather, but then a deep freeze by the following weekend. I know it's still a ways out, but I'm nowhere near the mindset to start putting out my tubing (I also have a concern I may have ruined it all) and I still have a lot of prep work in the shack, my pump needs bearings replaced, and assembling my RO (parts were just recently delivered about 2 weeks behind!). I thought I was still about 2+ weeks away until I saw the weather...

If the forecast holds, is anyone else in the Ottawa and surrounding areas getting their taps in for next week's supposed mild temps and get a first run in? I'm debating whether to rush to get all set up this weekend or just let it be and wait until the next warm front. I don't think it will take long for sap to flow as there really isn't much in terms of frozen ground. I mean, the snowmobiling really just started about 1.5 weeks ago here, and I'm already afraid we'll lose it..

[ennismaple]

We aren't planning to start tapping until Family Day weekend - we need 4 days with a couple crews to get tapped plus another couple in the sugar camp before we can boil. At least the warmer weather will knock the snow depth down a bit. It's still early...

[Galena]

Yeah the temps we're seeing now are awfully tempting, but I don't like the look of the weather from the 15-21. Planning on holding off til the first week of March. Don't want to hurt my trees and trying to get in an early run just seems too risky to make it worthwhile.

[Corey_d]

I’ve been playing with this sugaring hobby (addiction if you ask my wife) for 6 years and I’m finally starting to ignore that first urge to tap. It seems like every year we get what looks like the perfect week to start, which never runs very much despite the temps, which is followed by a couple weeks of not so great temps and nothing in the buckets. This year I will not resist my laziness and hold off until March as well. Im in the long sault area.

[Galena]

I’ve been playing with this sugaring hobby (addiction if you ask my wife) for 6 years and I’m finally starting to ignore that first urge to tap. It seems like every year we get what looks like the perfect week to start, which never runs very much despite the temps, which is followed by a couple weeks of not so great temps and nothing in the buckets. This year I will not resist my laziness and hold off until March as well. Im in the long sault area.

Good idea. I find the February weather patterns to be too fickle to be trustworthy. In 15 years of tapping I've only tapped in February one year, and that was a somewhat freakish season. Of course we can also get crazy weather in March but February always seems to be the worst.

[jungmaria]

Going to tap 1/2 our trees this weekend to catch the early run we should have. Will wait to tap the rest until can get a better look at the forecast for the rest of the month.

[Fort Wisers]

Hi everyone!
What a weird winter.....logged in this morning to see what others were doing.
We were out splitting firewood for next year and boy did it feel like a "sugrain' day".
We will wait until at least after this next cold snap forecasted for this weekend and then maybe drag everything out and start cleaning.
Probably won't tap until close to early March though.

Good luck to everyone, hope the season goes well.......

Brent

[Galena]

Hey Wisers! Glad to see you back on board for this year! Yep looking at the 24th on, not liking those minus double digits at all. So gonna continue holding off til my usual tapping season of early March.

[Bushfrosh]

Put out my 50 spiles yesterday (Sunday) afternoon with the assistance of my daughter. Collected for the first time this evening and trees were producing well. Gathered 224L, just shy of 4.5L of sap per spile. Should be an interesting week.

[MikeC82]

Put out a 100 taps and collected around 50 gallons last night. Too early - but what the hell - need something to do.
22884

[ir3333]

Put in some test taps Feb.8th. They have all been dripping very slow but only ran good on one day.
My trees are not ready yet but guys around me are reporting good runs...puzzling? I'm cutting back
this year, and only tapping the biggest trees.

[Fort Wisers]

Hey Wisers! Glad to see you back on board for this year! Yep looking at the 24th on, not liking those minus double digits at all. So gonna continue holding off til my usual tapping season of early March.

Hey Galena,
Good to be back on the board, we might skip again this year (tapped last year but skipped the year before) due to more renos and work.
But we will see, the warmer weather sure had me itching to hear a bucket dripping.

[jungmaria]

Put in some test taps Feb.8th. They have all been dripping very slow but only ran good on one day.
My trees are not ready yet but guys around me are reporting good runs...puzzling? I'm cutting back
this year, and only tapping the biggest trees.

I have a line that’s running like stink and another that’s just dripping. Think it’s the way the slope faces, amount of sunlight etc. But the ones that are running have been really running! Been boiling for the past 2 days and likely more this weekend. Haven’t finished & bottled it yet but hoping for some light syrup.

[ir3333]

Yup, you never know. Last year my best run produced very little.
I have tapped 4 huge trees at my neighbours for 5 years and have never gotten much out of them.

[limestone]

Last Saturday we made the decision with the weather looking good for the week to get started ASAP. With line repairs done (**** squirrels and deer ) we tapped Tuesday.
It ran great Tuesday,Tuesday night and ok Wednesday when it clouded over. We’re 26km northeast of Kingston and Lake Ontario and that’s enough of a climate factor to give us a strong start due to the lake not freezing this year.
No plans to boil yet until the real season starts. We should have enough sap storage room it’ll likely freeze so no spoilage worries
Ready for whatever mom nature gives us.

[Galena]

Put in some test taps Feb.8th. They have all been dripping very slow but only ran good on one day.
My trees are not ready yet but guys around me are reporting good runs...puzzling? I'm cutting back
this year, and only tapping the biggest trees.

Keep in mind that big trees take longer to thaw. My bush maples are small and so they will produce sooner than the biggest trees, which often take a couple of weeks to come up to speed.

ETA: also keep in mind that where your trees are located, what species they are, age, soil, climate, drainage etc all affect your run. After doing this 14 yrs now I can almost predict when my season will start, peak and end. Very glad I held off tapping, this current weather isn't horrible but enough to prove that it was a false spring!

[Coatesy]

Back for a new season took last year off as I hurt my back. Put up 18 buckets Monday yielded a bit over 20 gallons today is miserable weather but looks okay for the next 5. Not liking the end of the month forecast though Hope everyone has a good season

[Bushfrosh]

Total of 954L collected from 50 spiles from Monday through Thursday. Lots to boil now! Happy 2023 everyone!

Monday evening = 223.74L
Tuesday evening = 377.48L
Wednesday evening = 261.48L
Thursday evening = 91.32L

[Lanark]

I decided to put up 40 buckets on Wednesday, collected about 60 litres. One of my buckets did have a gypsy moth.

[ir3333]

Long range suggests my trees are gonna deep freeze again. I don't think my big
trees*will thaw until at least the 2nd week of March. Mid March or later is pretty is normal for me.
Good luck everybody!

[Coatesy]

Same hoping taps will run again after the freeze only did half my trees so my have to move some

[ir3333]

I think the early guys might get a couple runs mon. and tues.

[Coatesy]

Boiling today and tomorrow, taps get through ok next weekend we should be good to go

[Lanark]

Collected 40 gallons today after work.

[limestone]

25 gallons collected yesterday and 105 today. Again it ran overnight which is unusual for an early run. Started the evaporator this morning because our storage tanks were full with today’s run underway. Noticing fairly heavy sugar sand which is unusual for an early run.
That’s just another thing to add to the way this season is different than most so far.
Hope everyone enjoys a great start like we have whenever you start.

[Galena]

25 gallons collected yesterday and 105 today. Again it ran overnight which is unusual for an early run. Started the evaporator this morning because our storage tanks were full with today’s run underway. Noticing fairly heavy sugar sand which is unusual for an early run.
That’s just another thing to add to the way this season is different than most so far.
Hope everyone enjoys a great start like we have whenever you start.

I notice heavy nitre in seasons that are a bit whacky, like this one, and heavy nitre loads trap so much syrup it's crazy. I've literally kept my nitre loads from last season and managed to get 500ml more syrup from them! Keeping this in mind, I am still gonna wait til the first week of March before I tap.

[ennismaple]

We got about 80% tapped on the weekend, all the mainlines stretched across trails, most releasers out on the tanks, and tested one of the vacuum pumps plus the electric releaser. We'll get the sugar camp ready on the weekend when its too cold to tap and then get the remaining 800 taps finished on Sunday. I know we missed some sap over the past 2 weeks but knowing we normally make syrup until mid April it's always a bit of a risk on tapping early and hoping the season doesn't run long vs waiting a week or two and tapping to get the mid April flows with tapholes that are fresher.

[ir3333]

Long term for my area shows a warming trend starting in early March. The second week is looking good , hopefully right after daylight time changes.
Nice to finish boiling by 3 or 4 o'clock, relax and collect sap around 6:00 or 6:30, but the long range weather is so unpredictable.

[paulslund]

Will someone please ask mother nature to make up her mind? Give us spring or keep us in winter.. This coming week was supposed to be all below zero temps.. ugh.

I think I've become a whiner this season! :lol:

22936

[ir3333]

You're too impatient...take advantage of the free time and hope for syrup weather from about
mid March to the 1st week of April!. Nice long days by then!

[paulslund]

You're too impatient...take advantage of the free time and hope for syrup weather from about
mid March to the 1st week os April!.

LOL.. actually I don't want syrup season to start for at least another few weeks.. still trying to get my snowmobiling hours in, but mother nature keeps lobbing mild temps out of left field at us sledders! :D

[Hkb82]

Zero hours on trails this year for me so I’d be thankful for what you did get. The most snow we had on the ground in my area was that late November storm we had. Brutal year this year for the sleds and just another reason why I should be selling them.

[Swingpure]

Zero hours on trails this year for me so I’d be thankful for what you did get. The most snow we had on the ground in my area was that late November storm we had. Brutal year this year for the sleds and just another reason why I should be selling them.

The trails here just opened this week for the first time this season, with limited availability. Last year they were open for less than a month.

[paulslund]

Zero hours on trails this year for me so I’d be thankful for what you did get. The most snow we had on the ground in my area was that late November storm we had. Brutal year this year for the sleds and just another reason why I should be selling them.

I'm sorry to hear that.. we always look forward to the upcoming sledding season with such anticipation.. this year has been a letdown for most. I'm fortunate my trails just reopened so hoping to squeeze a few more weeks in, but the base, even though pretty hard now, is still thin.

This is certainly the year that makes one considering trading in the sleds for seadoos or something...

[Coatesy]

Bottled about 4L a very sweet and sugary first batch. Weather change is annoying as it was suppose to be good this week. Maybe it'll change back 🤔

[Someclown]

This is certainly the year that makes one considering trading in the sleds for seadoos or something...

22940

Something like this ? Fat Truck

"\_{°¿°}_/"

Should be able to put many buckets of sap in the back
Not a Sherp which is chain driven and break easily, this is built much better with Caterpillar engine and hydraulic drives

[Maplesapper]

Bruce Mines Fire Dept just dragged one of these Fat Trucks out of the lake...... thought they were suppose to get out on their own

[Someclown]

Looks like driver panic error to me from the video I watched
Dump some air out of the tires when on ice and take it easy, don't go full bore panic mode to get out

[Galena]

I'm sorry to hear that.. we always look forward to the upcoming sledding season with such anticipation.. this year has been a letdown for most. I'm fortunate my trails just reopened so hoping to squeeze a few more weeks in, but the base, even though pretty hard now, is still thin.

This is certainly the year that makes one considering trading in the sleds for seadoos or something...

Lol quite yer whingeing and get out enjoy the nice big dump of snow we had today! If you want, come out my way and I'll show you my bush. My SUGARbush, that is....all 8 glorious trees! :-)

[paulslund]

Lol quite yer whingeing and get out enjoy the nice big dump of snow we had today! If you want, come out my way and I'll show you my bush. My SUGARbush, that is....all 8 glorious trees! :-)

ROTFLMAO!

Unfortunately the river crossings aren't safe, so can't get over to that side yet. Just came back from a 2 hour run with the wifey.. Always a challenging ride when a lot of fresh, soft snow that hasn't been groomed yet. Going to be a good weekend for sure though!

[Galena]

Well get on out here, feel free to bring wifey too:-)

[paulslund]

Well.. this is the weekend for me. Stringing lines on Saturday and tapping on Sunday.

[Galena]

Might tap tomorrow but think I have to dig out my snowshoes so I can get to the trees lol. Paulslund, the groomers were out today btw ;-)

[paulslund]

Might tap tomorrow but think I have to dig out my snowshoes so I can get to the trees lol. Paulslund, the groomers were out today btw ;-)

I think they were out over hear today as well.. went out with the kids after school and the trails were really good.. the base is thin though, so even with tomorrow's snow if the weather warms up beyond the forecast it might be short lived.. Fingers crossed we're sledding in March break!

I'm almost second guessing getting the taps in based on the long term forecast.. but if i wait I worry i'll get caught with my pants down...

[Vandy]

Got my 100+ taps in yesterday. Started at 11am, by 6pm some half buckets... All holes were instantly wet. Will collect and boil tonight!

[Galena]

I think they were out over hear today as well.. went out with the kids after school and the trails were really good.. the base is thin though, so even with tomorrow's snow if the weather warms up beyond the forecast it might be short lived.. Fingers crossed we're sledding in March break!

I'm almost second guessing getting the taps in based on the long term forecast.. but if i wait I worry i'll get caught with my pants down...

Oh you big tease...lol! About to strap on the snowshoes and blaze trail out to my sweet lil bush ;-) Then get some tapping done....cold shower time!

[paulslund]

Oh you big tease...lol! About to strap on the snowshoes and blaze trail out to my sweet lil bush ;-) Then get some tapping done....cold shower time!
LOL.. I put up my six buckets and strung the tubing yesterday, I may have about 1-2 L per tap (although one buckets was empty) so not a huge flow.. pretty windy today so not sure if they will flow much. I'll be tapping my lines by the weekend.. I don't anticipate I'll have much to boil from the buckets...

@ennismaple: Martin I think you tapped a few weeks ago.. anything major coming out of the Perth area?

[Galena]

OMG think I just had a mini heart attack - bring stuff downstairs from storage, dropped both the Murphy Cup and its specialized $$$$$ hydrotherm, which at least I had been smart enough to keep in its storage tube....thankfully both survived intact. Whew. Just to make sure I tested it with one of my batches whose density is known. Just to make double sure I am using my backup hydrotherm to verify it. Dang but I love the Smoky Lake gear!!

Exactly as I learned last fall, I'm 2.5 over Brix, as opposed to being 2 under as I was told by a certain syrup-producer who sponsors a certain fall fair in my area...right, Paul? ;-)

[limestone]

Back in action here in South Frontenac.
Good run yesterday and excellent run today. The nitre we had from the “valentines “ run is gone which is nice. Have now bottled 14% of expected yield. Last year we didn’t have good run until March break so there lots of time left.

[Vandy]

WOW. all but 5 of my buckets were overflowing.. Super run yesterday and today. Was not expecting that. I will need a few days to boil all that....

[Galena]

Set my spiles somewhat after work yesterday. All but one of the spiles was hot. As anticipated, my three little Surprise trees in the back 40 were the ones really pumping it out! Even #6, now down to only 2 spiles, was keen to get going. And now that #2, my biggest and often best tree, is back on the line, it also wasted no time showing me that there still plenty of life in the old tree yet :-) As they should be frozen this morning, have to hammer a few spiles in a little bit deeper. Didn't have the chance last night!

[ir3333]

Wow...that's great! Only one of the test taps i put in ran on the weekend. My area weather shows a 1 and 2 degree day trend so
I may be tapping on the 20th?

[Swingpure]

Set my spiles somewhat after work yesterday. All but one of the spiles was hot. As anticipated, my three little Surprise trees in the back 40 were the ones really pumping it out! Even #6, now down to only 2 spiles, was keen to get going. And now that #2, my biggest and often best tree, is back on the line, it also wasted no time showing me that there still plenty of life in the old tree yet :-) As they should be frozen this morning, have to hammer a few spiles in a little bit deeper. Didn't have the chance last night!

The overflowing buckets and hot spiles have me jealous. Do you have much snow in your area? I know your days would be warmer, and warmer longer than mine up here, but my taps although flowing, have never raced.

I am averaging maybe .7 of a litre per tap. It is still total winter here with a couple of feet of snow in the forest. All my taps are on slopes that face east.

[Vandy]

1ft+ snow. recently fallen, was bare ground 3 weeks ago. Been a warm winter, only 1 day of -30. The Canal didn't even open in Ottawa!

[Galena]

The overflowing buckets and hot spiles have me jealous. Do you have much snow in your area? I know your days would be warmer, and warmer longer than mine up here, but my taps although flowing, have never raced.

I am averaging maybe .7 of a litre per tap. It is still total winter here with a couple of feet of snow in the forest. All my taps are on slopes that face east.

Oh yes there is a lot of snow in my area atm. Let's put it this way, it's a 3-ft drop for me to get in and out of my old woodshed lol. Where the snow has come off the roof esp north side, I probably have about 5ft.

No need to be jealous, your time will come! The spiles certainly are doing nothing at all today, very windy though not all that cold otherwise.

[paulslund]

Well it's go time in the Ottawa area! Going to get the rest of my taps in on Saturday and get the pump set up etc.. Should be boiling next weekend!

23011

[Galena]

Annoying season so far. Stop and go.

[ir3333]

All my trees should be running good by Friday
Mon. 20th looks like a good day to start the season...we'll see

[ir3333]

Checked and all the test taps are running good today by 15:30 (tues.) The sugar in the small trees (14")
is barely above 1% after filling the pails 5 times since Feb. 8th. I found this last year too but the big trees all
stayed above 2% right 'til the end. I may tap tomorrow now,

[paulslund]

Annoying season so far. Stop and go.

Yes.. today looked promising with the sunshine, but it's still below zero with a strong wind out here at 1PM.. probably only get a few hours of run I think..

[limestone]

Excellent run here +6 by late afternoon. Started dripping at 11:30 and was full bore by 1.

[jungmaria]

Anybody else having problems with sand/nitre this year? Been a pain since day 1 this season. Don’t have a reversible pan or a 2nd syrup pan so need to shut down and clean about every 100 gal. Tried to go further the other day and baked it on pretty good. Lucky I didn’t scorch them! Had a thick sludge that looked like chocolate pudding in the pre filters that day. Wondering why so much worse this year? Because it’s been such a dry winter?

[Swingpure]

Anybody else having problems with sand/nitre this year? Been a pain since day 1 this season. Don’t have a reversible pan or a 2nd syrup pan so need to shut down and clean about every 100 gal. Tried to go further the other day and baked it on pretty good. Lucky I didn’t scorch them! Had a thick sludge that looked like chocolate pudding in the pre filters that day. Wondering why so much worse this year? Because it’s been such a dry winter?

Only my second year doing this, but I also have a lot more nitre than last year and it blocked my filters on my vacuum filter for the first time. I could see having to drain and clean my pan sometime next week.

[Lanark]

I'm also having trouble with sugar sand this year, I'll have to filter my syrup a second time or let it settle, pour off then filter the remainder.

[Bruce L]

Anybody else having problems with sand/nitre this year? Been a pain since day 1 this season. Don’t have a reversible pan or a 2nd syrup pan so need to shut down and clean about every 100 gal. Tried to go further the other day and baked it on pretty good. Lucky I didn’t scorch them! Had a thick sludge that looked like chocolate pudding in the pre filters that day. Wondering why so much worse this year? Because it’s been such a dry winter?
Also had the chocolate pudding nitre the other day,usually can filter 25 gallons through the filters,now it’s pushing it for 15

[limestone]

Other than the short run in mid February we haven’t had sand issues here Jungmaria and we’re not that far away from you around Tamworth as the crow flies. Now that I’ve said that I’m sure the next boil it’ll show up.
The second syrup pan is a good way to go if you’re able. We have one and switch out after every boiling day. We don’t use an RO and don’t have permeate water to clean the pan. We reuse the same batch of water and Parlor Brite dairy cleaner to soak in the pan for the day. Scale rinses right out after that.

[Coatesy]

Interesting I've done three batches and mine also very sugary this year I don't mind though just extra filtering work syrup is tasty

[Galena]

Hmmm I don't seem to have the nitre problem everyone else is having. At least not yet, season's still young. Have about 12l of nearup, plan to finish batch #1 tonight.

ETA limestone....is Parlor Brite inert? Like it def is ok to use to clean sugaring pans? Bruce?

[Vandy]

My first batch was OK. 2nd one I finished last night was terrible....

[Galena]

My first batch was OK. 2nd one I finished last night was terrible....

Oh no. What was wrong with 2nd batch?

[Vandy]

Oh, just the nitre... 20L of syrup absolutely clogged all the my pre-filters and filter. Was even sand left in bottom of finishing pan... Never seen that.

[Galena]

Ok finally got batvh #1 done...94l of sap just over 3 l light amber syrup...31:1 ratio! Happy!

[jungmaria]

Yep finding the same. Can only get 14-15 L through the filters before they clog. So need a 2nd pan and more filters. And lots of vinegar!

[Galena]

Huh...I'm getting fairly little nitre but lots of scale.

ETA: now that I've corrected the density, that 94.4l sap became 3.4 l syrup. 27.7:1 ratio, even better than 31:1! Wow this is gonna be a great season!

[limestone]

Galena
Milk-stone remover is the generic name for the cleaner used in the wash cycle of milking systems. It should only be used on stainless pans. Parlor brite is the brand name of the product my local supplier sells. A cup of it with 20L of water and I just recycle it all season in our 2x2 syrup pans. Any dairy supplies dealers will have their brand.
Cheers

[Galena]

Galena
Milk-stone remover is the generic name for the cleaner used in the wash cycle of milking systems. It should only be used on stainless pans. Parlor brite is the brand name of the product my local supplier sells. A cup of it with 20L of water and I just recycle it all season in our 2x2 syrup pans. Any dairy supplies dealers will have their brand.
Cheers

Thanks, I get that it's food safe, it would have to be! I'm just concerned about it being ok to use with stainless steel pans used for sugaring. Don't want any kind of leaching of any kind of tastes into the syrup.

[Bruce L]

Thanks, I get that it's food safe, it would have to be! I'm just concerned about it being ok to use with stainless steel pans used for sugaring. Don't want any kind of leaching of any kind of tastes into the syrup.
Good morning Galena,have used it many many times. I always boil water in the pan after to make sure there’s no trace left in any corners etc.

[Bricklayer]

The pan acid you buy at maple dealers at a premium price is the same as milk stone remover.
Phosphoric acid as the main ingredient. I can almost guarantee it’s just Dairy milkstone remover relabeled as Maple Pan Acid.
It works great. We bought a 5 gallon jug last year instead of doing the rotten sap pan cleaning. Filled the pans with permeate brought to a boil and mixed in the milkstone remover. Let it sit for a week and all the pans were the cleanest they have ever been since we bought them. We don’t use it during the season. Only at the end of season clean up. We then pressure wash it all out when done. So no residue.

[Bricklayer]

The pan acid you buy at maple dealers at a premium price is the same as milk stone remover.
Phosphoric acid as the main ingredient. I can almost guarantee it’s just Dairy milkstone remover relabeled as Maple Pan Acid.
It works great. We bought a 5 gallon jug last year instead of doing the rotten sap pan cleaning. Filled the pans with permeate brought to a boil and mixed in the milkstone remover. Let it sit for a week and all the pans were the cleanest they have ever been since we bought them. We don’t use it during the season. Only at the end of season clean up. We then pressure wash it all out when done. So no residue.

[Galena]

Good morning Galena,have used it many many times. I always boil water in the pan after to make sure there’s no trace left in any corners etc.

Thanks Bruce, Yeah that was my main concern, even though the corners of my pans are rounded. BTW you still have yet to taste all my award-winning syrup!


Bricklayer, yeah I guessed that anything CDL sells is just rebranded Parlour Brite. Do you get yours from the Co-op in Spencerville? Down near the HH? Do they sell it only in 5g containers?

[paulslund]

Thanks Bruce, Yeah that was my main concern, even though the corners of my pans are rounded. BTW you still have yet to taste all my award-winning syrup!


Bricklayer, yeah I guessed that anything CDL sells is just rebranded Parlour Brite. Do you get yours from the Co-op in Spencerville? Down near the HH? Do they sell it only in 5g containers?

Hey Susan. What I do to clean my pan is just pour in vinegar and water (about 25% vinegar/75 water) and let it sit for a few days (even a few hours does wonders).. seems to clean everything off.. if very stubborn I increase the vinegar content, and get it hot when you pour in (doesn't matter if it cools off over the day.. although you could actually boil it in the pan too.. that's supposed to be even more efficient at cleaning a pan).

Paul.

[Galena]

Hey Susan. What I do to clean my pan is just pour in vinegar and water (about 25% vinegar/75 water) and let it sit for a few days (even a few hours does wonders).. seems to clean everything off.. if very stubborn I increase the vinegar content, and get it hot when you pour in (doesn't matter if it cools off over the day.. although you could actually boil it in the pan too.. that's supposed to be even more efficient at cleaning a pan).

Paul.

Thanks Paul, I have heard of that and tried it in the past with mixed results. Not with my sugaring pans though. Do you use regular white vinegar or the so-called 'cleaning' vinegar? And what ratio do you use? Thanks!

[ir3333]

I also clean with a 25/75 solution using regular white vinegar. I bring it to a boil and the scale just lifts off the stainless pans. I drain it
and store it until next year. For the bottom i leave them outside upside down through a few frost and rain cycles. When the hot sun finally
hits the bottom the black just lifts / flakes off after a few weeks.

[Galena]

I also clean with a 25/75 solution using regular white vinegar. I bring it to a boil and the scale just lifts off the stainless pans. I drain it
and store it until next year. For the bottom i leave them outside upside down through a few frost and rain cycles. When the hot sun finally
hits the bottom the black just lifts / flakes off after a few weeks.

Thanks much, the good ol water and vinegar solution much more affordable than that Parlor Brite :-) I love that people help each other out so much on this site!

[Lanark]

I also use regular vinegar in my flat pan for cleaning between boils. Once I take the almost syrup off I put about 15 gallons of clean water in with a 4 litre jug of vinegar scrub down the sides while it's still cool then walk away. What's left in the firebox reheats the water and vinegar and by morning all the pan needs is a quick scrub, empty the pan wipe it dry and refill with fresh sap.

[Galena]

Colour graded my first 2 batches today. 56 (Amber( and 40 (Dark) respectively. Batch #3 is underway.

[paulslund]

Thanks Paul, I have heard of that and tried it in the past with mixed results. Not with my sugaring pans though. Do you use regular white vinegar or the so-called 'cleaning' vinegar? And what ratio do you use? Thanks!

Sorry Susan I missed your response.. Yes I just use regular white vinegar like others have posted. Heating it up is supposed to be especially effective, but by the time I clean mine there is no heat left to do that with. So a good soak is usually enough to get it clean enough for boil.

[paulslund]

Uh oh.. this week is looking good but next week could shut things down pretty quickly at my end, especially if those temps rise a bit more...

23110

[4Walls]

I use vinegar too to clean my pans but with a twist.. I make my own maple vinegar. We call it maple cider vinegar. Almost identical to apple cider vinegar but the good stuff. I don't pasteurize it so it is a live vinegar.
I make about 20 gallons a year. Keep 5 for cooking and pickles and salad dressing. Anywhere you want to have a unique vinegar. Its really really good.
What I do is use my late late season syrup. The stuff that tastes a bit like molasses. Draw it off when it is hot and about 15% sugar content. That will make a product that is about 8% abv. From there I let it cool and toss in some activated bread yeast and let it ferment. Once it is done fermenting I add a "mother" from a live apple cider vinegar. Or just dump some non pasteurized live cider vinegar into it and let it go. The secondary process converts the alcohol to vinegar.
I wind up with 20 gallons of amazingly flavourful maple cider vinegar. The final product is about 6% acetic acid. Ideal for pickling. I give bottles of it away. I add about 50ml or mid season syrup to a 500ml bottle of vinegar. It is a crowd favourite. Keep 5 gallons for myself and use the rest to clean pans. Cost pennies.

[Galena]

I use vinegar too to clean my pans but with a twist.. I make my own maple vinegar. We call it maple cider vinegar. Almost identical to apple cider vinegar but the good stuff. I don't pasteurize it so it is a live vinegar.
I make about 20 gallons a year. Keep 5 for cooking and pickles and salad dressing. Anywhere you want to have a unique vinegar. Its really really good.
What I do is use my late late season syrup. The stuff that tastes a bit like molasses. Draw it off when it is hot and about 15% sugar content. That will make a product that is about 8% abv. From there I let it cool and toss in some activated bread yeast and let it ferment. Once it is done fermenting I add a "mother" from a live apple cider vinegar. Or just dump some non pasteurized live cider vinegar into it and let it go. The secondary process converts the alcohol to vinegar.
I wind up with 20 gallons of amazingly flavourful maple cider vinegar. The final product is about 6% acetic acid. Ideal for pickling. I give bottles of it away. I add about 50ml or mid season syrup to a 500ml bottle of vinegar. It is a crowd favourite. Keep 5 gallons for myself and use the rest to clean pans. Cost pennies.

Oh wow! That sounds like an awesome idea! If I do get a late season batch it usually is pretty small. Often I get 5 batches for sure, 6 if I'm very lucky. Sadly my dark is really popular as syrup. Still I can try to set a litre or so aside and give it a try :-)

[paulslund]

I use vinegar too to clean my pans but with a twist.. I make my own maple vinegar. We call it maple cider vinegar. Almost identical to apple cider vinegar but the good stuff. I don't pasteurize it so it is a live vinegar.
I make about 20 gallons a year. Keep 5 for cooking and pickles and salad dressing. Anywhere you want to have a unique vinegar. Its really really good.
What I do is use my late late season syrup. The stuff that tastes a bit like molasses. Draw it off when it is hot and about 15% sugar content. That will make a product that is about 8% abv. From there I let it cool and toss in some activated bread yeast and let it ferment. Once it is done fermenting I add a "mother" from a live apple cider vinegar. Or just dump some non pasteurized live cider vinegar into it and let it go. The secondary process converts the alcohol to vinegar.
I wind up with 20 gallons of amazingly flavourful maple cider vinegar. The final product is about 6% acetic acid. Ideal for pickling. I give bottles of it away. I add about 50ml or mid season syrup to a 500ml bottle of vinegar. It is a crowd favourite. Keep 5 gallons for myself and use the rest to clean pans. Cost pennies.

Ok wow! That sounds really neat! I will have to try that.. It sounds like it may have a similar taste to Balsamic vinegar perhaps?

[Galena]

@ paulslund Well...with maybe a hint of maple lol ;-)

[4Walls]

Smart a$$
Yes. between balsamic and apple cider vinegar. We quite enjoy it. Honestly use it for everything. All my pickles for the past few years have been packed in that. Transforms ordinary pickled beets into something magic. I use it for salads. Works wonders for asian stir fry as a replacement for rice vinegar. Not good for cleaning. Bit of sweet to it. Works great in the pans tho.

[Galena]

Smart a$$
Yes. between balsamic and apple cider vinegar. We quite enjoy it. Honestly use it for everything. All my pickles for the past few years have been packed in that. Transforms ordinary pickled beets into something magic. I use it for salads. Works wonders for asian stir fry as a replacement for rice vinegar. Not good for cleaning. Bit of sweet to it. Works great in the pans tho.

Good to know :-) so exactly how much syrup do you sacrifice to make say 20g? Also I don't have a sugar therm, is there another way to figure out sugar %?

One thing I have been doing the past few years is keeping the paper coffee filters which syrup has gone through. They are still sodden with syrup and nitre. I am keeping them in the freezer so, if I'm bored come summertime, or have a visitor who wants to see how sugaring is done, I can just chuck them in a pot with a couple gallons of distilled water. Usually results in at least another 500ml syrup. I think this year I'll reassign those same filters to nmaking vinegar :-)

[paulslund]

Good to know :-) so exactly how much syrup do you sacrifice to make say 20g? Also I don't have a sugar therm, is there another way to figure out sugar %?

One thing I have been doing the past few years is keeping the paper coffee filters which syrup has gone through. They are still sodden with syrup and nitre. I am keeping them in the freezer so, if I'm bored come summertime, or have a visitor who wants to see how sugaring is done, I can just chuck them in a pot with a couple gallons of distilled water. Usually results in at least another 500ml syrup. I think this year I'll reassign those same filters to nmaking vinegar :-)

Oh that's a great idea... I just put my orlon back in the freezer until I can gather enough bottles to continue bottling (I'll be freezing my next batches until then) and was going to clean it in the pan, but maybe I'll just soak it in some hot water to release most of it and freeze that to try making a bit of syrup.

I suppose you could just your syrup with known brix and dilute it down to 15%.. if my math is correct, at exactly 66brix, you'd need to dilute 1L of syrup up to 4.4L of solution (so add 3.4L of distilled water), if at 68brix, you'd need to dilute up to 4.533L of water (so add 3.533L of distilled water) and in between should just be a linear computation...

I'm not sure how my girls will react when I tell them instead of making candy and fudge we're going to make vinegar one day! :lol:

[Galena]

...I suppose you could just your syrup with known brix and dilute it down to 15%.. if my math is correct, at exactly 66brix, you'd need to dilute 1L of syrup up to 4.4L of solution (so add 3.4L of distilled water), if at 68brix, you'd need to dilute up to 4.533L of water (so add 3.533L of distilled water) and in between should just be a linear computation...
:

Galena very bad at maff. Can you dumb it down a bit more? Like you're explaining it to a hamburger? Seriously I get the basic idea just need it broken down a bit more. Off to go tackle about 60l sap. Time to get my Whacky on!

[4Walls]

I use one of the floaty brewing hydrometers. Use it to make sure there is no sugar leaking through the RO into the premate. Not exactly sure how much late season sugar I use for the vinegar. I suppose I could calculate it. Quick math say that about 1L of syrup with 4L water should give you about 8% potential ABV on the brewing hydrometer. You can make it anywhere between 6-12 % for the ABV before turning it to Vinegar. I like mine about 6 % acetic acid in the final product, so I aim for 8%ABV. Fill desired container and fix an air lock bubbler to it and away she goes. Just make sure that the solution is below 100f before casting the yeast. You can start small and use a 1L mason jar with the lid just loose on top. Make the maple "wine" first then add any unpasteurized vinegar to it once its done brewing. I would be happy to send you some of my vinegar to you if you want to try it first. It can also be used as the starter or "mother" for the transformation of the wine to the vinegar.

[Galena]

I use one of the floaty brewing hydrometers. Use it to make sure there is no sugar leaking through the RO into the premate. Not exactly sure how much late season sugar I use for the vinegar. I suppose I could calculate it. Quick math say that about 1L of syrup with 4L water should give you about 8% potential ABV on the brewing hydrometer. You can make it anywhere between 6-12 % for the ABV before turning it to Vinegar. I like mine about 6 % acetic acid in the final product, so I aim for 8%ABV. Fill desired container and fix an air lock bubbler to it and away she goes. Just make sure that the solution is below 100f before casting the yeast. You can start small and use a 1L mason jar with the lid just loose on top. Make the maple "wine" first then add any unpasteurized vinegar to it once its done brewing. I would be happy to send you some of my vinegar to you if you want to try it first. It can also be used as the starter or "mother" for the transformation of the wine to the vinegar.

Would absolutely love to try some of your maple vinegar! Will pm you my mailing address. Lots of Mason jars and I already have a couple SCOBIES including an ac vinegar one. Absolutely no brewing equipment though or floaty therms.

[jungmaria]

Thanks for this. It sounds really good! Going to give it a try. How long do you leave it to ferment before adding the mother and then about how long does the secondary process take?

[paulslund]

Galena very bad at maff. Can you dumb it down a bit more? Like you're explaining it to a hamburger? Seriously I get the basic idea just need it broken down a bit more. Off to go tackle about 60l sap. Time to get my Whacky on!

LOL.. So 66Brix is 66% sugar and represents 660ml (actually I think it's technically mg, not ml) of sugar in 1000ml of total solution (i.e. syrup). If you want the 660ml of sugar to represent 15%, then divide 660 by 0.15 and you will obtain 4,400ml. That is the total solution you need.. so if you are starting with 1L, and need 4.4L (without changing the amount of sugar) you would add 3.4L of distilled water. Then you will have a solution with 660mL of sugar on a total of 4.4L of total, which gives 660/4400 = 15%.

If you're starting point is 1/2L of syrup, then divide the above by 1/2 (i.e. you would add 1.7L of the .5L of syrup to get a 15% solution).

Make sense?

[Galena]

LOL.. So 66Brix is 66% sugar and represents 660ml (actually I think it's technically mg, not ml) of sugar in 1000ml of total solution (i.e. syrup). If you want the 660ml of sugar to represent 15%, then divide 660 by 0.15 and you will obtain 4,400ml. That is the total solution you need.. so if you are starting with 1L, and need 4.4L (without changing the amount of sugar) you would add 3.4L of distilled water. Then you will have a solution with 660mL of sugar on a total of 4.4L of total, which gives 660/4400 = 15%.

If you're starting point is 1/2L of syrup, then divide the above by 1/2 (i.e. you would add 1.7L of the .5L of syrup to get a 15% solution).

Make sense?


Uhhh....I'll look at it again in the morning after coffee. I seriously am math dyslexic.

[newmapleguy]

Looking at the weather forecast (Kingston area), after the weekend, the next couple of weeks don't look like they are going to be below zero at night. Is anyone looking at pulling taps soon?

[Lanark]

I think I'll pull my buckets this weekend, mostly because I'm going back to work next week. But then, if I can collect Monday and Tuesday (weather permitted) I'll definitely be done next weekend. I've made 33 litres of syrup so far and every batch has been light in colour. I'll be emptying my pan today and it looks like as well, so I'm hoping I can boil at least one more time and make some amber.

[paulslund]

I just noticed that my sap in the barrels has gotten cloudy already.. must be getting close.. I bet the first few days of this coming week will mark the end of it for me... sap in the few buckets I have is still nice and clear..

[Galena]

I just noticed that my sap in the barrels has gotten cloudy already.. must be getting close.. I bet the first few days of this coming week will mark the end of it for me... sap in the few buckets I have is still nice and clear..

Wait whut, sap cloudy already? Have you tried boiling some on its own to see if it smells like boiling swamp water yet? You're only about 50km away from me, sap still clear and running fine out here though frozen atm...thank gawd lol. And thanks for the formula you sent, I think after a couple more coffees I might be able to understand it.

[Coatesy]

Good day to boil today taps slow yesterday. Have 60G sap to catch up on. Thinking maybe one more week for my season. Hope everyone is doing well

[paulslund]

Wait whut, sap cloudy already? Have you tried boiling some on its own to see if it smells like boiling swamp water yet? You're only about 50km away from me, sap still clear and running fine out here though frozen atm...thank gawd lol. And thanks for the formula you sent, I think after a couple more coffees I might be able to understand it.

I haven't boiled any of it yet but it should be fine... I'll be more concerned about next week's sap.. The silvers always tend to look like they are budding during saping season (they start budding in the fall actually) but they are starting to look bigger than normal..guessing the February thaws helped that along.

Actually.. I'm going to put a small pot on the stove now and see how it goes.

[Bruce L]

Wait whut, sap cloudy already? Have you tried boiling some on its own to see if it smells like boiling swamp water yet? You're only about 50km away from me, sap still clear and running fine out here though frozen atm...thank gawd lol. And thanks for the formula you sent, I think after a couple more coffees I might be able to understand it.
Susan,ours has been cloudy for sometime now,figuring the end is quite near

[Galena]

Susan,ours has been cloudy for sometime now,figuring the end is quite near

Yikes....well mine is still crystal clear and producing great syrup. If memory serves your bushes start to produce 2 weeks to 1 month before mine.

I only get cloudy sap in the last week or so and follow my own advice, and carefully boil a small amount from each tree. If I smell something like boiling frog bums, I chuck it and strike that tree from the list.

I still have perfectly good samples from last year's season sittin in my fridge, ready to trot over to you for a tasting session!

ETA: wish I had some silvers or Freemans to play around with. And I am planning on buying some syrup from a friend who has an all-reds bush, curious to see if there are any taste or colour diffs to my all-sugars.

[paulslund]

So far so good on the boiling pot.. The cold sap is starting to have a "funny" smell, but I've had that before and still get great syrup... I also just burned a small spoonful on the stove and it smells perfect and sweet.

About 450L to get through tomorrow.. going to be an early morning and a late evening! :D

[Galena]

So far so good on the boiling pot.. The cold sap is starting to have a "funny" smell, but I've had that before and still get great syrup... I also just burned a small spoonful on the stove and it smells perfect and sweet.

About 450L to get through tomorrow.. going to be an early morning and a late evening! :D

What kind of funny smell? Just curious. It's April Fool's Day, I'm a little afraid to go out and see what the trees did overnight. It may be Brute time!

[jungmaria]

Likely pulling my early taps (early Feb) this weekend. They’ve pretty much dried up anyway. Will leave my late Feb taps for another week. Even if it’s only to boil sap to make some vinegar like 4Walls described.
Boiled a barrel today that smelled different. Wasn’t cloudy and tasted ok but the end is nigh.

[limestone]

Excellent run here today.
Still some snow patches left in the bush after yesterday’s rain. Seeing our first nitre of the season today. It’s been a strange one here for that as we usually have it after early March, but no complaints for sure.
We’re still a ways off from bud formation so maybe another ten-fifteen days in the season? The weather this week should tell that tale.
Cheers from Battersea

[ir3333]

Another Sunami yesterday...this season doesn't want to quit.

[Galena]

Another Sunami yesterday...this season doesn't want to quit.

Tsame here. Pushed 62l through yesterday, thank gawd today's tsap tsunami tstill frozen.

[Bruce L]

Nothing to write home about here,think the trees are shutting down,checked this evening lots of room in the buckets,didn’t check tubing tank,it was smelling strong at lunchtime. Has Marty been on here,just wondering how he’s doing? Hasn’t been a bumper crop for us,but I’ve been battling a pinched nerve in my back all winter that makes one knee work as good as a peg leg,while my wife and family went to Florida for March break my 85 year old Father fell in the barn,was hospitalized for a week with a concussion,so I didn’t get out to check vacuum near often enough,things were pretty hectic here to say the least,so I don’t mind it coming to an end without a full crop

[Galena]

Nothing to write home about here,think the trees are shutting down,checked this evening lots of room in the buckets,didn’t check tubing tank,it was smelling strong at lunchtime. Has Marty been on here,just wondering how he’s doing? Hasn’t been a bumper crop for us,but I’ve been battling a pinched nerve in my back all winter that makes one knee work as good as a peg leg,while my wife and family went to Florida for March break my 85 year old Father fell in the barn,was hospitalized for a week with a concussion,so I didn’t get out to check vacuum near often enough,things were pretty hectic here to say the least,so I don’t mind it coming to an end without a full crop

OMG Bruce...that's a lot. Hope your dad is ok. Haven't seen Marty on here for awhile. Nor Grant, aka Big_Eddy. Might just pm him to say hi see how things are. ((HUGS))

[paulslund]

Nothing to write home about here,think the trees are shutting down,checked this evening lots of room in the buckets,didn’t check tubing tank,it was smelling strong at lunchtime. Has Marty been on here,just wondering how he’s doing? Hasn’t been a bumper crop for us,but I’ve been battling a pinched nerve in my back all winter that makes one knee work as good as a peg leg,while my wife and family went to Florida for March break my 85 year old Father fell in the barn,was hospitalized for a week with a concussion,so I didn’t get out to check vacuum near often enough, things were pretty hectic here to say the least,so I don’t mind it coming to an end without a full crop

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope everything turns out okay for your father!

I think you are right that things are coming to a close.. I think my silvers are shutting down.. the few buckets on silvers were emptied Saturday are maybe 1/5 full now, while the buckets on my Sugars are around 1/2 full +.. I pulled in over 100L on the tubing Saturday and a bit on Sunday.. I haven't checked what came in today yet but I think another 60L there. With this I'm about the same range for total sap as last year, but sugar is down slightly so won't be making as much syrup.

[jungmaria]

Nor Grant, aka Big_Eddy. Might just pm him to say hi see how things are. ((HUGS))
I’ve also been wondering about Big_Eddy. His posts and advice were what got me through my first couple years. I hope he, and Bruce’s dad, are doing okay.

[ennismaple]

OMG Bruce...that's a lot. Hope your dad is ok. Haven't seen Marty on here for awhile. Nor Grant, aka Big_Eddy. Might just pm him to say hi see how things are. ((HUGS)) Thanks for checking up on me! We're good just been a crazy month. Took us right until tapping time to get the woods back together from the May 21st Derecho storm. We're having a pretty decent season so far - we passed 1.0 L/tap yesterday. We've made more Golden Delicate this season than I have in the past 15 years! Lightest was 85LT which is so clear you can read a newspaper through it. I'm hoping we get 4 or 5 more good boils before the end. Still lots of snow in our woods.

We are loving the new 10" CDL Wesfab filter press. Once it's set up it's so easy to use and make beautiful clear syrup. On some of the larger boils we've had to tear it apart and re-charge but it's maybe 15 minutes of time and can process syrup much faster than we can run it off.

Already planning next year's improvements. Hoping for another 500 taps and need to figure out how to put an electric releaser 2000 feet away from the nearest power source... The double mechanical releaser has been fine for the last 15 years but is costing us money every day when it's iced up. Plus the inevitable float, flap or vacuum cylinder problems that drop the vacuum until someone goes to fix it.

[Galena]

Lots of Golden Delicate eh? I haven't had any this year, maybe I should *borrow* some from you for fair season lol ;-) Sounds like you're pretty busy and my own little microbush keeping me hopping. Right now waiting for 8l of tempestuous nearup to get down closer to 7. Then I have another 5.5l to hotpack. And another 60l out in the shack to begin boiling. Argh! I need to get myself cloned!

[Galena]

Barely 8am and already have had a fun-filled morning. While getting a jar out of the fridge it fell and fortunately landed intact. Closed the fridge door thinking all was fine when I heard that sound of something in the fridge shifting. Well, on its journey down that jar had glanced off of one of my 2l storage jars of batch #3, which I had been planning to hotpack today...

So I opened the door and there was a stove-in glass 2l jar. Perfectly good, perfectly clear syrup everywhere. After using a few favourite 4-letter words I emptied the bottom part of the fridge and began mopping up the mess :-( Thankfully the break happened while the door was closed so there weren't any shards of glass on the floor and basically just several large chunks inside the fridge. Now there is a tupperware tote half-full of hot water and syrup- soaked towels and cloths. All I can say is thank gawd I used to have a cleaning business so no shortage of stuff around!

Oh and the trees aren't running today. Yet. Thank gawd for small mercies.

Hope your day is less exciting than mine!

[ir3333]

Also thankful for a day off but trees are down in sugar so maybe it's time...unless you
want dark syrup. There may still be a couple of runs yet?

[ennismaple]

We definitely want some dark syrup and will be pushing right to the end. With RO low sugar isn't too much of an issue - just dial the concentrate flow back to get your desired Brix and let it run longer. We were still a smidge over 2 Brix the other day but not sure what we're dealing with today. Once this freezing rain ends we should get a decent run overnight and into tomorrow. There's still some snow left in the woods and the ice on Bennett Lake is still solid so that creates a cold microclimate that allows us to get through some warm days.

[Coatesy]

Got caught up on last week's batch dark syrup this batch have 40G in storage. Pulled most of my taps yesterday. Trees budding here and Mega rain and ice storm here today. Will finish off what I have stored and call it a season.

[Bricklayer]

Hopefully everybody is ok after the storm yesterday. We have been without power since early yesterday. Have every generator I own running right now. And went and bought another one as a backup. Sump pump is going off every 20 seconds. So can’t be without power.
Was able to go check on the camp and bush this morning and had a couple limbs down on laterals that pulled the tubing right off the tap. But other than that nothing too bad. Got the pump back up and running and am pulling the same vac I was before the storm. So thank god. Had 1000 gallons that I needed to boil yesterday but couldn’t so today will be busy it’s running pretty good today as well.
Plan on shutting it down on Sunday and cleaning up. I can’t imagine it will be fun trying to make syrup in 20 degree weather next week.

[Galena]

Sounds like you had fun, Brickie! Very lucky in that I had fairly little tree damage and only lost power for 2 hrs last night.

My trees still running and producing clear clean sap, though the little bush maples are slowing down but the bigger trees picking up the slack. But with the crazy temps in the coming week it looks like my season will soon be over too. They're pretty obvious about it; they either start to dry or produce sap that's definitely off. A little bummed that I got no Light this year, nothin but borin old Amber, currently Dark underway. Ah well.

[paulslund]

So I learned a lesson today.. when cutting a tree limb off a syrup line, watch out for line spring back.. as soon as the limb fell off the line, up came the line right into the chainsaw blade! ��

It was a quick repair but I'm keeping that section of line as a reminder.

Have tons of tree limbs down, mostly from my silvers that are tapped, but it's all high up the tree . No big trees came fully down at all ( just a few small ones, not maples except for one..but most two nice yellow birches).

Been out of power since 5pm on Wednesday.. still no estimate as to when it will come back.. had 300L in storage from Sat-wed already and have a other 100L in the barrel also.. haven't tested the new stuff yet but may end up dumping it.. the buds on the Silvers are getting quite big (partly why most of the damage is to the Silvers..they had big "hands" to catch all the ice with on Wednesday).

[Galena]

Jeez Paul, be careful out there!

Out here, some slight cloudiness in a few buckets so keeping an eye on those trees. Been taking a sip from each spile before I collect. Nearly got instant diabetes from one of my 2 taps on #6. Over 700l sap collected now, just got another 23l this afternoon. Trying to decide whether to fire up SW or wait til tomorrow, but then I might have 45 or 60 l to push. 154l collected for #5 so far. Doubtful I'll get a 6th batch this year. Ah well.

[limestone]

Small run here today (though we were done) and it looks like tomorrow ,Monday and Tuesday will be it with the forecast.
No bud formation yet .

[ir3333]

Still running great here today again.I have more than i need ( actually too much!) and my equipment is all sterilized and packed away 'til next year.
I will be bottling this week and then it's brook trout fishing and firewood!

[Galena]

Smaller but steady runs, still getting about 30l a day. Only one tree has dried up.

Quick question (to be cross-posted to The Sugar Inn)...how many of you have heard the old trope of sticking a hunk of wood in a spile hole, supposedly to prevent bugs and infection from setting it?

My neighbour, a total sugaring noob, told me that he did that to his trees after reading about doing it on the interwebz.

Knowing his background as a paramedic, I pointed out that with a wound, you have to flush it out.

'Yeah', he said, 'then you pack it'.

To which I retorted: 'Yeah, with something sterile, not bits of stick off the ground.' I had clearly got up his a$$ somewhat by then, so said no more (he's now a cop lol).

Still, where did this old wives tale originate?!

[Hkb82]

I sure wouldn’t do it. Only thing that goes in my tree hole is the spile.

[Galena]

Same here, and Bruce also backed me up on The Sugar Inn. But someone try telling this noob that. Taps 6 Freemans for 2 weeks using a kit from CT and now he's an expert lol

[DrTimPerkins]

Very bad idea. Delays taphole closure and provides a place where microbes can get it and spread. The stick/dowel (whatever is put in the taphole) will collect water and rot, and create a place where rot can spread from. Just leave the taphole alone and the tree will be just fine.

[Galena]

I sure hope he thinks twice and does remove the sticks himself.

My trees are drying up fast, pulled half my spiles yesterday. Some trees still have perfect sap, but very little, and a couple of the keeners are still producing but it's getting cloudy. Ah well I have over 700l sap and 6 batches. Have a lot of hotpacking to do today and a final tally, along with finishing off #6.

[ennismaple]

It was a challenging weekend... power went out 3pm on Wednesday mid-boil. Thursday was spent cutting trees and limbs off of roads and mainlines and trying to rig up generators to complete the RO rinse and run vacuum pumps. Power came back on midday Friday. Then we noticed the concentrate in the flue pan had gone snotty and had to be dumped - that hurt to see the equivalent of 30+ gallons of syrup being wasted. The sap never really ran well through the weekend even though conditions were almost ideal. Sunday the syrup re-heater stopped working and had to replace the element. Sap was coming in at 1.5 Brix yesterday. I hope to have enough sap by later today to get one last, short boil and push as much sugar through as possible and hopefully get some Very Dark, assuming the pans don't turn on me again.

Overall it's been a 'Meh' season. The sap never really ran well. At least the syrup quality has been great. We had lots of equipment breakdowns to overcome and other challenges. Now I'm praying for this hot weather later in the week so I don't have to pull taps in the snow!

[Galena]

This was a weird season fpr sure. Started out with sky-high sugar content around 27:1 ratio, last batch was 41:1 :-/ Flow was pretty steady, no massive tsunamis or spikes in production like usual; this was also the very first year that I didn't have to break out the 5g collecting pails.

But the flavours are really good and I detect a slightly creamy/buttery note in #4 which I don't believe I've had before. Scraped together enough to do a 6th batch so may get a Very Dark out of it.

[ennismaple]

Had a decent boil last night and made some good Very Dark - Strong syrup to finish up the year. I boiled a few hundred gallons of permeate through behind the concentrate to get as many runoffs as possible. We ended up about 10% less than what is our 5 year average.

We definitely pushed to the absolute end. We got 250 gallons of rather ugly looking sap from one 1200 tap woods in 18 hours since we gathered yesterday afternoon. It will be used to flood the pans for the next few months.

[Galena]

Hey all, sorry for what ought to be a post in Classifieds, but I keep getting logged out.

If anyone is getting rid of their old 7/16ths sharkfins, let me know! I will gladly buy ones that are in good shape.

[OCHTO]

Shark fin? The metal ones? I have 20 you can have for postage. I also have 10 of the 7/16 metal bucket hanger taps.

[Galena]

OCHTO, that would be awesome. Will PM you my mailing address.

[paulslund]

So last boil of the sap I had in the fridge.. about 200L (give or take) that I RO'd down to about 60 for fun (long story on the RO not working the way it should..so I just kept it running until I had it down). Made for a short 2.75 hour boil and the lights stuff I've made all year.

A new record for sap this year for me: 1,850 (not including the 30L in the buckets I just dumped because I had no room in the fridge! ). Sugar down a bit so likely not quite as much as last year, but estimating around 42-43L, compared to ~48 last year.

Make sure you spray down with bug spray when in your woods!

I pulled the rest of the tubing yesterday afternoon before starting a boil.. and this morning had to pull a dog tick and a deer tick off me. Neither were engorged, but the deer tick was deep and I ended up breaking off the head that is now still embedded in my skin. Time to find a walk-in so I can get that sucker remove before it gets infected. The little tick removal tool just couldn't grab the body so I pulled it off with what I through were small enough tweezers, but that wasn't the right call.. I'm going to get some correct tick tweezers for these times when the tool doesn't work..

That's my PSA for today! Have a great week everyone!

[Galena]

Oh Paul, you always manage to have all the fun! I once also broke off a tick head (the black legged kind I think) at the subdermal layer. Just sterilized the head of pin in a match and dug the head out, used a macro lens to ensure I got all the mouth parts. Then flushed it out. I also went on antibiotics just to be safe.

Nowadays I carry a tick-key with me on keychain. Knock on wood haven't had to use it yet. If I'm outdoors all day esp in any brush and am heading in for the evening, I always shake out my hair, brush off my clothes, usually leave footwear outside, then undress in the bathroom, give the clothes a good shake out over the bathtub, then leave them hanging in there. This seems to be working cause I haven't had a tick get embedded since I began doing this.

My sugar content was complete crap by the end of the season, a little p.o.'d. Ah well. From the 810l I finally got I have around 20l syrup. It would be 22l if I hadn't broken that 2l jar. Ah well. Always next year.

[paulslund]

Funny though the tick key, even the small one wouldn't grab the tick.. it was so small, and definitely not engorge at all, that it just kept slipping through.. Even the dog tick, which is much bigger, I had a tough time with.

But yes I'm certainly going to remember those processes.. I usually always spray down my boots well, but I think I forget with everything I was trying to get done. Was out turkey scouting with my friend earlier in the day and was up early.. we pulled 5 dog ticks off him after he put up his blind.. one had already latched on.. Creepy little buggers.

So yes I think I'll head to a clinic today to see if they can get the rest out..it's behind my shoulder, and starting to show a red area around it, which I don't think should be the irritation we caused it while trying to get it out so probably should get antibiotics. Argh.. I'm too busy with work for this kind stuff..

[Galena]

Yeah true when ticks are tiny the tick keys are pretty much useless. You can always do what some friends of mine do and get some Guinea fowl, they eat the **** things. Pretty useful critters despite the noises they make and eggs that take a hammer drill to break open!

Be careful if they give you doxycycline, I found that stuff brutal.

[Pdiamond]

Any of the cycline's they give you are brutal. You really have to follow the prescription label right to the letter and if you begin to have any side affect you need to contact your physician pronto.

[paulslund]

Geez.. now you guys are scaring me.. :o

[Galena]

I had an awful time on the doxycycline, didn't hear anything about telling the doctor about side effects. Horrible metallic taste in the mouth, complete lack of energy, the squits, ugh. Nowadays if a med professional tells me they're going to put me on an antibiotic I always ask if it's doxy. And if it is, I tell them no frickin way. Give me any other antibiotic but not that.

Ok enough scaring poor Paul lol ;-) You may be ok. Yes, the doxy did make me better but only after being laid up for 2 weeks.

Don't want to say I'm disappointed with this year's crop. But apart from a batch of lighter Dark that doesn't have the usual robust flavours, everything is Amber. No Light at all. Think this is the first year that I've not had a really strong Dark or any Light. Thanks global warming :-/

[paulslund]

Hmm. I don't think I've ever made light, even before switching to the lines, to be honest. I guess the trees give what they give!

So I've updated my estimate, and while a lot is still in the freezer I think it's all very close to being syrup that I should get around 49L, give or take.. so another record year on the books..:-)