dirty, yet sweet

[davey]

I have seen a huge increase in the amount of what looks like fine black dirt this year. I filter my raw sap prior to boiling, but when I draw off I am plugging prefilters like crazy. Are other people seeing this? Additionally, I am not really making very light syrup this year and wonder if it is connected.

[MaplePancakeMan]

i have just recently been getting a lot of build up in the pans of sugar sand and other materials even if i filter the sap. I really have only made light syrup though. Most sugar sand i have seen.

[danno]

Yup, I'm getting it here in Syracuse as well. I would describe it as fine mud in my filters and bottom of my syrup pan. That said, syrup is filtering well and clean. My first run was light but have not really checked my second run which is sitting in my canner.