Victor NY

[backyardsugarer]

Pulled 800 gallons out of the woods on Tuesday. Made my first syrup (10 gallons of the lightest syrup I have ever made). I guess that is what new tubing and a new evaporator will do for you. Forecast looks perfect for the weekend.

Chris

[gator330]

Great start Chris!! My first off was nice and light Went a little darker Yesterday but still light. Lot of Sand this year??? Think were in for a good run this weekend. This little rig has got to go!!!! The best I'v been able to get is 5 gph. Takes me half the season to make 10 gal.

[backyardsugarer]

Mine also got a little darker so it does not look like water but it still grades as light amber. There is still plenty of sugar sand in it though. Not sure if it will run today as it was cold this morning and only mid 30's today. I would say by about noon on Saturday that the trees will be running about as hard as they can. Good luck.

Chris

[gator330]

How you making out???? Boiling today???? I was out of sap to fire up this morning. There will be plenty to start tonight or early in the morning. Be at it from there on out this week. I have a dry wall job that needs to be done last week and I'm late now. Was out setting out some pals to chase in my free time. If not I'd be looking you up. I want to see that 2x8 run this season I may be buying one come spring.;)

[backyardsugarer]

I have not stopped boiling and running sap for 3 days. Made about 50 gallons of light so far. Thank goodness that trout brook sugar house has been running my sap through an RO for me. Otherwise I would have phoned it in by now. You can come any time and check out the new rig. It does not boil the 40 - 50 gallons an hour that they advertise but it is in the upper 30's.

Chris

[gator330]

The run is very poor here the buckets didn't run yesterday or today. I am boiled out of sap and the syrup has gone DARK but shure is good. I'm thinking this could be a flop of a season no freeze up in sight. Glad your making syrup. So far 1 gallon light 5 med and 5 dark.

[backyardsugarer]

About 60 gallons of light so far but I am worried about the rest of the season. Only 150 gallons off 550 taps yesturday.

Chris

[gator330]

Still light is good. I took every thing down cleaned it real good to keep things lighter and it went dark anyway. Do you think the ro is keeping you lighter or does it not effect color? Where is Truot brook sugar? Never heard of them.

[backyardsugarer]

It would seem that ro does help with color since the sap spends a lot less time in the pans. Brook trout is about 4 miles west of me in Mendon. He has a real nice set up.

Chris

[TroutBrookSH]

Chris, your assessment is correct; less time in the pan makes for somewhat lighter syrup. Dr. Tim Perkins presented evidence of this at Verona back in January. He also showed results indicating no obvious difference in flavor either.

We made some medium today.

Greg

[backyardsugarer]

Today could be a big part of our season. 27 this morning and highs in the 50's today. Then no freeze in the future.....................

Chris

[backyardsugarer]

400 gallons of semi cloudy sap today. Only ran with the vac on. Made some medium and then a quick change to dark today. Hope to make more dark this weekend before it goes B.

Chris

[backyardsugarer]

I hope it froze hard enough to give us a couple of days worth of sap. Cleaned the pans, split some wood and made some candy so I am ready to get some big sap.

Chris

[backyardsugarer]

Pulled the plug yesturday. 100 gallons of yellowish sap. Did a lot of cleaning. I will finish cleaning the shack tonight. Pull the taps Friday and call it a year.

Chris

[Jason]

We shut off the vacuum pump today at 11am and chased out the evaporator tonight...we ended up ahead of last year but not by much....if we hadn't added vacuum this year I would hate to think what we would have made...