Syrup 2010

[Maplesedge]

Three weeks, three boils. Almost 3 gal made. Here's the change in color from the first 2/28, to yesterday.

[sterling gold]

Boiled seven times since 2/28, around 30 gallons made, medium amber all the way. We won't mind when it turns dark...people love the dark.

[PerryW]

First Syrup last friday, 61 gallons so far. Hope for 120-130 total. Still all fancy except the first 5 gallons.

This is year #21 with my existing setup and I am way ahead of every year except 2000.

[maple flats]

Only boiled twice all season, first boil 3/10 and last boil 3/12. Total on 575 taps (I pulled the reds already) just 265 gal sap. This will be my worst year since I restarted in 2003 with a little half pint and made 10.5 gal. I have not drawn any syrup yet. Last boil I got to +6 and I draw at +8 then thin. I need some freezes. I don't see any except MAYBE Monday, then 5 more days above before a long series of good weather. Not sure the trees and tap holes will endure.

[archangel_cpj]

Just finishin up my syrup for the worst year in awhile whhen ping off goes my hydrometer onto the floor so I had to wing it today and use the old spoon and flow technique i got pretty close and the good thing about this method is you gotta taste alot of syrup... Still ticks me off but I did OK maybe just a touch thin but what are you going to do

[tstew]

archangel don't fee bad I haven't broke a hydrometer in 6 yrs this year 3 boils so far 2 broken hydrometers its frustrating but all part of it

[michigansugarman]

Boiled three times since we tapped on 2/28 and have made 10 gal light syrup. We had great weather and good runs first 10 days of March here in west Michigan and then it all fell apart. Collected only 20 gal sap in the last 4 days. Hoping for a freeze in the next day or so to hopefully start things up again, but it is not looking good. What an odd season this year.

[wnybassman]

Three weeks, three boils. Almost 3 gal made. Here's the change in color from the first 2/28, to yesterday.

About the same here. 4 boils and a little over three and a half gallons made. I went from light to dark back to medium.

Nothing ran here in two days. A couple "just barely below freezing" nights coming up, then it's back to upper 50' and 60's during the day and upper 30's to 40's at night.

Next Saturday it supposed to be absolutely beautiful out, and I am eyeing it up for putting everything away (based on the forecast after that). Probably get the boat out of storage the same day

With twice the taps and twice the evaporation surface area I am used to, I was hoping to make twice the syrup :( I did make the same amount of syrup in about half the time, so I guess there is a positive ;)

[trackerguy]

First boil 3/7, 50 gals so far, all but 8 are fancy. Pulled 450 gals friday night through sunday afternoon.

[cornell011]

here we been behind all week just got caught up!!! made 125 gallons this week

[tomslusher]

I just completed 1 3/4 quarts of pure maple syrup, first boil of the year. 20 taps have been in for 1 week, got about 18 gallons of sap. Today, got the pan boiling at about 1:30 pm and moved it to the finishing pan at about 6pm. Screwed the tops on the filled jugs at 8 pm.

This is year 2 for my maple syrup operation. I sure do enjoy it. Lots of things different from last year, the snow on the ground for instance. Also, it hasn't been below freezing for about a week but the last 24 hours gave me my best sap run. Hoping for the below freezing to come back around the end of this week.

And the nicest thing about this year, I haven't ruined a panful of syrup by overcooking it yet (notice I said yet)!

Used the same pan and stove as last year but I have a small preheater pan with a spigot that slowly adds sap, thus not killing the boil. That works great. Also new this year is the homemade filter stand (worked very nice) and a hydrometer (also nice).

We'll give it a try again in a week,

tomslusher

[220 maple]

First boil 2/21 last boil until next freeze 3/14. Fired evaporator 16 days in a row a new record. 50 gallons plus of unfinished syrup in milk cans setting by the evaporator that should yeild 40 gallons, that should get us to 230 gallons for the season, hoping for a freeze need a barrel of commercial syrup for my Amish friend Henry. Only 870 taps this year because of the snow. If I would of had the other 2200 taps open it may have created a flood of sugarwater that only Noah could have survived. My trees have always needed moisture. Snow is my friend.

Mark 220 Maple