Goggleeye
03-16-2010, 10:54 PM
Not a bad year at all. Here are the numbers:
This was my second year, and I ran 120 taps, about 1/2 on tubing, 1/2 into milk jugs.
Produced just over 30 gallons of syrup:D two gallons of tar:( and about 1 gallon of coal:cry: .
The weather was very cooperative for sap flow in Missouri this year.
Lessons Learned.
1. Never, ever leave the evaporator unless it is flooded with sap. I know you guys said this, and I read it more than once. Some people just have to learn the hard way:emb: .
2. Before it starts, make sure you have enough wood to last through (or start, in my case) the sugaring season. For your house and your evaporator. (wife frowns when evaporator wood pile is larger than home heating wood pile)
3. And make sure that wood is dry, especially the stuff for the evaporator. Went from barely 10 gph with air to 30+ without.
4. A rear-wheel drive tractor will not back up a muddy incline with a full barrel of sap in the loader.
5. 55 gallon drums full of sap are heavy. And hard to handle by yourself up a muddy incline to the tractor carry-all and into that carry-all. Next year, 12-V sap pump.
6. If you have goats ready to kid, they will do so when the syrup is nearly ready to pull off the evaporator. Syrup or kidding goat, which do I attend? Not that difficult a decision. If the goat croaks, we can eat maple-BBQ goat.
7. Don't leave the stinkin' evaporator. Ever.
Thanks to the trader and all of you who have posted the info that I have used to make this year a success. My homemade evaporator works like a charm. The gravity tubing worked great, and my syrup filtered crystal clear. I will be able to completely pay for all my materials with this year's sales, plus have syrup for family and friends. Great hobby, great group of people here on the trader. Blessings to all, & can't wait till next year!
Mark
This was my second year, and I ran 120 taps, about 1/2 on tubing, 1/2 into milk jugs.
Produced just over 30 gallons of syrup:D two gallons of tar:( and about 1 gallon of coal:cry: .
The weather was very cooperative for sap flow in Missouri this year.
Lessons Learned.
1. Never, ever leave the evaporator unless it is flooded with sap. I know you guys said this, and I read it more than once. Some people just have to learn the hard way:emb: .
2. Before it starts, make sure you have enough wood to last through (or start, in my case) the sugaring season. For your house and your evaporator. (wife frowns when evaporator wood pile is larger than home heating wood pile)
3. And make sure that wood is dry, especially the stuff for the evaporator. Went from barely 10 gph with air to 30+ without.
4. A rear-wheel drive tractor will not back up a muddy incline with a full barrel of sap in the loader.
5. 55 gallon drums full of sap are heavy. And hard to handle by yourself up a muddy incline to the tractor carry-all and into that carry-all. Next year, 12-V sap pump.
6. If you have goats ready to kid, they will do so when the syrup is nearly ready to pull off the evaporator. Syrup or kidding goat, which do I attend? Not that difficult a decision. If the goat croaks, we can eat maple-BBQ goat.
7. Don't leave the stinkin' evaporator. Ever.
Thanks to the trader and all of you who have posted the info that I have used to make this year a success. My homemade evaporator works like a charm. The gravity tubing worked great, and my syrup filtered crystal clear. I will be able to completely pay for all my materials with this year's sales, plus have syrup for family and friends. Great hobby, great group of people here on the trader. Blessings to all, & can't wait till next year!
Mark