Second wind!

[Snowy Pass Maple]

In the Millbrook (Dutchess County) area, the past few nights have predicted lows in the mid-to-high 30s, but we've gotten mid-to-high 20s. Sap is back up to near 1 gal per tap on buckets, and sugar from 2-2.8%.

Tonight is predicting 38 for the low so hopefully that is 28 for us, and one final good run tomorrow. After tonight, the 10-day looks really bad for maple - but good for fishing - taking the rowboat up to Stissing Pond Saturday to fish away our sorrows! :D

[Snowy Pass Maple]

Over 1 gallon of clear 2.5% out of a bucket today... that tree is always a workhorse - and it's severely mishapen from growing butted up against a locust. Go figure.

Another bucket on a nice straight maple ~50 feet away only gave 1 quart w/two taps and 1.5%.

I think tomorrow will be the final day.

[MaplePancakeMan]

How many taps do you have.. i'm just a stones throw away in clinton corners.

[beechsap]

Collected 15 gal today!!!! First in over 1 week and it's clear!! Once it got going it was sweet:mrgreen: 5gal from 4:30-7:30 alone!!!!:o :D
This is off of the 20 odd taps that are flowing. The others are drip..drop...

[Snowy Pass Maple]

How many taps do you have.. i'm just a stones throw away in clinton corners.

Only 4 this year - still very small scale. Most I've done is 8 - but like most on here, thinking about expanding... I'm test marketing at work this year to see if I can justify spending money on more than just nice bottles :lol:

I'm close to 82/Shunpike - looks like someone may have been tapping around that corner.

[maple flats]

I just finished boiling down 253 gal, the most in one day this season. This is my best for 2010 but is less than my average most seasons. 575 taps and the best I get in a day isn't even 1/2 gal sap/tap on the best day of the season. Something's wrong with the picture.

[BigBucketDan]

Only 4 this year - still very small scale. Most I've done is 8 - but like most on here, thinking about expanding... I'm test marketing at work this year to see if I can justify spending money on more than just nice bottles :lol:

I'm close to 82/Shunpike - looks like someone may have been tapping around that corner.

I'm also close to you just otherside of Stanfordville and up Cold Spring Rd....

That's how most start...a few taps and pretty soon your putting up a building and looking at more equiptment.:lol:

BBD

[Bucket Head]

Dave,

What did the sap look like? Was it cloudy or did it look okay? I got some sap today too, but it's a little cloudy and has a slight off smell to it. You know, a little on the "buddy" side. I don't know wether to boil it and see what I get or just forget it and call it a season. It would be nice to make a little something more, but I have the towell in hand and I'm really ready to throw it in.

Steve

[Snowy Pass Maple]

I'm also close to you just otherside of Stanfordville and up Cold Spring Rd....

That's how most start...a few taps and pretty soon your putting up a building and looking at more equiptment.:lol:

BBD

Got a little bit more yesterday and called it quits on that. For whatever reason, no visible buds yet on our trees, but the forecast is way too warm for sap in the coming days so I'm calling it quits. All told, will be about 1/3 gallon of syrup per tap which doesn't seem all that bad!

[MaplePancakeMan]

I went around to all my buckets and checked em out. The buds aren't there but the sap was poor quality. i had 20 or so buckets that i ripped the taps out because the sap tasted bad from the tree. tasted metabolic. The rest were fine just a hint of sweet. i Feel like Thursday they could run well but i'm not holding my breath. I had one bucket that was 3/4 full and it just tasted like water. I didn't test but i'd bet its 1% or lower.

So is it really worth my effort? probably not.

Oh well. If you guys ever want to get together and talk maple let me know i'm always up for a chat!

OH and like dan says... you always think about being bigger... next year i'm thinking bigger evaporator... more taps.. more syrup haha. i think i'll go with a 3x8 and trade by 2x6 in or sell it locally.

[MaplePancakeMan]

Only 4 this year - still very small scale. Most I've done is 8 - but like most on here, thinking about expanding... I'm test marketing at work this year to see if I can justify spending money on more than just nice bottles :lol:

I'm close to 82/Shunpike - looks like someone may have been tapping around that corner.


I looked at a guys property over there to tap, never got around to it but maybe next year if i get my new evaporator which will boil off 100 gph. it was about 100 taps