hangman
04-14-2005, 06:44 PM
I'm a first season 'Backyarder' located just north of Boston (not known as maple sugar country). I live in an area that at one time consisted of farm land (Apples were big). There are many old sugars lining some of the roads.
I have 15 tapable sugars with several which will be mature enough in the next 1-5 years.
I'm very pleased with my 1st year. I've gathered approximately 120 gals. Of sap & produced 3 gals. Of syrup.
I boiled in flat 12 x 24 lasagna pans over propane burners, finished on the kitchen stove/ filtered through coffee filters (very slow & inefficient)
The syrup is of good taste (rivals some of the best commercial producers)
I want to move to the next level, perhaps:
• Adding 5-10 taps (buckets) my maximum would not exceed 25 taps
• Upgrading to a manufactured evaporator.
• Upgrading filtering process.
I'm not able to boil daily (day job interferes).
In late season (sap doesn't keep well) I am forced to boil small quantities of sap (15-30 gal.) so any commercial evaporator I get would have to be appropriate.
I'm also frustrated by the time & effort of filtering, but recognize the value.
Any advise on chose of evaporator (new or used), filtering advise, & ant other help would be greatly appreciated.
Maple Dave's operation has been an inspiration to what I would like to become.
Thanks to this site and all who contribute. It looks like I'm hooked
PS Because this post covers more than one topic I will post to several
I have 15 tapable sugars with several which will be mature enough in the next 1-5 years.
I'm very pleased with my 1st year. I've gathered approximately 120 gals. Of sap & produced 3 gals. Of syrup.
I boiled in flat 12 x 24 lasagna pans over propane burners, finished on the kitchen stove/ filtered through coffee filters (very slow & inefficient)
The syrup is of good taste (rivals some of the best commercial producers)
I want to move to the next level, perhaps:
• Adding 5-10 taps (buckets) my maximum would not exceed 25 taps
• Upgrading to a manufactured evaporator.
• Upgrading filtering process.
I'm not able to boil daily (day job interferes).
In late season (sap doesn't keep well) I am forced to boil small quantities of sap (15-30 gal.) so any commercial evaporator I get would have to be appropriate.
I'm also frustrated by the time & effort of filtering, but recognize the value.
Any advise on chose of evaporator (new or used), filtering advise, & ant other help would be greatly appreciated.
Maple Dave's operation has been an inspiration to what I would like to become.
Thanks to this site and all who contribute. It looks like I'm hooked
PS Because this post covers more than one topic I will post to several