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Saybrook
260 gal of sap so far. That should have been 500 plus. had I been able to put all the buckets out earlier
The good thing is the conversion to natural gas is going to be great! (at least until the bill get here ;)
but compared to fuel oil, it should be alright. Ran a new line directly from the meter 200 feet to the shack today. It is far enough to the house that there is a second regulator at the house. That regulator said Max Water column of 11 inches. So when I looked on the industrial burner regulator I had installed, it said max WC 11" so I though huh good to go... famous last words.... following that said over pressure will damage the regulator...
So I pressured up.. holding the pilot light button to purge air as I turned the valve.. and it stopped when I got the valve half way open. SO of course, apparently I killed the regulator. I was sitting with a bunch of sap. a new regulator of the same type and model online is 275 bucks.. I took the burner apart stuck it back in plumbed direct with black iron pipe and an extra valve. Now I am just throttling with valves.
then spent several hours tinkering with damming the flame to where I want it to go, to get an even boil. still a little weak at the back of the drop flues.so i will have to play with that tomorrow. plus get out there and hang the rest of the buckets! woot!
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14 gal so far
Looks like the trees will get a rest for a few days. then pretty good temps in the forecast. not exactly ideal. but fair. I have a total of just under 80 buckets out and have made 14 gal so far. how about you other Il. people?
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Finally going to collect again! how about you other Illinoisians?
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Ran hard yesterday and today. Unfortunately, I was gone yesterday. All the tanks were full when I got home today. Brought up 235 gals, still another 70 down in the woods. Sap is still running hard. By tonight I should have another 200 gals with the rain coming in. Seems to run well with the low pressure. Problem is no storage and the MUD..... probably get stuck a few times. Not sure what the weather will bring. Should stop running with the warmth but now they are talking another cool down early next week.
Sap running 2.2% today.
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I hope it is not too late for a warm spell this long.
I collected 220 gal yesterday eve. I wondered if part of it was not rain water. I know I tossed a bucket full when I collected because it was so off color. but it was not off color before the down pour just before I collected. Boiling proved if there was rain water in buckets, it sure was not much! I iced down the last 55 gal but of the 165 I cooked off I made 4 gal of syrup. so 41 to 1 ratio and the syrup started getting lighter. good luck today!
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Ran good yesterday and this morning so far. 75 gals last night and another 100 by 10 this morning. Thank goodness its spring break and the kids can help! Looks like a long weekend in the Sugarhouse:D
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LOL yes!
Too bad my kid is married and moved away! I did not get out of the shack until after 3 AM, sitting here looking blurry eyed at my computer...and get a facebook message that I have buckets running over...I thik I am going to let them run over until I finish my first cup of coffee! bad sugarer I know.
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Kevin
I hung it up at midnight. Got up again about 6:30. I need my beauty sleep or I'm pretty ugly the next day. Been cooking since 9 AM. Last 50 gals being pumped in. Hope to done by dark. Too much on the plate this weekend. Got get everything done, cleaned up, so I can be busy with other things all weekend.
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Started about noon yesterday, finally shut down about 12:30 this AM, made some real nice syrup. Back at it this morning looks like a long day again, that's alright with me, although tired, really enjoy this time of year. Making sugar is like being a part of Norman Rockwell painting or something.
Now that I read this I am really sleep deprived!:confused:
