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We boiled a whopping 17.5 gallons on Sunday. Couldn't pass up the opportunity to share the experience with friends who came out for the weekend. In that situation with so little to get through one doesn't mind so much when a newbie kills the boil. That occurred more than once while playing dominoes by the evaporator. All 22 taps were running when I left, nothing crazy fast though. Will be back this weekend for an extended stretch and am expecting that 5 gallon buckets will be overflowing. Bringing along a fresh crew to help out. Lots of fun so far in southern Vernon Co.
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Good to hear Lulu! My son and son-in-law came to help out. We boiled about 80 gal. Took home 4 gal to finish on stove (wife's happy about that :( ). South facing ridge 13 taps running like gangbusters. 15 west facing (in shade most of day) an inch or two of frozen sap. A buddy's coming this weekend to experience the gold rush. Weather looks ideal. Once the west trees wake up - we'll be busy. Glad the ice has disappeared. Continue to tinker with the SS pan, frame and insulating firebrick. Since my multiple concurrent system failures last year, I'm learning to perfect the low tech hobby end of this amazing natural resource.
Tom
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P.S. Three taps back home (big maples) are running like fire hydrants.
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Hi Tom, Wish your trees were running better for you but your report makes me feel much better because my north facing ridge just isn't getting up to full speed. It seems like they are stuck in second, maybe a few going in to third but fourth gear - none of them yet. Getting used to being caught up is enjoyable as well however.
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Hi guys Just got back from a four day stay at the sugar bush. Went over Friday 16th to gather. First worked on things in the sugar house, checked the time, ouch 1;30 better get up top to gather. buckets were full to over flowing every 3 trees had I to dump my 2 5 gal buckets so finished at 8;30 with a head lamp. 400 gal sap to cook on Sat 17th and we did, 12.5 hours 2 pallets of fire wood. 22.5 gal unfinished syrup. a new record for us. Sunday morning my son and I went back up gathered 130 gal plus 60 from the new tubing so we cooked 210 gal made 6.5 gal more and 1 pallet of fire wood. done at 5pm my son went home I stayed to do cool down and clean up worked till 8pm the 4 wheeler ride to our little cabin was all mud water and ice.our north hillside still has snow and ice but melting fast. our dry ditch was running strong.Today Monday 19th I went back up and gathered 200 more gal of sap ran it down to the sugar house tank.packed up got home 3:30. The 17 taps on 3/16th tubing already payed for itself only spent 72.bucks, for 50 taps, 50 tees, end line connectors, and 500 ft tubing.. Keep checking in. Lots of deer tracks 1 rabbit, hear crows sand hill cranes geese chickadees juncos blue jays. Sap On!
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Finished my first 1.5 gallons on the stove at home - light golden color here too, as I've seen a few other places around the site. Planning for the big boil Sat/Sun, hoping it doesn't snow on me too hard. Tom
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Hi Tom, yes our syrup last weekend was very light in color also, sap tested at 2.5% Looks like 1 to 3 inches snow for Viroqua. with that nasty east wind. Am going over in the morning to gather, and stay thru Monday noon. Enjoy your weekend.
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Hi all. I and friends processed about 85 gallons of sap 3/18-3/19 from 22 trees. Weather was ideal for boiling outside. Made good use of near syrup in various cocktails. Sugar content in sap ranged from 2.0 to 2.7. Collected about 14 more gallons on 3/21 and all taps running fast, a few crazy fast (that would be >2 drops/second) when I left. Will be back to the cabin Friday night, collect on Saturday and expect to boil on Sunday. I'm feeling fortunate for many friends that are helping out this year as I have a torn meniscus and in the opinion of unnamed MD, running around collecting sap does not fall into the category of physical therapy. I'd be bummed about this were it not for all the fun we're having regardless. Hope the same to you!
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Friday a.m., March 23rd - A nice still morning with temp at around 29 degrees. Drinking my second coffee and watching a bluebird claim his house in the front flower garden. Had to put the house up quickly last year when the same bird, I presume, tried to find the nonexistant circular opening of the same color butterfly house that is more appropriately placed in the garden. I am now out to get the boil going before the rain, snow, or whatever comes later today. Enjoy and make the the best of the weekend everyone.
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Hi Lulu and Maple Ridge & others.. Lulu, my wife tore her meniscus a couple years back - this land is challenging for sure. Hope you recover as swiftly as that particular injury allows (which is not swift,....).
m
My buddy came up this weekend to help - colder than forecast, stubborn half of the bush still isn't giving up sap in the shady west hollow. Trees up on south ridge pulled through, we boiled 80 gallons. Early math (not my forte) suggests 4.0 gallons, a record for me. Already have several engineering re-designs ready to take to my Amish stainless smith. We pulled the taps, sadly, today as I have other commitments the next 2 weekends, and it sounds, weather-wise. like my stubborn 15 trees will finally open up. Ah well, thankful for the bounty of 2018 and of course, the family & friends around this unique hobby/living we look forward to every year, huh? I'll keep reading all the posts - so keep posting! Tom
