Only had 70 gallons to cook off in my little operation. Surprised to see it clear up from a medium amber to a nice light amber. Yielded over 2 gallons. It's improving overall gang.
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Only had 70 gallons to cook off in my little operation. Surprised to see it clear up from a medium amber to a nice light amber. Yielded over 2 gallons. It's improving overall gang.
Gathered 40 gallons or so today and the sugar was at 2.8%. I've been having trouble filtering. The niter seems so fine it is going right through my good orlon bag with 4 prefilters. Filtering is always a pain but I"ve never seen it this bad. I saw somewhere on this forum where someone was adding filter aid to the syrup before sending it into the bag. Does anyone have experience doing this. I guess it is possible that the DE would help to gather up the fine stuff. I only filter a couple gallons at a time, so have been letting it settle for a couple days and carefully pouring off the clear syrup. My operation can't afford even a small filter press, so we're always looking for better methods that are somewhat affordable.
Looks like the end is near for me. Last 3 days have only been minimual run. Will hang on one more nite to see if it freezes good enough for a run in 50 degree weather tomorrow. Testing at 2.25 last nite. Been an ok yr and think I've had about all the fun I can stand.
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You'll get more exposure listing it in the free classified want ads. Good luck.
First time I ever tapped before March 15. Got them in over the weekend and caught the small first run on Monday. Now it's supposed to hit around 60 degrees and no cool weather in sight. I have the feeling I will be doing a lot of waiting this year. Snow about gone and rain forecasted, mud anyone? Will collect today and cook off.
Messed around last week and did get a little sap for my little operation. Was good to be outside getting it done. Real nice lite color syrup and started at 2.5 then up to 3.0. Hope to make the 4 I usually had and middle of the week looks like big time action will hit for us in the area.
I put in 50 last Friday in an area that is easy to gather close to the house. I've got my left arm in a sling from Feb 9 rotator cuff surgery. I wasn't going to tap, but with the snow gone it is easy to get around. This is the first time in a few years that I didn't tap on snowshoes. This is about half of what I usually put in, but will keep the family in syrup for another year. Gathered 40 gal on Saturday, but nothing since. Looks like a cool down toward the end of the week that should get it flowing again.
It's been a slow season for the entire month of March with the month going out like a Lion and a freeze coming that will last too long. The sap is crystal clear and the syrup early was really nice with a reddish tint to it. Getting darker now and lots of goo in the pan, filters harder but sure is good syrup. My production is way down but quality wise it's really nice stuff.
Tapped on Saturday 03/10. The weather was cold (8 degrees) in the morning, but it did warm up into the upper 30's. With the colder temperatures, we used snowshoes and went right on top of the 20" plus snow. Since then the temperatures have been below freezing until yesterday when it got up to 40, but the trees still didn't run a whole lot. The Florence County Highway Department has a frost pit close to me and there is 6 feet of frost in the ground and it isn't thawing any. it is going to take some extended warm weather to get the trees going. Today the temperatures are back below freezing (25) for the highs.
Got some help so tapped today and the sap was running. Forecast long range looks good so will find out how much I can rely on this computer forecast in a week. Help coming next weekend so hope to fill them bags to the top a bunch of times.
My post of 3-17 I found out that the weather man was wrong. It's now April 5 and have collected 15 gallons from 65 taps. Not enough to start a fire in the evaporator. I quit last yr on April 3 and thinking I'll be finishing this yr in May. WTH
It looks like we are back in the 60's and 70"s again Terry. When my Dad was making syrup back then, he would only start making syrup maybe 1 out every 5 or 6 years in March. Otherwise all his syrup was made in April. It is looking better later next week.
I had one boil at the end of march. and a second one yesterday. looking at the 10 day forecast it should be good for the next 2 weeks(I hope). We still have 20 inches of snow on the ground yet... This my 3rd year tapping but it sure does seem late in the season.
It was a disaster! 22 quarts for the yr. 2018 was so pathetic it doesn't even get entered in "the book."
How many taps do you have?Quote:
Originally Posted by TerryF