We need rain! It is crunchy dry in my woods.
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We need rain! It is crunchy dry in my woods.
I would be more than happy to share some of ours, it's sloppy muddy. You can't hardly walk without slipping on some mud soaked ground.
Yes, send it our way. I could probably plow some of my fields right now.
Ended up with 175 gallons today from 105 taps.
Attachment 22903
One of my red maples in our yard has a ton of red looking hairs coming from the buds (which usually marks the end for collecting from that tree but I tasted the sap yesterday and it was not buddy tasting at all?) I'll do it again today but so far it's still running very clear and no off flavor
Looking much better for the next week. Here we go, I’m stoked now!
Attachment 22915
Looks good John. Wish my sugars would wake back up. Even vac not doing all that great around here at the moment.
Forecast is calling for rain tomorrow and then snow over the weekend, with what looks like some ideal temp swings...maybe that will do it.Quote:
Originally Posted by heus
I had a hard time keeping up with Sunday's sap. Close to 2 gal/tap and 1.5% which is normal for us.
Finally got it up to 7% and boiled it off last night. It is dry in my woods too, but it's still early and lots of weather to come yet...it's only mid February!
My taps are only on their 2nd week - hoping that makes a difference.
just heard a huge tree fall in my woods due to an ice storm, it looks like it took out about 20% of my lines, not going out till much later. Be careful out there!
That stinks Mike.
Still not going in woods, but looks like only a couple lines broke, the others look stretched under limbs. Missed my main line by 5 ft. Overall, should be able to have most repairs tonight/tomorrow.
Our Dad used to say “If you pray for potatoes - you better grab a hoe.”
Looks like someone’s been praying for rain… cause we got lots of water in the woods now!
Bring it on, here we go for round 2!!
Yep. Things are running real good as we speak.
Sap was flowing good today and the forecast looks good for next week.
Sure was, I pulled in close to 1 gpt today...but I think it's gonna be lights for the next day or so.Quote:
Originally Posted by ohiosam
2 of the biggest temp swings in Youngstown in the last 75+ years were this February
Attachment 22935
Only my south facing taps running well today. Still pretty cold in the woods.
Just curious how much sap others are getting these last 2 days? On 1300 taps with 25"+ vac I'm about .7 gal of sap per tap. I've been tapped since the first week of January and so I'm trying to figure out if and how much my taps are running less than others that tapped around the first of February. Thanks,
Just over a gpt today. It open way up at about 3pm. Running 27.5” and flowing well. Should freeze tonight and with rain Tomorrow im expecting it tonopen up.Quote:
Originally Posted by MapleCreekFarm
About 3/4 gpt here. Been fighting a lifter that’s acting more like a ladder.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kh7722
Bringing it in but not like I would have expected. Must have a major leak somewhere but I sure can’t find it.
You’re right about tomorrow, the low pressure system should open the gates.
1 gpt on 5,000 taps is a huge amount of sap…and wood or “liquid wood”.
Where you storing all the barrels Kev? Hats off to what you’ve accomplished in a few short years!
The same here in central Pa; gpt after 3:00 pm
Barometer here is 28.2…that’s really, really Low.
Went out to check and tank is almost overflowing.
Have RO on a timer for 2 hrs to get a jump on it.
You big guys are gonna need life jackets tomorrow!
Edit: pressure at sea level is 29.2, we’re at 945 ft and showing 28.2.
John its running real good in Ashtabula County, too. Got over a gallon per tap on my buckets just during the day yesterday, and already have some 3 gallon buckets overflowing from overnight. Sap at 2.5% yesterday.
Full tank here also. About 1 gpt at 1.5% which is usual.
Saw my first moth this morning though.
Ran ok here in northern Portage yesterday afternoon through night, a little over a gallon per tap from then to now. Not really gangbusters. Although I tapped mostly in mid Jan and just feel like the older tapholes are just tired. Our best gravity line actually shutdown completely a week ago amidst the long dry spell. Odd though because the line right next to it is running ok, if not what it was when we started.
165 gallons of 2.5% sap on 107 or so buckets since last night.
Nice day yesterday. Ran the CDL Hobby RO for 6 hours and pulled 300+ gallons of H20 out...still have 100 gal in the tank.
Got to fix the leak at the lifter ? - I'm sure I could have pulled more in, but still happy to have what I have.
Any one with excessive foam this late in season?
The last 2 boils the flue pan foamed so badly it came up into my steam hood!
Condensate draining from the steam hood turned golden brown...
I've seen that before with a first boil of the year, but never after that.
Pretty sure it's not the clear press, but going to check the manual later today to be on the safe side.
Looks like my season is over. I had high hopes on Sunday, when I got some nice clear sap. I boiled the little that came in Sunday/Monday yesterday, but buds are fully open today (I have mostly soft maples), sap both looks and smells bad.
Another 3 weeks season, it tough to want to keep doing this for 3 week seasons...I did make a little more than last year, about 140 gal compared to 120 last year. It's a shame, I had everything dialed in on day 1 this year. I'll boil off my pan tonight/tomorrow and start cleaning up. Good luck to the rest of you.
I thought I was tapping early on 2/5, in hind sight, I should have tapped 1/1.
Getting near the end over here, sap filters are beginning to gum up. Syrup filters are getting bad also. Maybe one or two batches and that will be it . Tapped on Feb.2 and we are up to 100gal on 320taps , no complaints here. Very busy , steady four weeks. Sap down to 2.3%
Oh oh
Sure hope I have more time than that.
Just tapped 2 weeks ago!
That’s a lot of syrup for 320 taps, nice trees for sure.
Good luck with the rest of your boils.
Yes indeed, fired up this afternoon and I swear I could have shaved with that foam. Seemed strange, but then again everything this year seemed strange.
John I believe the season is far from over up here if you are on all sugar maples.Quote:
Originally Posted by johnallin
Boiled down Monday and Tuesday's sap yesterday, all crystal clear. The 10 day forecast looks good as far as I can see...Quote:
Originally Posted by heus
About 30% sugar maples with the rest, reds and a handful of black maple, but 'm sure ready to keep going.- after 5 boils I'm just getting my rhythm back!Quote:
Originally Posted by heus
Made a tad over 6 gallons last night on the 105 gal of sap I got down to 6.25% on the CDL Hobby RO.
Hey, did I get it down to 6.25%...or Up to 6.25%. Just realized how confusing that could be...
Going out in a bit to find my Vacuum leak with the CDL Leak finder Gizmo. Stay tuned.
I'm south of Ytown and the silvers buds have moved a lot, guys around here with a lot of silvers are giving up. I pulled most of my silver taps a week ago, but that's maybe 10-15% of my taps. My sugar and norway buds are still tight.
Well.....I think my season is over. My trees pretty much quit running yesterday. I'll probably keep my taps in till next week and see if a good freeze gives me anymore, but I doubt it.
Oh well, it was a good run. Tapped first week of January. Ran great all January and first half of February. Then that dry weather on top of too many 50, 60 and a few 70 degree days just shut it down. I was shocked how quickly it turned off. Tuesday and Wednesday was still running albeit slowly. Today only got 50 gal from 7am till 4pm on 490 taps at 25.5" of vac.
Right at 500 gal of syrup off 1300 taps so I'll not complain.
Although the proverb writer said there are 4 things that don't say enough, I think a fifth one could be added. A Sugar maker at the end of the season....🙂🙂
Looks to be decision day for us too here in northern portage. Growing degree days and the forsythea that is my usual sign say there should still be a run left. But the trees seem to be saying otherwise. Good for you for hitting that early jan run, I thought that was just too too early, but we're only going to end up with a bit over a quart per tap.
The season is nowhere near over in the area. The flow has slowed down but still getting 1-1.5 gallons a day when it does run.Quote:
Originally Posted by Darrel Wright
Same here. Percent is sticking at 1.8-2 on our sugars. They have definitely slowed down though...Quote:
Originally Posted by fred