My plan 2022/23

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Originally Posted by Swingpure

Thanks for all of the float box advice!

Last year I had two different thermometers to help me with taking the temperature of the sap. I would use the SapTapApp to help me determine the boiling point of water and then would add 7° to that, to get me in the ball park where I would pull it off to finish the syrup later. I had a basic probe thermometer and a digital one. I mostly relied on the digital one.

This year with the new pan, I will be getting a true maple thermometer. The one where it shows 0-50 with 7 being syrup. My question is do you have to calibrate it each and every day in boiling water, prior to starting the boil? As I ask the question, I wonder how would you do that, with sap in the pan.

My guess is the 7° above boiling, in the perfect world, would give you 66 Brix sap and that you might have to get closer to 8° above to get 66.8-67 Brix syrup.

I had a fair amount of faith in my refractometer last year and I will be testing the sugar content with it and will dial it in (pun intended) with the temperature on the thermometer to know what temperature is close to the syrup Brix I want, before drawing it off.

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If you have an auto-draw, I can see needing to calibrate every day, but I just adjust it in my head. I.E. if that day boiling is 213 (one Fahrenheit above normal) I draw at 220 (eight above instead of seven). I really don't need to be very precise, since I like to draw a little light anyway.

GO

You should be fine with the foreman, I had a Rubicon with the straight axle and had no problems with a 35 gallons tank on the back rack pulling a 100 gallon tank on a trailer through mud. It did good even with the 3 or 4-5 gallons containers on the front rack. After that 4-wheeler got stolen out of my driveway, I got a new one with an independent rear suspension and it still performed well.

I walked the three steep lines today, partially to break a path in the fresh snow, but mostly to make sure none of the lines will become snow covered. I raised the lines in a few locations. I can always lower them when I tap, if they are still well above the snow. The lines were snow encrusted in places weighing them down in places. Where I could reposition saplings to help support the lines, I did.

I ordered a filter cone holder and filters to sit on top of my draw off kettle.

I do not have auto draw, so thanks for the suggestion of adding or subtracting whatever the difference is from the boiling point of water.

My Honda Foreman 500 is small compared to the new 1000 cc ATV’s, but it is mighty, and I also suspect that it will be able to do the job, but I will try it with a half load first just to check it out. If we ever get a January thaw, I could test it then, prior to the season starting.

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swingpure, back in your earlier post you showed your evap fire wood stored around the edges of your "open air" sugar house, how dry is it staying now with the wind, snow, and rain? it would be a sham to have it be wet or damp come sugar season after all your work

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Originally Posted by nhdog

swingpure, back in your earlier post you showed your evap fire wood stored around the edges of your "open air" sugar house, how dry is it staying now with the wind, snow, and rain? it would be a sham to have it be wet or damp come sugar season after all your work

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I have them all tarped up. I have been removing snow off the tarps periodically, but we recently just got a bunch of snow and have a bunch more (14-20”) coming in the next two days. I am leaving the snow on them right now because we are expecting high winds and I thought the snow would help hold them in place.

I am going to be adding 2’ tall tarps, around three sides, just above the wood piles, to help keep the light snow from blowing in. Just waiting for a nice day to do it.

My goal is to keep the area where the evaporator is, snow free, especially since I still have to drill a hole in the metal roof to add my base stack, when it is built, hopefully in January.

The picture I just took now through the door window. The snow has slid off the metal roof several times this year.

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Merry Christmas to everyone and your families! I appreciate all of the advice, tips and encouragement.

I think most or all of us will be affected by this winter storm the next couple of days, so I hope you all stay safe and cozy.

Gary

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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family Gary. May God watch over you and your family. Thank you for all your inspiration.

Merry Christmas Gary and family. I enjoy reading all your posts and love your enthusiasm.
Paul

I purchased another 16 quart (15.1 L) stainless steel, induction stove compatible pot today (70% off). I had one already, which I finished my syrup in, on an induction stove. Once I got the correct Brix, I would immediately pour it into my DYI vacuum filter. I also used the same pot to heat the syrup to the right temperature for bottling, then ladle out of. So after poring the syrup through the filter, I would have to take the pot from the detached garage, into the house and clean it, then bring it back and pour the now cooled syrup back into the pot and heat if up to the 180/190 bottling temperature range.

Now with the additional pot, I can immediately pour the syrup from the vacuum filter pot (kettle) into the new pot, while it is still fairly hot and will not have to reheat it very much. And then can ladle and bottle the syrup.

I hope to take the syrup off the divided pan close to 66 Brix and then bring it to 66.8/67 Brix.

70% off seems like a good deal, where did you order it from if you don't mind me asking?