My plan 2022/23

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03-29-2023, 09:27 PM
Swingpure

Quote:

Originally Posted by berkshires

I asked you about that a page or two ago, and if you replied I never saw it. This is what I suspected. If you are just opening it wide and dumping all the sweet, this is why you don't maintain a gradient. If this is what you prefer, that's fine, but most folks would rather keep a good gradient in their pan and have smaller/more continuous draws.

GO

So when it gets to the right temperature and density, I should let it trickle out until the temperature drops.

I know there are variables, how long on average should wait until the next trickle drawoff?
03-30-2023, 04:31 AM
bigschuss

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swingpure

So when it gets to the right temperature and density, I should let it trickle out until the temperature drops.

I know there are variables, how long on average should wait until the next trickle drawoff?

I would experiment with more draw offs of a lesser volume. Typically when I draw off I remove maybe a half gallon to a gallon at a time. So instead of one big 3 gallon draw off, try 4 or 5 smaller ones over the course of your day. I think also there is a little lag if you're watching the thermometer. When drawing off you're also flooding the pan with fresh sap and there is some lag in the response of the thermometer to that fresh sap.
03-30-2023, 04:39 AM
bigschuss

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swingpure

Lol, that is where I got my plan from, just wanted to make sure my volumes of sap were correct. I do get a gradient in my pan which is obvious by the colours and I did get an early draw off last time, but I likely for whatever reason have not maintained a sweet pan. Perhaps that is to come.

I have to admit if I just kept getting a drawoff at the end of a long boil, sort of batch boiling, I am fine with that, as I immediately take that and finish it while it is still hot, then filter it, then bottle it while it is still hot. Very little reheating. I have been making 8.5 to 10.5 L each time of syrup, which fits into my capacity perfectly (finish pot size). Yesterday with it coming off mid boil, I had to reheat it, which takes a little while.

Long range forecast has already changed, so I will do that plan whenever the time comes.

I am well ahead of last year’s pace, but I need the season to extend into mid April to meet some long range goals. Last year I made 109 L with 109 taps, although I was assisted with 110 L of sap given to me. This year I would like to make 140 L with no added sap from a friend. I have 170+ taps, but some are on pails and some are on very short lines and some were tapped at Christmas, some mid February, some March 1, so I have no expectation of a litre a tap, but 140 sounds like a nice number and a good goal. I also benefit from high sugar content in my sap.

I am still really pleased with the vacuum filter. Very fast, very easy, does a great job, and very little syrup lost to the filters. I have mentioned this before, but I have a five gallon pail filled with water, and I just toss th filters from the vacuum filter into the pail and either later that day or the next day, I go to clean them, and the job is mostly done with the water diluting the nitre and the final cleanup of the filters is simply quickly finishing them.

Yes, Gary...as long as you're having fun and making syrup that's all that matters. Batch boiling is fine. You're retired (I think?) so I assume you're not constrained by time too much.

During that last boil just take your time and go VERY slowly as you bring down the level in your pan. I will pay attention to the pan and the fire and add small kindling as needed to keep the evaporation process going gently. I have a shovel ready in case I need to remove the hot coals and wood from the firebox and kill the fire immediately. The lower you bring it down the more time you'll save later on the turkey fryer. There have been a few years that I drop the level so much that when I drained the pan I was basically at syrup within 5 minutes of finishing.
03-30-2023, 05:15 AM
berkshires

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swingpure

So when it gets to the right temperature and density, I should let it trickle out until the temperature drops.

I know there are variables, how long on average should wait until the next trickle drawoff?

On my evaporator it's pretty obvious. Whenever the temp gets back up to syrup (or close and rising) it's time to open the valve again. Sometimes it's just a few minutes after the last draw, sometimes it's an hour. You just go by temperature at the draw-off.

GO
03-30-2023, 01:21 PM
Swingpure

When I boil again on Saturday, I am going to try and use less wood. Right now, every 10 minutes I stuff the firebox full. The fire is very hot and I get a great boil, but I wonder how much heat is racing out the stack. The old timers I watched yesterday, use much, much, much less wood than I do, but their boil rate is also much less. There might be a happy medium between us.

Not sure if the best solution is not to stack it so full or have a longer fire interval time, or perhaps a bit of both.
03-31-2023, 08:49 AM
Swingpure

1 Attachment(s)

A two day break from boiling, back at her tomorrow. Took the break because of weather, but also personal reasons, not the least of which I get to watch my Granddaughter’s skating show. She is also in gymnastics and on her final day of this session, she climbed a very tall rope and rang the bell, primarily using arm strength, it was impressive.

I think I might burn through the wood I had surrounding the evaporator after the next four to five boils. They also acted like walls, so today I am buying some tarps to take their place if need be. I may have to tap into the wood supply I split last year for next season’s production.

I have collected 76% of the sap volume I collected last year and have made 20 L more than last year at this time, but I made a fair amount of syrup last year during the first week of April.

I have made 6 batches so far. The picture shows bottles from the first five batches.

Attachment 23117

https://share.icloud.com/photos/025K..._aps9-tLpX4aGA
03-31-2023, 08:59 AM
Swingpure

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigschuss

Yes, Gary...as long as you're having fun and making syrup that's all that matters. Batch boiling is fine. You're retired (I think?) so I assume you're not constrained by time too much.

During that last boil just take your time and go VERY slowly as you bring down the level in your pan. I will pay attention to the pan and the fire and add small kindling as needed to keep the evaporation process going gently. I have a shovel ready in case I need to remove the hot coals and wood from the firebox and kill the fire immediately. The lower you bring it down the more time you'll save later on the turkey fryer. There have been a few years that I drop the level so much that when I drained the pan I was basically at syrup within 5 minutes of finishing.

Thanks for all of the advice. I am retired. Time is something I have available this time of year, ice fishing is done, still not time yet for wood splitting as there is still lots of snow around covering the wood piles and the splitter.

Once maple syrup season is done, then it is moving split wood from more open areas to covered sheds for use this coming winter, then splitting already stockpiled logs to refill the more open area storage locations for winter 24/25, and the goal is to get that all done before the black flies show up, then it is time for fishing and projects.

I have been retired for 12.5 years now and have not been bored for one second. Living in a rural area, there are always chores to do, or fishing!
03-31-2023, 07:52 PM
Pdiamond

You are very consistent on your color/grade of syrup.
03-31-2023, 09:34 PM
Swingpure

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pdiamond

You are very consistent on your color/grade of syrup.

And I have no idea how I do it, lol, other than being consistent in what I do, right or wrong.
04-01-2023, 08:20 PM
Swingpure

2 Attachment(s)

While I was boiling today, my bride thought she would try and make some maple sugar. She followed all of the instructions and made some good looking maple sugar. It is drying on some baking sheets right now.

Attachment 23120

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0ba1...xQZkSvxqPKOHTg

The boil went well, cut short by the weather, as snow was blowing into the shelter with strong cold north winds, but I did have one draw early in and made 7 L of syrup.

Next year I will add a metal door to my front metal facade. The evaporator is so hot this year, compared to last year, my wooden handles on my concrete doors are burning, and today even briefly caught on fire. Last year they lasted the whole season.

Attachment 23121

https://share.icloud.com/photos/062T...JhE3GAC5GLazLA