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It is a little early. I ran into March last year. But I was making some nasty smelling syrup when I was boiling.
Tasted really good but smelled really nasty while boiling.
So I am only off by about 1 1/2 weeks.
I am watching this week closely, tonight is the last night to go below freezing till Fri night. It should run really good though tomorrow and Weds.
The sap is still running clear but just slowing way down.
I have a plan for later this week if my buckets trees stop, well wait and see!
BTW, It was really nice to to finally meet you KVSappers. It broke up the day of work here at the house.
I had a bunch of things that were not maple related that had to get done so it was nice to break the day up with some Maple Talk!
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Gary- I know Ive been dropping the ball on the alerts. Things have been going good for us here. Weve been getting steady shorter early season runs but they have added up. Were between 5 and 600 gallons now and thats a record by far for us this early. Im feeling good about the season even though the temps have been warm early. Im looking at next week its saying 50s without freezes but I have a plan for that that I know works. Starting next few days when it really opens up just keep walking around fixing little leaks and keep the pump well cooled and with the high vac it will make the sap run whether it freezes or not. I actually like that kind of sugaring becouse its less of a pain with freeze ups. Itll be less sap than the freeze thaws but what do you do. Cant change mother nature might as well enjoy the weather. Hit a real milestone last night. Finally got my new to me used ro all hooked up and running and it seems fine. So this next run Ill find out how much 15% I can make by just starting up machines. Im thinking 4 gallons per minute and if thats right I can just come home from work, start things up and be boiling in a couple hours with no early concentrating. That will be pretty great if it works out. Were having a fun season and sounds like everyone else is too. I think the next couple weeks are going to be great. Theron
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We have all of our syrup bottled up now, 22 1/2 gallons. tomorrow night we will have probably 200 gallon to boil.
according to accuweather it looks like sugaring season is gonna keep going on.
Dennis H , KV Sappers you guys can come up and dump buckets with me when yours run dry!!!
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Ding ding ding round two. The second phase of the attack on the maple trees has begun. My trees were slowing a bit, now I'm not sure if they aren't warming up since they are on the north side or if they are drying up. Either way I tapped another 14 trees tonight, I am now out of spiles, but I still have a bunch of buckets.
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Easy fix, Run to the nearest McDon's and grab a pocket full of straws, cut in half and you are all set.
Make sure that you don't grab the small short coffee stirrers. I know they look like those "health" spouts but stick to the larger ones OK!:lol:
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We will finish tapping this morning. It looks like 200 on vacuum and 280 with sap saks. I should to have enough to fire up the new evaporator tonight and get the RO going tomorrow.
My son-in-law (Kentucky) and his Dad (lives in ST. Louis) are coming tomorrow night for the rest of the week to help. It should be a good run this week.
Daryl
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Good luck with all that new stuff Daryl. Take it easy also wouldn't want to harm them right out of the gate.
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Batten down the hatches fellow PA sugarmakers, looks like a 48-72 hour or more deluge coming this week. Already prepped my colleagues at work that a few half day vacations may be in order this week if a state of sap emergency is declared by the wife closely monitoring sap levels at home! This thread should go quiet until the state of emergency is lifted sometime this weekend, if you have time to be on here the next four days you need more taps!
Mike
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@TurtleCreek Re: Sugarsand - Yes, I'm seeing much more than I did last year - really clogging the filters up...
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Maplewalnut, very funny! I put in my extra taps, buckets to boot. I hope to multitask and keep up on the trader. Those half days sound real nice. I may have to try some:D
I had a great Uncle and a couple of his grand kids over tonight. Boiled 140 gal. Shutting the lights off now, but the pumps on all night!
