So when are people tapping in CT this year?

Monday through Wednesday night i collected 170 gallons, no RO (boooo), so i boiled it (took off from work at noon, and was reminded by another MT'er that this is a HOBBBY) until midnight, down to about 20 gallons, with 7 of that being great concentrate. This snow today is brutal, already went out and did the first pass removing about 10", and will be going our for round 2 around 3:30pm, its supposed to stop around 4pm...have to fire up the pit again tonight and get finishing this off. Its funny what the priorities are, sugar house, pathways, and wood piles FIRST, then, get to the family access, and driveway!

hobby..lol..i know..
i made 2.25 gallons of Golden from this weeks runs. sap was very sweet coming out and the ice chunks i discarded even sweetened the.pot a bit more. it is absolutely amazing tbe flavor.of.this syrup . wicked sweet and buttery. i finished at 65 brix.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...be4c030cf1.jpg

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Looks good Pauly,I always liked the lighter syrup. good luck with your season,say hi to Dave.

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Originally Posted by Maple Hill

Looks good Pauly,I always liked the lighter syrup. good luck with your season,say hi to Dave.

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Thank You! Good Luck toyou as well.

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XX*/#*!!! Snow - dumping buckets just got 10x tougher. More snow tonight, more Sunday - I blame that groundhog......................

Boiling today in Bethel, after digging out with the quad /plow. Nice to have.

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Originally Posted by Mike Van

XX*/#*!!! Snow - dumping buckets just got 10x tougher. More snow tonight, more Sunday - I blame that groundhog......................

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"The Groundhog"!!! hahaahahahahahahahah Love it!

is anyone still untapped? or am i the only one really behind the 8 ball? I got 3 runs stretched on 3/16 a week ago before the snow, then got busy with snow-work. but now i'll have a hell of a time climbing my mountainside and actually get it tapped with the snow-cover.

I tapped 15 nearby trees on Saturday which started to flow instantly. When I tried checked the buckets on Sunday but slipped on the ice tweaking my back ..... making my wife poke fun at my pain "that you got more pain coming if you think I am going to gather the sap for you"...and..."serves you right for tapping trees when you still had snow to clear in the driveway" ....

Based upon the weather forecast for the coming week I will put in another 10+ taps and will boiling this weekend.

I started tapping Saturday, hope to get most of my taps in by early next week. Looks like it's time!

Wow, I thought I was ahead of the game likely tapping this week. I guess I am alittle late.

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Originally Posted by sr73087

Wow, I thought I was ahead of the game likely tapping this week. I guess I am alittle late.

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I'm already 20 gallons finishes! 4 more than I made all last year.

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Originally Posted by Woodsrover

I'm already 20 gallons finishes! 4 more than I made all last year.

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Like Mike, i tapped on jan 14th and have done 12 gallons of finished syrup. ahead of last year, and looking for a very strong finish, late feb on the 10 day is looking very very good.

I was surprised yesterday, as miserable as it was outside, some trees were actually running. Of course you had to dodge falling branches to check the pails - By this coming Sat, looks like big runs coming. BSD - get up that mountain & tap those trees!

Just finished tapping and chasing leaks today

Hello all.
I finally got tapped today. 44 taps this afternoon. So glad I cleaned them good in spring and put away.
I mortared my bricks and made a refractory concrete for in between my pans. That should be more efficient and less smokey in the shelter. I needed it to cure so delayed the first boil so we will see.
Forecast looks good next week. A lot were dripping mad as soon as I drilled. Even saw my friend Samuel Vw1 while out. (Nice Dodge Ram dude).
Last year I was earlier but after I pulled out others had another run a week later so not worried.

Here we go!!

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Originally Posted by Helicopter Seeds

Here we go!!

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Looking forward to a meet up Bert!

Boiled off another hundred this morning, ton of ice again - Had steam going by 4 AM - I do like the early shift -

well, i finally got time to finish up my 3/16 runs this afternoon since I think i've made a decision on a replacement evaporator. I still need to tap, but that'll come tomorrow.

Tank and my wire-spooler converted to 3/16 spooler via a road cone. it works awesome.
Attachment 15464
From the accessway looking down
Attachment 15465
3/16 Up and over the accessway
Attachment 15466
From the very top of the mountain, you can just make out the house at the bottom where the tank is.
Attachment 15467

I'm jealous. My lines run the wrong way. Have to haul sap up the hill.

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Originally Posted by psparr

I'm jealous. My lines run the wrong way. Have to haul sap up the hill.

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you just have to put the tank at the top then, sort of like putting the hole in the tire at the top to stop the air from leaking out of a tire... I got lucky gaining access to this property. it's almost perfect for 3/16

Yesterday my first sap collection, about 30 gallons from 44 taps, on a day that was not above freezing very long. Suspect tonight's haul is bigger. Some cleanup and scrubbing to do tomorrow, but first boil should be late tomorrow or Sunday.

Go figure. Much less sap today.
Here is hoping for more tomorrow

looks like i had a decent run today after just getting tapped. had about 85-90 gallons in the tote and still flowing a few hours ago. have to see what it looks like in the morning.

Attachment 15481

Just finished bottling my latest batch, yielded 2.75 gallons. Season totals thus far 746 gallons of sap, and 14.75 syrup. 62 taps (i recently pulled 5 from non producers). Trying to break last years total of 985, seems to be on track.Attachment 15488
Also noticed a nice sun set shot after unloading my collection today (75 gallons)
Attachment 15489

I boiled of 90 this AM & picked up another 150 for tomorrow - It was kind of too hot this afternoon -

Finished 8 gallons today. Will bottle tomorrow. Tired tonight!!

Found a couple buckets overflowing. Poured into my 55 gallon drum, which overflowed. Drove it on the back of the lawn tractor trailer, more overflowed. Found a slow leak on my buttress fitting. But will all the wasted sap, I still can't keep up!

Fired up my new homemade evaporator for the first time today. So far working great.

The last few days have been awesome. first day on 3/16 I made 110 gallons on 84 taps, i averaged 1.3 gal per tap with no vacuum (had vents at the top of the lines by accident). Saturday I made 210 gallons (2 gallons per tap) after correcting my vacuum issue. Today didn't have much of a run at all, maybe 65/70 gallons? will know the total in the morning. Today i got a chance to setup my new rig, and do a little test boil with some water to make sure everything is almost kosher. Need to run to get firebrick in the morning because i have 300 gallons to process ASAP.

Attachment 15535

No freeze now until Sunday night -

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Originally Posted by Mike Van

No freeze now until Sunday night -

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going to be a long week. my taps really slowed down. i was hoping for a hard run today but they're just so-so today. hopefully it runs long into the night to make up for it. i need something to boil!

I was also underwhelmed with the sap flow today. I'm hoping I have some heavier buckets by tomorrow afternoon. The buds are already visible on the trees!

Just finished my biggest batch to date...225 gallons of sap yielding just short of 5 gallons of syrup. It was quite a 3 day marathon. I am starting a new batch tonight with the 70 i collected yesterday, and whatever ran last night into today. I'm thinking of pulling taps March 1st, as i have already done over 1000 gallons of sap, and 20 gallons of syrup, incredible 2nd season for me. I'd like to take the time and tour around CT and meet as many MT members as possible. PM me if you are up for a visit in March with your address or contact number.
Attachment 15608.

Was home from work with my son yesterday and made another almost 4 gallons. Opened the holding tanks and will let the sap run on the ground for the next few days. This weather doesn't look good....

Down to a trickle in Southern CT. : {

Down time for some cleaning and more wood splitting to ready for the March runs.
I have to say, the flow has been amazing from late January until now down here.

I want to be ready for Mid-January like Scott D and MikeV were for this season.

busy. 3 batches Amber i batch Golden 9 gallons total. 300 gallons in tank.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...18dc93c249.jpg

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3 batches 2 amber 1 Golden 9.5 gallons. Boiled down 135 today. . collected 145 for tomorrow.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...f949857296.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c5d43d96be.jpg

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Originally Posted by Mike Van

I started today, 2 weeks ahead of last year, look at the 10 day weather & go for it -

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Nice looking stuff!

Crazy weather. So glad I tapped early!!

I came home today and every one of my containers were overflowing with sap! boiled down to nothing last night and I collected 50 gallons of sap today. who knows how much spilled over....I'm going to boil that down tomorrow and then finish whats in the pan...

That looks so good.its gonna be a busy week!!