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Yeah sugar was about 1.75% here as well. Check this morning looks like I have about 35 or so gallons. Strange thing is out in the woods it is really running hard. I'll see tonight whats out there. After this week I think I'm done. We made just shy of 5 gallons this season so this next batch will put us close to 6 gallons which is more than I expected.Quote:
Originally Posted by WESTMAPLES
interesting. my trees didn't give it up this weekend, really. I have some sap that I forgot to put in the shade this morning before work, though, so hopefully it doesn't spoil too badly before i get home and can start a pan on the turkey fryer for one last go. :-)
Thankfully we have 10" of snow in the woods. I backed snow around my storage containersQuote:
Originally Posted by sappytapper
Yeah, mine were really going yesterday too. Surprised, since I think it barely touched 32 overnight. Made me feel bad about pulling the plug in the middle of a run, but oh well.Quote:
Originally Posted by johnpma
Gabe
I collected 50 gallons tonight all on the gravity lines buckets are done....*t some point we have to pull the plug or the "honey do" list will never get done :)Quote:
Originally Posted by berkshires
LOL. Yes indeed. My wife has been pretty patient, but... she has her limits. :)
Gabe
I boiled off 65 gallon of sap in Saturday's crappy weather. Sunday things were gushing again but I pulled all my bucket and sadly watched sap running out of the empty holes. I left 3/15 line up and it was still running last evening so I plan on one more boil. My sap is averaging about 1.2% based on boil about 320 gallons of sap this season for a little over 4 gallons of syrup. I will probably end up with 4.5 gallons after my last boil. I took a walk on the Southwick rail trail last evening with the wife. Peepers! Still snow cover up in West Granville!
Does seem a little unethical letting trees piss on the ground:o
im still going its not completely over yet guys..... come on even my wife lets me play lol the honey do list gets done in between runs because the sap can`t wait around to get processed. haven`t heard peeps yet , but when i do im sure it will be a clear signal that we are at the end of this seasons sweet journey
Good, I'm glad someone's not thrown in the towel yet. Kudos! Hey, I drive through Westfield every time I go up, it would be fun to check out your setup sometime. Probably not until next season, though. I doubt I'll be going back up anytime in the immediate future.Quote:
Originally Posted by WESTMAPLES
Gabe
A tough decision but could not man the buckets this week. Reminded me of the low feeling I had when I released my very first fish after years of eating them! I am a catch and release fisherman now but I will be a catch and keep sap guy once again in ten months or so!Quote:
Originally Posted by johnpma
buckets are definitely done the tubing is still running hard start our last boil tonight and tomorrow all my storage containers in the woods are completely full Looks like I'll have to tap into the heating wood supply to finish the season
Boiled off 30 gallons last night have another 35 or so to do tonight and I'm done. Bucket come off the trees Sunday and the cleaning process begins. Learned a ton this season!!! Time to start getting myself together for Turkey Hunting :)
How do you like your Mason? I have to retire my homemade rig and I'm thinking his hobby 2x3 xl.
I like the Mason evaporator a lot!!It has the blower installed which can really crank up your evaporation rate. My prewarmer sits on top of the 2X3 pan I can only get the prewarmer to around 96 degrees on a warm day. I am looking at ways to modify unit to get that a bit warmer. Like to see 135 or so. I also think that if I build a ramp inside the fire box it will help greatly with my evap rate. Just observations from the year but for the money they are very well built units.Quote:
Originally Posted by eustis22
Keep an eye on here for guys that are upgrading. That's how I picked this one up. "Biz" is thinking of upgrading. He can tell you more about his evaporator
with my phaneuf I preheat on a propane cooktop to boiling before dumping it into the preheater. on the new hobby xl, the preheater sits on the fire. I am surprised theres not a ramp already from the bricking
That makes a lot more sense having the pre-warmer take some of the licks from the flame I have a lot of heat which goes up the stack I need to some how figure out a way to make use of that heat for pre-warmningQuote:
Originally Posted by eustis22
How much propane did you use pre heating this season?
Yes, I'm looking to sell my 18x48" CDL w/drop flues sometime before fall. It boils 10-12gph. Upgrading to something larger.Quote:
Originally Posted by johnpma
Dave
I used 2+tanks at $14/per to preheat over 500 gallons (next season its an RO for me!).
Finished up tonight Pulled taps and buckets today it was running hard but I'm otta time and wood lol I have 5 gallons of 6% if anybody wants it?? I drew it off today and filtered exceeded our expectation of 5 gallons by 1 gallon great finish to our season on to turkey hunting and the garden