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When I get in that situation I try to boil and finish at least half the batch and while I'm finishing the first half, I'm boiling the second half. That way, if I run out of time I can more easily...

I just changed out a pair on my RO bucket. If I remember correctly, the membranes or the paper in the box said to flush for 2 hours with unchlorinated water. That's what I did anyway and they seemed...

It's always different. I work quite a way from home so it's hard to schedule for me. Once they are tapped though, you can't really control everything so I boil as soon as I get home, even if it's...

I just want to second the opinion regarding how quickly the concentrate can spoil. I started RO last year and honestly didn't do the careful reading that I should have. I made up some concentrate and...

I was pretty pleased with the RO Bucket. Easy to set up and use and since I really don't have a lot of time to baby sit, it made my life a lot easier. I did make the one time mistake of thinking I...

I've had very little for the last week or so. I'll take what I get through this weekend and call it quits I think. I have a long commute and just don't have an easy way to make time for small amounts.

I'm almost always around 220 or 221....sometimes 222. I have two thermometers (different brands) and it's all about the same for me. 250 feet above sea level. First year or so I was frustrated in...

I don't think they normally taste much different unless other conditions change. I think they just produce sap with less sugar content.

It's not the end of the world but it looks like it is. As mentioned, it will settle but then you'll look at the bottom of the bottle. If it were me, I'd order pre-filters and a felt one. Open your...

I've never had luck with coffee filters. I use pre-filters along with a wool filter and I still get a very small amount of niter from time to time. Usually, it's crystal clear. I'd try a different...

Hardly anything running now so we might be about done. The lack of snow this year was problematic too. Hope we get some spring rain. I've don't recall seeing the well that low at this time of the...

Same problem here. I'm hopeful that we'll get another short run but I'm not counting on it. Things are getting strange and it seems the sap runs will be more north of us as time goes on.

When I boil too hot and the flame comes up around the pan I get a burned ring. Keep the flame under and keep an eye out for that.

Probably. I think the quality of the build is in question. Anyone else?

Take temps. I've had a ring before mainly from foam and sediment and the syrup was fine. I do skim a lot when needed and that helps.

I've had a few cloudy and off looking batches. Some turn out OK. Others turned out slimy. I'm a weekend boiler too. Nowadays, if it's questionable it gets tossed. I'd rather not go through all the...

I used the RO 10 for the first time today. Had a little trouble with a suction leak that I finally sorted out. I was very pleased with the performance although it was dicey getting the flows to...

Not to just say "me too", I agree with the posts above. Even when I just added 7 degrees my first year, I had thin syrup. I rarely finish less than 222 or so.

I would definitely check out Camcote. It is food safe and a lot of beekeepers use it to keep an older, galvanized extractor in use.

I use Star San as well. It doesn't take much to mix up a lot of Star San and I use it on all my taps and sap buckets. No need to rinse either so it saves time.

I pulled last weekend and cleaned up the pails yesterday. All my sap last weekend ran cloudy or was cloudy shortly after I dumped the buckets. Short, but good season for me.

I'm never done at 7+ degrees over boiling and my hydrometer tells me that. Bad thermometer I guess but I wait until the tiny bubbles start to crawl up the finishing pot and then I'm almost done.

I pulled the taps in Pepperell today. I.m teaching two nights and on the upcoming weekend so between my availability and the slow taps I'm done for the year. Short but good.

It's been quite slow the past week.

I've never had a problem with the bees bothering me while I boil. I do see some on warm days at the taps. Not many but a few here and there. You should be fine.