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Got 24 taps out this afternoon down in metro-Detroit. Most of the west facing taps were dripping. I plan on putting out another 30 or so this weekend. The last two years I held off until "normal"...

Don, those are the same prices I sold my syrup for last year to people at work. I was able to sell everything I wanted to and had no complaints, but this year I think I will sell 8oz glass for $7, 12...

Great video, Don. Thanks for sharing.

It is my understanding that if you are getting black smoke, you are overloading your firebox. Try putting in a little less wood than you were before, but fill it more often. I used to let it burn...

Well, I couldn't get my boys to wait until 9:26, so we tried it after dinner. It was very rich, but not as sweet as I thought it would be. I think the condensed milk taste came through a little more...

Well it's Pi day, so I have one of these beauties in the oven right now. I'll check back later with a taste review.

Anyone else have a favorite pie recipe you wanted to share on this special day?

Things are finally starting to get going today. Came home from work and the milk jugs on the silver maple in my front yard were full. Woods trees were a little better than they have been. Got 15...

I guess I'm glad to see that I am not the only one who has trees that are still frozen. I got a total of 9 gallons so far off of 50 taps. A couple in the woods made a gallon or so but the majority of...

Or we could call it Liquid Gold Rush. Every week, it would be "do or die" in the Hoffman's Sugar Shack as they try to save their season and make it to their goal of 1000 ounces!

Got 20 taps out between tonight and last night with the help of my 5 year old assistants. Waking up early tomorrow to get our last 30 out. Setting up our screen tent sugar shack tomorrow and getting...

I was bored waiting for the weather to warm up, so I decided to make a new tapping hammer. The head is made out of a maple burl that came from a GIANT farm maple that my brothers and I milled on our...

Yes when you add sap, you are adding it to the 219-220 degree syrup as it is heated on the stove, thus killing any germs and keeping the syrup pure. Once the hot syrup measures correct on your...

I second what Super Sapper said. When you pull a gallon or so off the evap, take it inside only to realize you still have a few degrees to go, it might take another hour on your kitchen stove. When...

Cowboyott - "My question: When boiling, do you move sap from lower heat to higher heat, or opposite? do you just move the whole pan? or scoop sap from one to the other?"


I have a barrel that I...

Sugardaddy1, compared to your records, is a March 1st start considered late or is it about average? Also, if we get a later than normal start, does that typically shorten the season or just bump it...

Hey y'all, is there an agreed upon best practice for drilling a tap hole?. I bought a real tapping bit last year and it seemed to do a great job, but I still wonder whether it is better to;

A)...

Welcome to what will probably become your new addiction. I started in a very similar fashion 4 years ago, tapping the one big silver maple in my backyard. There is a tremendous wealth of knowledge...

Father/ Husband/ Teacher.
10th year as a middle school science teacher, currently teaching 9th grade biology and physics. 4 years ago I had an 8th grader named Andrew ask me if I wanted to buy any...

Sugar Daddy 1, I think your prediction still looks pretty good. Looks like no warm up is in sight for 2 weeks or so. The excited little kid in me wants to start yesterday, but I still have a lot of...

I have my barrel evap set on top of 2-16" tall pieces of ash log. My barrel is insulated with rock wool and a layer of firebricks. The outside of the barrel still gets very hot, but it has never...

I got 8 gallons of questionable sap earlier in the week. Tried to boil it yesterday and my wife said "why does it smell like you're are cooking cauliflower in there?" I guess I finally got to...

I put a layer of split bricks in the middle of the bottom layer of the firebox, so that the 2" hole in the door is not bocked. Every time I add wood (10-15 min), I use a long skinny piece of wood to...

I should not have spoke so soon. Must have dipped below 32 last night here in the city, because I was pleasantly surprised to go out and see 1/4 to 1/3 of a gallon on each tap by noon. I might get...

Down here in the southeast lower I have not been below freezing for almost a week. No flow since Monday 3-31. It doesn't look like it will get below freezing again for another 5-6 days. I hate to...

Don, I tapped Marched 6-9th, but didn't get any flow until March 14th. So far I have collected 272 gallons from my 44 taps, and boiled all but 25 or so gallons that I will finish tomorrow night.
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