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I pulled and washed buckets yesterday and cut all my tails and washed and rinsed them out. Will pull taps this week.

I've had almost nothing running in three of four days.

Sad season.

I don't really know any of you (though I'm very close to Mike Van and its shameful I haven't stopped to see him yet), I thought I'd tell you all about something that's happened this year. This is my...

I went and checked tanks and buckets last night expecting them to be overflowing. Not so. I expected to see 600 gallons and maybe I have 250-300. With luck I'll have 400+ to boil tomorrow but I...

Collected 400? gallons yesterday morning and made first steam. Managed to sweeten the pan and still draw off a few gallons. Looks like this will be a good week.

I put up a few runs this past Sunday. Will do the rest this coming weekend. With luck I'll be firing the evaporator the first weekend in February.
My 13 year-old has talked me into some buckets...

Old-timer told me about this a while back. Second year doing it so I thought I'd post.

Last boil of the year I left a pretty thick pan behind. Filled it with water about 5" deep and let it...

I boiled a bit yesterday and finished this morning. Drew off maybe 2 1/2 gallons of what looks like very dark. Should run here and there this coming week but I think next weekend will be my last...

Finished 6+ gallons Friday and bottled it today. Still dark but good. Grateful for my milk tank. Was able to keep 400+ gallons at 36 degrees for a couple day before I could get to boil.

Looks...

Pumped up 400+ gallons of 55 degree sap this afternoon and got it into the first milk tank. It's down to 39 degrees as I type. Have a Boy Scout campout (down in Kent, Mike) on Saturday so I'm going...

Bottled 4 gallons last night. Dark.
I had golden last week and this week went right to dark.

I pumped 350 gallons to the sugar shack before the big freeze and boiled it yesterday. Drew off 4+ gallons and left a thick pan. The first boil last weekend was golden and the first couple draws...

I tapped last Saturday. Was away this past Saturday but pumped 600 gallons up to the sugar shack and put most of it through the evaporator yesterday. Even managed to draw off a few gallons.

Sorry to hear. I wrecked my shoulder last year and had to have help with a lot of things including taping. Only smashed a finger this year.

I'm going to put in 150-200 taps this Saturday the 21st. Not sure if its smart or not. Will see what happens and if I do any more the following weekend...

Scored another working 600 gallon...

Haven't been on the board for a while. I'll try to read through and see how your guys are doing.

Shoulder is getting better but still pretty sore.

RO'd and boiled 400 gallons yesterday on a...

Called in a couple friends because of my bum shoulder and with the help on Saturday I got the bulk of my trees tapped. Got the remainder in Sunday afternoon and finished up at 6:00pm. First boil...

Was at the Boy Scout Klondike Derby on Saturday and fell on the ice. Ruptured my bicep. Ouch. Had planned on tapping last Sunday but couldn't move my left arm. Have called in some friends this...

I want to love it, but don't. I'm left-handed and just can't get comfortable with it.
Maybe if they made a left-handed model?
I have a Smokey Lake arch and evaporator...and filter box...and other...

I've had a Norwood 26 for almost 10 years. I've built most of my barn, most of my sugar shack and two chicken coops with it along with countless other little things around the place. Mostly I cut...

The refrigeration guys were here yesterday and finished hooking up and charging my tank. I now have 650 gallons of cold storage! Installed a 1.5hp compressor unit to replace the 3hp R12 unit it...

I took a gallon of syrup, threw it in a pot with a fist full of barrel chips, let it boil for 15 minutes, re-filtered and bottled it. Came out really well!

Oh, just buy a 4'x8' now and get it over with.
I bought 3 evaporators in 3 years when I first started this....

All done. Finished 5 gallons yesterday and another 5 gallons today for a total on the year of 35 gallons. Not too bad all things considered.

Left 4" of thick sap/thin syrup in the pans and will...

I'll collect what I can Saturday night and boil all day Sunday. I get what I get. With luck another 5 gallons or so Sunday which will bring my total up to 30 gallons. All things considered not too...

Sounds like you need more air, more draft or both. When I'm running happy my stack is 750-850 degrees 3 feet off the evaporator. Don't think woodstove in your basement, this is a different animal.