Our buckets have been up for one week in east central Minnesota. We have gathered 4.5 gallons per bucket total so far as of February 25.
Type: Posts; User: buck3m
Our buckets have been up for one week in east central Minnesota. We have gathered 4.5 gallons per bucket total so far as of February 25.
About 10% were slowly dripping. It’s super early but with the predicted warm weather we are hoping for some good gathers over the next week.
Sometimes the weather can fool a person. Seems like it would be a good bet to leave them in until the show is definitely over.
We are doing this for fun, and decided to call it a season in east-central when we saw the buds swelling, looked at the forecast and heard the frogs calling. A good season. Possibly the least muddy...
Yup, a gallon of maple syrup weighs between about 11.02 and 11.20 pounds per gallon depending on Brix....
"I'd just use the settling method if it were me." Yup. For small batches that you're not selling. Much easier, way less frustrating, wastes less syrup.
"I pull it off the heat, wait for the temp...
"My question is, can/should I be using the divided pan to run a continuous (slow) draw off, which will also let me manage the filtering stage better?"
I'll assume the warming pan lets you trickle...
I don full rain gear, gloves, wear glasses and use a pressure washer on them, then set the buckets out to dry. I haul and store them horizontally to keep them from sticking together.
Amazing efficiency. Nice job!
I filter finished syrup, about 66.5 Brix. That's because bringing it to boil again after filtering will create more sugar sand.
Tapped and hung 150 buckets today in east central. Enough snow to make it tiring! Most trees were dripping slowly. Looks like a nice early start to the season.
"Historically it was recommended that tapholes be drilled at a slight angle to allow sap to run out to reduce freeze heaving of spouts and to reduce sap souring in the taphole."
I use buckets and...
I think new niter can form if more water evaporates, or if syrup is reheated past the temp where it was filtered, or about 195, whichever is lower, or reheated so there are hot spots. Otherwise, I...
Worth a read: https://www.uvm.edu/sites/default/files/Ask-Proctor-Filtering-MapleSyrupDigest.pdf
We like to filter at about 200 degrees. In fact, many places recommend filtering finished syrup...
Just noticed they have a Facebook page, and I got a response to a message within minutes: https://www.facebook.com/A-A-Metal-Shop-103912677668243/photos
I see a price list was posted earlier this...
Despite having done this a long time, I am still learning new things, but don't think I have personally seen so much niter after proper filtering. I have seen that much sugar. I think the different...
I can't tell from the photos, but are you saying that the niter fills 15-20% of the jars? If so, I wonder if it could be sugar crystals and not niter. I'd pour out a jar and taste the residue. Is it...
Very innovative. I'm impressed!
I'm impressed!
My tank will be food grade plastic as would be any baffling materials. The guy in the video wasn’t hauling sap and it looked like non food grade hose.
I think he knows what he's talking about, although it would seem that several buckets would be even better. Earlier I found this on Youtube. The problem would be the expense of food grade hose:...
Thanks. Have you used one for this purpose yourself?
I was planning to have the gatherers dump sap into a smaller container and pump into the tank, leaving everything set up as we drive along....
I've been using four 55 gallon barrels to gather, but am considering switching to a single caged tank to simplify things. I'd be towing it through the woods, on a two wheel trailer pulled by an old...
Definitely woodpecker work but it doesn't look like standard sapsucker damage to good wood, but woodpeckers going after bugs in the dead wood of a tree.
Outstanding. Congratulations!