Tapping the 2012 season

[waysidemaple]

It got up to 39 here today, but is now dropping off. Sap is running with the vaccum on right now but not really that great. Started to run around noon or a little after so I turned on the pump. I prolly have 180 or so gallons from todays run when its all said and done. Plan to boil that Tomorrow night with whatever runs tomorrow. Its been kinda windy all day which isn't really helping. Cleaned the bulk tanks this morning so we should be good to go.

Scott

[spud]

Just so I am clear; I have read somewhere in this forum that ice in the bucket is all water. Sort of nature's RO. Since that post, I have been tossing ice out and pouring what is left into my holding drums. I guess that leads to less boiling and a higher sugar content as well as a lighter finished syrup. What do you mapler's think?

I have 800 gallons of sap in my tank and two days ago it tested at 2%. Today i broke through about 1 -1/2 inch of ice and retested at just shy of 5%. I am going to melt some ice and then test that just to see if there is any sugar in it. My guess is there will be very little to none. If this is the case then any sugarmaker that has the ability to remove ice out of a bucket or tank should do so. I will try to let you know in a day or two as to how much my ice test out at.

Spud

[Springfield Acer]

I found the same thing. I emptied all my buckets and saved all the ice and sap. The sap that filtered out was 4.5%. I melted down some ice and it was 0.0%. However, some of my buckets were frozen solid. If I can catch it before that happens, I'll discard the ice.

[cyblood]

Here's one of several threads on the sap ice debate:

http://mapletrader.com/community/sho...ce-away-or-not

[KV Sappers]

Collected little over 5 gal. of sap this afternoon. Discarded ice floating on top. Will boil down 17 gal tomorrow. Sap seems to be running good.

[jrthe3]

Started tapping in waterford today finish up tomorow

[Paddymountain]

gathered around 85 gallon of sap, dumped the ice on one batch and came up with 3.6% the other was 2.7%
filtered/bottled 4 gallon 6 1/2 pt tonite.
hoping to get a good run tomorrow!

[Gary R]

Very little sap for us yesterday. Hopefully today will be better. Daryl and I went on a road trip yesterday. He found four vacuum pumps for sale. We bought all four at a great deal. Can't have too much vacuum

[spud]

I have 800 gallons of sap in my tank and two days ago it tested at 2%. Today i broke through about 1 -1/2 inch of ice and retested at just shy of 5%. I am going to melt some ice and then test that just to see if there is any sugar in it. My guess is there will be very little to none. If this is the case then any sugarmaker that has the ability to remove ice out of a bucket or tank should do so. I will try to let you know in a day or two as to how much my ice test out at.

Spud

I melted my ice and it tested at .0% Yesterday i got about 1000 gallons of sap and it is testing at 2.2% I should get sap for the next 3 days. My Vac is running at 29 at the pump and 28 in all the sugarwoods. I hope and pray things run this good all season long.

Spud

[KV Sappers]

Boiled down 17 gal. of 1.4 sap today. Ended up with 2 pints of grade A dark amber. Man the trees ran today. Collected 14 gal. of sap. Will probably boil again on Friday. Rain tomorrow. 2+ gal. of syrup for me so far this year.