I was at Toms Monday getting jugs and stuff. Lots of empty barrels in the barn, yours is probably in there. Back to tapping today, slow going with snow on top of ice.
I was at Toms Monday getting jugs and stuff. Lots of empty barrels in the barn, yours is probably in there. Back to tapping today, slow going with snow on top of ice.
Another 1,000+ taps in today. Snowshoes are now a must to get around the woods. Only another 1,000 or so to go, then start adding more taps.
Nice run Wednesday, 2,000 gals in 1/2 a day. Boiled today and filled another barrel with some left for jugs. Still have 1,000 taps to set, should have them done this week.
Back to tapping today, put in only 100 in 2.5 hrs. A foot of snow on top of ice made for a very treacherous time on the steep side of the McKinley hollow. Getting down was easy, snowshoes became skis. Sap flowed enough in a couple bushes to warrant collecting. Lots of ice in my tanks which is a pain now, but will keep the sap cooler when it warms up this weekend. Looks to be great weather starting Saturday for some big flows.
Going to try to catch the weekend flow. Still have a long list of things to do. Why is that the case every year?
Gary / Zena Crossroads / 42˚ 00' 24" N / Hobby in Early '70s, Addiction since 2014
175+ taps on 3/16 (60 of which are on two Lunchbox Vac/Releasers)
12x34 timber framed sap house w/attached 10x34 shed roof for storage
2 x 6 Smoky Lake hybrid pan on Corsair arch with AUF/steam hood/preheater/concentric exhaust
7.0 KW Sun Power PV System, Smokey Lake Filter Press/Steam Bottler, Modified NGMP RO - 2 4x40 posts 200 gph
That's why I put a couple thousand taps out in January, get all the Apollo 13 moments done before the big flows.
A 50ish year old man should not do a split while sliding down a steep mountain on snowshoes. Drilled some more holes today and had to stop due to aforementioned split slide and the sap was flowing! Boiling again tomorrow. Tonight some wine with my whine.
Since last post have pulled in over 15,000 gals of sap and made 350 gals of syrup. Playing keep up with the trees.
25,000 gals of sap this week gets me over 600 gals of syrup for the year so far. washed tanks and releasers after collecting this morning, then turned the vac pumps back on. Saps been flowing nonstop since Tuesday.
Wish I had the kind of sugar you do, Van! I started at 1.4, down to 1.1. And my soft maples are budding. Never thought I'd see that in February! A little over 600 for me so far, too.
Tim Whitens
Willow Creek Farm
Fulton, NY
3000 on vacuum, 3hp 3ph Busch pump, 2567 Gast
30X8 Leader oil-fired evap. w/ steamaway
Airablo 1000 RO
6 Alpacas
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