Very low sugar content
I volunteer at a local Audubon sanctuary where I run the sugarhouse during group tours. Yesterday they collected a good amount of sap and when they tested it, the batch was only showing 1.2%. Apparently the amount of sap flowing has been outstanding this year, but the sugar content has been low right along.
Has anyone else been getting these kinds of numbers?
I got about 2.4% on my silver maple, and the neighbor across the street (literally) got 1%. Needless to say, it took quite a bit of sap to make my 1/2 gallon of syrup this last weekend!
~DK
I was probably close to 1.8 to 2 up here in Rowley.
Sam
I just finished checking the sugar content of my most recent collection of sap. I tested about 2.1% @ 33f. Thats from 9 sugar maple taps and 1 norway maple tap (still need to collect from the reds).
Granted all of my trees are large crowned yard trees so if I'm only getting 2% I can't imagine the trees in the woods are giving any better :/
For me its the amount of sap that's been a disappointment.
I am on the MA border in Ct and both my sugar content and the amount of sap has been low. I am between 1-1.5% and ridiculously low sap amount. It is a struggle to get 30 gallons each week to get the evaporator going.
2011-8 Taps on a very crude block arch
2012- 38 taps 2 X 3 with blower.
2013- 70 taps total-50 on tubing, 20 on buckets
2014- 75 taps- Low vacuum, 2X4 drop flue
2015- 100 taps-2X6 Mason Drop Tube, low vac
2016-115 taps high vac, 60 taps buckets
14X20 post and beam shack with attached 10X14 wood shed
12 beehives and an avid waterfowl hunter.
Wishing I can quit my day job, keep bees, farm, and make syrup!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Moshe...40072296064422
Same boat here. Hydrometer is reading 2% in a barrel that has ice floating in it, so it's probably closer to 1.5% or even 1.25%. Volume is way, way down, too but the big difference between this year and '09 is that I'm in week 5 and things are still going. This current hard freeze cycle seems to have gotten things going again.
Sean
Woodville Maples
www.woodvillemaples.com
www.facebook.com/woodvillemaples
Around 300 taps on tubing, 25+ on buckets if I put them out
Mix of natural and mechanical vac, S3 Controller from Mountain Maple
2x6 W.F. Mason with Phaneuf pans
Deer Run 250 RO
Ford F350
6+ hives of bees (if they make it through the winters)
Keeping the day job until I can start living the dream.
Im in the same boat as Sean with volume but all my sap has been 2% or more. That is what has saved me. I have one tree that puts out 3% but very little sap.
Originally Posted by SeanD
27 x 66 homemade arch
10 taps 2008
200+taps 2012 (180 will be SS)
5 years and going strong and looking to get bigger
2005 John Deer Gator w/a trailor and 130 tank
www.facebook.com/blackstonevalleysugaring
http://www.blackstonevalleysugaring.org/
I compared this year to '09. I meant 2010. That was my crazy low volume year with one frost in March.
Sean
Woodville Maples
www.woodvillemaples.com
www.facebook.com/woodvillemaples
Around 300 taps on tubing, 25+ on buckets if I put them out
Mix of natural and mechanical vac, S3 Controller from Mountain Maple
2x6 W.F. Mason with Phaneuf pans
Deer Run 250 RO
Ford F350
6+ hives of bees (if they make it through the winters)
Keeping the day job until I can start living the dream.
Same here. low volume and low sugar. Good thing last year was great. I still have some left over!
7 taps 2007
25 - 30 taps 2008
Hoping for Mother Load 2013
Seacoast NH. I'm running about 2%. Low flow. I've been tapped in since the first week of Feb with 50 taps and have about 3 gallons finished. Looking at the forecast, I have a feeling these next 10 days are going to "make or break" the season.
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