going to put out 25-30 to see what we get.
going to put out 25-30 to see what we get.
As I looked at the extended forecast on Saturday, I was tempted to put out some taps but decided not to. Now the extended forecast shows a good freeze at the end of next week lasting about a week.
2012 50 taps on a homemade 2x4 arch w/ WSE pans
2011 1st year -24 taps on a 2x2 homemade flat pan
We got sealed out tapping too early last year. Found a bud on our driveway today, though and cant decide whether to tap a few this weekend or not.
It looks like it will be too warm for awhile to tap. Cincy weather doesn't give any freezing nights until next week. The 15 day AccuWeather forecast seems promising for around the 25th. I hate the guessing game, but I plan to wait this warm weather out.
2' x 6' / Kawasaki Mule 610/twin 35 gal. tanks
Arctic Cat TRV 650/Trailer w/ 60 gal. tank & 5 gal. jugs
In the foothills of Appalachia
http://www.facebook.com/newmanmaple
Interesting to hear sugar makers talk about check valves and gravity tubing! I'm on gravity and used CV's for 2 years on gravity. I was not happy with the results so I spent a fair amount if time reading the data on CV's as it relates to gravity. There is NO data that supports the use of CV's on gravity other then conjecture. That being said, Leader Corp. sure makes some strong statements about CV's on gravity with ZERO research to back it. Yes, I still buy Leader products, but I don't use CV's any more.
Hawkins Sugar House
Sunapee, NH
2x6 Patrick Phaneuf, raised flu
3 Hp Atlantic Fluids Vacuum
500 taps
Put out 45 taps today. All on CV'c and gravity execept the one I tapped a few days ago, with a bucket, but hung on a CV. I tested the sap that came from the bucket from a silver maple, and it was about 1.7%. So I will see what happens...
1150 Taps, one 250GPH RO, one 900GPH RO
2x6 Patrick Phaneuf Deluxe raised flue, with forced air, preheater,and stainless hoods.
18x50 Sugarhouse
2002 Cummins Sap Hauler
put out 30 last night, that leaves us 70 for later, taps were dripping for about 30 min. (got dark & refroze.) lots of snowpack to melt off, hopfully today with the sun out. not expecting much till the low pressure moves in on thursday or friday weather talking mid 50's this weekend, hope to get a few short boils in with this thaw.
I decided to bite the bullet and tap a few to see how it was flowing. All of my taps are flowing through 5/16 on gravity.
The video below is of the 26 I tapped today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7wbRxIbX50
Looks like a good rate of sap flowing. This year will be my first year setting up 20 taps on a 5/16 gravity so I am curious for future reference is that considered average flow for 26 taps? or above average? Were those sugars or reds?
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
This is my first year with tubing, so I can't really say. In the past I used buckets, but my sugarbush is on a very steep hillside and buckets became too much work.
There is about 50' of drop from my first tree to the collection point, I have a 200' long run of the 5/16" acting as my mainline with 8 branches containing between 5-7 taps per branch. I was installing drops and tapping this section at the same time. Every time I would cut the tubing to install a new drop I would hear a long sucking sound, so i must be pulling a pretty good natural vacuum. I still have about 25 to 30 more taps to be installed on this run so hopefully that will just make things better.
All of the trees that I currently have tapped are sugar's. I have counted around 600 maples on my property and I would say that 95% are sugars, 3% are reds, and 2% are blacks.
Last edited by saekeaton64; 01-08-2013 at 08:23 PM.