Quote Originally Posted by red maples View Post
I just went right to bags this year. since they will be phasing out the use of older buckets anyway and I hate the lids on the new aluminum and plastic buckets besides new buckets being $30 each with the lid and sap sack holders being $6.75 with bag, holder and tap they are very economical. not very green since you throw away the bags but quick easy cleanup just rinse the holders take off the bags and your done. every now and again you have to change a bag during the season as they tend to get a squirrel chew here and there I even had a tree with barbed wire that didn't puncture the bag. I replaced maybe 3 or 4 out of 60 of them. not bad. but they can hold 4 gallons without falling off. and you can see in the bags. So you know when you need to dump it. My neighbors love them because like to see the sap in the bags. They are protected form rain so even if it rains you get minimal rain water in them. I really like them.
I like the idea behind the sap sacks but like tubing and vacuum even better. Buckets are a PITA and I finally have my wife's blessings to get rid of the darn things. She was always against having tubing in front of the house but she knows what a pain it is to gather the buckets.