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Thread: Sugaring season near Lancaster, PA 2014

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Strasburg, PA
    Posts
    211

    Default Sugaring season near Lancaster, PA 2014

    Just wondering how the season is going for anybody near Lancaster.

    I've made about 3 Gallons of Golden (borderline Amber)

    Temps are weird this year. No Major sap runs, just daily drippings adding up slowly. Not cold enough nights last week, not warm enough days this week. The past two years my trees were done by now.

    I'm feeling good about my totals though, seems like a nice long stretched out season in the works. This year still feels like its only getting started.
    ~ John

    50 Reds, Silvers, Norways and Sugar Maple taps. 4' diameter round Amish made SS wood fired evaporator.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Parkesburg, PA
    Posts
    18

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    This is my first year and it has been hit or miss with my trees so far. The ones in the front yard don't seem like doing anything at all. The sugar maple in the back just started running just in time for the cold weather to come back and shut it off. Still I got about 1/2 cup of very light syrup over the weekend. John, see if you can guess who I'm related to by my username lol.

    Also, where did you get your evaporator made? How has it been working out so far?

    Kristopher

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Strasburg, PA
    Posts
    211

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    Hey Kris,

    hmmm I know two completely different Mast families. Both of which are awesome! So it's either Kent Mast from one family or Daniel Mast would have my closest friend on the other. Either way nice to see you pop in!

    My evaporator is actually an "Amish wood fired canner/cooker" built by DS machine in Gordonsville. I like it because I like to can tomatoes and cook corn for freezing, pear butter, applesauce and make syrup in the winter. Very versatile. I'm getting about 5 gallons per hour. I love it. But I can't handle much more taps on it before I'd need to get something better designed for sap.
    ~ John

    50 Reds, Silvers, Norways and Sugar Maple taps. 4' diameter round Amish made SS wood fired evaporator.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Parkesburg, PA
    Posts
    18

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    Yup Kent's my brother lol. Growing up I always thought you couldn't make maple syrup unless you lived in New England, I'm glad this year I actually looked into it. Then Kent tells me that you did this too. So I somehow stumbled upon this website and found you lol. That's pretty cool about your canner. I need to figure something better out for next year as my propane burner isn't efficient enough. Right now, it looks most likely that I will be building some sort of cinder block arch. And I'm already looking for more maple trees. The addiction begins lol.

    Kristopher

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    New London Pa
    Posts
    36

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    Just south of you guys I've made 1.5 gal. I think I tapped half my trees to early and half right about proper timing. Hoping we keep going for a little while this is my first year trying to sell it

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Lancaster County, Pa.
    Posts
    119

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    I'm in Reamstown. I did my first boil of the season yesterday and made 2 quarts. I have 14 taps in 7 silvers around the neighborhood.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Ma&Pa line
    Posts
    8

    Default

    York Pa. I first tapped 2/18/14. It’s slow, but averaging .44gal sap a day per tap and about 2.5% syrup yield.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Birdsboro PA
    Posts
    1,326

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    I live in Denver but tap in Huntington county. Went up this past weekend to a foot of snow. Got the four wheeler stuck many times, burned a batch because I decided to collect more sap and got stuck again and didn't make it back to the evaporator on time. (Learned my lesson).
    Had about 150 gallons of sap and ended up with less than half gallon. Temps look terrible this week.

    Lets hope it starts soon!
    first year 2012 50 taps late season made 2 1/2 gals.

    2013 2x6 homemade arch 180 taps. 20 Gals.

    2014 40 on 3/16 gravity 160 on buckets.

    http://omasranch.wix.com/omasmaple

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Lancaster County, Pa.
    Posts
    119

    Default

    Tough break there. Hope it goes a little smoother for you next time.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    north west new jarsey
    Posts
    613

    Default

    Say that again 150 gal to 1/2 gal or did that include what you burnt?
    2021 95 taps all on 3/16' natural gravity 2018 home built 4x40 RO 2017 1000 sap 15gal syrup 4 runs of 3/16 natural vac 1 of 5/16 2016 775gal of sap made 12gal syrup 2015 18.5 gal about 55 taps. Have the best wife! cub cadet volunteer 4x4 sap hauler

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