I am planning to cook my remaining 230 gallons of sap Thursday, have been worrying about sap spoiling with this warm temps.Monday afternoon the sap was 40 degrees. I will let you know how it turns out.My job comes first,and it is hard to get some help mid week. next Sunday night thru Wednesday looks like syrup temps. depends on how far along the trees are.
12x16 Sugar House 2x6 Maple Pro wood fired evaporator Arctic Cat 4x4 1980 Snowmobile 225 taps on buckets 17 Taps on 3/16th tubing on steep hillside
I went over Thursday morning to evaporate the 230 gallons of sap, the sap was at 45 degrees. We did a test taste was good then boiled some in a pan was good to go cooked it down. made 7.25 gallons of dark amber syrup. still have 90 gallons of sap in my hill top tank buried in snow and covered. will evaporate that Saturday morning. Will empty my pails and wait to see with the cold spell if the trees will run with good sap. Also have eight apple trees to plant,hope the rain is not to heavy.
12x16 Sugar House 2x6 Maple Pro wood fired evaporator Arctic Cat 4x4 1980 Snowmobile 225 taps on buckets 17 Taps on 3/16th tubing on steep hillside
Friday was my last boil. Evaporated 70 gallons and now have two remaining finishes to do Monday morning on the gas stove in the kitchen. The rain just continues and I am glad I am done for the spring. Can't imagine how muddy and slippery the woods are right now. Yet I will be out in those same woods Wednesday hunting ol Tom. Guess I'll let him walk over to me.
2019 47 taps and 10.75 gallons of syrup
2020 45 taps and 21.25 gallons of syrup
2021 50 taps and 13.5 gallons of syrup
2022 50 taps and 18.5 gallons of syrup
2023 49 taps and 18 gallons of syrup
2024 49 taps and 9.75 gallons of syrup
56 acres above the Mississippi River in SW Wisconsin
43.01N
I'm done! Ended up with 17 gallons of syrup from my 49 tapped trees. Can't believe the difference in color between my first and last gallon of syrup. Learned a lot. Thought it would be a one person job but quickly learned that I couldn't keep up by myself. My wife who wanted no part of it all winter but got in to it real quick. I also found that friends aren't shy about asking for samples. Started clean up today and am already thinking about next year. Hope everyone has a strong finish to the season.
2019 47 taps and 10.75 gallons of syrup
2020 45 taps and 21.25 gallons of syrup
2021 50 taps and 13.5 gallons of syrup
2022 50 taps and 18.5 gallons of syrup
2023 49 taps and 18 gallons of syrup
2024 49 taps and 9.75 gallons of syrup
56 acres above the Mississippi River in SW Wisconsin
43.01N
I sure am glad you enjoyed your season, mine went well also but will take weeks too recover lost sleep. We cooked 80 gallons of sap Saturday morning, made 2.25 gallons of dark amber syrup. Also had 8 apple trees to plant and fence off to keep the deer from destroying them. While planting, the hail storm came thru very loud in the woods, we made a bee line for the sugar house,the hail bouncing off our heads sure hurt . Up to three quarter inch size. I plan to check my pails Wednesday but think the trees are too far advanced for good sap. Hope you get your turkey, what a thrill to call in an old tom. Guess I will miss this season, my son and I will be out in South Dakota we have a 40 acre gold claim there. Still have all the clean up ahead, what fun. Happy Easter and God bless.
12x16 Sugar House 2x6 Maple Pro wood fired evaporator Arctic Cat 4x4 1980 Snowmobile 225 taps on buckets 17 Taps on 3/16th tubing on steep hillside
Well I am glad I waited just a little longer. The sap ran on Tuesday and Wednesday so this Thursday I gathered 200 gallons of sap was not buddy. A friend and I will evaporate on Saturday. I did pull my buckets and spouts on Thursday. Happy Easter to all.
12x16 Sugar House 2x6 Maple Pro wood fired evaporator Arctic Cat 4x4 1980 Snowmobile 225 taps on buckets 17 Taps on 3/16th tubing on steep hillside
On Saturday April 19th we cooked my saved 200 gallons of sap. the sap temp in the bulk tank was 43 degrees. No foul smells sure am glad I kept it, made five and a quarter gallons stronger tasting dark amber syrup. Then got the bulk tank flushed out, cant let mold get started, hard to remove. My season total is forty two gallons of syrup. had forty four gallons in 2013. Still have to roll up the eight hundred feet of main line ,clean the evaporator, organize the sugar house wash two hundred pails. two hundred spouts . Then the wood cutting begins, must be a labor of love, to call this enjoyment. God Bless.
12x16 Sugar House 2x6 Maple Pro wood fired evaporator Arctic Cat 4x4 1980 Snowmobile 225 taps on buckets 17 Taps on 3/16th tubing on steep hillside
Well, I'm now all in. After asking my neighbor numerous times about when I should bring back his oil tank evaporator, I told him I was tired of asking and being told, we'll get to it. I asked him how much he needed. He named a price and I said "sold." I am now all in.
It was fun rereading the posts this morning and thinking back about the good times. Was way too busy then. Am now cutting wood for the house and the sap in 90 plus degree heat.
Mr Sugar Maple - sounds like you had a strong finish to the season. Nice! Had an uncle (now deceased) who also had a claim out west. Not sure how his worked. I know he had to work it every so often or he lost the claim. Only in America.
Have a good summer everyone. God bless.
2019 47 taps and 10.75 gallons of syrup
2020 45 taps and 21.25 gallons of syrup
2021 50 taps and 13.5 gallons of syrup
2022 50 taps and 18.5 gallons of syrup
2023 49 taps and 18 gallons of syrup
2024 49 taps and 9.75 gallons of syrup
56 acres above the Mississippi River in SW Wisconsin
43.01N
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