Littleton NH area Maple Season
Guess I'll stat a new thread since I'm finally mostly set up for the 2014 season. While this is the lastest I've ever tapped in 25 years, there are many years I'd wished I'd waited till late march to tap (hindsight is 20:20 LOL)
Shoveled out a path to the sugarhouse, uncovered the pans and dropped then down on the arch yesterday. Got the feed pipe installed and set up the head tank to the evaporator.
Dragged out all the tanks and stuck the mainlines into the 600 gallon tank and hung most of the buckets today. Tapped most of the trees starting a week ago, but still have about 100 holes to bore tomorrow. Some of the warmer taps I bored today out in the sun actually dripped when I bored the holes, but quickly turned to icicles around 6 PM.
I am optimistic about the season as the there is no heat wave predicted and I did not tap too early. Bring it on!
2012: Probably 750 gravity taps and 50 buckets.
600 gal stainless milk tank.
2 - 100 gallon stock tanks
one 30 gal barrel
50 buckets
3' x 10' Waterloo Raised Flue wood fired evaporator w/ open pans.
12" x 20" Filter Canner
Sawmill next to sugarhouse solves my sugarwood problem
Gather with GMC 3500 2wd Pickup w/ 425 gallon Plastic Tank.
Been tapping here in Lyman NH since 1989 but I've been sugaring since 8 years old in 1968.