I collected 35 gallons today and it was running quite well.
I figure I'll pull the taps this weekend. I'm tired of watching pots boil all day. I have way more syrup than I'll use in a year. My friend wants to do more, but he's having a really hard go at getting free time to boil. I'll see how it goes in the next few days, it's been getting really warm here, so the trees are going to bud any minute.
Went in yesterday to finish off what was in the finishing pan and then clean it so I'd be ready to start final boils for the season as it looks like it's going to get warm by Tuesday and stay warm! My holding tank is at 185 gal (250 gal tank). Decided I'd check the buckets and they were the fullest they've been this year! Sap was not supposed to run much!! So added sap collection to the list. Collected 80 gal from 62 taps. Now the holding tank is full and I've got 15gal sitting in pails! This season I've been getting little sap on days when I expect lots and lots of sap on days when I expect little! Still dont think I'll get to last years total unless the weather forecast changes - need about another 220 gal.
2023 - 130 taps, 90L from 4,000L as of mid March
2021 - 84 taps, 50L from 2100L
2020 - 100 taps on buckets, 21L syrup from 2700L so far (FEB 26-Mar 13) and then the pandemic hit! End of our season!
2019 - 62 taps on buckets, 95L syrop from 3215L sap
2018 - 62 taps, collecting by hand, 90L syrop from 3200L sap
2017 - Lapierre Waterloo Small mini pro with 40 taps
2014 - 2016 40 taps making one or two batches on a 2x6 flat pan over an open arch as it would have been done in 1900
Based on what Ive read, what I’ve experienced and sugaring in general, this is my strangest year yet! Thought I tapped at the perfect time (March 11) and as of today I’m sitting completely dry. Evaporated the piddly 65 gallons I had and now I wait for what I hope will be one final run.
I’m sitting at an average of 9.2 gallons per tap and that works out to 0.54 gallons per tap per day. Here’s to hoping!
On the bright side, the 31 litres I have finished is divine!
Hope all y’all end off on a high note.
Every year when people hear/see that I'm doing syrup they start commenting about how much they love syrup, how they wish they had trees to tap, that they'll buy syrup from me (or drop hints about getting it for free), and how much fun it looks like. But people have no clue how much time and work it takes.
I just finished boiling down 5 gallons of sap. I just decided to keep a bucket separate this round. I poured it into a pyrex measuring cup, took a picture, and posted it on Facebook. That 5 gallons turned into 400 mL of syrup. First comment: "No way!!"
Yup. It takes a lot to make that heavenly sweetness. Please stop assuming I'll give it away for free, or that $5/L is a good price.
Note: I do give syrup away for free, but that's to family or really good friends. Or I'll donate it for a fundraiser.
Anyone experiencing cloudy sap yet? Despite cold nights and days, sap doesn't seem to be keeping well?
Mine was back and forth. Some days would run and stay completely clear, other days it would run cloudy. For the most part I was able to boil sap by the next day, so it didn't get too bad.
Took Friday off to boil down my sap storage since the weekend is gonna suck.
Beauty day but took 12 hours to boil down. 270L sap -> about 6.5L syrup.
I'm a little worried about the sap sitting on the trees in 10C weather.
20190330_171446.jpg
2015 - 8 buckets, 332L sap, 8.5L syrup - Barrel evaporator, 2 steam pans
2016 - 8 buckets, 432L sap
2017 - 10 bags, 470L sap, 9L syrup
2018 - 20 bags, 1050L sap, 17.6L syrup
2019 - 20 bags, 970L sap, 22.2L syrup
2020 - 17 bags, 813L sap, 17L syrup
Sap was running today, collected about 35gal from 62 taps which seems to be about the norm this year! Poured rain all day so some of that was rain water. Tested at about 2.8% sugar and heretofore we've been pretty consistent at 3.4%.
Have about 200gal left to boil. Was worried with how warm it got yesterday but sap is only a little cloudy so should hold until I get it all boiled tomorrow. Looks like we'll get a modest run tomorrow and possibly a good run on Monday. Need about 120 gal to reach last years. Going to be close because looks like season will be done by Tuesday if the forecast holds!
2023 - 130 taps, 90L from 4,000L as of mid March
2021 - 84 taps, 50L from 2100L
2020 - 100 taps on buckets, 21L syrup from 2700L so far (FEB 26-Mar 13) and then the pandemic hit! End of our season!
2019 - 62 taps on buckets, 95L syrop from 3215L sap
2018 - 62 taps, collecting by hand, 90L syrop from 3200L sap
2017 - Lapierre Waterloo Small mini pro with 40 taps
2014 - 2016 40 taps making one or two batches on a 2x6 flat pan over an open arch as it would have been done in 1900
BCPP what is your location? I thought we were close and I haven’t seen a drop since Thursday.
We're inside Bronte Creek Provincial Park at Spruce Lane Farm which is about 0.5km North of QEW and 0.5km West of the creek. Last day of maple festival tomorrow so will be there all day and then probably finishing off Monday and maybe Wednesday. Stop by if you have time but if you dont have a park pass its $17/car to get in!Originally Posted by Smokeshow
2023 - 130 taps, 90L from 4,000L as of mid March
2021 - 84 taps, 50L from 2100L
2020 - 100 taps on buckets, 21L syrup from 2700L so far (FEB 26-Mar 13) and then the pandemic hit! End of our season!
2019 - 62 taps on buckets, 95L syrop from 3215L sap
2018 - 62 taps, collecting by hand, 90L syrop from 3200L sap
2017 - Lapierre Waterloo Small mini pro with 40 taps
2014 - 2016 40 taps making one or two batches on a 2x6 flat pan over an open arch as it would have been done in 1900
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote