Sap yield question
I'm a 1st year hobbiest and am wondering what I should expect for sap yield per tap. I'm in southern Maine near the NH border and am tapping red maples only in a mixed white pine, hemlock and maple forest. I had the lot cut about 7 years ago, and the reds I am tapping are mostly around 12-16" diameter - 1 tap per tree. So far, I have averaged about 5 gpt, but I have read that the average should be closer to 7 to 10 gpt. I tapped the 1st week of March. The trees are still dripping slowly and I'm in a cold spot, so they haven't come close to budding out yet. I'll boil again tomorrow, about 40 - 50 gals. collected this week.
I have a gentle slope in one area, so I could tie about 20 trees together on gravity with maybe a small portable vacuum pump like I've been reading about here. Do you think that that would increase the yield?
2015 - 40 buckets w/ drop lines
275 oil tank evaporator
2x4 flat pan
made 5 gallons!
2016 - 90 buckets
same evaporator and pan
hoping to make 12 gallons
2017 - 85 taps on vacuum w/lunchbox
50 buckets
Smoky Lake 2X4 drop flue pan