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Thread: Anyone Collecting Sap Without a Pipeline?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Albany, Vermont
    Posts
    102

    Default Anyone Collecting Sap Without a Pipeline?

    I would love to hear about those still collecting sap the old fashion way. I.E. With horses. With a tractor....

    Why?

    How?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Southern Ohio
    Posts
    1,349

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    Sure a lot of us do. I collect 100-125 taps off buckets and bags with a tractor mounted tank. Being small and my trees being widely scattered tubing is not economical. I like collecting by hand as fond memories of my youth and it's good exercise.Now if I ever expand much I'll consider tubing.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Crivitz, WI
    Posts
    88

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    Horses, tractor, I wish! LOL
    I have a sled and my two feets, the leather express as I like to call them! My sled holds 31 one gallons milk jugs before I have to walk back to the truck and make room. By room I mean 5 gallon buckets with lids. This summer I picked up a couple of those big totes and several 55 gallon plastic barrels, all food grade and clean. I am now trying to figure out how to get more/larger containers in my sled and a 55 Gallon drum in the back of the truck?
    2013 15 Homemade Taps, Milk Jugs, Turkey Fryer, 3 Gallons Syrup
    2014 Finishing my college degree, looked longingly at the Maples all spring
    2015 26 1/2 Real taps, Milk Jugs, Homemade 20x25 pan on propane, 5+ Gallons Syrup
    2016 50 Taps, Milk Jugs, Homemade 25x48 pan on propane block arch, 8 1/2 Gallons Syrup
    2020 80 Taps, Milk Jugs, 25x48 pan on propane block arch w/preheater, 10 gallons syrup

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    NY
    Posts
    4

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    I tap and run plastic tubes down to milk jugs. I walk around daily and empty the milk jugs hauling it back to the barn on foot to empty into a 55 gallon plastic barrel to store until I boil. I bought a 4 wheeler this year and would like to fashion something to be able to collect with that


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Bristol, VT
    Posts
    1,978

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by FinallyGreen View Post
    I would love to hear about those still collecting sap the old fashion way. I.E. With horses. With a tractor....

    Why?

    How?
    I assume you are talking buckets. Here is a thread already going about bucket operations:

    http://mapletrader.com/community/sho...ng-ALL-buckets
    About 750 taps on High Vac.
    2.5 x 8 Intens-O-Fire
    Airtech 3 hp LR Pump
    Springtech Elite 500 RO
    14 x 24 Timber Frame SugarHouse
    16 x 22 Sap Shed w/ 1500 gal. + 700 gal. tanks
    www.littlehogbackfarm.com

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Putnam County, Ohio
    Posts
    377

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    All buckets for me too. I gather with 5 gal food grade buckets that I carry through the woods. Fortunately, most of the trees are close to where I can park the truck. I fill the buckets to the 4.5 gal mark and carry them back to the truck where I put a lid on them and set them in the bed. This works well for all best the best runs. On days over 2 gallons per tap, 5 gal buckets fill up fast and make for a lot of carrying. I figure as long as I can do it that it is great exercise. I haven't planned for after that yet but if things go right that is a ways away.
    RC Maple

    14X14 sugarhouse - new for 2012
    RO Bucket - RB10 - New for 2019
    2x3 barrel evaporator with continuous flow pan
    55 taps - most on buckets
    This is next year!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Winter Wi
    Posts
    286

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    We run 400 pails and collect with a 6 wheeler or tractor. My wife and I can handle it alone (We're both mid60's) but do get some help collecting sometimes. Not hard and then I don't have those lines hanging in the woods. I will collect this way as long as I can.
    400 pails
    CDL RO machine
    2x8 stainless Dallaire evaporator, wood fired
    Filter press
    Polaris 6x6 & 4x4
    Allis Chalmers WD
    Allis Chalmers G
    Built new 24' x 40' shack in 2006
    http://www.blsugarbush.com

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Princeton, MA
    Posts
    495

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    I have 15-20 buckets that I gather by hand, using 5 gallon pails and a sap yoke that my great uncle carved for me. The yoke makes it sooo much easier to carry the buckets - the old timers knew what works! They are about 100 yards away, down hill from the sugarhouse and spread out. I didn't want to use a 4 wheeler or my 4wd truck because it will chew up the hayfield and/or get stuck.

    Dave
    Mountain Maple farm
    2022 NAMSC award winning dark amber syrup
    2023: 320 taps, 70% red maples. Mountain Maple S4 diaphragm pump controller with automated sap transfer and text messaging
    Website:
    https://www.mountainmaplefarm.com
    https://www.facebook.com/MountainMapleFarm/

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Glennie, Michigan
    Posts
    1,266

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    When I was a kid - Still in my 50's - I hung coffee cans from Grimm spiles and gathered with 5 gallon buckets. I would carry theses back to the sugar shack and filter into my storage barrels. So now I'm in my 70's and that is a big game changer - if You want to make maple syrup and not die in the process - Ya just have to work a little smarter - as the energy level is way down. Now I use plastic spiles with drop tubes into 5 gallon pails with lids. I keep my main trails open with an old snow thrower. I gather with a Rhino and a 25 gallon barrel attached in back. The barrel has a lid with a seal and a snap ring to hold it closed and now I loose very little sap I transfer sap into the storage barrels with a submersible sump pump, Works for me.
    Mike
    2x5 F.O. Tank Arch/Wood Fired
    2x5 Mark/Josh Custom Pans
    12 x 14 Sugar Shack
    55 Sure Taps - 100 Unsure Taps

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2021
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    1

    Default

    "a sap yoke that my great uncle carved for me."

    Do you happen to have a picture or plan or a general idea of how he made the yoke?
    I have an old yoke from my grandparents barn, but it is too dry-rotted to use. I would really like to recreate one for myself.
    Thanks

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