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Thread: Ulster County Catskills

  1. #21
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    Jan 2015
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    Catskill Mts, Ulster County NY
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    Got about half my taps in Saturday, and will work on the rest Sunday.

    The flood receded, so I was able to get to the drum and pump it out. There was not much flow here since last Sunday, but the forecast is looking better for the week ahead.

  2. #22
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    Jan 2015
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    I installed the lunchbox vacuum/releaser yesterday. Naturally, I did not have all the right fittings, and on a quick run to the home store, bought the wrong ones. But I patched it together with what I had and was able to see it work. It pumps my near bush sap right to the holding tank. No collecting. Imagine that, although I like going into the woods to collect. It's my daily ritual. I still have a few more lines to set up there.

    Work on the arch should finish up today, and should be boiling Tuesday or Wednesday, probably without the hood/preheater. I am waiting on some welding on the hood, and the preheater is not completely assembled.

  3. #23
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    Jan 2015
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    The word for the day is "overflowing". Can you say "overflowing"?

    All lines ran all night, and my collecting tanks are running over. I expected a good run, but this exceeded expectations by a wide margin.
    Last edited by Ghs57; 03-24-2016 at 10:51 PM.

  4. #24
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    Jan 2015
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    Boiling the past three nights. The first night worked out some of the bugs in the setup. Second night tested out the AOF/AUF, plumbed in the head tank/float box. Not sure I have the air set right, but discovered that it is not a good idea to fire without gloves. Drew off a gallon a two, which was a surprise. Did not think the sap had concentrated enough. Third night, fire, fire fire, steam, steam, steam, rain inside. Task for today is to instal the steam hood, and rig up some kind (any kind) of stack. Drew off a few more gallons. The IBC tote was full, now almost empty, and ready for more.

    Amber syrup fo far.
    IMG_2020.jpg

  5. #25
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    Jan 2015
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    Today's story is ice. The past few days, and nights, have left the tanks mostly full of ice.

    Nothing much has run since Wednesday. There has been plenty to do though, with the evap set up and tuning, and yesterday getting the steam hood on the pan. I wanted to light a fire to see how it's going to work, but there was no time. Got another 35 or so taps in today, and that about does it for the 3/16 lines. I'm out of 3/16 "T"s. Still have some 5/16 tubing and fittings left, which I may try to deploy this week. Also ran out of jars so could not bottle the couple of gals ready to go.

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Woodstock, NY
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    56

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    Hey Gary. I'm sure you're flooded in sap from the past 2 days. I'm getting caught up now. Evaporator's been running for 16 hours straight now! Are you going to be boiling tomorrow morning? I'd like to see your set up.

    Matt
    "If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."
    -Henry David Thoreau

  7. #27
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    Jan 2015
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    Matt,

    200 gals today, not counting the overflow, which could have been another 20 gals. Will pick up in the morning around 10 after I collect from Ohayo.

    According to my log, last year I did not tap (other than a few monitor taps) until March 13.

  8. #28
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    Jan 2015
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    Just finished processing the last of my sap. Extremely dark and flavorful.

    All my tanks need a good cleaning, especially the IBC tote. Naturally, that's the hardest one to clean.

    I'm somewhere around 16 gals right now. My near bush actually ran today and produced about 5 gals on vac (38 taps).

    The local forecast holds possibilities for the weekend and into next week. We shall see. I'm very low on wood.

  9. #29
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    Jan 2015
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    Lots of frost this morning. The overnight low was prob around 30 degrees.

    I dumped all the sap in the cleaned drums, which was collected since late Thursday, as it was very cloudy and had an off smell. My one tree on a jug produced some yellow looking sap. That tree may be done. I'll see what comes in today and decide then where to go.

    I'll put out a sign today and see if I can sell a few quarts out of the shack.
    Last edited by Ghs57; 03-20-2016 at 06:09 PM.

  10. #30
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    Jan 2015
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    Collected about 100 gals over the past two days. Sap is pretty clear and smells fresh. My stovetop test boil produced some lighter syrup with no off taste or smell. With these low temps, and some ice in the tanks which formed overnight, I hope to hold off boiling until Tuesday morning. May do another test then to check everything out.

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