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Thread: 2016 season getting closer...

  1. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Crow Wing County
    Posts
    9

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    Thank You so much ! We will be waiting until March 1st for sure.

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Aitkin, MN
    Posts
    71

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    Welcome Jodie - we are in Aitkin County just north of Garrison. Lots of people around here to help you out.
    I'm a 'back yarder' with 100 taps going on 15 years. We have a large commercial operation very near here
    and the people there are really nice and willing to show others their operation. It is impressive!
    Yes, typically mid March if not later. Seems the best runs can come at the end of March, but usually, it is into April.

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Plymouth WI
    Posts
    142

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    I looked back at my previous 4 years of records here in SE WI. My evaporator requires at least 165 gallons of sap to start the initial fire and season the pans. So historically I have my first cooks between the 6th and 16th of March. Since my bread & butter job forces me to work it takes 1 -2 weeks to fix lines & tap all my trees. So although we watch the forecast close as long as I get my taps in by the second week of March I think I will be satisfied. The season can be tiring towards the end so I hold off on tapping to early since we hold out to the "bitter" end also to harvest as much as possible.
    2x6 Smokey Lake raised flue w/AUF
    16x30 Sugar Shack
    7" SL SS filter press
    Smokey Lake water jacketed finish pan & bottler
    350 RO
    517 taps and I seem to keep finding more!

  4. #24
    lpakiz Guest

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    Hey Ed,
    How is that knee coming along? Will you be able to walk in the woods this year? I saw you with another person a couple years ago. Was that your father? He still with you?
    Remember, if you need more intensive knee therapy, I can do that right here in my shop. Just call.....

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    MN
    Posts
    27

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    Quote Originally Posted by Gissert View Post
    Started getting the itch over the weekend. Looked up at at my 140 or so 5 gallon containers and decided I wanted to move to sap bags. Made 60 holders out of PVC. I will make another 60-80 next week. Anybody wanna buy some food grade containers with caps, LOL?
    I may be interested, this is my first year and I need to gather supplies. Where are you?

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Crow Wing County
    Posts
    9

    Default

    Hi Big Pine, - We are right out of Garrison too, so this is great information. It is nice to talk to others in the same area / location to know the best time to tap. I have been doing a lot of research as this is our fist time but wasn't quite sure about the best time to tap. I may be asking more questions as we go along, so Thank You, what a wonderful Forum.

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Plymouth WI
    Posts
    142

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    Quote Originally Posted by lpakiz View Post
    Hey Ed,
    How is that knee coming along? Will you be able to walk in the woods this year? I saw you with another person a couple years ago. Was that your father? He still with you?
    Remember, if you need more intensive knee therapy, I can do that right here in my shop. Just call.....
    Hey Larry I don't think I need your type of therapy I am beat up enough after getting the ends of my knee bones sawed off for a prosthetic. After 3 weeks I wasn't comfortable but was out cutting wood to get off the couch and gain some sanity. Every day is slightly better.
    Yep that was Pa with me. He's 72 now and getting a bit nervous right about now thinking my recovery time might force him into picking up the slack this spring. I keep telling him not to worry though since my healing is going great and besides my 10 & 12 year old boys are chomping at the bit and excited for the upcoming sleep overs in the sugar shack. This makes him all the more nervous knowing those two little shysters agendas don't exactly align with mission accomplishment
    Last year to keep them busy I sent them out on their own to tap a couple nearby box elders. Ya $10 of a $20 drill bit is still stuck in one of those box elders. I didn't find this out until after they found a replacement drill bit, 1/2" or so and peppered those box elders full of holes and then started asking questions how to keep the 5/16" tap from falling out of the hole
    2x6 Smokey Lake raised flue w/AUF
    16x30 Sugar Shack
    7" SL SS filter press
    Smokey Lake water jacketed finish pan & bottler
    350 RO
    517 taps and I seem to keep finding more!

  8. #28
    lpakiz Guest

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    Oh. .

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Aitkin, MN
    Posts
    71

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    Jodie - I am retired so I have lots of time to dabble with this stuff. If you are interested in coming over for a 'tour', we are usually around.
    Don,t tell anyone but my name is Wally and our tele is (218) 678-2194. We are just north of Trotter's Resort (on Round Lake) on the back
    road up to Big Pine Lake (NW corner). Or 2-3 miles west of 169 and south 1+ mile.
    I really get into the physics!? My homemade cooker is 3 levels, and I am always tinkering. Trying to get a new pan designed and fabricated
    - Temco in Aitkin is a great source for welding SST. Contact me if you are interested.

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    West central Minnesota
    Posts
    91

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    davewittwer- I am in Ottertail county, but get to the metro weekly.

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