Was it warm enough to get your leak checking done? Still working in it here
Was it warm enough to get your leak checking done? Still working in it here
The sweetest trees are not always the oldest and the biggest...
[url]www.facebook.com/oldetymewine
www.facebook.com/brandybrookmaplefarm
1999: 100 taps in one sugarbush
2007: 2000 taps in one sugarbush
2010: 7000 taps in 5 sugarbushes
2014: 9000 taps in 6 sugarbushes
2015: 9000 taps in 6 sugarbushes & 40 birch taps
2016: 10,000 taps in 7 sugarbushes & a new winery
2017: 10,000 taps in 5 sugar bushes & birch & WINE
2018: 10,000 taps in 5 sugar bushes & birch & Wine
was going to tap today, but after a string of bad luck last week, and long weekend at work, i rested instead. did pull out some jugs from storage, and cut some 5/16 tubing for a test comparison to 3/16.....i am just doing 4ft drop lines into jugs, and only doing about 70 taps.
saw from weather forcast that this week isn't looking too promising either. today is about the only day above freezing until the weekend.....thinking i may tap some tomorrow, not liking the storm coming through in the evening. figure i can get them in ready for the weekend, then collect on monday when i get off work. extended forecast at least looks promising from here on out. (but never really trust it)
2012-2015 --- 10-15 taps = little over 1gal syrup made
2016 first year larger production
--------homemade evap (fueloil tank w/ 5 steam table pans)
--------41 taps
-------evap worked good, shelter did not = 3/4 gal syrup
--
2015: 8 bucket taps (7 red, 1 sugar) on DIY barrel evaporator
2016: 13 taps (bucket and tube) on block arch and hotel pans
2017: SAME
2018: 25 taps on 2x3 flat pan and resurrected barrel arch
2019: 25 taps...same setup plus DIY 3x150gpd RO filter
2020: 50 taps, all buckets..."new" oil tank arch setup
2021: 100 taps (50/50 buckets/3-16 tubing) on 2x4 divided pan
2022: 150 taps (50/100 b/t) on 2x4 pan with sap warmer pan
2023: SAME
2024: 150 taps, added single-post 4x40 RO system
No not warm enough last Saturday to check for leaks. It was in the teens. I think Im going to wait till Monday to do that. Its going to take at least 2 days to warm the bush up enough for sap to start running. Then I have to wait to get enough sap to ro anyway.I should have plenty of time.
2012- 200 buckets 2 by 8 woodfired leader evaporator with hood and pre-heater. 2013-400 taps with cheek valves and new tubing system. 2014-600 taps with cheek valves and wesfab short bank filterpress and a 16 by 16 canner from Leader and a Kubota L3200 sap hauler.2016- new 250 gas powered Ro from Deer Run Maple. New Airablow 1000 tap gas powered vacuum pump and 1000 tap duel releaser and 1800 ft of sap transfer line to sugar house and down to 540 taps.
Still no significant sap here. Baby bush woke up today. The rest of them will perhaps thaw tomorrow. We are ready!
The sweetest trees are not always the oldest and the biggest...
[url]www.facebook.com/oldetymewine
www.facebook.com/brandybrookmaplefarm
1999: 100 taps in one sugarbush
2007: 2000 taps in one sugarbush
2010: 7000 taps in 5 sugarbushes
2014: 9000 taps in 6 sugarbushes
2015: 9000 taps in 6 sugarbushes & 40 birch taps
2016: 10,000 taps in 7 sugarbushes & a new winery
2017: 10,000 taps in 5 sugar bushes & birch & WINE
2018: 10,000 taps in 5 sugar bushes & birch & Wine
well, finally got my first sap today.......probably 12-13 gals off @28 taps
the test didn't go as i thought between the 3/16 and 5/16.......5 taps of 3/16 and 4 taps of 5/16(could not find the last tree i tapped, too dark) i used weight instead of gallons, just because it is quicker and easier to measure with a fish scale.
3/16-5 taps gave 13lbs 07oz
5/16-4 taps gave 22lbs 01oz
all the tree were between 10-12 inch diam and tried to scatter pretty evenly.....if i put one size in a spot i tried to set the other close too it.
i did notice some of the 3/16 , that were not part of test, had alot more sap than others. probably difference in trees , though
i will continue keeping track and give updates on it's own thread.
2012-2015 --- 10-15 taps = little over 1gal syrup made
2016 first year larger production
--------homemade evap (fueloil tank w/ 5 steam table pans)
--------41 taps
-------evap worked good, shelter did not = 3/4 gal syrup
To be honest (and not to discourage you) but I'm not surprised. I think you only really get the benefit of 3/16th when working with measurable elevation drop (I want to say they recommend 30'). There's a very good article from UVM Proctor...in fact, here it is: http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc/3-16%20Tubi...ec%202014a.pdf
So, maybe you can run your 4-5 taps together on 3/16th and then run them far enough down (if you have slope) to get at least 10'+ of elevation drop.
--
2015: 8 bucket taps (7 red, 1 sugar) on DIY barrel evaporator
2016: 13 taps (bucket and tube) on block arch and hotel pans
2017: SAME
2018: 25 taps on 2x3 flat pan and resurrected barrel arch
2019: 25 taps...same setup plus DIY 3x150gpd RO filter
2020: 50 taps, all buckets..."new" oil tank arch setup
2021: 100 taps (50/50 buckets/3-16 tubing) on 2x4 divided pan
2022: 150 taps (50/100 b/t) on 2x4 pan with sap warmer pan
2023: SAME
2024: 150 taps, added single-post 4x40 RO system
no slope to speak of.........maybe 5-10ft drop over 500ft run......overall i think i am getting roughly the same run on both after looking at the other taps i had out all well.........i'll see how this year goes with it...then decide if i'll go back to 5/16 or not........if nothing else i can give Cornell co=op the info for their next presentation on this
2012-2015 --- 10-15 taps = little over 1gal syrup made
2016 first year larger production
--------homemade evap (fueloil tank w/ 5 steam table pans)
--------41 taps
-------evap worked good, shelter did not = 3/4 gal syrup
Season just kicking in in NNY.
The sweetest trees are not always the oldest and the biggest...
[url]www.facebook.com/oldetymewine
www.facebook.com/brandybrookmaplefarm
1999: 100 taps in one sugarbush
2007: 2000 taps in one sugarbush
2010: 7000 taps in 5 sugarbushes
2014: 9000 taps in 6 sugarbushes
2015: 9000 taps in 6 sugarbushes & 40 birch taps
2016: 10,000 taps in 7 sugarbushes & a new winery
2017: 10,000 taps in 5 sugar bushes & birch & WINE
2018: 10,000 taps in 5 sugar bushes & birch & Wine
Well, tomorrow looks like the start of a good week for sap. Been sick for a week with phnewmonia. Been to cold for anything to run. Weather looks good for at least two weeks. Time will tell.
2012- 200 buckets 2 by 8 woodfired leader evaporator with hood and pre-heater. 2013-400 taps with cheek valves and new tubing system. 2014-600 taps with cheek valves and wesfab short bank filterpress and a 16 by 16 canner from Leader and a Kubota L3200 sap hauler.2016- new 250 gas powered Ro from Deer Run Maple. New Airablow 1000 tap gas powered vacuum pump and 1000 tap duel releaser and 1800 ft of sap transfer line to sugar house and down to 540 taps.