Loudon 2007

[Russell Lampron]

I started doing this in 2001 and this is the second time that I have made syrup in the middle of April. Both times the syrup lightened up from what it had been in March.

All of you that haven't pulled your taps yet hammer on.

Russ

[Mark-NH]

I just got a call from one of my friends and we've had the best run of the season between the last 2 days. I've been doing this for 17 years and we've never had a run of any volume in April much less the middle of the month. Goes to show you that you will never see it all.

We've had good luck with sugar content all season, over 2%. Wednesday we were over 2 1/4%. We'll see what today brings and what color we can make from it.

Turn on the Sox, crack a beer and boil tonight. Sounds like a great Friday night.

[3% Solution]

Hi Mark-NH,
Yup you got that right.
When I went out to gather this morning, I picked up 40+ gallons from 30 taps.
My first thought was I'm in trouble!!!!
Then I went to my pipelines and BOTH tanks were full (65 gal. tank each), I am in deep trouble now!! Still had 40 more taps to pick up!
Stopped by John Paul Flat and made a little present to Van of 65 gallons of 2.5 %.
Kept 120 for myself, now that's history.
I am running out of wood, guess I'll have to get into next years.
Have fun!!

Dave

[Mark-NH]

Dave,

How was the quality of the sap? I boiled last night but did not get to syrup. Sap seemed to have an odor to it. I won't have enough to sell to Bascom's and I don't want to spend a lot of time and wood on making off tasting syrup.

[3% Solution]

Hi Mark,
The sap seemed to be clearing up a bit, it's cloudy but the bottom of the 5 gal. buckets (gathering) can be seen.
We made 3.25 gallons of nice tasting "Dark"yesterday.
The sap was 2.5%, did get get some in Sunapee that was 1.8% so I dumped it out.
Just moved in enough wood from next years supply to hopefully finish the season.
Picked up all the sap today so when the storm is in motion tomorrow I can boil most of the day.
How's your sap? It doesn't sound good.
We are at 31.5 gallons, **** that's the most we have ever made!!!!!!
Keep boiling!!

Dave

[Russell Lampron]

Got the buckets and the gravity taps pulled Saturday. I still have to pull the taps on vacuum. I should be able to get that done this coming Saturday.

Boiled out the rest of the good stuff that was in the evaporator. I was still making a very light dark amber syrup with good taste. I was thinking I was going to have to buy some Grade A to fill my orders but made enough in April to do it.

I have some sour sap and the buddy stuff that I drained out of the evaporator to boil and by the time I am done I should be at or near last years total for gallons of syrup produced.

Russ

[Russell Lampron]

Yesterday was a beautiful day to get the rest of my taps pulled and tubing washed. Boiled some nasty stuff that I had drained out of the evaporator 2 weeks ago with 50 gallons of soured sap last night to make some special stuff for Bruce Bascom. I am glad I have a steamhood because the mixture in the flue pan really stunk.

It seems that the RO machine has spoiled me. I find it hard to boil for more than 4 hours now. I am going to fill the feed tank with water and boil out what is left in the evaporator this morning so Bruce can give me some money for it. I could have done it last night but I was tired from working all day even though I finished up at 9:00. I don't know how Royalmaple does it boiling until 2 or 3 in the morning consistently.

Russ

[royalmaple]

Me either, but I think that will be a thing of the past.

Russ if you run your water through your ro, will that help you finish off your flue pan quicker. HA HA. RO can't help you there.

Glad to see you have to do some stoneage boiling during the season.

I'm gonna finish up the rest of my sap today.