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Thread: Lancaster Co. 2016

  1. #21
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Strasburg, PA
    Posts
    211

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    Maple season is over here in Strasburg. My 3/16 lines quit. Forecast said that spring has sent winter running away with its tail between its legs. It was an ok season we made about 10 gallons mostly amber. No stinky buddy syrup this year. Last year we boiled until April! But the last 3 gallons were awful. Lol. I hope everyone had a great season!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    ~ John

    50 Reds, Silvers, Norways and Sugar Maple taps. 4' diameter round Amish made SS wood fired evaporator.

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Pottstown, PA
    Posts
    24

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    I've really appreciated all your help, guys. This has been a blast.

    I mixed most of my Golden/Amber (can't tell which it is) with my Very Dark to produce a nice Dark. I did retain enough of my Golden/Amber to make one bottle of that. I'll attach a picture. 20160311_140844.jpg

    So, looking to next year, I'd like to go from my 5 taps to 50 taps. I only have about 10 workable trees of my own, so I'll have to find some local landowners this summer.

    My evaporation process took me 12 hours with a week's worth of sap, using one pan, from the time I lit the fire to the time I finished bottling. I'll attach a pic of my pan, too: 20160308_181535.jpg

    Does this mean that if I go to 50 tap, I'd need to go to 10 pans just to maintain a 12 hour process each weekend? Should I be evaporating differently?

    Also, what would be the legalities of selling a little, next year? Do I need to get licensed or something for playing at the 50 tap scale?
    What about selling maple candy? Do you need a licensed kitchen for that?

    Thanks, all!

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Birdsboro PA
    Posts
    1,326

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    To answer your question about boil time, yes you'd need equivalently more pans to make up the difference. The rule of thumb for evaporation rate is one gallon per hour for each square ft. of pan.
    The second on selling it. I lived in Denver for years, Lancaster county-ans are nice.
    first year 2012 50 taps late season made 2 1/2 gals.

    2013 2x6 homemade arch 180 taps. 20 Gals.

    2014 40 on 3/16 gravity 160 on buckets.

    http://omasranch.wix.com/omasmaple

  4. #24
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Elliottsburg, PA
    Posts
    2,222

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    It is an addiction isn't it!

    As for selling syrup, You should be inspected but you may be able to get away without if you do it all by word of mouth and keep it low key.
    It really depends on your area and who is the inspector.
    Costs are very small, $35 a year for the inspection and then the cost of the water test each year. Not a lot for the inspection itself, just the little things that you will need to have to be compliant.

    As for time, think of what you did this season and x5. For me this was a very short season so you may be in the same situation as I was as maybe next year could be a humdinger of a season, you never know. So do not go too big that you have to wait for enough sap but as go big enough so that you won't be spending every min. boiling.
    1st Generation Hobby Maple Producer, you got to start somewhere.
    222 Taps, all on Vacuum! No more buckets.
    Lapierre 2'x5' raised flue w/Hood and Preheater
    Surge SP11, Lapierre Hobby Releaser
    Modified 5" Filter Press made by Daryl with a Gear Pump
    Homemade 2 membrane RO
    Kabota RTV Sap Hauler

    Hardy's Maple Syrup on Facebook

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