Mike I hear everyone talking about low sugar but today was my lowest and it was still 2.0. I am having a good and lucky season.
Mike I hear everyone talking about low sugar but today was my lowest and it was still 2.0. I am having a good and lucky season.
2x3 Patrick Phaneuf Divided Pan
Homemade arch
RB20 RO Bucket
121 taps total
Sugar Shack in future
Wife into it as much as me
Also do homebrew
http://s928.photobucket.com/albums/ad121/ZMANSYRUP/
Still making syrup. good run yesterday and hopefully today after a week long cold snap. 30" of snow in the woods is making leak patrol challenging but we forge ahead on snowshoes. Sap is still clear, syrup tastes good but buds are a swellin....what a strange year again
CDL 2x8
Around 4000 taps
Polaris ATVs, Ski Doo snowmobiles to get around
Atlas Copco pumps
Lapierre two post RO
http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/j...Sugar%20shack/
The good news...Over 2% sap for first time this year!! The bad news... trees all but stopped over night even with no freeze. Looks like the end is in sight, sap is still clear just not much of it. Thinking there are some holes beginning to dry up
CDL 2x8
Around 4000 taps
Polaris ATVs, Ski Doo snowmobiles to get around
Atlas Copco pumps
Lapierre two post RO
http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/j...Sugar%20shack/
Don't give up yet. I had a great run yesterday and today. I had a couple of buckets with almost nothing and others overflowing but even the six aluminum buckets with the old 7/16 taps flowed very well and they would be the first to dry up. I was worried when the same thing happened to me 2 weeks ago but they came back beautiful. Remember this just a VERY SCREWED UP SEASON!!! And like I told you earlier Mike, the new 3/16 lines are flowing like crazy.
2x3 Patrick Phaneuf Divided Pan
Homemade arch
RB20 RO Bucket
121 taps total
Sugar Shack in future
Wife into it as much as me
Also do homebrew
http://s928.photobucket.com/albums/ad121/ZMANSYRUP/
We are back to light syrup here in N.E. Pa. But those warm nights coming up don't look real appealing!!
We went very dark last night. Not sure if it warrants a cleanup of pans and tanks or we just finish the season out as is. Will make decision today depending on how much sap we got yesterday afternoon til freeze-up last night.
Paul- the more you talk about that 3/16ths on marginal drop the more appealing it looks.
When all is said and done, I think the low sugar all year will put us under 'normal crop' for the year.
CDL 2x8
Around 4000 taps
Polaris ATVs, Ski Doo snowmobiles to get around
Atlas Copco pumps
Lapierre two post RO
http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/j...Sugar%20shack/
Just back from weekend trip to VT to tour some sugar houses. Have to say the most state of the art impressive was Coreys Maple Orchard in Fairfield. Great people and awesome facility.
On the home front, we left a 17 yr old and 15 yr old in charge of the sugaring. They did a great job, processed about 4000 gallon of sap in two days and made some syrup. We joked with people in VT when we told them who was running the show that if we get home and RO is not clogged and front pan not burned....every else is gravy!
The sap is still clear, sugar is decent (1.75) and running well. Have had slight freezes the last few nights which has really helped keep the trees going.
CDL 2x8
Around 4000 taps
Polaris ATVs, Ski Doo snowmobiles to get around
Atlas Copco pumps
Lapierre two post RO
http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/j...Sugar%20shack/
Snow pack is all but gone from woods except for shaded areas. Cleaned all tanks yesterday, sap was at 1% but still flowing. Good hard freeze overnight but minimal freezing (30/31 degrees) forecasted the next few nights. The syrup is dark with fantastic taste. Red maples look like buds are going to explode any day, sugars are swellin but look OK. In hind sight the blizzard two weeks ago definitely extended my season. Even with painfully low sugar content most of the year, we are approaching a normal crop year.
CDL 2x8
Around 4000 taps
Polaris ATVs, Ski Doo snowmobiles to get around
Atlas Copco pumps
Lapierre two post RO
http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/j...Sugar%20shack/
Ditto in Susquehanna County!