The total for tonight was 10 1/2 gallons. Nine more to go! With the sweet in the evaporator that number is reduced to 4 more that I need to make to reach my goal. I have enough wood left for one more boil. It looks like Saturday will be the day to call it a season although it looks like it might run Sunday.
Russ
"Red Roof Maples" Where the term "boiling soda" was first introduced to the maple world!
1930 Ford Model AA Doodlebug tractor
A couple of Honda 4 wheelers
Four chainsaws and no chickens!
Hi Russ,
I'm limping-in with the end of the season as well, but looking like I'll end up with an average season. I boiled off what I had today in case I'm done, but I THINK I might get another bit if a run up here on Saturday if Accuweather is right, but no guarantees there. Another year in the woods, and that's what it's all about.
Doc.
Wood-fired, home-made evaporator
Glenlivet-fired operator
Hey Doc, I wondering if I was going to hear from you this season. I was thinking that you guys without vacuum probably had a bad season. I'm glad that you had an average one.
I'm almost out of wood and the sap is cloudy today. I may be doing my last boil tomorrow night.
"Red Roof Maples" Where the term "boiling soda" was first introduced to the maple world!
1930 Ford Model AA Doodlebug tractor
A couple of Honda 4 wheelers
Four chainsaws and no chickens!
I turned off the vacuum pump and ended my season last night. It was a productive season in which I exceeded my goal of 175 gallons by 2 1/2 gallons. My woodpile which I replenished mid season is all but gone. I have just enough to finish the evaporator today.
We got a frost last night and I could have kept going for 1 more day but decided that It would be easier to finish the evaporator today rather than trying to get it done at night after work.
I've now got a vacuum leak somewhere on my biggest mainline that showed up Friday. I didn't even try to find it because the sap wasn't running good enough and the wind made it too hard to try to hear it. I've also got a seam on my releaser that is leaking. I'll fix that in the off season.
All but 12 gallons of the syrup that I made this season was golden. The 12 gallons was amber and measured at 57% on my new Hanna grader. It wasn't even close to dark. If any of you local guys are interested I'm open to trades for some good tasting dark, very dark and amber syrup.
Once again vacuum saved or actually made the season. I got the leaks in my system fixed early and was able to maintain 27" just about all season.
Last edited by Russell Lampron; 04-09-2017 at 05:58 AM.
"Red Roof Maples" Where the term "boiling soda" was first introduced to the maple world!
1930 Ford Model AA Doodlebug tractor
A couple of Honda 4 wheelers
Four chainsaws and no chickens!
Congratulations on a good season Russell!!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
2022 4x40" RO, Welch 1397 Vac Pump, 3 Guzzler Pumps, Lapierre Releaser, 1100 taps
2021 Twin Baby Boys, Close to 650 taps
2020 Upgraded RO to 2 post and 7GBS Pump. 265 taps
2019 Smoky Lake 2x6 raised flue, Autodraw system, Maple Jet Filter Press, a beautiful new bride to be my sugaring partner :-)
2017 Expanded Sugar Shack, new 2x6 with float box, NEXTgen Maple RO, 250+ taps, still on sap sacks
2016 Sugar Shack, 2x6 evaporator, 160 taps, all on Sap Sacks
2014 110 taps
2013 35 taps
Thank you.Originally Posted by SmellsLikeSyrupNH
"Red Roof Maples" Where the term "boiling soda" was first introduced to the maple world!
1930 Ford Model AA Doodlebug tractor
A couple of Honda 4 wheelers
Four chainsaws and no chickens!
Awesome good for you!!! Dude I gotta get up there some time. Hopefully soon!!! I am still going
may your sap be at 3%
Brad
www.willowcreeksugarhouse.com
585 or so on Vacuum, about 35 on buckets/sap sacs
Atlas Copco GVS 25A Rotary Vane vacuum pump
MES horizontal electric releaser
2x6 ss phaneuf Drop flue, Leader woodsaver blower, homemade hood
300gph H2O RO
husquvarna 562 XP
Its Here!!! 2024 season is here get busy!!!
I finished the contents of the evaporator this morning and ended the season with 184 gallons made which was just over 1qt per tap. I collected 11500 gallons of sap which was 16 gallons per tap from 720 taps. It took a little over 62 gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup. The sap wasn't very sweet this year but a lot better than the year that it took 74 gallons to make a gallon of syrup.
I had some borderline samples on my window and decided to check them with my Hanna grader. Two samples checked in at 74% one sample checked in at 73% and another at 75%. Figuring that the 75% syrup may darken when reheated and canned I graded it as amber. That means that I actually made 60 gallons of amber and 124 golden.
I hope that you can come up sometime Brad. If you want to trade some dark for golden bring it with you. That makes it a business trip!
"Red Roof Maples" Where the term "boiling soda" was first introduced to the maple world!
1930 Ford Model AA Doodlebug tractor
A couple of Honda 4 wheelers
Four chainsaws and no chickens!
My syrup colors for 2017. The darker ones in the middle are from Maple Weekend when I was boiling raw sap. The darkest one measured 57%.
IMG_20170410_181509458.jpg
"Red Roof Maples" Where the term "boiling soda" was first introduced to the maple world!
1930 Ford Model AA Doodlebug tractor
A couple of Honda 4 wheelers
Four chainsaws and no chickens!
nice looking samples
Hopefully I can get up there. I will try this summer!!!
may your sap be at 3%
Brad
www.willowcreeksugarhouse.com
585 or so on Vacuum, about 35 on buckets/sap sacs
Atlas Copco GVS 25A Rotary Vane vacuum pump
MES horizontal electric releaser
2x6 ss phaneuf Drop flue, Leader woodsaver blower, homemade hood
300gph H2O RO
husquvarna 562 XP
Its Here!!! 2024 season is here get busy!!!
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