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Thread: Northern Ontario-2017

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    North Bay
    Posts
    67

    Default Northern Ontario-2017

    After a brief warm spell in late February followed by a 2 week deepfreez, I thought we might be in for a strange spring but the 14 day forecast finaly looks promissing. I think i'll tap this weekend and get the pans cleaned up. Looks like it might get warm enough to collect a little sap and maybe a little boil early next week. (hopefully) Anybody north of Huntsville tapped in yet?

    2016 - 90 taps and a brick lined oil tank arch (60L of syrup)
    2017 - 100 taps (60L)
    2018 - 60 taps (12L of syrup)
    2019 - 75 taps (22L of syrup)
    2020 - 75 taps (25L of syrup)

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Almaguin Highlands, Ontario
    Posts
    5

    Default

    Heading up this weekend to get my lines in up the hill. How much snow is still in the bush?
    25 Acres of solid hardwood on a 30 degree slope.
    2'x7' Wood fired, probably made by Moses.


    2016 - Rookie Year - 85 buckets - 52 litres syrup - Many lessons learned.
    2017 - planning 150 taps on 5/16 gravity tubing, and 85 buckets.
    400' of 3/4" Mainline installed along the road, 5 - 500' laterals up the hill. Actual # of taps TBD this weekend.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    North Bay
    Posts
    67

    Default

    Still have 16-20 inches of hard packed snow in the bush although it is melted away nicely from the tree trunks. +4 to +5 and sunny for the next few days. Trees should be waking up.

    2016 - 90 taps and a brick lined oil tank arch (60L of syrup)
    2017 - 100 taps (60L)
    2018 - 60 taps (12L of syrup)
    2019 - 75 taps (22L of syrup)
    2020 - 75 taps (25L of syrup)

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Almaguin Highlands, Ontario
    Posts
    5

    Default

    Yup, that's what I had as well. Tested one tree outside the camp and it sat right at 3%. Will test more this weekend.
    Ran 2500' of 5/16" in 5 laterals up the hill, but by the time I was done up and down that hill in the snow just couldn't get back up to set any taps.
    The cold weather today and tomorrow makes me feel better about not being in yet. I see it is -11C (12F) there today.
    Looks like this weekend will be the start of it, next week being 4C (39F) or above every day, and the nights below freezing as well.
    Heading up Friday to tap and get set up.
    HERE WE GO!!!!
    25 Acres of solid hardwood on a 30 degree slope.
    2'x7' Wood fired, probably made by Moses.


    2016 - Rookie Year - 85 buckets - 52 litres syrup - Many lessons learned.
    2017 - planning 150 taps on 5/16 gravity tubing, and 85 buckets.
    400' of 3/4" Mainline installed along the road, 5 - 500' laterals up the hill. Actual # of taps TBD this weekend.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    North Bay
    Posts
    67

    Default

    I collected 50 gallons from 60 taps on Monday.(2 days worth) South facing trees dripped pretty good. Totaly locked up tight since Monday night. Should see a little sap today (Thursday)with the full sun and +1C. I think i'll sweeten pans tonight and hope for a good run this week end.

    2016 - 90 taps and a brick lined oil tank arch (60L of syrup)
    2017 - 100 taps (60L)
    2018 - 60 taps (12L of syrup)
    2019 - 75 taps (22L of syrup)
    2020 - 75 taps (25L of syrup)

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Oxford Mills
    Posts
    119

    Default

    Hey northerners,
    My wife and I currently live just south of Ottawa but I'm from North Bay originally.
    We also have some land north of Mattawa with a small cabin.
    We're getting our feet wet this year by tapping a few trees here at home, with a goal of eventually tapping up north.
    We will see where the future takes us....
    Good luck to everyone!
    2022 - 21 taps: 470 litres of sap / 15.75 litres of syrup (stopped season short)
    2021 - took the season off
    2020 - 20 taps: 524 litres of sap / 18.75 litres of syrup
    2019 - 14 taps: 416 litres of sap / 15.25 litres of syrup
    2018 - 9 taps (309 litres) + a generous neighbour (114 litres): 423 litres of sap / 14.5 litres of syrup
    2017 - 4 taps: 55 litres of sap / 1.5 litres of syrup (just enough to get us hooked)

    www.fort-wisers.ca

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    North Bay
    Posts
    67

    Default

    Hey "Fort Wisers" welcome to world of suggaring. This is my 5th season, and I realy look forward to it every year. It's my transition time from winter to spring. Always trying to improve my boil rate, and figure out how to get just a few more trees tapped. Anyway, have fun with it and I bet we hear from you again next year. With more buckets of course
    I've been to Mattawa many times. Beautiful country up there.
    Last edited by northwood; 03-23-2017 at 01:58 PM.

    2016 - 90 taps and a brick lined oil tank arch (60L of syrup)
    2017 - 100 taps (60L)
    2018 - 60 taps (12L of syrup)
    2019 - 75 taps (22L of syrup)
    2020 - 75 taps (25L of syrup)

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Oxford Mills
    Posts
    119

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by northwood View Post
    Hey "Fort Wisers" welcome to world of suggaring. This is my 5th season, and I realy look forward to it every year. It's my transition time from winter to spring. Always trying to improve my boil rate, and figure out how to get just a few more trees tapped. Anyway, have fun with it and I bet we hear from you again next year. With more buckets of course
    I've been to Mattawa many times. Beautiful country up there.
    Thanks northwood.....
    yeah it's pretty safe to say we're hooked already, even with our 4 whole taps LOL
    Pretty pathertic start, but it's a start, better then we accomplished last year so it's all good!
    Take care and happy sugarin
    2022 - 21 taps: 470 litres of sap / 15.75 litres of syrup (stopped season short)
    2021 - took the season off
    2020 - 20 taps: 524 litres of sap / 18.75 litres of syrup
    2019 - 14 taps: 416 litres of sap / 15.25 litres of syrup
    2018 - 9 taps (309 litres) + a generous neighbour (114 litres): 423 litres of sap / 14.5 litres of syrup
    2017 - 4 taps: 55 litres of sap / 1.5 litres of syrup (just enough to get us hooked)

    www.fort-wisers.ca

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    North Bay
    Posts
    67

    Default

    For some reason, we feel that if we get everything ready and be prepared, the sap will come. However, mother nature is calling the shots. The forecast through the week end is looking less than ideal for anything involving sap production. I guess we wait until the sun comes out, melts the fresh layer of snow, and the trees wake up again. I love this hobby!

    2016 - 90 taps and a brick lined oil tank arch (60L of syrup)
    2017 - 100 taps (60L)
    2018 - 60 taps (12L of syrup)
    2019 - 75 taps (22L of syrup)
    2020 - 75 taps (25L of syrup)

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    North Bay
    Posts
    67

    Default

    Just wanted to share this latest addition to my converted oil tank evaporator. I added a small cage fan hooked into the 2 inch threaded hole at the bottom of my fire box, put in a cast iron grate, and improved my boil rate by at least 30%. I noticed a huge implovement in the sustained boil after wood loading and no big buildup of coals. I think i can add another 20-30 taps

    2016 - 90 taps and a brick lined oil tank arch (60L of syrup)
    2017 - 100 taps (60L)
    2018 - 60 taps (12L of syrup)
    2019 - 75 taps (22L of syrup)
    2020 - 75 taps (25L of syrup)

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