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Thread: All done

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    West Michigan
    Posts
    9

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    All done; pulled my red maples 3/23 (no buddy sap, but buds were bursting and weather was only getting warmer). I let my sugar maples go another 2 weeks, but honestly just ready to be done. I pulled those today- it's a sunny day for cleaning buckets outside.
    I had between 6-8 weeks this season- the longest for me.

    Totals for this year:
    Sap collected 500 gallons (plus a dozen or so that didn't make it into the ledger)
    Finished syrup: 9.45 gallons bottled (plus some ounces in 'scraps' bottles for immediate use and not counting what you loose in filters/ pots and pans, etc)

    This is a huge step up for me, having previously only had 2 trees and this year having 70. I'm hoping to figure out the legal aspect of becoming Dept of Ag certified for retail/ bulk sales next year (any help is super appreciated - I read myself in circles!).

    Time to start the garden, as I suppose one cannot live on maple syrup alone. Believe me, I've tried.
    2015 4 taps- cooked over an open fire = ~4 pints
    1016 20 taps -(16 Red/ 4 Sugar) cooked over an open fire=~9 pints
    1017 70 taps (50 Red/ 20 Sugar)- made a beginners cinderblock rocket stove with 3 12"x18"x4" pans
    My dad stirs and skims while I do the grunt work, and my dog keeps the squirrels away

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    White Lake, Michigan
    Posts
    8

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    All done in Hale this weekend too. On Saturday the temps were almost 60 degrees and the sap was running fast and clear, however after 6 weeks of trips up north I called it a season. Final tally: 383 gallons of sap and 8 gallons of syrup. The last 2 cleanups had a lot more sand than earlier weeks and the sugar content was dropping. Saturdays sap was @ 2.5%. All and All, a good year!

    All the buckets and equipment has been cleaned and put away; a big thanks to my wife for all the help, and putting up with my crazy hobby!
    44˚ 08' .41" N

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Gaylord Michigan
    Posts
    147

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    I pulled all my taps sunday 4/2/17, done for the season. i still have a few days of putting stuff away, but i finished up with 38 gallons of syrup.
    Tim Schmidt
    2013 13 Taps 4 Gallons Syrup, Drum evap.
    2014 50 Taps 14 Gallons Syrup, Drum evap.
    2015 60 Taps on 3/16 gravity, 40 Taps on buckets, 42 Gallons Syrup, Home built 30 x 60 arch and flat pan
    2016 125 Taps all on 3/16 gravity average 18 in. vacuum, 43 Gallons Syrup, Same Arch and Pan
    2017 125 Taps all on 3/16 gravity average 18 in. vacuum, 44 Gallons Syrup, Same Arch and Pan
    2018 155 Taps all on 3/16 gravity average 18 in. vacuum, Same Arch and Pan, home built 100 gph ro unit

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Grawn Michigan
    Posts
    199

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    IMG_20170402_145931890.jpg I am a 1 man operation here and wrapped things up with my final batch last weekend. Total for the season was right @ 4 gallons.

    Latitude:N 44° 50' 25.0463"
    Longitude:W 85° 38' 57.8906"

    New for 2022 (My 10th year) a 9" CDL Vacuum Filter Press
    2016/2017 12' X 16' Sugar Shack 6/12 pitch roof W/ 3' X 4' Cupola.
    John Deere HPX 4X4 Gator (Pop's left it to me when he died)
    New for 2020 HB10 RO In A Bucket, a game changer.
    2015 Purchased 50 used Bag holders.
    2016 Purchased a home made evaporator and "everything" that went with it.
    20 acre Sugar Bush

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    GR, MI
    Posts
    236

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    All done for this year. Collected 1636 gal of sap and made 25-30 gallons of syrup won't know for sure until we bottle. The week I was gone my "friends" didn't test the syrup and I know it was over 70 brix. I have one highly crystallized jar to prove it. Buckets and storage containers were all washed Saturday and stacked to dry. Now they just need to be put away. New sugar shack is started and it will be ready to go for next year.

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