Big weekend!
We are finally catching up a little! It doesn't look too good for next week, so this might be it! We'll see...
Big weekend!
We are finally catching up a little! It doesn't look too good for next week, so this might be it! We'll see...
I was glad to see your post. I have felt as if I was doing something terribly wrong this year. I have only collected 200 gals and I have 225 taps on 5/16 gravity. Put away all my buckets to focus on a simpler system this year, been worried I did it all wrong.
Glad to see everyone's posts on this subject. Like everyone else, we'd like to have more sap, so we are in the process of figuring that out. About 150 gallons on 85 taps so far this year, but like others have had taps that virtually gave us nothing due to constant ground snow cover. Still learning this craft every day.
2015- Didn't know my new property enough to tap anything. 4-feet of snow on the ground.
2016- 41 Taps with home made barrel evaporator. Made 1.5 gallons syrup.
2017- 79 Taps with home made block arch evaporator. Made 2.47 gallons syrup
2018- 91 Taps again with home made block arch. Homemade RO worked great. Made 6.96 gallons syrup.
2019- 84 Taps. Building another arch. RO in place. New Smoky Lake 2x4 Divided Pan. Everything switched to 3/16" tubing.
Big weekend here too, good today as well. Not sure what the rest of the week will bring.
33* and snowing Sat. so not much sap. But yesterday really let loose. Today not so much but still decent.
Set new personal bests today - boiled off 1260 gallons of sap to make 35 gallons of syrup. Lit the fire at 5:45 am and got back home at 7:30 pm. Suddenly approaching 90% of expected production and feeling very good about the season. But Revi is right - the end could be near for many of us. Here on my hill if the forecast is borderline it doesn't freeze.
But then again, there's still over 2 feet of snow in the woods...
Steven Abbott
Over 900 taps on vacuum
30" x 10' D&G Woodsaver evaporator with Steamaway
Half acre market garden
2 farmers in training
Disappointing past couple of days over here. Sunday was great sap weather but didn't get cold enough Saturday night to get it going. Froze up Sunday night, thought today was going to get a good run, nope. Slowly started around mid morning and never really got going and by mid afternoon it had completely stopped.
2019 99 taps on buckets (95 red & 4 sugar)
W.F. Mason 2x4 XL
We had nothing yesterday, so we're pulling the taps on Saturday. It's been a great season!
We eked out a freeze last night and the sap ran pretty good today. Not expecting it to freeze tonight, but maybe. Will likely keep the vacuum going for several days and see if we get one last freeze on Sat. night.
Nearly at 100% crop now, so it will be a good year when all is said and done. Sap totals are down, but sugar has been up, so the wood pile is looking great still.
Steven Abbott
Over 900 taps on vacuum
30" x 10' D&G Woodsaver evaporator with Steamaway
Half acre market garden
2 farmers in training
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