Whomever said "a watched pot never boils" wasn't a sugar maker or it would have been "an unwatched evaporator always boils over". Sheesh what a rookie mistake.
Whomever said "a watched pot never boils" wasn't a sugar maker or it would have been "an unwatched evaporator always boils over". Sheesh what a rookie mistake.
2006 - 12 taps on open fire
2011 - 50 taps new 2 x 4 flat pan + warmer
2012 - 65 taps new 16 x 16 sugar shack
2013- 75 taps and no more, well maybe 85 now
2016-97 taps
1 Lab and my wife's Springer
Another old saying, there are two kinds of sugar maker's, those who have done that -- and liars.
3,100 taps
60 cfm flood
HC2
5 by 14 oil
Brian
and whoever said "frogs have to look through glass 3 times" before the season is over is also wrong. I heard them 1 week ago tonight here,Tuesday night and it froze last Thursday night and the sap was marginal on Saturday, over.
Mark
Where we made syrup long before the trendies made it popular, now its just another commodity.
John Deere 4000, 830, and 420 crawler
1400 taps, 600 gph CDL RO, 4x12 wood-fired Leader, forced air and preheater. 400 gallon Sap-O-Matic vacuum gathering tank, PTO powered. 2500 gallon X truck tank, 17 bulk tanks.
No cage tanks allowed on this farm!
So true... Literally turn around and there she goes. Like it knows where your eyes are and is just waiting...
20 years into this - Started with 8 paint cans and a borrowed turkey fryer
100 taps / old school buckets / cinder block arch fired with natural gas / pair of 2x3 pans
Attachment 18116
Regarding boil overs I (try to) never look away nearing the end. Found when i use my wife's good pot (the orange one) it has yet to show any sign of boiling over throughout the process of finishing. The other pot which I'm used to using requires feathering the gas controls the last several minutes preventing boil over. Thought this was interesting and not sure why or how that orange one makes a difference? I did find the pot online (Le Creuset) and now realize why my wife never lets me use it. Crazy expensive! Thank goodness it was a gift!
One thing I will caution you about is if your used to seeing the rapid rising bubbles signaling close to finish temp using the Le Creuset will boil like it's at 215F when it over 219F! Shown in two pics. IMG_20180306_203640612.jpgScreenshot_20180313-143639.jpgI learned that the first time using it. Nice Pot. Just make sure you watch the temp!
2017 First year late start 18 taps. Produced 2 gallons syrup. Hooked for life.
2018 2nd Year early start 26 taps In Jan increased to 86 taps March. Upgraded outdoor boiler concrete block & 2 20"x30"x5" Stainless pans. Swimming in sap this March! 100% disconnected all taps 3-27-18. Syrup produced 15 gallons!
2019 Season late to start only a week before spring break. Season total syrup 1.5 gallons. Enjoyed every drop.
2023 2/10/23 8 taps producing 1-1.5gal/24hrs.