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Thread: Eastern Ontario 2017

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Frankford, Ontario
    Posts
    1,045

    Default Eastern Ontario 2017

    It's still too early to tap, and the next couple of weeks are (finally) forecast to be cold, but I'm sure there have been some folks with itchy drilling fingers.

    I trust everyone has there supplies on hand, their sugar house cleared out, and all their tapping equipment at the ready.
    Here's hoping for a great 2017 season.

    big_eddy
    Big_Eddy
    Eastern Ontario (Quinte)
    20+ years on a 2x3 block arch,
    Homemade 20"x64" drop flue since 2011

    Build a Block Arch
    Build a Flat Pan
    Build a Flue Pan
    Sweetening the Pans
    Build a Bending Brake
    Using a Hydrotherm
    How much Sap to Sweeten?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Leeds County,Ontario,Canada
    Posts
    1,038

    Default

    Agree with you there Eddy,even with check valves hate to see the sap running on the ground.Have tried storing it before,but even frozen it seems to be cloudy once it thaws out. Replumbing the pipe from storage tank to evaporator today inside the sugar house out of the storm as well as running more wires through the conduit out to the generator
    7th generation maple producer in sugarhouse built in 1892
    2x World Champion Maple Syrup Producer
    1250 taps on cv adapters
    Leader Vortex 3x14 with Max Flue and Revolution Syrup Pan,Enhanced Steam Away
    www.leggettmaplesyrup.com

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Campbellford, on
    Posts
    682

    Default

    I was informed that one of our big local producers started tapping last week. I'm definitely not getting in a rush. Looks like back to below freezing now for a few weeks. I've been busy getting everything ready. One benefit to warm weather with minimal snow I've been able to get a ton of work done in the bush without slugging through snow and freezing my hands off. Cheers to a good season!
    Last edited by Clinkis; 01-24-2017 at 06:36 PM.
    Maple Rock Farm
    www.Maplerockfarm.ca
    400 taps on Vacuum
    18”x60” Lapierre propane evaporator with Smokey Lake auto draw off
    Homemade 3 post RO with MES membranes
    Ford TS110 tractor sap hauler

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Havelock Ontario Canada
    Posts
    164

    Default

    Hey Guys and Girls

    I hope everyone"s off season went well, the new season is fast approaching and i think with this crazy winter weather its going to be tough to judge when to tap.
    Needless to say I"m almost ready the new shack is complete, wood has been piled and arch all set up.

    I am in the process of having 2 dividers welded into my drop flue section of my 2x4 hybrid pan, thus turning it into a continuous flow drop flue area.
    Has anyone ever seen this or done this. I have seen 1 divider welded in the drop flue area before but not 2.
    Any input or info would be great.

    I look forward to reading and see you all post again about the highs and lows of this season.

    Bye for now , Talk you all soon
    Last edited by JeffB; 01-29-2017 at 06:51 AM.
    2015 First yr 50 taps, Oiltank arch 2x4 Flat bottom pan, 12 gallons finished
    2016 New 2x4 arch ,Patrick Phenuef 2x4 hybrid pan, 80 taps on mainlines 33 on jugs
    2016 5200 iters of Sap. 31 Gallons finished Great Year!
    2017 105 taps all on gravity and main lines (Feb 20)

    MF135 tractor
    Honda Foreman Atv
    Homemade sap collector wagon with 400 liter tank
    2 Stainless steel 1000 liter storage totes
    Timber King log splitter

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Lanark, ON
    Posts
    2,387

    Default

    I was talking to Ray Bonenberg (past OMSPA president, current IMSI president) on Saturday asking how much syrup had been made in southwestern Ontario over the last 2 weeks. He said that some got real itchy trigger fingers but decided to hold off. With this cold snap that was probably wise.

    We seem to be the middle of every snowstorm that blows through this winter. Got the ATV stuck multiple times when the tires weren't even on the ground anymore! Thank goodness for trig chains on the tractor! I'd say we have 18" to 24" of snow in the woods. Yesterday afternoon we went from sunny to whiteout and back to sunny about 3 times.

    We got some prep work done in the sugar camp, a couple mainlines fixed and re-packaged a couple drums of syrup. We need to be able to hit the ground running when the weather starts to cooperate.
    4,600 Taps on vacuum
    9,400 gallons storage
    3 tower CDL RO
    3.5'x14' Lapierre Force 5
    Twitter & Instagram: @ennismaple
    www.ennismaple.com

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Frankford, Ontario
    Posts
    1,045

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by JeffB View Post
    Hey Guys and Girls

    I am in the process of having 2 dividers welded into my drop flue section of my 2x4 hybrid pan, thus turning it into a continuous flow drop flue area.
    Has anyone ever seen this or done this. I have seen 1 divider welded in the drop flue area before but not 2.
    Any input or info would be great.
    My flue pan has 2 dividers in it. Not sure what input you want. It works fine. I can't say if it's better than 2 sections - perhaps a bit more gradient develops. The reason I did it was because I wanted sap to enter at the back right and exit front left, so I made 3 channels. Forward - back - forward -out. In theory I could even reverse the flue pan if I wanted to but have never seen any reason to. (Follow the sweetening link in my sig for a photo)
    Big_Eddy
    Eastern Ontario (Quinte)
    20+ years on a 2x3 block arch,
    Homemade 20"x64" drop flue since 2011

    Build a Block Arch
    Build a Flat Pan
    Build a Flue Pan
    Sweetening the Pans
    Build a Bending Brake
    Using a Hydrotherm
    How much Sap to Sweeten?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    North Grenville
    Posts
    1,477

    Default

    As with *almost* every year so far, I am sitting tight til the first week of March...I did once tap last week of Feb, not worth it....C'mon peeps there is pretty much always a HUGE freeze up in Februrary. Why risk damaging your trees for some punky lil January run?! Wait til the trees are ready then go. ETA: excited to tap Surprise! the newly discovered bush maple, tall straight trunked big-crowned sugar, definite 2-spiler, to replace tree #7 which was a red and always the weakest producer. Stay tuned.
    Been tapping since 2008.
    2018 - 17 taps/7 trees...819l sap, approx 28l syrup
    2019 - 18 taps/8 trees...585l sap, 28l syrup...21:1 ratio
    2020 - 18 taps/8 trees...890.04l sap...gave away about 170l, 30l snafu'd....23l total for me from approx 690l
    2021 - 18 taps/8 trees...395l sap, 12 l syrup
    2022 - 18 taps/8 trees....7 sugars 1 red due to #2 having surgery so had the season off....582l sap, 18.5l syrup
    2023 - 18 taps/8 trees...all sugars again. 807l sap, so far approx 14l syrup

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Eastern Ontario - Inverary
    Posts
    249

    Default

    Great to see everyone back in the zone. I am definitely excited to start tapping. I think next weekend will be ourtapping time. Looks like Saturday has good temps. But will have to keep checking weather. Very excited to bring our boys out with the buckets!!
    2 acres of sugar maples. Woodburning arch with small evaporator and propane burners with steamer pans Year 5.

    2015 - 35 taps on 30 trees. 1556 L sap and 44L syrup!
    2016 - 42 taps on 40 trees. 2274 L sap and 64L syrup!
    2017 - 37 taps on 36 trees. 1573 L sap and 47L syrup!
    2018 - 33 taps on 32 trees. 2314 L sap and 53L syrup!
    2019 - 30 taps on 29 trees. 1640L sap and 51 L syrup!
    2020 - 31 taps on 30 trees. 760 L + stopped counting sap and 25 L syrup!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Trenton, Onatrio
    Posts
    2

    Default

    I'll be tapping this weekend as well as long as the forecast holds true between now and then.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Lanark, ON
    Posts
    2,387

    Default

    We're thinking about getting a start on tapping this weekend. We need about 4 days to get everything ready so we might as well take advantage of the warm weather. It'll take a few days to get our trees thawed out before any significant runs can happen. I'm hoping the warm temps will push the snow down a bit - it will be a PITA to tap in snowshoes with all the light fluffy stuff on top of the middle crust we have.
    4,600 Taps on vacuum
    9,400 gallons storage
    3 tower CDL RO
    3.5'x14' Lapierre Force 5
    Twitter & Instagram: @ennismaple
    www.ennismaple.com

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