Andrew, good luck to you also. I checked my two runs, and one was dry (on a north slope), and one has about 40 gal (east slope). I need to rig up the tank on the ATV before that freezes. I have other repair to do today, but will be tapping tomorrow.
Andrew, good luck to you also. I checked my two runs, and one was dry (on a north slope), and one has about 40 gal (east slope). I need to rig up the tank on the ATV before that freezes. I have other repair to do today, but will be tapping tomorrow.
2014 - 30 taps
2015 - 50 taps
2016 - 140 taps
2017 - 115 taps - 85 taps on 3/16, 30 buckets
2018 - 150 taps, all 3/16
Smokey Lake 2x3
Homemade 2x XLE-4040 RO Unit
Kubota L3940 - big sap hauler
Polaris Sportsman 570 SP - little sap hauler
I'm 1:20 remote from sugarbush, so I let run awhile between boils, and time is at a premium, so I try to oversize things
Collected 80 gallons, first boil tomorrow!
First boil of the season went smoothly, 80 gallons reduced to 3.5, will finish on propane. great day to be in the sugarhouse, had sun, snow, cold temps, and steam rising from the cupola through it all. Felt good.
Boiled 75 gal sap today also. Made 1 gal of finished syrup. Same sugar content as last year.
What are you seeing for sugar content? Our sap went 3.25% on the refractometer, but that seems high to me so not sure I trust it’s accuracy.Originally Posted by Mitchell tapper.
Tony, I don’t have a refractometer. Rule of 86 has it at 1.14 if I figured it correctly. Be great to have 2 gal rather than 1 but I’ll take what I can get.
I’m up to 106 taps all on 3/16. Still have trees for a few more runs; but the bottom of their run would be on a tough trail; so we’ll see about those. My 40 gal of sap was freezing back up in my collection barrel yesterday, so I let it freeze and figure it’ll probably be an ice cube for the rest of the week.
2014 - 30 taps
2015 - 50 taps
2016 - 140 taps
2017 - 115 taps - 85 taps on 3/16, 30 buckets
2018 - 150 taps, all 3/16
Smokey Lake 2x3
Homemade 2x XLE-4040 RO Unit
Kubota L3940 - big sap hauler
Polaris Sportsman 570 SP - little sap hauler
I'm 1:20 remote from sugarbush, so I let run awhile between boils, and time is at a premium, so I try to oversize things
Change of plans? If the current forecast holds I might start tapping by next week. Here in laporte county, hate to be late to the dance.
2016:100 taps added a JD 1023 sub compact tractor
2015:break (new baby)
2014: 70 taps, replaced my concrete arch with a manufactured
2013: Added 15 more taps and a 18x24 warming pan
2012 : 36 Taps, 2x4 divided pan on a concrete arch
2006-07: Assisted an 'Old Timer' with 200 tapps, and his wood fired evaporator up in Wis.
1986-1993: 5 taps, Boiled on a wood stove in Northern Mich.
I've got 106 up so far, all on 3/16. Nothing was running for me. I let the 40 gal freeze from last week. Figure it'll be an ice cube all week. I set up 4 new runs, re-tapped 3 old ones, with one old one to go. I also have several more possible new ones, but the trail they end on is dicey getting up; I had to use the winch today.
2014 - 30 taps
2015 - 50 taps
2016 - 140 taps
2017 - 115 taps - 85 taps on 3/16, 30 buckets
2018 - 150 taps, all 3/16
Smokey Lake 2x3
Homemade 2x XLE-4040 RO Unit
Kubota L3940 - big sap hauler
Polaris Sportsman 570 SP - little sap hauler
I'm 1:20 remote from sugarbush, so I let run awhile between boils, and time is at a premium, so I try to oversize things
I'm going to trek down to my property and put the lines in the storage tanks to start collecting tomorrow evening, then hoping for a lot to accumulate over the rest of the week and weekend. Plan on going back down Sunday and Monday to boil...then things look good for the next week as well!
2014 - 8 taps, turkey fryer, 130 gallons sap, just under 2.5 gallons syrup.
2015 - 50 taps and counting.
2016 - 60 taps on 3/16 and a Bill Mason evaporator on order.
2017 - 115 taps on 3/16, homemade r/o.
2018 - 150 taps on 3/16, r/o a big help, but lots of leaks killing yield.
2019 - sticking with 150 taps or maybe less, focusing on good vacuum and less waste to increase yield. Doubling up my r/o, and made a vacuum filter that looks promising.
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