Eastern Ontario 2018

[Big_Eddy]

I hope everyone is enjoying the cooler temperatures these last few weeks, and using the time to recharge in preparation for what we can all hope is another great season. I know I'm enjoying the cold and the snow and our bush looks great right now with a nice thick blanket on it. That should help to keep things cool and prolong the season.

Here's wishing everyone a few more weeks of respite, then another wonderful maple season.

Big Eddy

[brokenjaw]

My thick blanket has gotten awful thin... with the lack of snow having snowmobile trails closed, been looking at whipping together a 2’x4’ Davy Jones type arch for our 2018 season! On parental leave so have a little extra time on hands... but not much, little monsters keep you busy!

[butler]

Hey everyone... I live in renfrew Ontario... just going to throw this out there.... looking for a good used hobby reverse osmosis...let me know if your selling or upgrading. Hoping to find a 250 gph. Hope everyone had a great season
613-762-0217.

[halladaymaple]

Sent you a PM

Thanks
Darrell

[Galena]

Temps in my area are doing exactly what I want them to do by NOT warming up like crazy as happened last year. Lots of snow, more today, quite happy to let the temps stay cold til early March. Though historically March can, and often will, pull a fast one on you and freeze up for anywhere from a few days to almost weeks at a time.

In terms of prep this year...so far I've done nothing more than just look at my equipment. Not much point in doing more than that til the temps start to go the way they need to go. But I do have travel plans at end of April, so must pull spiles before then. Wouldn't mind a short but productive season, as opposed to the completely overlong, hard-frozen, painful misery that defined last year in all senses of the word!

And btw JeffB...I think you posted to the wrong thread. Central Ontario seems to be starting their tapping season, but so far nobody here in Eastern Ontario has said anything about actually tapping yet.

[pgeller]

If he's Havelock, he's in the right zone.

Nothing more than sanitizing buckets and spiles. Looking toto build an RO for this year as the amount collected is getting to be 20 hour boils on the weekend. Let the cold weather stay i say to keep that good blanket of snow over things until our fluctuations start.

[JeffB]

Hello all

Looks like some of the regular posters are gearing up for 2018 season.
I'm thinking it's still a little early as of yet.
I have been out to the shack a few times on the sled but haven't done a thing for preparation yet.
The bush looks good a few small limbs have fall but all sap lines are still intact .
I'm looking to upgrade to a new sap collector. I hope to find a deal on a Polaris ranger or honda pioneer side by side .
But all in all I'm pretty much ready wood has been stacked shack and equipment just needs a final cleaning and sterilization and I should be ready to go in the near future.

Till then charge ur drills and get ready for what I feel will be a great season.

And wow good job on the weight loss Al let me know ur secret !!!

[JeffB]

Hey maplelane
I'm Jeff I'm just over in Havelock so we pretty much nieghbors.
To answer your question yes u need a thermometer BUT I suggest a Hydotherm.
A thermometer will give u a close read ing depending on boiling point of water on the giving day you are finishing your syrup.
Boiling point of water fluctuates with barimetric pressure and a few degrees can make a big difference.

Buy a hydrotherm and test cup very accurate easy to use.
It works at any temperature to tell u when your syrup is at correct brix.
Co Op on hwy7 can hook you up for 50 bucks.
Best investment u could make.
They also have EVERYTHING you need bottles,filters,taps and even a book or 2 that's well worth a new Mapler's time to read.
Or you can post here or pm me any questions

[JeffB]

Hey there former Lurker .. I'm Jeff

Welcome to the site ..
Great resource for info and some know how.
That's a nice set up you got yourself now the learning curve and head aches will begin. Lol
I read your bio and you have a raised flue pan set up.
I'm thinking you will need a few more taps to keep that pan set up with sap .
With a raised flue pan u should get at least 20gallon a hour evaporation rate. You will be firing it and then shutting down unless you have 100 gallons stored.
I have a 2x4 as well but my evaporator has a blower and I don't fire it up unless I have 150 gallons on hand.
My evaporation rate averages 22 to 25 gallons a hour once the pans are sweetened.
Just my thoughts.. have fun and enjoy your new set up . I look forward to your updates in future

[michaelhh]

Hey Jeff,

Thanks for the welcome. Learning curve indeed!

Agreed about the amount of taps! Right now 25 is about all we can manage with the time and energy we have since we are hauling the sap by hand to the shack. Hoping to get an atv in the future to help with that. Or at least a yoke for my shoulders
The raised flue really does work well.
In 2016 with 10 taps we only had enough sap to use the front finishing pans and we were shovelling snow like crazy into the flue pan all day to keep it from scorching. Made a mess of the flue pan with leaves and junk getting cooked back there. Not to mention a real waste of the heat potential of that setup. I reached out to a commercial producer and he gave me great advice: You will use just as much wood to boil sap from 10 taps as you would 25 with the pan I'm luck enough to have.
So I will not do that again! I have lots to learn but I'm trying not to repeat mistakes I made.
Last year I had 130gal stored in tank and buckets but we had that freeze so that was dicey with a storage tank frozen solid. I'm sure I was not alone in that predicament!
Hopefully by the weekend we will have close to 100 gal so we can boil on Sunday. Fingers crossed!
Hope to get out later to put in 5 more taps and see what we have in the pails today.

Michael