North east ohio 2018

[FDA]

The tank's not leaking... is it???

I'd bet its leaking into the leach field..........

[mike103]

I remeber a thread about septic proximity to trees a few years back and the jist of the comments were not so much black water uptake, but that of medications and soaps etc possibly concentrated into the syrup. Tough call but keep clear of venison chili if your selling in bulk please....lol

[Ekrueger]

I now have the pan sweetened and a boils finished. Last 2 runs were at 1.9% sugar. This is a little lower than normal, but I don't have several of the yard trees this year. I bottled up about 8 gallons last night. I hope we get a decent run this evening/tonight before the freeze comes again. I added 33 taps on 3/16 and am very impressed by it. It is running much better than the 5/16 gravity lines that I have.

[woodburner]

Just sitting here waiting to go when temps look like sugaring time. We cut down to 320 taps this year, just have one tap per tree on vacuum. I am loosing about 4 nice maples per year. All is ready but I don't see much to cheer about on the forecaste . Not even putting out a test bucket for at least another week. Might drop a couple trees for next years wood while I Wait.

[Jacob]

With ice in my buckets do you keep it or throw it out and if you only had 20 taps what would you do. I threw it out just not sure if that is the right decision

[heus]

Just sitting here waiting to go when temps look like sugaring time. We cut down to 320 taps this year, just have one tap per tree on vacuum. I am loosing about 4 nice maples per year. All is ready but I don't see much to cheer about on the forecaste . Not even putting out a test bucket for at least another week. Might drop a couple trees for next years wood while I Wait.

Woodburner I know what its like to lose nice trees every year. Ever since my aunt clear cut her woods on our west border, I have lost probably 50-75 taps from blow overs. Now she is cutting on our north side, and Im sure I will lose more there, too.

[johnallin]

Checked this morning and had about 80 gal n the 165 gal 3/16 tank. This is from the 100 taps on the 3/16 lines. I'll guess it's running today and should tomorrow.
Hope to get it in the rig and boiled down enough to keep from freezing next week. Then on to tapping the rest this weekend. Still looks like we're in for up and down temps - at least the next week or so.

[WoodButcher]

With highs only touching 30° 2 of the next 15+ days, I'm glad I didn't tap yet. I would have had only collected just enough to sweeten my pans and then the lines would of froze with what's coming up. Good luck out there everyone!

[Hunt4sap]

What will happen to my 5/16 Taps and buckets with the colder temperatures forecast over the next 10 days?
Is there anything I should do or is it just a waiting game for them to run again?

[WoodButcher]

Hey there. Nothing you can do, just kick back and relax and wait for it to flow again. Bacteria is your number one enemy for premature tap hole closure. The tubing should be fine since it is essentially a sealed system, but the buckets will be impacted. No worries, you'll still have some tasty syrup since we have plenty of season left.