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Thread: 2018 Season

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Rockford, IL
    Posts
    175

    Default 2018 Season

    Here's to another year starting in Illinois.
    With the warm up we have had and its continueing for another week or so I am strongly considering tapping. Possibly start tonight and finish tomorrow night. Looks like a weeks worth of possible flow and then a short lull before things really take off. Long term weather shows things lining up around February 20th for northern Illinois.

    Anyone else going to take the plunge or waiting for a bit?

    Happy tapping to all. Looks to be a long season ahead, let's just hope that it is.
    2020
    8th year making sugar
    120 taps second year on vac

    2x4 Divided pan.
    Homemade RO 4x42XLE
    Shurflo 4048 pump

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Walnut,Il
    Posts
    101

    Default

    I have been fixing tree rat damage and moving some of my lines. Hope to tap around 100 this year. Wife and I are heading south during the first week of Feb. I plan on waiting until around the 11th to get going. Hope I don't miss too much. Good sugaring everyone.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Peoria, IL
    Posts
    634

    Default

    I did start tapping today because last year by the end of February the season was close to over. Nothing was flowing in my trees today but over the next few days conditions look good for some flow.
    Camp Wokanda
    Peoria Park District

    2023 - 210 on 3/16 shurflo, sap storage shack w/ 1100 gallon tank - 123 gallons
    2022 - 210 on 3/16 shurflo, homemade vac filter & water jacket canner - 104 gallons
    2021 - 215 on 3/16 shurflo, added 2nd membrane to RO - 78 gallons
    2020 - 210 on 3/16 shurflo, upgraded hp pump on RO - 66 gallons
    2019 - 150 on 3/16 shurflo, Deer Run 125 dolly RO - 73 gallons
    2018 - 120 on 3/16 shurflo, 2x6 raised flue w/hood, homemade arch w/ AUF & AOF - 34.5 gallons

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Rockford, IL
    Posts
    175

    Default

    100 taps in. Pulled in 90 gals if sap. Boiled some last night after doing last minute work on the arch. Had an issue with the stack plugging up at the base.....flames bursting out the front door. When I built the top part of the block arch I used mesh to hold the flue collar. Well that plugged up in an hour .....seems pine is a big soot maker. Had let the fire go down, pull the chimney, and smash the mesh out. All is well now. Should finish cooking tonight.
    Anyone else making syrup yet?
    2020
    8th year making sugar
    120 taps second year on vac

    2x4 Divided pan.
    Homemade RO 4x42XLE
    Shurflo 4048 pump

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Peoria, IL
    Posts
    634

    Default

    I'm collecting but not boiling yet. Will finish up the arch and new plumbing into the kitchen this week. Haven't collected much due to the squirrel damage. Still working on those leaks.
    Camp Wokanda
    Peoria Park District

    2023 - 210 on 3/16 shurflo, sap storage shack w/ 1100 gallon tank - 123 gallons
    2022 - 210 on 3/16 shurflo, homemade vac filter & water jacket canner - 104 gallons
    2021 - 215 on 3/16 shurflo, added 2nd membrane to RO - 78 gallons
    2020 - 210 on 3/16 shurflo, upgraded hp pump on RO - 66 gallons
    2019 - 150 on 3/16 shurflo, Deer Run 125 dolly RO - 73 gallons
    2018 - 120 on 3/16 shurflo, 2x6 raised flue w/hood, homemade arch w/ AUF & AOF - 34.5 gallons

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Walnut,Il
    Posts
    101

    Default

    No taps for me yet. Going to wait until Feb. I have put the hurt on the squirrel population and will continue to for another week or so.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Peoria, IL
    Posts
    634

    Default

    Hope everyone is getting ready. This week looks like some good runs.
    Camp Wokanda
    Peoria Park District

    2023 - 210 on 3/16 shurflo, sap storage shack w/ 1100 gallon tank - 123 gallons
    2022 - 210 on 3/16 shurflo, homemade vac filter & water jacket canner - 104 gallons
    2021 - 215 on 3/16 shurflo, added 2nd membrane to RO - 78 gallons
    2020 - 210 on 3/16 shurflo, upgraded hp pump on RO - 66 gallons
    2019 - 150 on 3/16 shurflo, Deer Run 125 dolly RO - 73 gallons
    2018 - 120 on 3/16 shurflo, 2x6 raised flue w/hood, homemade arch w/ AUF & AOF - 34.5 gallons

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Walnut,Il
    Posts
    101

    Default

    Started today. It is a challenge with knee deep snow on frozen slopes. Some of the trees were starting to run but most were not. Hope to get done by Friday. I spent as much time sliding down the hill as I did tapping. Looks like I need some kind of clamp on ice cleats.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Walnut,Il
    Posts
    101

    Default

    Finished tapping today. Ended up with 82. The most I have done. I am letting the lines flush. Will start collecting tomorrow.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    illinois
    Posts
    132

    Default

    I have 80 tapped. I spent today sanitizing in the shack. down here it has been a slow drool for a run. It lasted longer than I expected but not much quantity. I did not even collect tonight. although I had expected to boil. I am going to check barrels and buckets in the morning and if I still do not have to boil I think I am going to run some more 3/16
    and the big bonus only 15 buckets!! Several in town tree owners have started letting me run lines. 65 of the tapped trees are in back yards. that was a lot of 5 gal buckets carried to the street from the back yards in the past!
    Last edited by prairietapper; 02-15-2018 at 07:18 PM.

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