Is it worth all the time , wood to process 1% sap?
1% is it worth it?
Is it worth all the time , wood to process 1% sap?
2023 2x5 Smoky Lake
170 taps on 3/16 tubing
50 buckets
Well when I first got started in this sport I would have boiled water because it was fun standing around like a dern fool drinking beer with friends telling lies staring into a pot of boiling liquid till all hours of the night. Now if your trying to sell it retail to pay the bills I would get a job at Starbucks they have benefits. If your goal is to have fun and make syrup and build your hobby I would keep boiling because it could change tomorrow. Its seasons like this that make 3.5% seem like a banner year. Boil on Son
We make 40-60 a year. If we had 1% I would get enough for personal use for the year and see what happens. If everything is taped you are not out much, but I don't like cutting wood that much.
1986-2002 2x6 Leader evaporator 150 taps drop tubes
Life happens
2015 130 taps drop tubes and sap sacs
2016 225 taps drop tubes and sap sacs
2017 300+? MicRO single membrane
2019 325 taps 81 gallons made, most ever for us
2020 2x6 Smoky Lake evaporator 400 taps with 160 on a guzzler pump
2021..... a lot more line and vacuum
I boiled 1% last year, I made syrup til I was satisfied with what I had and then I dumped the rest on the ground, easily 1500 gallons, i bought an RO this year and I'll never boil 1% again.
Nate Hutchins
Nate & Kate's Maple
2022 1000 taps?
3x10 Intensofire
20x36 sugarhouse
CDL 600gph RO
A wife and 2 kids.
Last year I got the lowest sugar percent I've had since starting in 2003. Usually I average about 2% +/- .2%, last year I averaged 1.25%. I kept processing until I got a load that tested just 1%, that was where I stopped. If I didn't have the RO I'd have likely quit much sooner.
Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.
Just takes a little longer but still tastes real good on pancakes. I did 1% from reds for about 1 or 2 years then went and rented a mature sugarbush giving 2%+ sap. But I have to travel 30 miles to haul sap. I am still boiling raw sap where a lot of folks have moved to r.o.'s to get the sugar content improved prior to boiling.
Regards,
Chris
Casbohm Maple and Honey
625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
12" SIRO Filter Press.
2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
Too many Cub Cadets
Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck
www.mapleandhoney.com
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