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Thread: Hudson Valley

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Catskill Mts, Ulster County NY
    Posts
    602

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    You should see some sap Wednesday with the warm-up. I hope the cold and snow this season remind the maples of what they are supposed to be doing this time of year. I probably won't tap until the weekend, so I hope I don't miss too much.

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Holmes, NY
    Posts
    26

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    Yes, Wednesday had some nice flow. Got to try out my refractometer and now I know which of the 10 tapped trees has the highest concentration (one tree hit 1.010 specific gravity). Yeah I guess a refractometer is overkill for ten trees but I'm a science nerd. I have a lot of trees I could tap but 10 seems all I can manage as a solo operation--no kids home to help and I'm trying not to go full tilt into this hobby ( which I am usually inclined to do!). I'm a newb and this is my 3rd season--I usually only boil once and get a little over a gallon , but this year I'd like to up my production since 1 gallon doesn't quite last a whole year for me. Want to try to make a little maple sugar this year also.
    --Peter

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Holmes, NY
    Posts
    26

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    The season's over for me and my 10 tapped trees. I boiled three times this season ( last two years I only boiled once per season ). I am happy to have 2 gallons plus one pint of syrup of varying grades this year (doubled my production). I even had enough sap to brew a wheat beer using maple sap for all steps in the process (mashing, sparging and brew pot ) instead of water. Probably about 7 gallons of sap went into brewing a 5.5 gallon (final volume) of beer. I assumed that I'd get no detectable maple flavor in the beer but just thought it would be a nicely balanced supply of water for brewing. I have softened well water which has a great taste but thought going all natural would be fun. And the beer is great at this point-- happy to share the recipe.

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Dutchess County NY
    Posts
    71

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    Anyone get started for 2022 yet?
    I put in 12 taps yesterday, working on getting evaporator set up today.
    2014 - 6 Taps (and some borrowed sap) - Barrel evaporator - 1 1/2 Gallons syrup
    2015 - 30 taps - block arch -7.5 gallons syrup
    2016 - 20 taps- fire bricked arch - 5 gallons syrup
    2017 - 20 Taps- still boiling outside - 5 gallons of syrup
    2018 - 30 Taps - Mason 2x4 XL inside Garage - 10 gal. syrup
    2019 - 2 Taps - Propane stove and pot - 1 pint syrup
    2020 - 4 Taps - Propane Stove and pot - 3 Pints syrup
    2021 - 6 Taps - Stove/Smokey Lake Star Cat evaporator - 8 Pints syrup

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    hudson river valley
    Posts
    162

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    Tapped 10 days ago. Glad to have a cold spell so I can catch up with the filtering/canning.

    Crazy weather, so I tapped crazy early but so far so good.

    Looks good after this quick cold snap.
    2019-2023 40 to 50 taps to get 8 to 10 gallons of syrup
    2018 Built the sugar shack, produced 10.5 gallons (converted some to sugar,& cream). taps varied 45 to 50
    2017 Built 2x4 arch for a divided pan, 8.5 gallons from 30 taps increased to 42 taps during season.
    2016 Produced 3 gallons & 1 quart Syrup, Block arch & 3 buffet pans, 12 taps
    2015 Thought about tapping

  6. #36
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Catskill Mts, Ulster County NY
    Posts
    602

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    Waiting a while longer....
    Gary / Zena Crossroads / 42˚ 00' 24" N / Hobby in Early '70s, Addiction since 2014

    175+ taps on 3/16 (60 of which are on two Lunchbox Vac/Releasers)
    12x34 timber framed sap house w/attached 10x34 shed roof for storage
    2 x 6 Smoky Lake hybrid pan on Corsair arch with AUF/steam hood/preheater/concentric exhaust
    7.0 KW Sun Power PV System, Smokey Lake Filter Press/Steam Bottler, Modified NGMP RO - 2 4x40 posts 200 gph

  7. #37
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Hillsdale, NY United States
    Posts
    68

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    We started tapping the last week in December and boiling 29th. I’m always tapping early because I am a hyperactive workaholic. This year we were slammed with sap so I have been too busy to report in. One area on 3/16 has had 1330 gallons on 82 taps ( south facing and 55 foot drop). Last year, my early start yielded 3.5 gals.,this year, will have 30 plus gals. I’m completely exhausted but happy with early start. I’ll let you know if there is a negative effect on the end of season. We are usually tired and done early.
    Happy tapping, Doc Beneke
    2010 buckets 12 taps
    Retired as Bovine veterinarian
    Doing maple for the grandson?
    Few more each year
    2015- SL 2x4 hybrid 100 taps
    2019- homemade RO- 150 taps
    2020- 190 taps all 3/16 gravity
    2021-210 taps understanding wife
    2022-12x12 sugarhouse-SL raised flue pans, 250 taps-enough!

  8. #38
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Dutchess County NY
    Posts
    71

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    Tapped on Tuesday (16), collected 10 gallons of sap today. Looking good for this weekend.
    2014 - 6 Taps (and some borrowed sap) - Barrel evaporator - 1 1/2 Gallons syrup
    2015 - 30 taps - block arch -7.5 gallons syrup
    2016 - 20 taps- fire bricked arch - 5 gallons syrup
    2017 - 20 Taps- still boiling outside - 5 gallons of syrup
    2018 - 30 Taps - Mason 2x4 XL inside Garage - 10 gal. syrup
    2019 - 2 Taps - Propane stove and pot - 1 pint syrup
    2020 - 4 Taps - Propane Stove and pot - 3 Pints syrup
    2021 - 6 Taps - Stove/Smokey Lake Star Cat evaporator - 8 Pints syrup

  9. #39
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Holmes, NY
    Posts
    26

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    Hi ,

    This year I once again tapped 11 trees, and I started March 3 2023 collecting and boiling whenever I have 20+ gallons of sap collected. I have made about 2 gallons of syrup in 4 boiling sessions,using my setup of 3 "Carolina Cookers" running off of two 20lb propane tanks, boiling in restaurant stainless steam-table trays and finishing in the kitchen.
    I feel like the nitre content is higher from my trees this year, but other than that ,the season is going quite well.

    --Peter

  10. #40
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    Nashville, MI
    Posts
    939

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    There are a lot of producers seeing the same thing with the amount of niter this year.
    2004 - 2012 2x3 flat pan 25 to 60 taps
    2012 2x3 new divided pan w/draw off 55 taps
    2018 - didn't boil surgery - bought new evaporator
    2019 new SML 2x4 raised flue high output evap. 65 taps
    made 17 gal. syrup
    2020 - only put out 53 taps - made 16.25 ga.l syrup
    2021 - Didn't work out
    2022 - 25 taps on bags / 8 taps on 3/16's line - late start

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