The red maple buds are almost bursting, I've got peepers going at night in the bog, and my wife's bulbs have sprout 6-8" high...hoping to hold on just another week since I already took the next one off work.
What's everybody else thinking?
How much time we got left, New Yorkers?
The red maple buds are almost bursting, I've got peepers going at night in the bog, and my wife's bulbs have sprout 6-8" high...hoping to hold on just another week since I already took the next one off work.
What's everybody else thinking?
--
2015: 8 bucket taps (7 red, 1 sugar) on DIY barrel evaporator
2016: 13 taps (bucket and tube) on block arch and hotel pans
2017: SAME
2018: 25 taps on 2x3 flat pan and resurrected barrel arch
2019: 25 taps...same setup plus DIY 3x150gpd RO filter
2020: 50 taps, all buckets..."new" oil tank arch setup
2021: 100 taps (50/50 buckets/3-16 tubing) on 2x4 divided pan
2022: 150 taps (50/100 b/t) on 2x4 pan with sap warmer pan
2023: SAME
2024: 150 taps, added single-post 4x40 RO system
Pulling taps and cleaning lines today in CNY
Im just south of you in East Berne but at around 1500' elevation. I tapped on 2/20 and so far have only made about 6 gallons off of my 49 5/16 gravity taps so I really need to season to keep going haha. Last year i made 25 gallons on 47 taps between Feb 7 and the end of March. I havent had a good freeze since last Friday night and the trees have stopped producing at this point. I am on all sugar maples and the buds are still tight but the 10 day isn't looking that great. It is supposed to freeze tonight and then next week looks colder again. I am not in full panic mode yet but its not looking great. This year has been wild, its just so warm its crazy. I did clean all my buckets and barrels yesterday just to help keep things fresh and i have check valve spouts so i am hopeful things will survive this warm spell if it gets cold again.
In Western NY I have about a day and a half left of clean-up. We have a couple freezes coming up but I wasn't willing to take the gamble on them. We had a great season though, tapped the last week of January.
Noel Good
1998 to 2009: 15 taps on buckets, scavenged fire pit and pans
2010: New 2x4 SS flat pan w/preheater
2015: New to me Lapierre 18x60 raised flue, new shack, new everything!! 59 taps 23.75 gallons
2016: 85 taps 19 gallons
2017: Purchased 2.5 acres and tubed half with 3/16. 145 taps total 49.25 gallons
2018: 200 taps (162 on 3/16ths 38 on buckets) New NextGen RO 63 gallons
2019: 210 taps 73.5 gallons
2023: 210 taps 89.75 gallons
www.wnybass.com
Hoping with the below freezing tonight and cold next week i can at least get another week.
100-110 buckets
Leader 7.5" 3 Bank filter press (2023)
RO Bucket RB10 (2017) upgraded to RB20 (2020)
Homemade oil tank arch
Homemade stainless pans
12x16 Sugar Shack (new 2020)
Early next week could be good. If not, taps are coming out
I've asked this question about how much time we have left, since I didn't get my taps in yet. ILast 4 years I did just fine putting them in early March. We have had peepers chirping away for 5 days now and no nights at freezing or below for more than a week. I feel like I need to get over the fact that I may not boil any sap this year. If we ever see some below freezing nights in the next 2 weeks I might put in some taps, but will of course be ready to waste my time boiling down buddy syrup.
I have had luck cleaning up buddy syrup ( ask me how if you've never done this ) and I may just need to accept the fact that I need put my taps in during February next year. Keeping fingers crossed for a freeze in my area this year.
--Peter
I think a lot of when it will be done depends on your elevation, Around here those who are at 500' or less are mostly done or near done, Those at 700' or higher are still going strong, for now, but it might not last much longer, just too warm.
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.
I had about 8 hours below freezing overnight with a low of 25F and it just hit 32F again now. Today is supposed to be nice and sunny so im hoping things will flow decent today and then early next week still looks good. Only time will tell.
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