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Thread: Critters in Sap

  1. #21
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Central Michigan
    Posts
    18

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    Sounds like a new dish, Sweet Marinated Rodent, tastes like chicken from the local Chinese restaurant!

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Berlin
    Posts
    1

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    There was a centipede in one of the big tanks the other day. He was in there all day and when the level got low enough, I picked him out so he didn't get sucked up by the pump. I dropped the carcass on the floor and he ran away! How can a critter stay submerged for 16 hours and then just walk away? Don't bugs breathe??
    Oh, they breathe for sure. There's an article on pestcontrolhacks about these critters. Might be worth looking.
    the first harvest

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Potsdam in far northern New York
    Posts
    775

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    I'm reviving this old thread because of something new. For the first time ever, we had SLUGS in the buckets!! That's just wrong! It's bad enough that the little brown moths showed up on the very first run, and that the big black flies came along just a week later, but slugs...yuck! Our changing climate is going to ruin everything.

  4. #24
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Temperance Mi
    Posts
    411

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    I had a couple of slugs as well on my last gather along with a few young night crawlers.

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    2,223

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    No need to fear. The slugs will just enhance the flavor. A skunk in the sap would be a game changer.

    Spud

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Potsdam in far northern New York
    Posts
    775

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    Yeah, Imagine the labeling, Eau de Slug. Clings to your pancake. Mmmm

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    South Colton, NY
    Posts
    642

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    Not to divert the thread but"slugs" in the bucket reminded me of a story that our farm insurance agent told us where years ago he had a claim from a farmer who in the spring found that someone had shot a hole in the bottom of all his buckets. They were stacked and laying on their side under a shed and every stack had been shot through.
    3,100 taps
    60 cfm flood
    HC2
    5 by 14 oil

    Brian

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Feb 2022
    Location
    Essex Junction, VT
    Posts
    276

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    I came here to see if I can salvage the bucket (one of those light blue sap buckets that hangs on the tree).
    I guess I'd have to conclude the answer is "yes"!
    I did toss the sap. And I also did not keep the chipmunk.
    2024: Same plan as 2023 but w/ RB5
    2023: 30 taps on 17 trees on ~10 properties, Sugar Maple & Norway. 2x3 flat over propane & kitchen finish. ~11(!) gallons.
    2022: 9 taps, 5 trees, 4 properties. 3 hotel pans on 3 Coleman 2-burner stoves burning gasoline; kitchen finish. ~3 gallons.
    2021: 2 taps, 1 sugar maple tree, my lot. Pint or two. Propane grill then kitchen finish.
    All years: mainly 5/16" drops into free supermarket frosting buckets. Some plastic sap buckets hanging on 5/16 sap-meister.

  9. #29
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, Underhill Ctr, VT
    Posts
    6,391

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    Quote Originally Posted by Andy VT View Post
    I did toss the sap. And I also did not keep the chipmunk.
    The joke I've heard (with apologies to all)...

    If you're from MA or CT, you take out the squirrel, dump the sap, wash the bucket and start over.

    If you're from ME or NY, you keep the sap, dump the squirrel, and just rehang the bucket.

    If you're from VT or NH, you wring every drop of sap out of the squirrel into the bucket and keep the sap.

    If you're from WV, you keep the sap, cook the squirrel and dip it in syrup when you eat it.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Deposit, NY
    Posts
    106

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    I’ve had 1 red squirrel in my buckets over the last 12 years of doing this. This year I’ve had a chipmunk and 4 mice so far.
    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)

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