What do you think the temp would be without the added ice?
What do you think the temp would be without the added ice?
2015 - 8 buckets, 332L sap, 8.5L syrup - Barrel evaporator, 2 steam pans
2016 - 8 buckets, 432L sap
2017 - 10 bags, 470L sap, 9L syrup
2018 - 20 bags, 1050L sap, 17.6L syrup
2019 - 20 bags, 970L sap, 22.2L syrup
2020 - 17 bags, 813L sap, 17L syrup
Unsure ... the ground is thawing fast, and about 8" of drum sits above ground. I would guess it would still stay in the low 40's maybe? I like to make darn sure, so no problem throwing a frozen gallon pail in there here and there.Originally Posted by wobbletop
And conversely, they didn't freeze solid during the cold spells?
2015 - 8 buckets, 332L sap, 8.5L syrup - Barrel evaporator, 2 steam pans
2016 - 8 buckets, 432L sap
2017 - 10 bags, 470L sap, 9L syrup
2018 - 20 bags, 1050L sap, 17.6L syrup
2019 - 20 bags, 970L sap, 22.2L syrup
2020 - 17 bags, 813L sap, 17L syrup
I just finished building a 8'x10' root cellar. I started building a 12'x 20' sugar shackon top of it. I will filter and gravity drain from above ground so I can use an RV pump to get the clean sap up to my pans. Our ground is at 41 degrees, so this should be perfect. I plan on using 4- 55 gallon drums in the root cellar. I have the floor on this now. Time for walls soon.
sugar shack floor joists.jpg
2016- 32 taps, 3 1/2 gallons
2017- 150 taps, 13 gallons after building an evaporator
2018- goal is 240+ taps. 20+ gallons.
2018 Reality- 235 taps, 5 gallons of syrup. Average 50 birch taps and 3 gallons of syrup.
2019- 180 maple taps, 20 gallons of finished syrup.
~ 160 birch taps, 13 finished gallons of syrup.
Latitude 47.278150
www.facebook.com/livingoffmyland2015
Year two with the buried barrels ... they're above and beyond expectations. They did pop up a little from last year, unsure if frost or water moved them. We've has some really cold nights, and the sap barely skims over with ice even when near the top of the soil level surrounding the drums. Boiled 80 gallons last Sunday, a nice honey-colored syrup from it! I think those little one pound painter-bucket ice cubes really help keep the sap cold too ... in addition to the fact the barrels are buried below ground. Those ice blocks last a week, and hardly get any smaller.
Again, with food-grade liners ... this is a dream for sap storage. End of year just toss the liners. Will be boiling again this weekend, just wanted to drop an update.
Year 4 update ... drums have pretty much stayed in place after the first year's minimal popping up. Nothing better than in-ground sap storage IMO. Boiled off 120 gallons yesterday, got 2.75 gallons of fancy light. I think keeping the sap cold does wonders for quality. Even after 2 weeks of collecting, yesterday's sap was as clear as can be.
IMG_9146.jpg
What pump are you using to get the sap out of the drums?
2015 - 8 buckets, 332L sap, 8.5L syrup - Barrel evaporator, 2 steam pans
2016 - 8 buckets, 432L sap
2017 - 10 bags, 470L sap, 9L syrup
2018 - 20 bags, 1050L sap, 17.6L syrup
2019 - 20 bags, 970L sap, 22.2L syrup
2020 - 17 bags, 813L sap, 17L syrup
I taped a 750 GPH bilge pump on a synthetic broom/tool handle, and bought 30' of food-grade hose. I know, the bilge pump isn't food grade. But I figured the contact point there vs. the hose is so minimal, and the cost so much less ... I went for it.
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