+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 25

Thread: Tapping North of Two Harbors.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Two Harbors, Minnesota
    Posts
    134

    Default Tapping North of Two Harbors.

    Since I moved from the cities to 80 acres off grid in the middle of the woods, I look forward to making syrup. Syrup season is the sure sign of spring. Even Woodchucks can't tell when we should get our sugaring supplies ready.
    I've been watching the weather forecasts carefully in the last few weeks. The end of this week looked promising for the next 10 days. So yesterday, I tapped 80+ trees with a few of them dripping. When I woke this morning, it was 6 F. I checked the 10 day forecast as I do every morning and everything was changed. Not just one day, the whole 10 days. Maybe I should get a Woodchuck instead of following the monkeys that provide a detailed forecast.
    My question is, I want to put another 160 taps in this year, do I wait until the weather is more ideal? My fear is by the time the good weather is here, the tap holes will be in the middle of healing themselves much like what happened last year with the first 50 taps I put in.
    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

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Winter, Wisconsin
    Posts
    138

    Default

    Looking at WeatherUnderground for Two Harbors, I'd get to tapping...

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Two Harbors, Minnesota
    Posts
    134

    Default

    I found Brimson weather is a more accurate gauge than Two Harbors. We are usually 5-10 degrees colder here than Two Harbors. I will check Weather Underground. Maybe they are more accurate than what I've been using. Example, the low last night was supposed to be in the mid to upper teens. When I woke up, it was 6 degrees. Fortunately we've had full sun and some trees are starting to drip.
    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

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Two Harbors, Minnesota
    Posts
    134

    Default

    Woke up to -3F this morning. I was hoping the trees would at least spit out icicles. The bright side is, the weather forecasters are saying this is the week.
    I'm almost finished building another heating fuel oil arch to fit a 2'x6' flat pan. With that arch and my other one, I should be able to shed 20 gallons per hour.
    I do live off grid so that makes it a little more of a challenge.

    _20180406_191758.jpg
    Last edited by billschi; 04-08-2018 at 08:20 AM.
    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

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Winter, Wisconsin
    Posts
    138

    Default

    Sap should run this week, then shut down over the weekend (and some more snow...), Good time to boil what ya got. Then game on again next week.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Two Harbors, Minnesota
    Posts
    134

    Default

    We had 40 degrees and sunny yesterday. I emptied bags that had 1 pint or more in bags. Out of 135 taps, I collected 11 gallons. So I tapped another 65 trees in hopes these trees wake up this week. I have 42 taps left to put in. I may wait until the trees start flowing before I use them.
    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

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Two Harbors, Minnesota
    Posts
    134

    Default

    I just finished my evaporator.
    Maybe the sap will start running next week.
    _20180412_184355.jpg
    IMG_20180412_181900445.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

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    cloquet mn
    Posts
    121

    Default

    It doesn't look good. If the forecast doesn't change, I might not even get enough for even 1 boil this year. I thought last year was bad.
    3x8 drop flue
    300 taps on 3/16

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Winter, Wisconsin
    Posts
    138

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by billschi View Post
    I just finished my evaporator.
    Maybe the sap will start running next week.
    Attachment 18529
    Attachment 18530
    Nice work Billschi! I built a fuel oil tank evaporator also, this is my second season with it. I really like how you extended the arch, I may have to do that for next season.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Two Harbors, Minnesota
    Posts
    134

    Default

    Thanks Austin.
    I was able to use the whole tank. There was enough metal left over to straighten out and make a tray from the firebox to the stove pipe exit area to place firebrick on under the tray.
    IMG_20180405_125516101.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

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts