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Thread: 2019 Missouri Tapping Season

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    hills west of Jeff City Missouri
    Posts
    134

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    Got some good news.... My Monday tapping paid off. Sap sacks were swollen with sap today and dripping at a rate of a drop every other second. I had some time to tap 20 more today, makes a total of about 120, heading for 200 eventually like last year. I don't have help, so I decided I better limit my time tapping more today, and spend time collecting. I collected about 60 gallons in totes, and had to leave about 15 more gallons on the trees because I didn't have enough totes available. When I quit collecting the trees were still dripping. This is unexpected... a gloomy day after a night that barely got below freezing, no sunshine, temps about 36 deg with snow cover. I will harvest again Friday before the big cold snap, and we will probably get our pans set up and boil this weekend. Trees will go to sleep for a while with the cold snap coming. Good luck to all!
    2020: 220 trees, most smaller than 20" diameter, made 25 gallons
    remote location in western Cole County
    5/16" plastic spiles, drain into plastic buckets or sapsaks
    haul sap out of woods using atv & trailer
    wood-fired pans on concrete blocks
    one Leader Half Pint 24 x 33" plus 24 x 30 ss pan from a junkyard
    cook batch process then finish in the kitchen;
    we dont sell our syrup; its for family & friends
    see website www.mosyrup.com

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Florissant Missouri
    Posts
    137

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    I set up my concrete block arch thia morning with a friend. I still need to make some finishing touches. I put out a main tubing line but have not tied in the laterals yet and have not tapped any lines along those lines. I did tap 4 trees with buckets and two of those trees were dripping quite well. Rain and snow tomorrow then turning cold tomorrow night. I hope to get the taps and laterals put in tomorrow along that line I put in. That will give me a total of 10 by tomorrow night. We will see with the rain. I need to take some pictures. I hope you collected enough sap on Friday John so that you can do that first boil over the weekend.
    Crazy River Sap
    55 sugar maple, 15 walnut taps on plastic buckets and tubing
    Block arch on driveway

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    hills west of Jeff City Missouri
    Posts
    134

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    Brian, we ended up with 160 gallons of sap. Will begin boiling tonight. I hope you collect enough to boil. John
    2020: 220 trees, most smaller than 20" diameter, made 25 gallons
    remote location in western Cole County
    5/16" plastic spiles, drain into plastic buckets or sapsaks
    haul sap out of woods using atv & trailer
    wood-fired pans on concrete blocks
    one Leader Half Pint 24 x 33" plus 24 x 30 ss pan from a junkyard
    cook batch process then finish in the kitchen;
    we dont sell our syrup; its for family & friends
    see website www.mosyrup.com

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Florissant Missouri
    Posts
    137

    Default

    Excellent John. You cought the early flow. I missed it. I have one run in that has 9 trees all connected on tubing and running down and into a 35 gal container. In to late to catch the early flow. Looks like we could have 10 or so days of cold with little to no flow. I still have 30 trees to tap. I also have 12 walnut trees to tap. Going to try that again.
    Last edited by RiverSap; 01-20-2019 at 02:27 PM.
    Crazy River Sap
    55 sugar maple, 15 walnut taps on plastic buckets and tubing
    Block arch on driveway

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Florissant Missouri
    Posts
    137

    Default

    DIY tubing tool. Works well. B306CE2B-360A-4C02-8594-C98203582509.jpg
    Crazy River Sap
    55 sugar maple, 15 walnut taps on plastic buckets and tubing
    Block arch on driveway

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Franklin County MO
    Posts
    29

    Default

    I was able to get about 40 Taps and buckets out today. Hopefully will get another 40 out in the woods on Wednesday. Neighbor a few miles away already has his Taps and jugs out. It sounds like we're all off to a good season!
    Lots of trees, bees, rocks, firewood, and syrup.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Boonville
    Posts
    10

    Default

    Finally able to tap about a dozen trees today. Sap was really flowing. Hope to get enough to boil before the freeze.
    2016: 5 taps. 5 gal of sap. 1 pint of syrup. Hooked on syrup making!
    2017: 12 taps. 50 gal of sap. 1 gal of syrup. 1 cup of brown sugar. Turkey fryer evaporator
    2018: 25 taps. 120 gal of sap. 3 gal of syrup. 2 burner propane evaporator. Bought a Brix meter.
    2019: Planning to tap 25 trees. Building a concrete block evaporator.

    I use 7/16" aluminum spiles connected to 3/4" plastic tubing and draining into covered 5 gal buckets.

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Florissant Missouri
    Posts
    137

    Default

    Like you Maple Creek I have 12 or so trees tapped. I have not collected enough to boil. I have 20 more to tap. No hurry.
    Crazy River Sap
    55 sugar maple, 15 walnut taps on plastic buckets and tubing
    Block arch on driveway

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Boonville
    Posts
    10

    Default

    I bought all of my supplies to make my first concrete block arch for evaporating. At least I have something to do while everything is frozen. Will let you know how it goes and hopefully post some pictures of the finished product.
    2016: 5 taps. 5 gal of sap. 1 pint of syrup. Hooked on syrup making!
    2017: 12 taps. 50 gal of sap. 1 gal of syrup. 1 cup of brown sugar. Turkey fryer evaporator
    2018: 25 taps. 120 gal of sap. 3 gal of syrup. 2 burner propane evaporator. Bought a Brix meter.
    2019: Planning to tap 25 trees. Building a concrete block evaporator.

    I use 7/16" aluminum spiles connected to 3/4" plastic tubing and draining into covered 5 gal buckets.

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    hills west of Jeff City Missouri
    Posts
    134

    Default

    We boiled the first sap batch down to 17 quarts of beautiful golden syrup with a buttery flavor. Now the trees are sleeping, and it looks like this arctic air mass will linger for at least 10 more days.
    2020: 220 trees, most smaller than 20" diameter, made 25 gallons
    remote location in western Cole County
    5/16" plastic spiles, drain into plastic buckets or sapsaks
    haul sap out of woods using atv & trailer
    wood-fired pans on concrete blocks
    one Leader Half Pint 24 x 33" plus 24 x 30 ss pan from a junkyard
    cook batch process then finish in the kitchen;
    we dont sell our syrup; its for family & friends
    see website www.mosyrup.com

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