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Thread: 2019 Tapping in Western Pennsylvania

  1. #91
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    Franklin, PA
    Posts
    44

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sugarmaker View Post
    Folks,
    4 boils 41 gallons of nice Amber. Finished last night in the middle of the wind storm. Took all after noon to gather 600 gallons of 2.2%. High winds, had a dead branch graze me while gathering.
    Regards,
    Chris
    Wow... you're a brave man.. at about 11am yesterday I lost a line of about 50 taps that was running strong.. I assume a tree took it out, but I am not brave enough to venture into the woods to research with those winds... I got about 710 gallons from 290 taps between thursday evening and last night...
    2019 290 taps on 3/16"
    2018 20 taps on milk jugs
    2017 10 taps on milk jugs

  2. #92
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Albion PA
    Posts
    5,099

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    iby,
    Your taps are running and producing real well! I may be dumber than brave! Sap collecting passion I guess. Started gathering at 55 deg F and sunshine, ending in a rain suit, blizzard conditions! My rented roadside maples are not the safest to be around in good weather. I probably should check the lines before next run, for down lines due to limbs too. Was a good night to boil!
    Good luck with your season! How is your sugar content?
    Regards,
    Chris
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
    2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
    One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
    Too many Cub Cadets
    Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
    1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck

    www.mapleandhoney.com

  3. #93
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Kittanning PA
    Posts
    286

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    I'm with you, Iby. I'm not going to spend much time in the woods while this wind is blowing! The current forecast calls for windy weather all day, so I'll walk the lines tomorrow with my little chainsaw to repair the damage.
    680 5/16 taps on gravity
    red and sugar maples
    2 Homemade ROs
    Stovetop evaporator
    Filter press by Daryl
    Star San Tube Pump
    Drying rack for hydrometer
    Loves tapping in snow

  4. #94
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    Franklin, PA
    Posts
    44

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sugarmaker View Post
    iby,
    Your taps are running and producing real well! I may be dumber than brave! Sap collecting passion I guess. Started gathering at 55 deg F and sunshine, ending in a rain suit, blizzard conditions! My rented roadside maples are not the safest to be around in good weather. I probably should check the lines before next run, for down lines due to limbs too. Was a good night to boil!
    Good luck with your season! How is your sugar content?
    Regards,
    Chris
    I have to be honest, my refractometer is a 0-80 scale... anything under 5% is very difficult to see since it's way down at the bottom.. it appeared to be just a tad under 2% . After recirculating 30 gallons in my RO for 20-30 minutes, I was at 5%...
    2019 290 taps on 3/16"
    2018 20 taps on milk jugs
    2017 10 taps on milk jugs

  5. #95
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Albion PA
    Posts
    5,099

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    iby,
    5% !!! Nice.
    Regards,
    Chris
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
    2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
    One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
    Too many Cub Cadets
    Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
    1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck

    www.mapleandhoney.com

  6. #96
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    Franklin, PA
    Posts
    44

    Default

    I must say... I am shocked at how strong 3/16" tubing is. First, when I was installing it, I was shocked that the T's would actually support as much force as I was putting on it... but yesterday when I went to check on lines after all the wind, I was shocked... an 18" dead ash tree had fallen on one of the lines and pinned it to the ground. But the line was completely fine and it wasn't a very long span... it just seemed to stretch it out a bit... none of the connections let go.. anyway...anything I should be concerned with there aside from the obvious checking for leaks that weren't visible while frozen?

    on the line I mentioned early in this thread that died during the wind... that ended up being a limb that pulled a drop line off the tap
    2019 290 taps on 3/16"
    2018 20 taps on milk jugs
    2017 10 taps on milk jugs

  7. #97
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Albion PA
    Posts
    5,099

    Default

    iby,
    With your 300 ish taps and good fresh sloped 3/16 tubing. You should produce as much sap /syrup as I do on 5/16.
    Regards,
    Chris
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
    2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
    One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
    Too many Cub Cadets
    Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
    1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck

    www.mapleandhoney.com

  8. #98
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Albion PA
    Posts
    5,099

    Default shots from the sugarhouse

    Folks,
    Cheryl and grand daughter Addi in the wood shed:


    Marly and Addi getting warrmed up in front of the old King arch:


    Fresh syrup for the french toast:



    Thanks to Daughter Kelly and her girls for helping: Looks pretty yummy to me!


    Regards,
    Chris
    Last edited by Sugarmaker; 03-03-2019 at 05:26 PM.
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
    2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
    One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
    Too many Cub Cadets
    Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
    1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck

    www.mapleandhoney.com

  9. #99
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Polk, PA
    Posts
    1,363

    Default

    I’m at 17 gallons syrup. I’m going to try get enough sap Friday and Saturday to make a couple more. Should then be done. Iby, when it’s running right on good days you can get 3 gallons sap per tap in 24 hours. Clogging can be an issue. Cleaning at end of season is key. As you found out, one big leak kills it.
    136 on high vacuum for 2019
    A&A 2X8, raised flue evaporator
    hood, parallel flow pre heater and air over fire
    12X28 sugar shack

  10. #100
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Kittanning PA
    Posts
    286

    Default

    Winter is returning. My trees barely woke up yesterday, despite a very cloudy high in the mid-40s. And now the highs for Thursday and Friday are being revised down into the 30s. This week's run is going to be a small one. And then the forecast for next week: lows on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of 1, 5 and 8 degrees. Looks like the next big run will start on March 10. Can anybody remember a low of 1 degree in March?
    680 5/16 taps on gravity
    red and sugar maples
    2 Homemade ROs
    Stovetop evaporator
    Filter press by Daryl
    Star San Tube Pump
    Drying rack for hydrometer
    Loves tapping in snow

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