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Thread: February Journal

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default February Journal

    Wow, Feb 6 and no one has started this month's Journal. I have been working getting ready. The currant warm spell was tempting, but looking beyond this week it look like no sap flow until into March. I decided to wait, rather than get sap in the lines and then have it set there for 3 weeks.
    I did get some drops replaced and cleaned up getting the sugarhouse ready. I also filled another barrel for bourbon barrel aged maple syrup, then I packed the rest of the SS drum that came out of into retail containers, all half gallon. I was almost out of half gallons in Dark. I sell more of that grade and size than any other except the bourbon barrel aged maple.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Westfield, NY
    Posts
    245

    Default

    I got 30 more sap sack holders built and ready to hang on the trees. Just about finished my vacuum filter press and getting ready to give it a try. I will post pics of this set up as the vacuum is what is used for vacuum pressing veneer lumber. Worked good on a test. Pulls down to 26 inches pump kicks off at 19 inches the pump kicks back on. Need a larger vessel for vacuum accumulation but medical E oxygen cylinders are what I had on hand for free. Should be boiling again this weekend with the sap that I collected the last few days.
    backyard hobbyist
    Mason 2x3 w/AUF
    2020 - added small vacuum and gravity 5/16 tubing and sap sacks
    N 42* 18' 31."
    W 79* 34' 15."
    https://www.saptapapps.com/map/31868...-aab748a6394e/

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    DeKalb, NY
    Posts
    1,707

    Default

    Started drilling. 700 done about 8000 plus to go. Had 4 transformers and 6600 feet of 4/0 wire arrive at noon yesterday. We got the wire all pulled through the woods. Built a spinner for the reels out of the rear end of a wagon gear. Loaded the reels with a chain hoist. set the spinner at one end, hitched the team of horses on the wire and pulled it through. Worked better than I could have imagined. If all goes as planned there will only be about 1200 taps running on a generator and all of the rest on the grid.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Westfield, NY
    Posts
    245

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    I thought I would be boiling this morning, however mother nature threw me a curve ball with 22 degrees yesterday and left me with solid 5 gallon ice cubes. They don't fit my pan. LOL Will have to wait until midweek when they thaw a bit and I can drain off the concentrated sugar water.
    backyard hobbyist
    Mason 2x3 w/AUF
    2020 - added small vacuum and gravity 5/16 tubing and sap sacks
    N 42* 18' 31."
    W 79* 34' 15."
    https://www.saptapapps.com/map/31868...-aab748a6394e/

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    My long range forecast (central NY State) just changed yesterday. I will now start tapping. Looks like I will get sap starting tomorrow and thru the weekend. Then a couple of days no sap followed by more sap. My long range forecast now shows good sap weather into March and if I can believe it most of March looks good too. Unfortunately, most forecasts more than 12-36 hrs out are wrong. Some are wrong big time at less than 12 hrs out.
    At any rate, it's go time for me.
    I added about 100 new taps since Saturday, about 90 were on reds and silvers. I will add another 20-25 today too, all reds and silvers. Once I get all tapped, if I have some spare time I'll add another 20-50 more, I have the trees.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Lanark, ON
    Posts
    2,387

    Default

    If anyone out there wants some extra snow to help keep their woods cold and to add moisture they are free to come take all they want out of our sugar bush! It's midway up your thighs and light and fluffy all the way to the ground so no support for boots or snowshoes. Tapping will be fun...

    Saturday we did a bunch of snow removal, got a load of containers and supplies and re-packaged 2 drums of syrup. We managed to get a little over 300 taps in on the worst of our hills before dark.

    Sunday we got the evaporator put together, the new feed pump installed on the RO machine, moved more snow, and built the shed for our new vacuum pump. 20190217_174904[1].jpg

    Yesterday we got the steel roof on the pump shed and managed to get 1000 ft of vacuum line up, tensioned and wire tied. My job for the afternoon was to serve as a counterweight to keep the ladder from falling over as my brother tried to wire tie the mainline 10-15ft off the ground. We really should have done that in the fall before we were wading through 2 feet of snow!

    Looking like this weekend will be good tapping weather.
    Last edited by ennismaple; 02-19-2019 at 12:21 PM.
    4,600 Taps on vacuum
    9,400 gallons storage
    3 tower CDL RO
    3.5'x14' Lapierre Force 5
    Twitter & Instagram: @ennismaple
    www.ennismaple.com

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    You can keep your snow, I have about 6" and the ground is frozen. That's good enough for me. I start tapping tomorrow, sure is easier when I don't need snowshoes. A few years ago I had 4' on the level, climbing 50% slopes on snowshoes sure slowed me down that year. In fact that year as I crossed a drainage wash, one snowshoe tipped sideways and my foot went down about 2'. My other foot was on a steep slope and it took me likely 30 minutes to get back on top. I had nothing to hold onto and my help was all about 400+ yards away. I finally got out, I almost resorted to cutting a Bob Macky shoe harness. I then found a better one that I do not have issues with . The best part of having bought the better one is I haven't had enough snow that I needed to put on the snowshoes since. Had I known they would be that good I'd have bought them years earlier.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    Finally finished fixing leaks, changing drops and adding new laterals around the sugarhouse. We added 178 new taps. We will recheck once all tapping there is finished, likely tomorrow for a total. On the old ones we removed a few taps and added a few too, my guess is we might have a few less on the old ones. At any rate, we might be around 400 there.
    Then next week, too cold for sap to flow, we will tap on my lease. We have done some repairs there but no tapping yet. We would like to end up with 600-650 there, time will tell.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Westfield, NY
    Posts
    245

    Default

    Everything here is set and ready to go. Just waiting on mother nature to take her meds and give us normal temperature swings. Should have a decent flow today but they are calling for Very strong winds for tomorrow of between 45 and 65 mph with gusts as high as 75 possible. Hold on to your hats and keep rocks in your pockets were in for a bumpy ride.
    backyard hobbyist
    Mason 2x3 w/AUF
    2020 - added small vacuum and gravity 5/16 tubing and sap sacks
    N 42* 18' 31."
    W 79* 34' 15."
    https://www.saptapapps.com/map/31868...-aab748a6394e/

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Peru, Maine
    Posts
    1,044

    Default

    Put on new taps, replaced drops and line as needed on our southerly facing grove today. Can’t believe how much snow there is in the woods. Up to your knees in snowshoes. It is tough going and another foot coming tomorrow. One more section of woods to get ready next weekend and will tap early March. Partner is making good progress in the shack. Might get a test boil on the new evaporator tomorrow!

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