Good Morning All,
Southwest Michigan here and thinking I will start drilling Friday evening and Saturday seeing Saturdays High is 41F and Low 37F. That should get things thawed and flowing.
Looking forward to boiling!
Good Morning All,
Southwest Michigan here and thinking I will start drilling Friday evening and Saturday seeing Saturdays High is 41F and Low 37F. That should get things thawed and flowing.
Looking forward to boiling!
2017 First year late start 18 taps. Produced 2 gallons syrup. Hooked for life.
2018 2nd Year early start 26 taps In Jan increased to 86 taps March. Upgraded outdoor boiler concrete block & 2 20"x30"x5" Stainless pans. Swimming in sap this March! 100% disconnected all taps 3-27-18. Syrup produced 15 gallons!
2019 Season late to start only a week before spring break. Season total syrup 1.5 gallons. Enjoyed every drop.
2023 2/10/23 8 taps producing 1-1.5gal/24hrs.
Will be in the woods in Grant Township Friday. Probably put in around 70 taps.
Made 12 gallons last year. Have not decided how hard I want to work this hobby in 2019. Weather might determine ultimate goal...
Tapped 2/10/2018 so this start has already been delayed a month. But this is Michigan, 2 words never used in the same sentence here: Normal & Weather. Or as I like to point out, "Michigan weather - what could go wrong"?
44˚ 08' .41" N
So it was real nice for three days 22-24 Feb and we tapped then. Had a nice run, but boy it froze up hard these last two weeks. Looking at putting in a couple more lines to replace 40 buckets from last year and will see how they do. Not much slope. Should be a good week to get everything running, still a foot of snow in the yard. Good luck to you all.
We are going to do our best to tap today. We are in the center of the state I'll let you all know if it runs today.
25 years sugaring
2018 191taps. Made 80 gallons
Two taps to a 5 gallon bucket roadside trees.
A retired dad to hump buckets and do most of the boiling the great wife that let's me spend lots of time and money.
New Smokey lake 2×6 raised flue SSR on my own version of the silverplate arch.
2019 new hood and new preheater concept that worked great.
306 taps roadside trees
We tapped 75 trees today, 35 more to go tomorrow and we will be done in Almont, MI in Southern Lapeer county.
Clay Stroup
Stroup's Sugar Bush
Almont, MI
2016: 20 taps, 2 gallons
2017: 80 taps, 12 gallons
2018: 92 taps, 16 gallons
2019: 110 taps, 34 gallons
2020: 140 taps, 31-1/2 gallons
2021: 155 taps, 32 gallons
2022: 190 taps, 29-1/2 gallons
2023: 200 taps, 42 gallons
Leader WSE 2x6 drop flue
Mason Steam Pan finishing set up
D & G 7" Filter Press
Next Gen 180 HPRO RO
John Deere Gator 4 x 2
12 x 18 Sugar Shack built in 2019
I tapped today - backyard hobbyist in the Fenton area. I only tapped three of my possible twelve because work is crazy and I won't have time to boil all that much. But I figure some syrup is better than no syrup!
--Dave
42° 46' 32.4" N
2015: 1 pruned branch end, 10 oz, 1 new hobby
2016: 12 taps, 2 gallons
2017: Too warm, trees budded out in February
2018: 1 tap, 48 oz
Ran out of time yesterday. Got 285 in today 16 to go Tomorrow and were all in . The run was spotty some were a solid stream some had no drips.
The neighbor got 360 in on hanging buckets. Same result as mine.
25 years sugaring
2018 191taps. Made 80 gallons
Two taps to a 5 gallon bucket roadside trees.
A retired dad to hump buckets and do most of the boiling the great wife that let's me spend lots of time and money.
New Smokey lake 2×6 raised flue SSR on my own version of the silverplate arch.
2019 new hood and new preheater concept that worked great.
306 taps roadside trees
South of Kalamazoo here. It seems the trees finally thawed and broke free today. I'm a backyard syrup dude. We just got in from collecting 40 gal on 15 taps using 5 gallon buckets.
Refractometer had Sugars at 4.2 and Norway's at 3.1. We'll take that.
It got really cold last week and locked everything back up, nice to see it thawed finally.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Last edited by Spartazoo; 03-12-2019 at 07:29 AM.
42° 7' 14 N
50-60 Taps
Homemade 2x4 Arch
I do it for fun with family and friends!
Gathered 80 gallons out of my 110 taps today. Sap Hydrometer read 3.0 percent, the best I have ever had.
Clay Stroup
Stroup's Sugar Bush
Almont, MI
2016: 20 taps, 2 gallons
2017: 80 taps, 12 gallons
2018: 92 taps, 16 gallons
2019: 110 taps, 34 gallons
2020: 140 taps, 31-1/2 gallons
2021: 155 taps, 32 gallons
2022: 190 taps, 29-1/2 gallons
2023: 200 taps, 42 gallons
Leader WSE 2x6 drop flue
Mason Steam Pan finishing set up
D & G 7" Filter Press
Next Gen 180 HPRO RO
John Deere Gator 4 x 2
12 x 18 Sugar Shack built in 2019
Weird first run only 120 gallons this morning on 300 taps. Buckets still only couple inches in them. But the 200 gallons we got yesterday made the lightest syrup I've ever made it's lighter than grade A fancy. But it was yummy in my tummy.
25 years sugaring
2018 191taps. Made 80 gallons
Two taps to a 5 gallon bucket roadside trees.
A retired dad to hump buckets and do most of the boiling the great wife that let's me spend lots of time and money.
New Smokey lake 2×6 raised flue SSR on my own version of the silverplate arch.
2019 new hood and new preheater concept that worked great.
306 taps roadside trees