40 Gallons collected today from the Tuesday/Wednesday run, just to ease tomorrow's collecting. That's assuming the southwest wind doesn't hamper the run tomorrow. Then around here it's rain and too warm the next 3 days, so hopefully we'll boil this off. Monday and Tuesday could bring a little, but I'm not counting on it. Could be "taps" Tapps.jpgafter this boil, as far as light amber goes. We'll see...
Maine Moonshine
117 Sugar maples & 60 red maples on 9 acres, buckets, Leader 1/2 pint arch w/36x24 pan
No shack (...yet??)
When you start to hear the spring peepers, you know your taps have overstayed their welcome.
First boil here today. Picked up a gallon . then this evening picked up only 6 gallons sap from 24 taps .
Trees are confused with temps all over the place. 45* this afternoon and only a 1/2 dozen trees gave up anything. but it was
down to 8*overnight. 10* the night before.
I recall boiling as late as April 20 many years ago so there is still hope.
Backyard Sugarin' since 1991
Concrete block wood burner
24 taps on gallon jugs
2' x 2' x 6" SS pan
5 gal. SS steamer pan for preheating
89 Arctic Cat Panther sap hauler
Making a few gallons syrup most years.
Maple Baked Beans
Maple Oat Sourdough Bread
Maple Wine
Hi Mitchman. You sure have restraint! I can't believe that you didn't poke a few holes in some trees. That took guts!Originally Posted by Mitchman
~ Karen ~
2012 - 10 taps, 1 turkey fryer - 169.5L sap 4.2 L syrup
2013 - 23 taps, 2 turkey fryers - 748.5 L sap 17.56 L syrup
2014 - 22 taps, 509 L sap 12.5 L syrup
2015 - 28 taps, 1093.75 L sap 25.1 L syrup
2016 - 25 taps, 1223.5 L sap 28.25 L syrup
2017 - 21 taps, 518.5 L sap 12.7 L syrup
2018 - 28 taps, 2 turkey fryers & Denali 3 burner propane stove - 798L sap 16.9 L syrup
2019 - 28 taps, 1409.5L sap 40.12L syrup
Sugar, Norway, Manitoba, Silver and Freeman Maples
We got lucky today and collected another 35 gallons to overfill the tank for starting the boil tomorrow evening, weather permitting.
117 Sugar maples & 60 red maples on 9 acres, buckets, Leader 1/2 pint arch w/36x24 pan
No shack (...yet??)
When you start to hear the spring peepers, you know your taps have overstayed their welcome.
I agree with the "luck". We bucketed 46 gallons, our best day yet, bringing the storage total to 169 gallons. At 3% that should yield 5 gallons of syrup, so I've got work to do. I expect a good run Friday and slacking off over the weekend. That would be fine as I need to catch up. I'm out of storage. Boiling tomorrow will free up some buckets😃
Two 2x4 concrete block arches with three steam trays each
Tapping in Mount Vernon since 2016, 30 to 70 taps, 5/16" tube to 1.5 to 3.5 gallon buckets, some trees on collective gravity tubing to 5 gallon buckets.
Mostly sugar maples, a few reds on 200 year old homestead
Best run of this season today, collected 80 gallons. Sugar content has been at 2%, which for me is great. Years past usually anywhere from 1-1.5%. Boiled half of it this evening, will get the rest tomorrow. Looks like not much going to happen this weekend.
2019 99 taps on buckets (95 red & 4 sugar)
W.F. Mason 2x4 XL
Finished boiling off the 80 gallons from this week yesterday and today plus 16 gallons collected today from the red maples (sugars didn't run). Drew off 4 more gallons to the finisher, and managed to bottle 5.75 gallons of Golden delicate (light amber) with more to be finished after the next boil's draw off (assuming we have a boil and run this coming week).IMG_1906.jpg
Last edited by Peeper; 03-31-2019 at 08:19 AM.
117 Sugar maples & 60 red maples on 9 acres, buckets, Leader 1/2 pint arch w/36x24 pan
No shack (...yet??)
When you start to hear the spring peepers, you know your taps have overstayed their welcome.
Fourth boil of the season which surprised the heck out of me. We ended up with 1.75 gallons off 53 which is a 3.3% sugar. Too bad each year can't give sugar like that. I'll enjoy it while it lasts.
I did a little research in "The Maple Sugar Book" which I felt on for its historic view of sugaring. The authors quote a Vermont Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin No. 103 from 1903 stating "the carbohydrate foods (starches, sugars, etc) are all manufactured in the green leaves under the influence of the sunlight. It is important to emphasize this fundamental point, because the sugar content of the sap depends upon the conditions of the preceding season as to sunlight and leaf development." C.H. Jones is quoted from the 22nd Annual Report of the Vermont Maple Sugar Maker's Association, 1915, "The formation and storage of sugar in the maple tree is dependant on sunshine and moisture conditions of the previous summer." Also " A large leaf area on well exposed trees results in increased sugar storage and richer sap. "
The science makes sense, but those descriptions are not quantifiable. I can't see how in October I would be able to make a prediction. I suppose a review of historical weather in summer versus sugar content in spring (if one kept those records over many years) might make predictions possible. Or once I figure out how to control the weather and sunshine I can manage my sugar bush!
Two 2x4 concrete block arches with three steam trays each
Tapping in Mount Vernon since 2016, 30 to 70 taps, 5/16" tube to 1.5 to 3.5 gallon buckets, some trees on collective gravity tubing to 5 gallon buckets.
Mostly sugar maples, a few reds on 200 year old homestead
You've come along way Grasshopper!!!!!!!!
Kung Fu, that was another of my favorite 70's shows. Fondly remember watching it with my father and practicing my "moves" to " Kung Fu Fighting"!
Last edited by Mvhomesteader; 03-31-2019 at 07:55 PM.
Two 2x4 concrete block arches with three steam trays each
Tapping in Mount Vernon since 2016, 30 to 70 taps, 5/16" tube to 1.5 to 3.5 gallon buckets, some trees on collective gravity tubing to 5 gallon buckets.
Mostly sugar maples, a few reds on 200 year old homestead
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