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Thread: March journal

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,544

    Default March journal

    I guess everyone's too busy. It seems no one started the March Journal yet.
    So here it goes- I have gotten no sap yet, ran the pump yesterday when the temperature got up to 36 F. Vac ran at 27" for an hour and I only got about 1/2 gal off over 300 taps. The trees must still be frozen. I will try again today, maybe temps in the upper forties will thaw the trees. Then it looks like the next 4 weeks will be good sap weather, freezes almost every night and warm most days, in the 40's on most days. If that happens it could end up a much more traditional maple season.
    Yesterday we put our larger pump and engine out at the lease. That's at higher elevation and the temps generally run 4-6 degrees lower. That sould also give up some sap starting later this week. Too windy today to risk working in the woods, 18+ MPH keeps me out of the woods. Too much risk for falling trees and limbs.
    Based on the forecast it looks like my first boil might come Tuesday , especially if the trees thaw today so sap runs today and tomorrow.
    I will be doing my start of season clean up on my RO tomorrow, then tapping more trees at the lease. Still have maybe 400 more taps to put in, to end up at about 1000. The mains all look good, but at the lease several laterals are down, and frozen into a layer of ice which slows things a lot.
    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
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Covington, New York
    Posts
    1,680

    Default

    I am making candy and sugar today waiting for the sap to roll in.
    Noel Good
    1998 to 2009: 15 taps on buckets, scavenged fire pit and pans
    2010: New 2x4 SS flat pan w/preheater
    2015: New to me Lapierre 18x60 raised flue, new shack, new everything!! 59 taps 23.75 gallons
    2016: 85 taps 19 gallons
    2017: Purchased 2.5 acres and tubed half with 3/16. 145 taps total 49.25 gallons
    2018: 200 taps (162 on 3/16ths 38 on buckets) New NextGen RO 63 gallons
    2019: 210 taps 73.5 gallons
    2023: 210 taps 89.75 gallons
    www.wnybass.com

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Richmond NH
    Posts
    313

    Default

    Waiting, waiting and more waiting. I feel like Eddie money, "I've waited so long!" I got about 5 gallons from 60 taps on a shurflo yesterday while it was 42 and sunny... They're still frozen up tight. Hopefully this warm spell kick starts things. I'm getting impatient lol!
    Jake
    smoky lake 2x6 drop flue SSR on homemade arch
    235 taps on 2 gast 1550s and lappiere releasers
    24x12 sugar house
    2019 Kubota L2501 work horse

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Fayston, Vt
    Posts
    122

    Default

    Tapped 1 tree in full sun yesterday and was wet couple ounces. Ran a new line to shed and finish roll out 2 other lines.
    Before the Big winds 2 week ago I had big tree wells around all trees with solid 12 +/- snow. The wind filled in all trees with dense snow. Now roots are frozen so good flow needs some sun/rain. Waiting to tap others for flow to push out wood chips and flush lines with ice.
    Going to be a fun mud season, had a thaw in early February. Been avoiding ruts since.
    Mid week should start flowing, then off to the races.

    Best to all for a great season.
    2020 same
    2019 RB10 26 taps
    2018 RO Bucket RB5 taps 20, leg tank in shed w/2 5/16
    2017 18 taps
    2016 20 taps
    2015 21 taps
    2014 30 2 gravity line, 2 hotel pan concrete arch 35 g leg tank
    2013 LP hook up in shack buckets 12 taps
    2 burner cook top 2012 finisher on a bbq tanks
    2011 rookie 2+ gal
    8 taps w/ milk jugs
    turkey cooker
    50-60 up back maybe

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Westfield, NY
    Posts
    245

    Default

    Was able to gather 25 gallons this morning and got all the ice out of the bags, pour off the melted sugar water from the frozen pails and mixed all together for 5% sap. Boiled it all off to sweeten my pan. Almost was able to draw off but had to start cooling down the arch. Weather looks good for the next several days here.
    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/

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Rochester, NY USA
    Posts
    639

    Default

    Tending to lines and checking equipment so I'm ready for the real runs. I thought I'd boil tonight but not enough sap and quite a bit of ice in the tanks. Hopefully boiling tomorrow. At March 10 already and barely done any boiling. I think it's make or break for the next 3 weeks.
    Smoky Lake 2x6 fuel-oil fired, raised flue, hoods, SSR, concentric exhaust
    Home-built auto draw off
    Home-built RO - double XLE 4040, PLC controlled
    8x10 Sugar Shed
    200 taps on tubing with Shurflo vacuum with solar
    https://www.facebook.com/flowercitymaplesyrup/

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,544

    Default

    I ran my vacuum pump and even at the warmest part of the day it took almost an hour to get the releaser to dump once. It dumps about 3 gal. My trees still have not thawed out after the long deep freeze. Maybe tomorrow.
    However, my vacuum was below normal, only at 23", normally 25-26. The wind was strong enough that I did not chase the leaks, too risky for falling trees or limbs. The wind should be less tomorrow, I will look for leaks then.
    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
    Jun 2015
    Location
    West central wisconsin
    Posts
    16

    Default

    Taylor county Wisconsin, tried tapping March 8 had hard time finding tubing and mainline. over 2 ft of snow and more on way. will be couple weeks at least

    Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Peru, Maine
    Posts
    1,041

    Default

    Definitely have been busy. Finally the snow settled down some and I was able to get all 350 taps or so in by myself on Saturday. My partner worked in the shack while I tapped. Then we both were in the shack yesterday. A few odds and ends to do but we will be ready for anything that comes this week. We'll let it run on the ground for a day then start collecting. Good luck everyone!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,544

    Default

    Today will just be my 3rd boil. Sap ran well yesterday. We will also be tapping about 300 more, on my lease, the first good flow there was yesterday. We are at about 700, heading for 1000 +/-. We had to remove more trees that were on the lines, 2 were on the mainline, 1 on the wet dry, 2 sap ladders were pushed to the ground. All of this was in about a 4-5 acre area that was good two weeks ago. We have to keep an eye on widow makers, this area also has quite a few hanging, broken branches and tops. Some broke what looks like they were healthy sugar maples off at 20-30' up on trees that range from 6" up to about 10" at the break. I don't remember having that before except when a tornado ran thru many years ago. All we've had are straight line winds, but lots of it. All of this has slowed the tapping considerably in my lease this year.
    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.

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