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Thread: Pulling reds off the line late season?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Canaan Valley, WV
    Posts
    220

    Default Pulling reds off the line late season?

    Does anyone with mixed reds and sugars on the same lateral lines pull the reds off late season since they start to bud out first and may possibly taint the sap? I have about 15% reds to sugars on the lines.
    Last edited by canaanmaple; 03-18-2019 at 10:39 AM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Rutland, Vermont
    Posts
    326

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    We have both reds and sugar maples on the same lines. We have found when the reds are done that the sugars are not far behind for the whole season to be done.
    CDL 2.5*8 Venturi with all the bells
    Leader Clear 5 bank filter press
    Memprotec 350H RO
    600ish taps and looking for more.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, Underhill Ctr, VT
    Posts
    6,391

    Default

    Same here (both reds and sugars on the same lines). For years we never tapped red maples. Now about 40% of our taps are reds. They will "bud out" early, but typically these are flower buds that don't affect the sap quality.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    smithville flats ny near binghamton
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    600

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    Same here. When the reds are done so are the sugars
    shrunken producer, from 8,000 taps to 4,000 to 5800 to 9500 to 11,000 vac
    5x16 woodchip fired evaporator with 5x10 max flue and 5x6 revolution front pan
    CDL 20+ RO
    Double 10"filterpress

    sp-11, bb2, airtech L63, L160, L230 vac pumps
    CDL low profile electric releaser
    MES 8000 electric releaser
    CDL 4000 tap mechanical releaser

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Canaan Valley, WV
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    220

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    Gotcha, thanks all!

    I just made a small amount of syrup from some sap yesterday to see where things stood before it runs again later this week, and it has some chocolate taste to it. Even though there are still no visible buds on the north facers, the end must be near. Last year we were making good syrup into April, but this year the winter was so mild it's been running great since early Feb.
    Record year for some of the larger producers nearby who weren't stubborn about tapping too early!
    Last edited by canaanmaple; 03-18-2019 at 01:07 PM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    mauston Wi
    Posts
    424

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    The reds I used to tap on 5/16 gravity when it warmed up too much they just quit..not worth the effort to untap them just pull them all in the end..

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Lawrence County Ohio
    Posts
    350

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    I had 425 sugars and had 17 reds tapped. In the woods right behind my house, I had 62 taps on 3/16 with a shurflo pulling 24" vac, 12 were reds. The reds buds were swelling 2 weeks ago, so I went out and cut some of those drops out and spliced the lateral back together. I missed 6 of em and when I boiled 600 gal of sap- syrup was a little off tasting that night, next day it tasted like the hot side of the bottom of a waffle house coffee pot. I went out and found 6 that I had missed, they were budded out all the way at the top. I cut those out and the next 600 gallons made delicious syrup. I have 2 reds in a woods with 225 sugars, and 2 reds in my other woods with 175 sugars. Next year I'm lettin those alone, and the 12 behind the house are goin on their own lateral. I bottled 5 1/2 gallon of that buddy syrup in half pints and pints, and contaminated the 3 gallon I had in my canner already- expensive mistake. The reds budded around the 6th of March, our silvers budded 2 weeks before that- none of them tapped. My sugar are still running, barely- have about 100 gallon in the tanks last night, it's about to thaw right now I just went out and turned the shurflo back on, see if I get enough today to even sweeten my pans. We are in Lawrence County Ohio, just across the river from Huntington. elevation 600' ASL north side of the hill.
    '12 15 jugs - Steam pans
    '17 125 3/16 - 18" x 72" drop flue on homemade arch
    '18 240 3/16 - Deer Run 125
    '19 450 3/16 - Converted RO to electric/added a membrane
    '20 600 3/16 - Maple Pro 2x6 Raised Flue, added AOF/AUF
    '21 570 3/16 - Built steam hood, Smoky Lake filter press
    '22 800 3/16 - Upgraded RO to 4 4x40
    '23 500 3/16 - Re-plumbed RO, new "Guzzler"
    '24 500 3/16 - Steam Away, DIY 8x40 RO

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Canaan Valley, WV
    Posts
    220

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bmbmkr View Post
    I had 425 sugars and had 17 reds tapped. In the woods right behind my house, I had 62 taps on 3/16 with a shurflo pulling 24" vac, 12 were reds. The reds buds were swelling 2 weeks ago, so I went out and cut some of those drops out and spliced the lateral back together. I missed 6 of em and when I boiled 600 gal of sap- syrup was a little off tasting that night, next day it tasted like the hot side of the bottom of a waffle house coffee pot. I went out and found 6 that I had missed, they were budded out all the way at the top. I cut those out and the next 600 gallons made delicious syrup. I have 2 reds in a woods with 225 sugars, and 2 reds in my other woods with 175 sugars. Next year I'm lettin those alone, and the 12 behind the house are goin on their own lateral. I bottled 5 1/2 gallon of that buddy syrup in half pints and pints, and contaminated the 3 gallon I had in my canner already- expensive mistake. The reds budded around the 6th of March, our silvers budded 2 weeks before that- none of them tapped. My sugar are still running, barely- have about 100 gallon in the tanks last night, it's about to thaw right now I just went out and turned the shurflo back on, see if I get enough today to even sweeten my pans. We are in Lawrence County Ohio, just across the river from Huntington. elevation 600' ASL north side of the hill.
    well then, I will test this theory and get back to you (only boiling a small test batch first though....) mine are at 3500' north facing steeps so maybe there is hope but not holding my breath!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Rock Creek, NC
    Posts
    5,807

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    About 90% of my taps are reds. I've been tapping them for 15 or so years and have never made buddy syrup. I always go as long or longer than the other producers in the area before I call it a season too. The reds just seem to stop running at the end. Don't confuse flowers with leaf buds. When the reds flower it doesn't affect the flavor of the syrup.
    Russ

    "Red Roof Maples" Where the term "boiling soda" was first introduced to the maple world!

    1930 Ford Model AA Doodlebug tractor
    A couple of Honda 4 wheelers
    Four chainsaws and no chickens!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Lawrence County Ohio
    Posts
    350

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Russell Lampron View Post
    About 90% of my taps are reds. I've been tapping them for 15 or so years and have never made buddy syrup. I always go as long or longer than the other producers in the area before I call it a season too. The reds just seem to stop running at the end. Don't confuse flowers with leaf buds. When the reds flower it doesn't affect the flavor of the syrup.
    Russel,

    I think you are right about the flowers, the bees have been bringing in pollen like crazy. Yesterday I was out cuttin up a red pine that uprooted amongst he red maple bush, there were so many bees in the tops of the reds it sounded like a swarm- we're a month away from that. I'm still learning about buds- but that syrup two weeks ago sure was bitter. Flavor came right back after I spliced those trees out.

    Canaan, I envy your elevation a little, I grew up in the foothills of Salt Rock, down south of Huntington, We'd go to the Mountains on vacation every summer. One of my best friends lives in Mackeyville, he's showed me a few a them steep hills around Tucker & Randolph.
    '12 15 jugs - Steam pans
    '17 125 3/16 - 18" x 72" drop flue on homemade arch
    '18 240 3/16 - Deer Run 125
    '19 450 3/16 - Converted RO to electric/added a membrane
    '20 600 3/16 - Maple Pro 2x6 Raised Flue, added AOF/AUF
    '21 570 3/16 - Built steam hood, Smoky Lake filter press
    '22 800 3/16 - Upgraded RO to 4 4x40
    '23 500 3/16 - Re-plumbed RO, new "Guzzler"
    '24 500 3/16 - Steam Away, DIY 8x40 RO

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