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Thread: 2020 Tapping Season

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Quaker Hill, CT
    Posts
    328

    Default 2020 Tapping Season

    Even though it feels like we aren't even going to have a season this year with this weather I've been working on upgrades to my evaporator.

    New for this year is a 2x4 divided pan from bascoms, adding AOF, and remaking my fire box grate.

    Crossing my fingers for a season with enough sap to give it all a good work out. Next week looks cold but it doesn't look like its going to stick around for too long.
    2017 25 taps on buckets got me hooked 1 gallon of sweet
    2018 51 taps on 3/16 tubing/ DIY oil tank evaporator 8.5gallons finished
    2019 60 taps 7 gallons finished ended season short
    2020 New 2x4 divided pan ready to get away from the headache that is steam table pans
    2021 off year due to pandemic and projects
    2022 back at it

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    247

    Default

    I'm seeing the same thing...
    I'd like to think the cold weather at the end of the extended forecast sticks around for a bit and then ramps into a decent season.
    I too have a lot of new gear this year and would love a good sap season to run it through the paces...
    At this point, I'm totally unsure when I will tap.
    what are the rest of you thinking in CT?

    Bryan
    2024 - 160 taps, Shurflo 4048. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 Raised Flue. 5x400 RO.
    2023 - 121 taps. Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 XL, 4x150 RO. 20 gallons.
    2022 - 103 taps. Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 XL, 4x150 RO. 23 gallons.
    2021 - 77 taps on Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 XL, 4x150 RO. 22 gallons.
    2020 - 70ish taps on Shurflo 4008. Mason 2x4 XL. DIY R.O. ~24 gallons.
    ______________________________________________
    Trout Brook Valley
    Weston, CT

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    28

    Default

    Also have some new equipment this year and an increased tap count. I've got the itch. I plan on waiting at least a few more weeks. My 14 day forecast only shows two days over 40. I don't think my trees will even thaw out in those two days. I'm looking for a more prolonged period of warmer weather. I had some incredible runs towards the end of last season and I'd like to be sure not to miss those this year.
    2021 - 40 on 3/16, 20 on buckets. Added Shurflo.
    2020 - New Mason 2x3, 60 taps. 30 on 3/16 gravity (Too Flat), 30 buckets. 13 gal
    2019 - First season - Homemade barrel evap. 25 taps on buckets. 4 gal. THE ADDICTION BEGINS!!
    No Sugar Shack yet.
    Wishing I had more property/trees.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    northfield, CT
    Posts
    1,526

    Default

    Nothing to worry about yet, it's still a ways off the good cold period is good to get the trees ready. Every year I see people freak out cause the weather is too warm or too cold but until it's all over it's anyone's guess. I remember a few years back we had such an extended cold spell it wasn't till mid March that it started to resemble tapping weather, tapped a full month later and it ran like crazy and ended up a decent year after all
    11x29 sugarhouse
    2x8 airtight arch homemade with waterloo flue pan, welded syrup pan and parallel flow preheater hood
    250gph cdl ro
    1100+ taps for 2014, approx 1000 of them vac
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Crowh...5582993?ref=hl

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    28

    Default

    A week ago I was hell bent on waiting for February. Now I'm seriously considering tapping my 3/16 lines this Wednesday. I'll hold off on my 40 buckets for a few more weeks. I've heard 3/16 with CV spouts can last a fairly long time compared to buckets? My thought would be 3/16 this week and buckets in two more weeks and everything should hopefully finish up around the same time??

    14 Day forecast attached for reference.

    Weather.jpg
    2021 - 40 on 3/16, 20 on buckets. Added Shurflo.
    2020 - New Mason 2x3, 60 taps. 30 on 3/16 gravity (Too Flat), 30 buckets. 13 gal
    2019 - First season - Homemade barrel evap. 25 taps on buckets. 4 gal. THE ADDICTION BEGINS!!
    No Sugar Shack yet.
    Wishing I had more property/trees.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    247

    Default

    Im seeing the same thing down here in Weston, with things start looking good towards mid week.
    How long should we expect 5/16" on vac with CV Taps to flow before they give up the ghost for the season?
    Very tempted to get things lined up and ready for Wednesday...
    2024 - 160 taps, Shurflo 4048. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 Raised Flue. 5x400 RO.
    2023 - 121 taps. Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 XL, 4x150 RO. 20 gallons.
    2022 - 103 taps. Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 XL, 4x150 RO. 23 gallons.
    2021 - 77 taps on Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 XL, 4x150 RO. 22 gallons.
    2020 - 70ish taps on Shurflo 4008. Mason 2x4 XL. DIY R.O. ~24 gallons.
    ______________________________________________
    Trout Brook Valley
    Weston, CT

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,530

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Kubota View Post
    Also have some new equipment this year and an increased tap count. I've got the itch. I plan on waiting at least a few more weeks. My 14 day forecast only shows two days over 40. I don't think my trees will even thaw out in those two days. I'm looking for a more prolonged period of warmer weather. I had some incredible runs towards the end of last season and I'd like to be sure not to miss those this year.
    If you get to 70 taps, I hope you have at least a bucket RO.
    My first year I had a 2x3. I started with 27 taps, then each time the sap ran I thought, "I can handle more than that" so I added more taps, 8-12 at a time. That kept repeating until I had 70 taps. Then the sap really started and I had more sap than that rig could handle. My wife and I took turns and we ran it for 2 nights and 3 days without stop. In that time we had not gained any, we started that marathon with 75 gal of sap and two and a half days later we had over 100.
    I say 70 is too many unless you have some kind of an RO., try 40-45 max. and be ready for looong boils as the sap starts to run good.
    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
    Feb 2019
    Location
    CT
    Posts
    28

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by maple flats View Post
    If you get to 70 taps, I hope you have at least a bucket RO.
    My first year I had a 2x3. I started with 27 taps, then each time the sap ran I thought, "I can handle more than that" so I added more taps, 8-12 at a time. That kept repeating until I had 70 taps. Then the sap really started and I had more sap than that rig could handle. My wife and I took turns and we ran it for 2 nights and 3 days without stop. In that time we had not gained any, we started that marathon with 75 gal of sap and two and a half days later we had over 100.
    I say 70 is too many unless you have some kind of an RO., try 40-45 max. and be ready for looong boils as the sap starts to run good.
    No RO. I figure I had no problem doing 25 taps on my hotel pan last year at 3 gph. I think I can get the mason safely to 9 gph with AUF and good wood. In theory I'll be ahead of last years rate comparing last year, 25 taps to 3gph vs 70 taps to 9gph. My hours spent boiling should actually go down. If it's too much, lesson learned, but I don't think it will be an issue. And I don't mind endless boiling.
    2021 - 40 on 3/16, 20 on buckets. Added Shurflo.
    2020 - New Mason 2x3, 60 taps. 30 on 3/16 gravity (Too Flat), 30 buckets. 13 gal
    2019 - First season - Homemade barrel evap. 25 taps on buckets. 4 gal. THE ADDICTION BEGINS!!
    No Sugar Shack yet.
    Wishing I had more property/trees.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Eastern CT
    Posts
    3

    Default

    Got all of my lines up last week and tapped the first 18 of 120 yesterday. Hope to get the rest tapped over the next few days. Most of my taps are on a gravity tubing system. I've used check valve taps the past couple of years with great success; early tapping each season and they never dried out--even in late March/early April. I did invest in an RO Bucket unit last year and I love it. I'd highly suggest trying to make one on your own to save a ton of time and wood.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    Cornwall, CT
    Posts
    356

    Default

    Will install everything this weekend here in Cornwall. I've tapped earlier than this and was glad I did. First boil last year was February 9th, the year before January 28th. A friend of mine once gave me some advice about when to tap; "Is the sap flowing? Then tap your trees!"
    1980 - 6 taps, stone fire pit, drain pan evaporator, 1 pint of syrup
    2016 - 55 taps on 3/16 and gravity, new sugar shack, 2x3 Mason XL, 16 gallons of syrup
    2017 - 170 taps on 3/16, 2x4 Mason XL, NextGen RO. 50 gallons of syrup
    2018 - 250+ taps on gravity and buckets, 2x5 Smokey Lake arch and Beaverland pan.
    2019 - 250+ taps on gravity. A few buckets. 35 gallons of syrup.
    2020 - 300+ taps on gravity. 50 gallons of syrup.
    2021 - 280 taps on gravity and 40 buckets. 35 gallons of syrup.

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