Nw wi 2020

[GramaCindy]

My trees have finally kicked into high gear. Used the RB15 bucket yesterday. Definitely a learning curve, but it's amazing. Cooked off 75 and have about 2 gallons ready to finish. Collected my saptank at the bottom of my 3/16 gravity line, full since yesterday at 12.

[Jeff E]

It has been a big week here as well. Should be a decent run today. I would guess we will process about 14K gallons this week.
I'm optimistic for next week as well. still snow around, decent forecast with freezing most nights.
We are on pace for a real good year. Making nice syrup, easy filtering, though making the syrup pan dirty, requiring extensive cleaning after each boil. But that is running 2000+ gallons of sap through it each night.

Be well out there and enjoy the days...the peepers aren't far off. (had a salamander crawl into the sugar house on Wednesday)

[gatzow]

Curious how you clean your syrup pan? Tools, chemicals, etc? Thanks

It has been a big week here as well. Should be a decent run today. I would guess we will process about 14K gallons this week.
I'm optimistic for next week as well. still snow around, decent forecast with freezing most nights.
We are on pace for a real good year. Making nice syrup, easy filtering, though making the syrup pan dirty, requiring extensive cleaning after each boil. But that is running 2000+ gallons of

Be well out there and enjoy the days...the peepers aren't far off. (had a salamander crawl into the sugar house on Wednesday)

[lostrock4]

Curious how you clean your syrup pan? Tools, chemicals, etc? Thanks

With a garden hose!!! Lol . if the pan gets buildup on the inside i will take the angle grinder with a metal wire wheel (same as a welder would use). This will take the gunk n carbon off and get you to bare metal. Just got back in with 18 gallons from mondays run(57 taps hard maple trees Hayward, WI)

[Trapper2]

My trees have finally kicked into high gear. Used the RB15 bucket yesterday. Definitely a learning curve, but it's amazing. Cooked off 75 and have about 2 gallons ready to finish. Collected my saptank at the bottom of my 3/16 gravity line, full since yesterday at 12.

I also have the RB 15. New to me this year, yes learning curve but I think I have it dialed in now after running 2000 gallons through it. 3 things I learned, Keep the pickup filter clean coming out of barrel,
don't try using if its colder than 30 as slush build up in the lines and also make sure inlet house is fully inserted into fitting on bottom of bucket or you don't achieve the 100-120 lbs. of pressure. I've been changing my bucket filter every 400 gallons or so.
Have Fun.

[WildRiver]

I thought I'd be done by now but the next ten days look decent, I'm adding 50 more bags today in spots we couldn't get to because of snow. The season hasn't been too bad, no big runs but fairly steady. 35 gallons of syrup so far.

[Jeff E]

I clean my syrup pan almost daily, with water and milk stone remover.
I drain, rinse, then soak for a couple of hours. Drain, keeping the acid wash, rinse, shop vac, wipe down.

If I don't do it daily, especially the second half of the season, I get build up that can scorch.

Basically the same thing at the end of the season.

[Jeff E]

By the way I pulled the pin on Sunday. Our sugar was way down, 1.4 on Sunday. Getting cloudy, so syrup quantity and quality were not worth the effort.

[Jeff E]

How did everyone in NW do this year. A slightly subpar year? We made nice syrup, but I think total is a little below what would be average.
Overall, sugar content was about normal, a lot of niter build up in the pans with each boil.