Saginaw
First timer, please help... When to stop? I put in 5 taps on Feb 21st. Thru March 9 I got 80 gallons which made 15 pints of syrup. From March 10 to March 16, basically nothing. March 17 morning got 10 gallons. This morning got 7 gallons. Trees are starting to bud. After nothing for a week I was going to quit, but now that it is flowing again how much longer can I or should I go? Thanks...
Tim, What kind of maples are they? If silvers or Reds, are the flowers open yet? Basically reds will shut down sap flow so if you get sap, it should be good if kept fresh until boiling.
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.
I'm gonna say they are Silver Maples... I was trimming last year about this time of year due to storm damage and the sap was pouring out so I thought I'd give it a try this year...
Last edited by TimUSA; 03-18-2020 at 07:22 PM.
I am down by Kalamazoo.
A lot of the reds and silvers have completely flowered over the last week.
The buds on the sugars have not started to swell yet. The canopy is starting to change form the wintery gray to more brownish red, so the trees are waking up.
That said, as long as the sap is flowing and the buds are closed you can keep going.
All my taps are on buckets, and even during a long season I have always had my taps go dry because of unfavorable temps a couple weeks before the buds open.
I think this weekend will be the end for us... not getting cold enough.
Last edited by michiganphil; 03-19-2020 at 12:10 PM.
Thanks for the feedback... Yes in looking this morning (basically no sap collected) buds are all flowered out. Looks like I'll boil this weekend and clean everything up and put away for next year.
My sugar maples are still tight. We collected about 60 to 80 gallons today from 53 taps boil that tomorrow. I'll go through the weekend and see what happens, suppose to be cold into the first of next week, after that who knows.
2004 - 2012 2x3 flat pan 25 to 60 taps
2012 2x3 new divided pan w/draw off 55 taps
2018 - didn't boil surgery - bought new evaporator
2019 new SML 2x4 raised flue high output evap. 65 taps
made 17 gal. syrup
2020 - only put out 53 taps - made 16.25 ga.l syrup
2021 - Didn't work out
2022 - 25 taps on bags / 8 taps on 3/16's line - late start
Got 15 taps in On Monday 2-6-23. Had 10 gallons sap this morning.
1st Time - 2020 - 7 taps, 132 gallons sap, 24.5 pints syrup
2021 - 10 taps, 181 gallons sap, 40 pints syrup
2022 - 15 taps, 100 gallons sap, 19 pints syrup
Here we go for year 3! Put in 15 taps today, not a single one showed signs of sap... BUT temps look great for next week. Good Luck Everyone
1st Time - 2020 - 7 taps, 132 gallons sap, 24.5 pints syrup
2021 - 10 taps, 181 gallons sap, 40 pints syrup
2022 - 15 taps, 100 gallons sap, 19 pints syrup
I'm finished... I guess it was just a slow year. On 15 taps I only got 100 gal of sap that made 19 pints of syrup. See ya next year!
1st Time - 2020 - 7 taps, 132 gallons sap, 24.5 pints syrup
2021 - 10 taps, 181 gallons sap, 40 pints syrup
2022 - 15 taps, 100 gallons sap, 19 pints syrup
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