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Thread: Tapping for 2021

  1. #181
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Location
    Willington, CT
    Posts
    20

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    Still running nice and clear in Willington. Hoping to get a few more days
    Willington CT
    2020 - 220 taps bags and lines in newly thinned Bush
    2019 - 80 taps bags. 11 gallons syrup
    RO - NGMP
    CDL 9” vacuum filter
    Lapierre mini pro

  2. #182
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Tolland, Ct
    Posts
    266

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rich R View Post
    Still running nice and clear in Willington. Hoping to get a few more days
    I am just down the road in Tolland but its lookin like tomorrow will be it for me. I had one tree Going to take Wednesday off to boil what I can, and clean everything I think. All in all I should have over a gallon and considering last year I only had 30 oz.
    2020 - 1st year - 14 taps 1 Gallon Jugs + 4x 5-Gallon Buckets + Propane Grill + lots of headaches
    2021 - 2nd year - 19 Taps (and some free sap from a friend in the same town!) 145 or so OZ
    2022 - 3rd year - 46 taps (3 at home, 2 at neighbors, 38 at friends, and 3 at work) added ROBucket RB10, and Silver Creek 18x34x6 Divided Maple Syrup Pan w/warming Pan+Valve+Thermometer 6 Gallons 6 OZ!
    2023 And we grow some more... Starting with OldPostMaple.com!

  3. #183
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Cheshire, CT
    Posts
    385

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    pulled my taps today. I dumped 40 gallons of clear sap which was still just a hair under 2%. I boiled Friday and Saturday to finish the season. 13 gallons. It was a fast and fun season!

    41.457 x -72.907 148 elevation
    2x4 wood fired evaporator with the "Hercules Blower"
    hybrid pan and backflip preheater by Smoky Lake
    103 taps. 44 on gravity
    All sugar Maples
    7" filter press
    10 x 12 sugar shack
    two very helpful kids
    a wife that thinks I'm nuts

    https://youtu.be/7MiY8qzBKk8
    https://www.wunderground.com/persona...d?ID=KCTCHESH7

  4. #184
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    159

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    Done for the season - pulled the taps on the buckets yesterday. It was so nice not to come home and first thing have to collect! Boiled sat and sunday, drained as much as I could from the pan and then flooded it with the last remaining sap. Still have to finish and bottle. I had a little over 5 gal from the previous weeks, and I will probably have over 5 gal from this weekend, so I might actually make my goal!
    2017 - 20ish taps on buckets, boiling outside in two baking pans
    2018 - 70+ taps, 14-buckets, 50+ on tubing, homemade arch from oil tank in my barn, 17 gal syrup
    2019 - same set up, 20 gal syrup
    2020 - less taps, short season, but RO kit was fantastic! 6 gal syrup and a maple cat!
    2021/22/23 - expanded into the neighbors yards! 50 taps on buckets and 40 taps on tubing

  5. #185
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    149

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    Quote Originally Posted by lafite View Post
    I dumped 40 gallons of clear sap which was still just a hair under 2%.
    Wish I was closer to Cheshire! I would gladly make use of that!

  6. #186
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Weston, CT
    Posts
    473

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    Great Season

    Taps in Feb 24 ... Taps out March 23.

    My favorite season so far. Mostly due to the home built RO. The stuff is mind blowing. Thanks to all the MapleTraders for the help on that one. Made about half my syrup using good dry Ash bark and Black Locust bark. Lots of refueling but man what biomass that stuff is when its dry. Had flames shooting two feet out the top of my stack. Looked like the aft burner on a F16! Kept lots of throwable sap nearby.

    Had my first cook over out of the steam pans. Lost a quart or two of syrup. Not used to getting to syrup so quickly. Made that mistake one time, hopefully not again.

    Finished with 10+ gallons on my 50 taps. Over 80% of my expectations.

    More sap then other years. Less sugar content then other years. Never saw more then 2% on the Grand Daddy Maples. Small sugars 1% large sugars 1.5% was the general trend. Saw 1/2% on Red Maples and Silver Maples. Thank Jesus himself for the RO membrane or I would be boiling into July.

    My two new Silver Maple taps ran profusely. Even still running today. Did not think they had it in them.

    Still have a bit of good sap flowing today but the writing is on the wall.

    Peaked at 17 inches of mercury on a 7 tap 5/16 tubing run. Not sure about my other runs. Will check them next year. All my tube runs are still putting out a bit potable sap. Especially the 17 incher. Vacuum gauges are cool. Natural vacuum is even cooler. Now wondering how high people have gotten on 5/16 natural.

    Wondering if anybody has ever considered doing union connections between different natural vacuum runs in order to increase sap column size at times of low flow???

    Glad I did not tap any earlier then Feb 24! Started to have my doubts in early March, but I suffer anxiety attacks like everybody else.

    But anxiety is a killer of good things to come so steer clear of it.
    If you think it's easy to make good money in maple syrup .... then your obviously good at stealing somebody's Maple Syrup.

    Favorite Tree: Sugar Maple
    Most Hated Animal: Sap Sucker
    Most Loved Animal: Devon Rex Cat
    Favorite Kingpin: Bruce Bascom
    40 Sugar Maple Taps ... 23 in CT and 17 in NY .... 29 on gravity tubing and 11 on 5G buckets ... 2019 Totals 508 gallons of sap, 7 boils, 11.4 gallons of syrup.
    1 Girlfriend that gives away all my syrup to her friends.

  7. #187
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Kent Ct. USA
    Posts
    369

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    I'm done too, took my last buckets down this AM. Would up boiling just over 1900 gal/sap - Now for the cleanup..............

  8. #188
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    27

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    Definitely was a short season. Had a higher yield last year for sure.

    Question, my syrup has an after “bite” this year. Can’t figure it out. It’s not bitter and not sour. Anyone have any suggestions as to why?

    All my equipment was cleaned with white vinegar and hot water. Didn’t use spoiled sap. I boil on an evaporator.

    Any suggestions?
    2017: 7 taps, turkey fryer
    2018: 10 taps, turkey fryer
    2019: 15 taps, turkey fryer
    2020: 20 taps, Mason 2x3

    The taste at the end makes it all worth while

  9. #189
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Pomfret in North East CT
    Posts
    40

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    Quote Originally Posted by aviboy97 View Post
    Definitely was a short season. Had a higher yield last year for sure.

    Question, my syrup has an after “bite” this year. Can’t figure it out. It’s not bitter and not sour. Anyone have any suggestions as to why?

    All my equipment was cleaned with white vinegar and hot water. Didn’t use spoiled sap. I boil on an evaporator.

    Any suggestions?
    a

    I noticed a similar taste in our last batch of the season..astringent/ dry in the back of the tongue not bad but noticeable. Some honey I've produced had similar qualities.
    2020 ~New Smokey Lake Dauntless w/flat pan
    Home made coil pre heater
    40 taps on drop lines
    7 on hanging buckets

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