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Thread: 2021 Can I improve?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Tolland, Ct
    Posts
    266

    Default 2021 Can I improve?

    http://mapletrader.com/community/sho...o-looking-back
    So that was last year. I am going to see if I can avoid the same mistakes I made last year.

    I put in some taps 2/15 (8) and then 5 more 2/16. I have I think 5 more taps I can put in. I have one tree I didn't tap last year, 2 young ones that I haven't tapped yet, and 1 more red maple that I can get 2 taps into pretty easily. This year I made sure I was tapping deep enough (2-2.25") and also I didn't mash the tap in as deep as it could go. I also (and you will probably have a stroke with you see them) have 2 taps each in 3 trees that are about 4" in diameter! I have to cut them down this year anyway, which I should have done last year, as they have no room to grow and they are bent over at a 45 degree angle trying to get sun, so they will never get a crown. Not to mention, they are in the way on the edge of the yard.

    Ok anyway back to the trees.

    I am going to talk to my neighbor and see if I can tap the 2-3 maple trees in his yard also. I might be able to get up to over 20 taps this year!

    I am going to have to boil in a different spot this year though, probably down by the driveway because of the snow. I had hoped to get an actual boiling pan this year for the grill I bought, but with funds being a bit tight, there will probably be no additions this year, aside from hopefully a few new taps! Looking forward to hopefully this weekend or early next week to get some fresh goodness!
    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!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Albion PA
    Posts
    5,099

    Default

    Your doing good! Keep boiling!
    Regards,
    Chris
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
    2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
    One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
    Too many Cub Cadets
    Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
    1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck

    www.mapleandhoney.com

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Mapleton Twp, SW Ontario
    Posts
    361

    Default

    We'll never run out of opportunity for improvement and things to try... Part of the addiction I think Good luck this year.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Albion PA
    Posts
    5,099

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    All my trees are rented from neighbors. It can be done. Just have to work at it. Keep your systems balanced as you grow.
    Regards,
    Chris
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
    2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
    One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
    Too many Cub Cadets
    Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
    1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck

    www.mapleandhoney.com

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Tolland, Ct
    Posts
    266

    Default

    I got the OK from my neighbor to tap his 2 large maple trees! They are DEF big enough to put 2 taps in. I promised him some syrup. I am going to have him and his family (wife and 2 year old daughter) over while I am doing it too if he wants. Let him see it from his bucket to his table :-)
    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!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Tolland, Ct
    Posts
    266

    Default

    20210228_102005.jpg
    YEA!!! Its almost time for my 1st boil! Only have about 9 gallons but I am hoping with calm winds today, and 45+ Temps to get another 3-5 gallons of sap today. As of right now my % is about 1-1.25%.

    Last year I just kept boiling the fresh with the what I had but THIS year... I am going to keep the concentrate in the fridge, or if I can find a container that I can freeze that is wider at the top then the bottom, I will put it in my chest freezer. I am then going to boil through out the week and next weekend and keep adding to it. I am hopeful to get it down to about 10% before I stop, and then add in about the same concentrate next weekend. I know the concentrate means more bacteria, faster spoil time, but if I can get it into the freezer I am hoping it will be fine.

    I don't sell it, it is just for me and maybe a little for my neighbor since he let me tap 2 of his trees

    My Grandfather is going to stop by today while I am boiling also, which is awesome! We were talking about it a couple nights ago. I was about 4-5 when we did it the 1st time (which is the age of my daughter now. She does a GREAT job helping me collect it... and she did a good job starting a couple tap's in their holes.

    I started at 11:30 today.
    Last edited by TheNamelessPoet; 02-28-2021 at 11:20 AM.
    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!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    All sounds good, except 2 taps in a 4" tree that is being cut down this year. If you want, I guess 1 tap would be OK, but you really are fooling yourself. At 4" the crown willo be so small, that tree won't make much sugar, putting 2 taps in may give you slightly more sap than one, but being very low in sugar you are just extending the time you need to boil with no real gain.
    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
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Tolland, Ct
    Posts
    266

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by maple flats View Post
    All sounds good, except 2 taps in a 4" tree that is being cut down this year. If you want, I guess 1 tap would be OK, but you really are fooling yourself. At 4" the crown will be so small, that tree won't make much sugar, putting 2 taps in may give you slightly more sap than one, but being very low in sugar you are just extending the time you need to boil with no real gain.
    EXCELENT point! I tested it and it is between .75 and .9ish. my overall sap content is between 1-1.25 so I am not too concerned but that is a very good point that I had not considered. I have all silver and red maples.

    The good news, in about 5 hours, I boiled down the 10 gallons I had into 1 gallon (12%). I put it in the fridge for now. I was thinking about trying to freeze it in an ice tray just to see if it would freeze in my chest freezer, I may try that today just for fun. I am hoping with the weather this week, to get another 10 or so gallons boil that down and fill the other 1 gallon glass jar I have and if I am lucky by next weekend be able to do it a 3rd time. Then ill combine all 3 and boil it down to syrup. It for sure is not going to be the lightest syrup but I don't care :p
    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!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Tolland, Ct
    Posts
    266

    Default

    Resized_20210228_142806.jpg
    Has served my quite well so far :-)
    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!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Tolland, Ct
    Posts
    266

    Default

    Resized_20210307_163142.jpgResized_20210307_162438.jpg

    yea! 1st bottling of the season. IN retrospect... we already have about eh same as last year, and this was a rough year in terms of how much sap has run so I would say... I am doing better this year thank last year
    Last edited by TheNamelessPoet; 03-07-2021 at 04:12 PM.
    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!

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