Got around 70 reds tapped today and hope to be done tapping tomorrow. Nothing flowing yet, I think it will be about mid-week before things that out and really get going.
Got around 70 reds tapped today and hope to be done tapping tomorrow. Nothing flowing yet, I think it will be about mid-week before things that out and really get going.
2018 - 5 reds on buckets with cinder block arch
2019 - 25 reds on drops to buckets
2020 - 55 reds on drops to buckets
2021 - 80 reds on drops to buckets
2022 - 80 reds on drops to buckets
2023 - 80 reds, 15 on gravity, Smoky Lake StarCat Evaporator
Nice! Good luck! I'm tapping on Monday.
2016: Homemade arch from old wood stove; 2 steam tray pans; 6 taps; 1.1 gal
2017: Same setup. 15 taps; 4.5 gal
2018: Same setup. Limited time. 12 taps and short season; 2.2 gal
2019: Very limited time. 7 taps and a short season; 1.8 gals
2020: New Mason 2x3 XL halfway through season; 9 taps 2 gals
2021: Same 2x3, 18 taps, 4.5 gals
2022: 23 taps, 5.9 gals
2023: 23 taps. Added AUF, 13.2 gals
2024: 17 taps, 5.3 gals
All on buckets
2018 - 5 reds on buckets with cinder block arch
2019 - 25 reds on drops to buckets
2020 - 55 reds on drops to buckets
2021 - 80 reds on drops to buckets
2022 - 80 reds on drops to buckets
2023 - 80 reds, 15 on gravity, Smoky Lake StarCat Evaporator
Temps hit 50 yesterday and things started to flow. Picked up 2 gallons of 1% sap. No freeze last night so everything should be thawed out now and probably ran through the night. We'll see.
2018 - 5 reds on buckets with cinder block arch
2019 - 25 reds on drops to buckets
2020 - 55 reds on drops to buckets
2021 - 80 reds on drops to buckets
2022 - 80 reds on drops to buckets
2023 - 80 reds, 15 on gravity, Smoky Lake StarCat Evaporator
Everything broke free and ran yesterday. I collected a little over 15 gallons. I got sap from trees that have never produced a drop! Two taps were still dry,but I won't give up hope for them yet.
2018 - 5 reds on buckets with cinder block arch
2019 - 25 reds on drops to buckets
2020 - 55 reds on drops to buckets
2021 - 80 reds on drops to buckets
2022 - 80 reds on drops to buckets
2023 - 80 reds, 15 on gravity, Smoky Lake StarCat Evaporator
Picked up another 16 gallons of sap last night. 1.5% so it is improving. Boiled 20 gals on Sunday, but didn't finish to syrup. I'll be chasing buckets later today after the wind dies down.
2018 - 5 reds on buckets with cinder block arch
2019 - 25 reds on drops to buckets
2020 - 55 reds on drops to buckets
2021 - 80 reds on drops to buckets
2022 - 80 reds on drops to buckets
2023 - 80 reds, 15 on gravity, Smoky Lake StarCat Evaporator
High winds over the weekend kept me from boiling, and I was a little worried about warm weather ruining the sap. But this frigid blast is saving the day and helping me reduce the amount I need to boil, from 45 gallons down to 17.
2018 - 5 reds on buckets with cinder block arch
2019 - 25 reds on drops to buckets
2020 - 55 reds on drops to buckets
2021 - 80 reds on drops to buckets
2022 - 80 reds on drops to buckets
2023 - 80 reds, 15 on gravity, Smoky Lake StarCat Evaporator
I started pulling taps this morning. Ended up dumping about 40 gallons on the ground due to lack of storage and the wood pile is running low so I may end up dumping more. Collected 175 gallons this year and will end up with about 3 gallons of syrup.
2018 - 5 reds on buckets with cinder block arch
2019 - 25 reds on drops to buckets
2020 - 55 reds on drops to buckets
2021 - 80 reds on drops to buckets
2022 - 80 reds on drops to buckets
2023 - 80 reds, 15 on gravity, Smoky Lake StarCat Evaporator