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Thread: Tapped in Essex County

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    rowley, ma
    Posts
    195

    Default Tapped in Essex County

    I used to post in the Rowley thread I started a few years ago, but, figured that Essex County would be a good for more folks to post in.

    After skipping last year I am anxious to get back at it this year. I have not tapped yet, but, the weather report for this week is telling me I had better get my butt in gear. Is anyone else tapped yet?

    sam

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
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    Greenwood, Me
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    974

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    Tapping Wednesday in Haverhill
    2024 - New Maine resident, 12X12 sugar shack under construction
    2019 - New 12X12 boiling pavilion
    2018 - New Mason 2X3 Hobby XL and homemade RO

  3. #3
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    Mar 2011
    Location
    Greenwood, Me
    Posts
    974

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    Tapped in Haverhill.....was gushing pretty good. Still is.

    I recently acquire a couple of 40-in 400 gpd membranes in stainless steel housings so the next immediate task is re-plumbing my RO configuration to handle the much heavier housings.
    Last edited by eustis22; 02-25-2021 at 06:21 AM.
    2024 - New Maine resident, 12X12 sugar shack under construction
    2019 - New 12X12 boiling pavilion
    2018 - New Mason 2X3 Hobby XL and homemade RO

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Greenwood, Me
    Posts
    974

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    So far I've boiled out about100 gallons, the pan is sweetened. I did an impromptu boil last night after pumping out my barrels before the big freeze because it is a PITA waiting for barrels/holding tank to thaw out. I had to shut down early because I was not prepared to draw but the syrup channel hit 217. I still have about 30 gallons to be boiled but the niter buildup is very heavy and I need to do a pan cleaning tomorrow before the next boil. Somehow, water got into my Sap tank over the summer and crudded up the tank so I swapped it with my permeate tank and am foregoing ROing until I can get it cleaned out.

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    Last edited by eustis22; 03-02-2021 at 08:18 AM.
    2024 - New Maine resident, 12X12 sugar shack under construction
    2019 - New 12X12 boiling pavilion
    2018 - New Mason 2X3 Hobby XL and homemade RO

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Pepperell, MA
    Posts
    37

    Default

    Looks like you've got a nice gradient going in the pan.
    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

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Billerica, Ma
    Posts
    17

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    Looking good! I'm into my second week and have boiled 15 gallons twice thus far. We only have 9 taps in Billerica.
    2019 Cinderblock stove and 3 buffet pans. 10 taps
    2020 Wood stove with flat pan. 13 taps - 3.5 gallons of syrup
    2021 Wood Stove with flat pan. 15 taps - 4 gallons of syrup
    2022 Wood stove with new flat pan. 10 taps - 4 gallons of syrup
    2023 Same set-up. 10 taps - 4 .5 gallons of syrup

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    chester, ma
    Posts
    905

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by eustis22 View Post
    So far I've boiled out about100 gallons, the pan is sweetened.
    Oh wow, it took 100 galls to sweeten your Mason 2x3? This is my first full season on the same evaporator, and I was hoping to sweeten the pan with half that much sap. How deep do you run? What's the sugar percent in your sap?

    Cheers,

    GO
    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
    All on buckets

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
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    Greenwood, Me
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    Well, no, the gradient was established before I hit the 100 Gal mark. In fact, I am near to drawing off my first batch of syrup with my next boil. I will get back to you on my sugar content. Used to be 1-1.5% but I just read that tapping higher on trees may increase the sugar content and this the first year I have used 3-foot drops on all my tubing/buckets so perhaps I have a higher concentration going? Dunno. Will see next boil. We were boiling pretty fast, guestimate is 10 gph (I have AUF on my XL). I will time it next time. You know how those boiling sodas get.
    2024 - New Maine resident, 12X12 sugar shack under construction
    2019 - New 12X12 boiling pavilion
    2018 - New Mason 2X3 Hobby XL and homemade RO

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Greenwood, Me
    Posts
    974

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    Not whelmed by the massive increase in temps projected for next week. It better not jump right into summer.
    2024 - New Maine resident, 12X12 sugar shack under construction
    2019 - New 12X12 boiling pavilion
    2018 - New Mason 2X3 Hobby XL and homemade RO

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    rowley, ma
    Posts
    195

    Default

    I go tapped a little late and still have not started to biol yet (everything is ice at the moment). I hope this week's temps don't bring things to a sudden stop. If I get one more good day of sap I'll probably cover the syrup we consume in a year, but, I certainly won't have any to share.

    sam

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