Tapped in Essex County

[sams64]

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

[eustis22]

Tapping Wednesday in Haverhill

[eustis22]

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.

[eustis22]

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.

[Buffalo Plaid]

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

[KiO]

Looking good! I'm into my second week and have boiled 15 gallons twice thus far. We only have 9 taps in Billerica.

[berkshires]

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

[eustis22]

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.

[eustis22]

Not whelmed by the massive increase in temps projected for next week. It better not jump right into summer.

[sams64]

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