LMP Maple 2022

[red maples]

Maple is like a black hole of improvements year to year that you just keep dumping money into. pumps, releasers, RO's, filters adding on to buildings for more space... then just when you get everything going good something burns out or breaks, or its time to replace something. every year its something. some of my tubing is rated for 5 years which I installed 12 years ago so thats my project for this summer. re-run some of my 3/4 inch mainlines with 1 inch 30p for better vacuum transfer and new tubing for laterals new drops and re-route a few to get less taps per lateral. hopefully make my woods more efficient and get more sap per tap.

but yep looks to be ending just as I feel we are getting ramped up. too bad. I have a lot of ice in the swamp so that might help me but with no freezing nights coming doesn't look good.

[LMP Maple]

Pulled the plug on Wednesday. Tuesday was one of my biggest runs of the season. I boiled until 1 am and on my way to work on Wednesday morning at 5 am I said out loud in the car, to myself, time to call it a season. I do think the trees have a little more to give but I don't think they will make it through this warm up, here anyway. It was a great season for me. I think I will clock in at 22 gallons or so once I finish off what is in the evaporator in my canner. My goal was 20. I always find knowing when to start and when to end are some of the hardest decisions. This year I was mentally ready after Tuesday. If I had that run on a Friday night I might still be at it, but I have done this long enough to know it never runs on the weekend! I will untap everything on Saturday and start the clean-up. Planning next season and how to improve my efficiency. For those still in the game, keep pushing!

[UB29]

Going to hang in there at least another week. Sap flowing well this week, even with warmup, but down to 1.2%. Only flowing on vacuum.........buckets forget it.
Sitting at about 32 gallons for season; made 38 last year. Had a goal of 50 this season, but looking bleaker by the day.
Maybe another freeze or two next week will do the trick.

Thanks, Bill

[LMP Maple]

Ended my season at 21 gallons. Definitely pulled the taps early but I was done. It was a great year for me and we had a mini-open house on the 19th that was a lot of fun. I was just boiling water which gave me a chance to actually talk to people something I would not have been able to do with sap. Thinking about next year and how to get the surge out of my sureflow set-up. The solar panels were awesome and overall the system is great. Unfortunately, I see a 212 stainless tank in my future but beyond that I think my costs will be down for next year...........famous last words. Enjoy the ride!

[UB29]

Wrapped it up last Saturday. Reds were popping and sugars were close. 49 gallons for the season (shoot...goal was 50) of 1/3 Amber and 2/3 Dark. First year no Golden. A couple new tanks planned for the off season, but no major expenses planned....ya right!
Wacky year for sure. These heat wave spurts are killing us. Wondering if it's the new normal.
Good luck to all in the off-season.
Bill