+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 8 12345678 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 80

Thread: Getting ready in MA

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    chester, ma
    Posts
    903

    Default Getting ready in MA

    Likely about one month from now my drill bit will touch wood.

    I have a two hour drive to my sugarbush, so every year I have to make d@mned sure I have what I need all ready to go - there's no running back to the house if I forgot something (which has happened)! I think, aside from last-minute things like charging drill batteries, I have everything together to go tap.

    No major changes for me this year, except for the fact that we got electricity to our cabin this year. I'm not really planning to do anything with it. Only thing that might change is depending on how boiling goes, now I could buy a blower and add AUF this season. I do plan to tap a few more trees than I have in the past, and I have plenty of well seasoned wood stocked up this year, so that should help. Unlike last year when I was frantically splitting partially-seasoned wood during boils, trying to keep up.

    How about the rest of you - you getting ready? Anyone in southern/eastern MA starting to feel an itchy trigger finger yet?

    Gabe O
    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

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Greenwood, Me
    Posts
    972

    Default

    just finishing up replacing spiles and tees on my drops.....took some of the wide zig zags I had in two of my downhill lines and converted them to three new lines heading straighter downhill to hopefully increase vacuum/flow. Reengineered my blue barrels to empty from the bottom where they lie on their side rather than dealing with the leftover gallon the bunghole left in them.

    I still need to put the drops into the lines and splice where the old drops were.
    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
    Join Date
    Nov 2021
    Location
    Ma
    Posts
    53

    Default

    From Western MA, getting ready as well. Buckets/drops are cleaned and lined up ready to go. This will be my second year, so I have some pretty lofty goals. I'll take any advice that you want to throw out. Small operation, 2x4 propane fired smokey lake evaporator. I may convert to wood next year or so depending on how much sap I'm able to get.

    really just something to do with my grandson, you know create those memories abd teach him a little about the outdoors.

    Here's to a great season for all of us!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Location
    Westfield, MA
    Posts
    174

    Default

    Hey Gabe.

    Targeting Valentines day for a kick off, or at least to be ready to go. Continuing to plug away on getting the sugarhouse setup. The last couple months saw the windows painted to color match the roof and lights put in (still on a long ext cord from the garage, but there is LIGHT!). Productive day yesterday. Finished framing the pad built using some leftover tiles from my kitchen renovation, started the support frame for a cement board backstop, and built a roof support frame where the chimney will go through.

    Supply chain delays are hitting hard with shipping delays I didn't expect so it's going to come down to the wire. Wonderfully though, yesterday as we were working the rest of the chimney, except the roof jack, came in so next weekend we break through the roof. Some temporary setup can be made with old metal roofing to act as the roof jack until it comes in.

    Once the chimney is in it will be a mad two weeks of washing buckets, lids, and tanks.

    IMG_0930.jpg
    IMG_0952.jpg
    IMG_0949.jpg
    IMG_0953.jpg

    -Aaron
    2024 - Starting with the 25 then more late Feb.
    2023 - 25 taps on 11 trees to focus on the process. 9 Gallons and lots of sugar sand. 35 people over for breakfast in April
    2022 - 8 x 14 sugarhouse and a steam bottler. 50 buckets! 9 Gallons syrup and 4 pounds of sugar
    2021 - 20 x 30 divided pan on a Mason arch, 34 taps and 8 gallons for family and friends to judge. Dad hooked as well.
    2020 - 2 taps, 1/2 pint on a turkey fryer, About 3/4 pint syrup in two weeks - Proof of concept!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Greenwood, Me
    Posts
    972

    Default

    That's a nice shack.
    2024 - New Maine resident, 12X12 sugar shack under construction
    2019 - New 12X12 boiling pavilion
    2018 - New Mason 2X3 Hobby XL and homemade RO

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    Nashville, MI
    Posts
    935

    Default

    Aaron what is the size of your sugar house. Mine is somewhat similar however when it was built I only had a window on each side put in. I really like the style of the windows you selected for yours.
    2004 - 2012 2x3 flat pan 25 to 60 taps
    2012 2x3 new divided pan w/draw off 55 taps
    2018 - didn't boil surgery - bought new evaporator
    2019 new SML 2x4 raised flue high output evap. 65 taps
    made 17 gal. syrup
    2020 - only put out 53 taps - made 16.25 ga.l syrup
    2021 - Didn't work out
    2022 - 25 taps on bags / 8 taps on 3/16's line - late start

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Location
    Westfield, MA
    Posts
    174

    Default

    Morning PD. It's 8x14. I figure at best I could grow to a 2 x 4 evaporator in time, but not much bigger without expanding. I had them put in 6 total windows, but that side faces the sun so they are double the size of the other two sides.

    Finished tacking up the wires, installing the cement board, and mountings for the chimney support. Ready to go up and through the roof this week. Weather says very cold after work each day so it might be bucket washing until the weekend.
    2024 - Starting with the 25 then more late Feb.
    2023 - 25 taps on 11 trees to focus on the process. 9 Gallons and lots of sugar sand. 35 people over for breakfast in April
    2022 - 8 x 14 sugarhouse and a steam bottler. 50 buckets! 9 Gallons syrup and 4 pounds of sugar
    2021 - 20 x 30 divided pan on a Mason arch, 34 taps and 8 gallons for family and friends to judge. Dad hooked as well.
    2020 - 2 taps, 1/2 pint on a turkey fryer, About 3/4 pint syrup in two weeks - Proof of concept!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Princeton, MA
    Posts
    495

    Default

    I'm going to start tapping weekend of Feb 12-13 here in central MA like I have for the past few years. Will do 1/3 of my taps then finish up the next two weekends so everything is ready to go by March 1. An early run will be a bonus even if not everything is tapped out yet.

    Dave
    Mountain Maple farm
    2022 NAMSC award winning dark amber syrup
    2023: 320 taps, 70% red maples. Mountain Maple S4 diaphragm pump controller with automated sap transfer and text messaging
    Website:
    https://www.mountainmaplefarm.com
    https://www.facebook.com/MountainMapleFarm/

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Warren, MA
    Posts
    230

    Default

    I usually tap around the weekend closest to Valentine's day so I will probably follow that same plan unless the weather looks real bad. Looking to maybe add another 60-100 trees this year. I've made another 100 drops and I'll probably make another 100 or so in anticipation of having to replace squirrel chews. I'm putting together a solar/Shurflo set-up for part of the sugarbush and a lunchbox style pump for another section. We rearranged our tanks at the sugar house so I need to do some re-plumbing. I also am almost finished with my re-built cordwood saw so I have a ton of wood to cut up and stack in the next week or so as well. Nothing like last minute! Hopefully we can break our 50.5 gallon record this year!
    2016 - 2 x 4 Randy Worthen built arch and pans 11 taps; 2.625 gallons of syrup!
    2017 - 29 taps; 11.625 gallons of syrup!
    2018 - 30 taps; 98 pints bottled! New sugar house being built, new equipment coming!
    2019 - 125 taps; 50 gallons made! New 2x6 Smoky Lake Corsair arch, drop flue pan, auto draw. Smoky Lake filter press and Steam Bottler
    2020 - 173 taps; only 35 gallons made.
    2021 - 242 taps; New record! 50.5 gallons made!
    2022 - 321 taps; New record! 80 gallons made!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    chester, ma
    Posts
    903

    Default

    That is a real beauty of a sugar shack Aaron! Is that one of those Jamaica ones? IIRC you were not happy with the performance of your red maples last year. I see your tap count is quite a bit higher than just the "producers" last year. Did you swap those red maples out for sugar maples, or are they still in the mix? Or did you find a way to put some vacuum on them?

    Good luck everyone!

    GO
    Last edited by berkshires; 01-24-2022 at 01:49 PM.
    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

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 8 12345678 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts