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Thread: Willow Creek Sugarhouse 2022

  1. #41
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    east kingston, nh
    Posts
    4,148

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    well called it a season last weekend. didn't make the freeze too many budded changed the flavor of the syrup. Tastes more like metabolism than buddy I have 7 gallons of it so I might see if I can make sugar out of it. at least I didn't go ropey this year. I kept up on cleaning better an did smaller quick boils at the end of the season to keep the evap fresh.

    Ended up with 77 gallons total. better than the last 2 years and made more syrup on 1200 gallons less of sap than than the previous 2 years as well. Sugar was high all season until the last week when the sugar fell out of the sap due to lack of freezing nights. not the 100 I was looking for and thank goodness for February syrup or it would have been an awful year. all except my first boil which was VD/strong it was just into D/robust and was there the entire season. all my sample bottles look exactly the same that has never happened before. but its too close to grade it as D/ robust because its going to darken so just calling it all VD/strong. was VERY aromatic all season except that last week as well.

    Pretty stressless season which is nice. a vac pump hiccup in the beginning but other than that pretty good. The loaner pump was great and thankfully new technology saved my electric bill down about $100+ from past march electric bills and I ran it more which is surprising especially with delivery fees up. The loaner is a 2 post, the one that is getting fixed is a 3 phase so that if I understand it right will pull less power as long as I have a tight system.

    Have some work to do in the woods this off season that I have been putting off due to needing to spend money elsewhere but upgrades to tubing should help vacuum transfer and help with more sap in the future. and maybe a preheater for the evap. have wanted to make one for a while now. we'll see if there are funds to it. mo money mo money!!

    Have a lot of work to do this weekend pulling taps and getting the sugarhouse cleaned up and everything put away. the worst part of maple. hopefully I can get it all done this weekend. gotta get seeds started(I am a little late on that) new packages of bees coming next monday. and the honey do list has been on hold for a while so gotta get working on that too.

    Well good luck everyone who is still going. see ya next year. I will still stop in here and see how everyone's season ended up.
    Last edited by red maples; 04-02-2022 at 05:29 AM.
    may your sap be at 3%
    Brad

    www.willowcreeksugarhouse.com
    585 or so on Vacuum, about 35 on buckets/sap sacs
    Atlas Copco GVS 25A Rotary Vane vacuum pump
    MES horizontal electric releaser
    2x6 ss phaneuf Drop flue, Leader woodsaver blower, homemade hood
    300gph H2O RO
    husquvarna 562 XP
    Its Here!!! 2024 season is here get busy!!!

  2. #42
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Rock Creek, NC
    Posts
    5,807

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    I'm glad that you had a good season for a change. It's nice when you don't have many problems and can just make syrup.
    Russ

    "Red Roof Maples" Where the term "boiling soda" was first introduced to the maple world!

    1930 Ford Model AA Doodlebug tractor
    A couple of Honda 4 wheelers
    Four chainsaws and no chickens!

  3. #43
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    east kingston, nh
    Posts
    4,148

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    yeah I'll say. I always want more but really the last 4 years or so have been down in the amount of syrup produced. but it is what it is. I still have a lot of fun.
    may your sap be at 3%
    Brad

    www.willowcreeksugarhouse.com
    585 or so on Vacuum, about 35 on buckets/sap sacs
    Atlas Copco GVS 25A Rotary Vane vacuum pump
    MES horizontal electric releaser
    2x6 ss phaneuf Drop flue, Leader woodsaver blower, homemade hood
    300gph H2O RO
    husquvarna 562 XP
    Its Here!!! 2024 season is here get busy!!!

  4. #44
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Wakefield,New Hampshire
    Posts
    504

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    A low stress season is always nice, and making more syrup with less sap is too. Hope you can scramble to together the funds for a preheater, i am in the same boat. Enjoy the off season.
    6th season solo sugar maker in a young sugar bush of mostly red maples
    320 taps
    2x6 self built arch, Flat pans w/ dividers
    New 12x16 sugar house
    CDL hobby 250 RO

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