Eastern Ontario 2022

[Run Forest Run!]

Hi Bruce! It's been a couple of seasons since I last posted. I really missed all of the great interactions with everyone. As I am the primary caregiver for my parents, things really hit the fan for me in 2020. Hopefully we are heading in the right direction and can all get a much-needed sense of calm back soon. Hope you've been well! ��

[Galena]

Hi Bruce! It's been a couple of seasons since I last posted. I really missed all of the great interactions with everyone. As I am the primary caregiver for my parents, things really hit the fan for me in 2020. Hopefully we are heading in the right direction and can all get a much-needed sense of calm back soon. Hope you've been well! ��

Karen sweetie! So good to hear from you. Understand that you've been quite busy. I had a really short season, and as my best tree had surgery in January, I didn't tap it. Still quite a decent amount of syrup from the 580or so ls I got. Also started a new business. www.darkhorseappraisals.com. Take care and stay in touch!

[paulslund]

Hey Paul! Is the sap running for you this weekend?

Karen!!! So good to hear from you!

Tree spouts were leaking today, but I pulled all my taps earlier around mid week. Boiled my last 80L Tuesday evening and made some *slightly ropey* but still very tasty syrup. Think I pulled in around 1,500L, but season was only about 3 1/2 weeks for me this year! I haven't bottled it all, but even my last batch gave me about 2.5-2.6L out of the 80 so good sugar content this year!

Hope you are having a good season and things are well on your end!

Paul.

[Sinoed09]

How did you wash yours?

I am a week or so away from doing something with the lines.

Thanks

Life happened so I only ended up with a few taps on 3/16” gravity. I pulled and sanitized today with 10ml syringes and a 2L Pepsi bottle. For the taps I just squirted 10ml into each one. For the line, I drilled through the cap on the Pepsi bottle, inserted a piece of 3/16” hose and wrapped with duct tape. Silicone would be better for sealing since mine dripped. I used a joiner and added the bottle to the end of the line and tipped it upside down. Had to invert it a couple times to crack the cap and let in air but I’m thoroughly impressed with the vacuum I get on top of the ridge - crushed my bottle. �� I’ll have to measure it next year for sure. A valve of some kind to let in air would be great but my low tech and free solution did the job well. A bit of work sealing the 2L cap properly and I could just leave it in on the line by screwing a smaller bottle in place. Just thought I’d share - simple stuff everyone already has for the most part.

https://www.amazon.ca/10ml-Oral-Syri...7SF6TNSK&psc=1

[Galena]

@ennismaple - thanks again Marty for the tour and talk and showing me fun stuff like collecting tanks beg enough to swim in! And next time I get ahold of some scrap copper, I think I know what I'll do with it ;-)

[4Walls]

I have posted a video of my improved vacuum filter. Design, build and operation. Everything I create is open source for and anyone can copy it. All in it was less than 200$. Works as well or better than the CDL version for 2800$ Just wanted to catch you all before everything is put away for the season and you will have time to hunt around for parts if you want to build for next year. We should have at least another few weeks of sap here in the North Bay Area. The Toronto brewing kettle goes on sale all the time. That is the big ticket item for this build. Enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8nbZd8EOT0

[paulslund]

So here is a question for those in the know.. my last batch made some slightly ropy syrup, but still fine tasting. Is the ropy syrup caused when the temps were too warm and bacteria started to feast, or is it because it's been warm and the trees are starting to bud (although with Silvers it's hard to tell as they start to bud in the fall and hold them until the spring)/

Reason I'm asking is it's going to be -3 overnight for a good 5-6+ hours.. if I reconnect my taps and start the pump up, will the sap still give me ropy syrup, or do I have a good chance at getting one last good run?

If ropy syrup is caused by the tree budding, then I won't bother.. but if ropy is caused by warm temps and bacteria eating the sap.. I just might be tempted to put the taps back in for tomorrow and see what I get..

Anyone? Bueller?

Thanks!

[Bricklayer]

If your into ropy syrup I don’t think it’s gonna get any better at this time in the year.
In my opinion ropy syrup is a mixture of both the temperatures and the tree putting out buds.
I’m sure there’s a more scientific explanation to it. But I would just pull your taps and call it a season.
Last Tuesday was our last sap day and called it a year. Once the sap gets a bit cloudy we don’t risk it.
Waste of time if you spend all that time boiling it and it comes out a snotty sour mess.

[paulslund]

If your into ropy syrup I don’t think it’s gonna get any better at this time in the year.
In my opinion ropy syrup is a mixture of both the temperatures and the tree putting out buds.
I’m sure there’s a more scientific explanation to it. But I would just pull your taps and call it a season.
Last Tuesday was our last sap day and called it a year. Once the sap gets a bit cloudy we don’t risk it.
Waste of time if you spend all that time boiling it and it comes out a snotty sour mess.

That's what I thought too but wanted a second opinion. Actually come to think of it I barely have any wood left to boil anyways so it's kind of a moot point!

Thanks!

[paulslund]

I have posted a video of my improved vacuum filter. Design, build and operation. Everything I create is open source for and anyone can copy it. All in it was less than 200$. Works as well or better than the CDL version for 2800$ Just wanted to catch you all before everything is put away for the season and you will have time to hunt around for parts if you want to build for next year. We should have at least another few weeks of sap here in the North Bay Area. The Toronto brewing kettle goes on sale all the time. That is the big ticket item for this build. Enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8nbZd8EOT0

Now that is a nice rig! I'll be bookmarking that video for my own build..

Thanks!