With the recent warm temps this week I am wondering if I should pull my taps today and call it a season. I only make about 4-5 gallons of syrup on 10 trees as a fun hobby.
I was wondering what others in my area (Billerica) were thinking or doing?
To pull or not to pull taps
With the recent warm temps this week I am wondering if I should pull my taps today and call it a season. I only make about 4-5 gallons of syrup on 10 trees as a fun hobby.
I was wondering what others in my area (Billerica) were thinking or doing?
2019 Cinderblock stove and 3 buffet pans. 10 taps
2020 Wood stove with flat pan. 13 taps - 3.5 gallons of syrup
2021 Wood Stove with flat pan. 15 taps - 4 gallons of syrup
2022 Wood stove with new flat pan. 10 taps - 4 gallons of syrup
2023 Same set-up. 10 taps - 4 .5 gallons of syrup
I’m also wondering about this. For those who have been at this longer, can sap even run again after a week-long warm spell?
2021 Propane fryer & pan -> cinder block stove & buffet pans, 23 taps on buckets, ~ 4.8 gallons syrup
2022 10x16 sugar house, Leader half-pint evaporator, 86 taps on buckets
I am in southern NH and some of my trees were running like crazy yesterday. Looking ahead at next week's weather, some nights will be close to freezing and it might just be enough to get one more run. I would give it another week before pulling taps.
2024 - 16 taps - buckets on our best producing trees, still boiling on a block arch with slight modifications/refinements over the years.
2021 - 25 taps - all buckets
2013-2020 - 30/41 taps: discovering which trees were the best producers
2012 - First year - 21 taps in our backyard - block arch evaporator with 3 steam table pans!
Also in southern NH, and sap has been flowing all week (on vacuum): although down to 1.2-1.3% sugar. Need a re-charge and a looks like a couple of freezes next week.
Anything on vacuum, I would hold out at least another week. Buckets..........not so much. Tap holes seem to be closing up.
Bill
2017 - 3 taps hanging buckets.
2018 - 32 taps on 5 gal. buckets.
2019 - New Mason 2x4 XL. 80 taps
2020 - Barn / Sugarhouse finished. 125 taps. NextGen 1x40 RO
2021 - 157 taps, 100 on 3/16 tubing w/two Shurflo set-ups, the rest on buckets
2022 - 225 taps. 175 on 3/16 tubing, rest on buckets.
2023 - 300 taps. 261 on tubing, 39 on 5 gal. buckets. Four Shurflo 12V set-ups.
2024 - 340 taps. New SL 2x4 hybrid pan. Added second 1x40 membrane to RO
All done in Hudson. The peepers were out last week. I would say push it but maybe separate what you make going forward if you tend to blend batches. You don't want to contaminate any good stuff with something that may have turned. I have been done since last Wednesday now. I did collect some sap that had gone cloudy to flood my pans to let it sit until July or so. I was amazed at how well that cleaned my pans last year. Good luck, nothing wrong with rolling the dice. The trees will tell you pretty quick.
19x48 mini pro oil fired, Nano R/O, CDL Vacuum Press,Mountain Maple Vacuum setup
6x12 sugar house off back of shed
2024-103 Taps Mostly Sugars, Dozen Reds
"The days are long, but the years are short"
I decided not to pull any taps and see how it goes. Nothing much going on this week thus far to nobody's surprise. Looking into next weeks forecast there might be some temps below freeing at night so going to leave them in until then and see if anything flows again. I started a little later this season so hoping the taps stay healthy another week.
2019 Cinderblock stove and 3 buffet pans. 10 taps
2020 Wood stove with flat pan. 13 taps - 3.5 gallons of syrup
2021 Wood Stove with flat pan. 15 taps - 4 gallons of syrup
2022 Wood stove with new flat pan. 10 taps - 4 gallons of syrup
2023 Same set-up. 10 taps - 4 .5 gallons of syrup
I always leave my taps until I'm burnt out or the you can taste the buddy flavor in the sap. I tap a lot of red maples so my season ends abruptly every year. I am typically 1 week or so behind you folks down in southern NH and northern Mass, I will keep following this thread for updates. Best of luck holding out for a few more good runs.
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
I think you'll be happy with that decision. I'm expecting a good run today. Then a bunch of rain will keep overnight temps too high for a few days. Then a hard freeze over the weekend, followed by what looks like primo temps next week. Don't tell my wife, but I'm even considering extending my season by a half a week if things stay cool through the beginning of April.Originally Posted by KiO
GO
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, 5.3 gals
All on buckets
Decent run in these parts today. Local sugar maker's pipeline wasn’t running even though his taps are fresher than mine. Perhaps taphole sanitation plays a part here?
60ish taps on buckets
D&G Sportsman 18x63
Turbo RB15 RO Bucket
I'm holding out. We only collected around 172 gallons yesterday but I'm hoping for a recharge next week.
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!
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
