My plan 2022/23

[bigschuss]

Is the purpose solely to heat it up to prevent it from freezing, or is it also bacteria prevention of the “sweet” and that is why you need to bring it to a boil?

Gary, I don't think you have to worry about freezing if that's your concern. I allow mine to freeze solid between runs and in 20 years have never had a problem. If a 14,000 gallon pool can freeze solid every winter and not damage the pool, your 10 gallons of frozen sweet in your pan will do no harm.

Bringing your pan to a boil every few days is to prevent bacteria growth. However, if your pan is frozen that's not going to happen anyway. I only bring my pan to a boil every 3rd day or so when the pan DOESN'T freeze between runs.

[berkshires]

Exactly this ^^^

Gabe

[Swingpure]

Gary, I don't think you have to worry about freezing if that's your concern. I allow mine to freeze solid between runs and in 20 years have never had a problem. If a 14,000 gallon pool can freeze solid every winter and not damage the pool, your 10 gallons of frozen sweet in your pan will do no harm.

Bringing your pan to a boil every few days is to prevent bacteria growth. However, if your pan is frozen that's not going to happen anyway. I only bring my pan to a boil every 3rd day or so when the pan DOESN'T freeze between runs.

Thanks!

I boiled the 10 gallons of emergency sap today so it would not spoil. I got carried a little away and boiled it down to 3 gallons. I used a turkey fryer for the first time and it work well. Many magnitudes better than the induction stove. I used both, to try and get through the sap as fast as I could.

Sap should flow this Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, but the season looks to truly start March 21 with flow days everyday after that, for awhile.

I will likely have my warmup/bacteria prevention boil on Wednesday. I have a bunch of people coming that day to skate on our lake and they want to see the maple syrup stuff as well. Although I will not have any real fresh sap to add, they will at least see the sap boiling in the channels for a very short while. In the afternoon they will see some sap flowing in the lines.

Wednesday I should collect enough sap to have a boil Thursday and will have a longer boil on Friday, where I will make syrup for sure. There is a chance I could make my first syrup on a divided pan Thursday, depending on how much I collect Wednesday.

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[bigschuss]

Thanks!

I boiled the 10 gallons of emergency sap today so it would not spoil. I got carried a little away and boiled it down to 3 gallons. I used a turkey fryer for the first time and it work well. Many magnitudes better than the induction stove. I used both, to try and get through the sap as fast as I could.

Sap should flow this Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, but the season looks to truly start March 21 with flow days everyday after that, for awhile.

I will likely have my warmup/bacteria prevention boil on Wednesday. I have a bunch of people coming that day to skate on our lake and they want to see the maple syrup stuff as well. Although I will not have any real fresh sap to add, they will at least see the sap boiling in the channels for a very short while. In the afternoon they will see some sap flowing in the lines.

Wednesday I should collect enough sap to have a boil Thursday and will have a longer boil on Friday, where I will make syrup for sure. There is a chance I could make my first syrup on a divided pan Thursday, depending on how much I collect Wednesday.

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Sounds great!

I still haven't even tapped yet. About 1.5' of snow on the ground and as I sit here having my morning coffee we are in the middle of a massive Nor'easter. Expecting 2 more feet. Four weeks ago it was 55 F and we had grass in the front yard.

It's going to be a short season here. But at least I have the snow now. Without any snowpack my trails are too muddy to gather sap. So, I'd rather have a short season than no season.

[Swingpure]

Sounds great!

I still haven't even tapped yet. About 1.5' of snow on the ground and as I sit here having my morning coffee we are in the middle of a massive Nor'easter. Expecting 2 more feet. Four weeks ago it was 55 F and we had grass in the front yard.

It's going to be a short season here. But at least I have the snow now. Without any snowpack my trails are too muddy to gather sap. So, I'd rather have a short season than no season.

Good luck when your season does get underway and I hope it flows hard for you when it does. Strange Winter and I have to admit, today for the first day, this winter, I am ready for it to end.

We had a cold night and day and the sap in the pan finally froze. I will bring it to a boil tomorrow, then hopefully do a real boil Thursday or Friday. It looks like our season will start March 21, but I should get some minimal flows this Wed to Fri and make syrup Friday or Saturday.

[berkshires]

Good luck when your season does get underway and I hope it flows hard for you when it does. Strange Winter and I have to admit, today for the first day, this winter, I am ready for it to end.

We had a cold night and day and the sap in the pan finally froze. I will bring it to a boil tomorrow, then hopefully do a real boil Thursday or Friday. It looks like our season will start March 21, but I should get some minimal flows this Wed to Fri and make syrup Friday or Saturday.

Yes, you got exactly the Noreaster you requested! Boston got an inch or two, Maine where my in-laws are got six inches, and little old western mass will get like two feet!

You must have a direct line to someone upstairs! LOL

GO

[bigschuss]

Good luck when your season does get underway and I hope it flows hard for you when it does. Strange Winter and I have to admit, today for the first day, this winter, I am ready for it to end.

Thanks Gary. Strange winter indeed. As a downhill skier I skied the entire season on lousy snow...in the rain....ice...slush. Now that I am ready for spring to be here...we get snow. Four weeks ago it was 50 and we had grass in the backyard and I almost tapped. Crazy indeed.

Yes, you got exactly the Noreaster you requested! Boston got an inch or two, Maine where my in-laws are got six inches, and little old western mass will get like two feet!

You must have a direct line to someone upstairs! LOL

GO

LOL!!!! You remember about a month ago when I was hoping for a March Nor-easter. My trails were all bare mud and I wouldn't have been able to collect sap without snow. I've got so much now it will be a week before I can even get out with my snowmobile to pack the trails to tap.

As of yesterday around 2 PM I had about 34" on the ground. Each beer can is 5" and I have 7 stacked in the pic. It snowed all afternoon and I just woke up and looked out the window...looks like we easily picked up another 12 to 14" overnight. Thankfully none of it has been heavy or wet. Never lost power. Because it's always colder here the snow was light and dry.


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[Swingpure]

Thanks Gary. Strange winter indeed. As a downhill skier I skied the entire season on lousy snow...in the rain....ice...slush. Now that I am ready for spring to be here...we get snow. Four weeks ago it was 50 and we had grass in the backyard and I almost tapped. Crazy indeed.



LOL!!!! You remember about a month ago when I was hoping for a March Nor-easter. My trails were all bare mud and I wouldn't have been able to collect sap without snow. I've got so much now it will be a week before I can even get out with my snowmobile to pack the trails to tap.

As of yesterday around 2 PM I had about 34" on the ground. Each beer can is 5" and I have 7 stacked in the pic. It snowed all afternoon and I just woke up and looked out the window...looks like we easily picked up another 12 to 14" overnight. Thankfully none of it has been heavy or wet. Never lost power. Because it's always colder here the snow was light and dry.


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Holy Smokes, that is a lot of snow! That would bury me! I would have to plow continuously during the storm, as there is no way my ATV and plow could handle that. Hopefully it melts quickly.

We have snow and rain coming, with a tiny bit of sap flow today expected, it should flow well tomorrow and should continue to flow throughout the night. I should make syrup Friday unless the rain is driving in from the north and washes out the boil.

[Swingpure]

Had 8 extended family up today from young to old. Although they were here to skate and enjoy winter, they were also keenly interested in the maple syrup operation. I did not have any fresh sap, but I still put the frozen sap in the pan to a boil and they got to see the steam come off the pan and the sap in the channels. Today it only got above freezing for a short while, so some sap flowed, but not a ton. They did get to se the lines at least drip.

Tomorrow is supposed to a big flow day, so I might collect mid afternoon and start a boil. There should be a lot more to collect on Friday.

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[Swingpure]

Soooooo disappointing. Last night the temperature was supposed to drop below freezing and today was one of two days where the temperature was supposed to rise well over freezing. It was supposed to be the best flow day of the season so far.

Last night the temperature did not drop as cold as forecasted and only barely dropped below freezing and only for a short while. The sap barely ran. Tonight is also expected to stay above freezing, so after waiting for it to warm up, two +5 days will be for not.

I did collect 15 gallons which I am grateful for and maybe I will collect another 5 in the morning. The hope is to have a little boil tomorrow, but I will have to wait until sometime next week for my first syrup.

Rats.