Backyarders with Divided Pans
Just wondering for those with smaller operations using a divided pan, do you draw off a tad early and finish it later, or do draw off finished syrup?
If you are drawing off finished syrup do you filter it right away as it draws off?
I guess it really depends on the evaporator, but if you were to boil 60 gallons of sap, which should produce 1.5 gallons of syrup, would you draw off like 4 times a boil, or more like 10?
Thanks
(It almost sounds easier to get it close and finish it later and then filter everything at once on the vacuum filter)
2022 - 5 pan block arch - 109 taps, 73 on 3/16 lines, 36 on drops into 5 gallon pails.
930 gallons boiled, 109 L (28.8 gals) of delicious syrup made.
DYI Vacuum Filter
2023 - 170 taps, mostly on lines, 1153 gallons boiled, 130 L (34.34 gals) of delicious syrup made, on a 2x4 divided pan and base stack, 8” pipe, on a block arch that boiled at a rate of 13 gallons per hour.
2024 - made 48 L, December to March, primarily over two fire bowls.