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Thread: Tapping Central Pa 2023

  1. #51
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Kittanning PA
    Posts
    286

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    I had my best sap flow of the month today. I'll bottle this batch on Saturday or Sunday, again clean out the yeast from my collection tank, and probably bottle my last batch of the year next Wednesday or Thursday.

    I can't remember ever having so much yeast in my collection tank as I have this year. Maybe I should be making maple beer instead of maple syrup!
    Last edited by HowardR; 03-16-2023 at 09:13 PM.
    680 5/16 taps on gravity
    red and sugar maples
    2 Homemade ROs
    Stovetop evaporator
    Filter press by Daryl
    Star San Tube Pump
    Drying rack for hydrometer
    Loves tapping in snow

  2. #52
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Millmont,Pa
    Posts
    563

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    Not bad here too! Boiling and bottling today! Probably wait until tomorrow to gather again.
    115 red maples on vacuum
    100 taps on 5/16 gravity
    35 taps on 3/16 gravity
    50 taps on shurflo vacuum
    about 60 buckets on giant roadside sugars
    neighbor bringing from 45 taps
    30'x 8' Aof/Auf Evaporator
    Homemade 125gph Ro
    Lots of Homemade Equipment!

    http://s848.photobucket.com/albums/a...%20Sugarshack/

  3. #53
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Location
    Central Pennsylvania
    Posts
    228

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    Decent run past few days. Contrary to my good intentions, I re-tapped the lower trees last weekend and they really woke up and are flowing again despite the popping flower buds.
    2020 - 1st year - 13 black walnut taps - 4 bottles syrup
    2021 - 50 taps, 22 black walnuts/28 red maples - 4 gallons syrup
    2022 - 54 taps, 11 black walnuts/41 red maples, 20 on solar shurflo vacuum - 8.5 gallons syrup
    2023 - 47 taps on 45 red maples, 43 on solar shurflo vacuum

  4. #54
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Kittanning PA
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    286

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    Quote Originally Posted by Openwater View Post
    Decent run past few days. Contrary to my good intentions, I re-tapped the lower trees last weekend and they really woke up and are flowing again despite the popping flower buds.
    Openwater,

    The only reason why you, Paddymountain and I are still making syrup is because we did some retapping and new tree drilling.

    I originally tapped my trees six weeks ago, but I'm still making syrup. Most years I'm done after four weeks. I'm going to remember this year as "the long season."
    Last edited by HowardR; 03-18-2023 at 09:41 AM.
    680 5/16 taps on gravity
    red and sugar maples
    2 Homemade ROs
    Stovetop evaporator
    Filter press by Daryl
    Star San Tube Pump
    Drying rack for hydrometer
    Loves tapping in snow

  5. #55
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, Underhill Ctr, VT
    Posts
    6,392

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    Quote Originally Posted by HowardR View Post
    ... retapping and new tree drilling.
    Just note that this is not recommended practice due to the fact that the internal staining (compartmentalization) is double our more that of a single taphole, and is thus not sustainable in the long-term.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

  6. #56
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Kittanning PA
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    286

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    Quote Originally Posted by DrTimPerkins View Post
    Just note that this is not recommended practice due to the fact that the internal staining (compartmentalization) is double our more that of a single taphole, and is thus not sustainable in the long-term.
    Dr. Perkins,

    Thank you for the note. I would never make retapping a long-term practice. In fact, I've only only done some retapping during seasons that would end with less than half the normal amount of syrup and when the a long-term forecast calls for great maple syrup weather. These conditions have only occurred twice (this year being the second) in my 30 years of making maple syrup.

    By the way, I have my drill bits all set so that they can't drill more than 1.5" deep. Does that reduce the staining as compared with, say, 2" deep or 2.5" deep holes?
    680 5/16 taps on gravity
    red and sugar maples
    2 Homemade ROs
    Stovetop evaporator
    Filter press by Daryl
    Star San Tube Pump
    Drying rack for hydrometer
    Loves tapping in snow

  7. #57
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Kittanning PA
    Posts
    286

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    19 degrees out this morning. High today is supposed to be 35. Low tonight is supposed to be 22.

    From February 12 to February 21 we had two days with highs of 70 and only one day with a high below 50.

    Somebody shuffled the months this year. We're getting normal February weather in March and we got normal March weather in February!
    Last edited by HowardR; 03-19-2023 at 07:57 AM.
    680 5/16 taps on gravity
    red and sugar maples
    2 Homemade ROs
    Stovetop evaporator
    Filter press by Daryl
    Star San Tube Pump
    Drying rack for hydrometer
    Loves tapping in snow

  8. #58
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Location
    Central Pennsylvania
    Posts
    228

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    Yeah, I know double-tapping in the same season isn't sustainable, as well; and I don't plan on making it a regular practice on these 18 trees. But from reading another thread, it appears there will be no more maple syrup industry in Central Pennsylvania in the not-too-distant future, anyhow, due to other uncontrollable climatic factors. I also know that had I not cut the grape vines and poison ivy vines off these 18 trees, they'd be dead within 10 years, like many other red maples in the same stand that got taken over by stronger competition.
    Last edited by Openwater; 03-19-2023 at 02:17 PM.
    2020 - 1st year - 13 black walnut taps - 4 bottles syrup
    2021 - 50 taps, 22 black walnuts/28 red maples - 4 gallons syrup
    2022 - 54 taps, 11 black walnuts/41 red maples, 20 on solar shurflo vacuum - 8.5 gallons syrup
    2023 - 47 taps on 45 red maples, 43 on solar shurflo vacuum

  9. #59
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Kittanning PA
    Posts
    286

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    Quote Originally Posted by Openwater View Post
    [F]rom reading another thread, it appears there will be no more maple syrup industry in Central Pennsylvania in the not-too-distant future, anyhow, due to other uncontrollable climatic factors....
    Openwater,

    If you are looking for a good long-term weather forecaster, Punxsutawny Phil, the groundhog who lives just 31 miles from my house, has them all beat. On February 2, he predicted 6 more weeks of winter and that is exactly what happened!
    Last edited by HowardR; 03-19-2023 at 04:24 PM.
    680 5/16 taps on gravity
    red and sugar maples
    2 Homemade ROs
    Stovetop evaporator
    Filter press by Daryl
    Star San Tube Pump
    Drying rack for hydrometer
    Loves tapping in snow

  10. #60
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Location
    Central Pennsylvania
    Posts
    228

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by HowardR View Post
    Openwater,

    If you are looking for a good long-term weather forecaster, Punxsutawny Phil, the groundhog who lives just 31 miles from my house, has them all beat. On February 2, he predicted 6 more weeks of winter and that is exactly what happened!
    If I was a betting man, I'd put my money on Phil before the "scientists" who twist data, results and conclusions to either push an agenda or for other self-serving reasons. Unfortunately, corporate greed has leaked into many scientific communities and industries; alas, I digress.
    Last edited by Openwater; 03-19-2023 at 07:31 PM.
    2020 - 1st year - 13 black walnut taps - 4 bottles syrup
    2021 - 50 taps, 22 black walnuts/28 red maples - 4 gallons syrup
    2022 - 54 taps, 11 black walnuts/41 red maples, 20 on solar shurflo vacuum - 8.5 gallons syrup
    2023 - 47 taps on 45 red maples, 43 on solar shurflo vacuum

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