Getting a lot of those 40 deg days and 20 deg nights. Wondering if it's time to get out the drill. With this crazy weather, I hope we are not hurting ourselves by waiting until mid-Feb to tap and missing runs. Thoughts?
Thanks, Bill
Getting a lot of those 40 deg days and 20 deg nights. Wondering if it's time to get out the drill. With this crazy weather, I hope we are not hurting ourselves by waiting until mid-Feb to tap and missing runs. Thoughts?
Thanks, 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
I don't know, I have a 3 day weekend working on stuff indoors this morning so I am gonna see if I can get everything ready to go by next weekend If the long range forecast stays true then I will try to start next weekend. because the following week looks really good but we know how that goes.
may your sap be at 3%
Brad
www.willowcreeksugarhouse.com
585 or so on Vacuum, about 35 on buckets/sap sacs
Atlas Copco GVS 25A Rotary Vane vacuum pump
MES horizontal electric releaser
2x6 ss phaneuf Drop flue, Leader woodsaver blower, homemade hood
300gph H2O RO
husquvarna 562 XP
Its Here!!! 2024 season is here get busy!!!
Tapped about 100 yesterday on my mainline. Reds were already running. Nothing from the sugars yet.
Weather looks decent, and I think I'm all done with waiting until mid-late February to tap. Reading about quite a few early runs and don't want to miss out.
Will keep tapping everything on tubing; and wait on the buckets for another week or so.
Thanks, 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
210 tapped so far. Will complete rest on tubing this weekend. Two collections......260 + 355 gal........1.9 % avg. Two boils yielding about 6-1/2 gallons of great tasting Golden.
Glad I started earlier. Reds running great; sugars starting to thaw out.
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
Still running pretty well; but will slow up with higher temps later this week. Averaging 250 ish per day on collections. Bottled up first batch of syrup last night. 15 gallons Golden.... 98 on the checker.
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
Still running pretty well; but will slow up with higher temps later this week. Averaging 250 ish per day on collections. Bottled up first batch of syrup last night. 15 gallons Golden.... 98 on the checker.
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
Next weeks temps look to be more “average” with lows in the teens and highs in the low 20’s for me. I’m sure you’ll be a few degrees warmer. I haven’t even drilled a hole yet and I’m sure I lost out on those warmer days we had over the last month.
I haven’t made golden in ten years, mostly dark and a little amber so I’m jealous.
Good luck!
Mike
12 x 16 Sugar house
18”x72” CDL drop flue
Homemade 4 post RO
125 taps on vacuum (Guzzler)
Smoky Lake 7” filter press
Very surprised myself, Mike. Didn't make a drop of light last year; and just a couple gallons the year before. I suspect that with this warm stretch coming up, we'll be seeing darker syrup from here on out.
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
Hi Bill
Hope all is well. You still boiling. You must be well over your normal totals. Love to see one of your solar set up’s.
Mike
Mike Hughson
Hobby setup first 4 years
2016 85 taps new 2 X 6 drop flue evaporator
2017 18 X 24 timberframe sugar shack.
Still at it Mike. Just passed 4,100 gal. sap. Only have bottled up 30 gal. syrup so far; but the freezer is bursting with stored syrup as well as Mother Nature's snowbanks. Probably another 35 gal. or so to can up. Major processing session coming up this weekend with no sap running. Forecast looks like we might get another nice run mid/late next week. Buds haven't even started to swell yet; so I'm going to hang in there another week or so.
Thanks, 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