How has your season been so far? You're closing in on six weeks now, so I hope things have been productive. When do you usually pull your taps? Normally I would pull mine (I'm at around 800 feet in altitude) around the beginning of April, but even though trees we're still flowing pretty well I called it quits a bit early this year since I started really early and had a very productive season.Originally Posted by groomer_guy
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
Groomer and BigSchuss, I was just looking at the weather - I would think this week would have been a great run for you guys?
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
Terrible season for me. Although I needed the snow to access my sugarbush, that Nor-easter 2 weeks ago really hammered us and dumped TOO MUCH snow. Probably had about 38 to 41" or so. It was too deep for my snowmobile...couldn't pack my trails or access my trees. Tons of branches came down blocking my trails. Last week I tried to get my machine out to pack trails and salvage the season as best I could. Was hoping just to even boil for a few weeks. Got my snowmobile BURIED! out in the woods. I took my helmet off and left it with the sled...and walked home and waived the white flag. This is only the 2nd season in 22 years that I haven't tapped.
So, I got what I wished for...a good Nor-easter. But it ended up shutting me down.
16x24 Timber Frame Sugar House
Mason 2x4 Evaporator
90 trees on buckets
Sorry to hear that!
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5' x 9' sugaring room
37 taps (cast iron spiles), 3 gallon metal buckets
Boiling with a 21" x 24" divided pan, 3 troughs, w/warming tank on top
250K BTU propane burner inside cement block arch, 4 x 100lb. propane tanks in parallel
Sap storage in 44 gallon Brute barrels w/food-safe plastic bag barrel liners
2021: ~8 gallons of syrup
2022: ~11 gallons of syrup (but I lost a 3 gallon batch because I fell asleep and burned it!!)
2023: ~15 gallons of syrup
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