12 of the next 14 days will have temperatures above freezing and I can see some sap flow happening on 8 of the 12 days.
This Thursday should be a good flow, we will see.
12 of the next 14 days will have temperatures above freezing and I can see some sap flow happening on 8 of the 12 days.
This Thursday should be a good flow, we will see.
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.
Mother Nature
I can't figure her out but I guess the ground has finally thawed. This morning (50 deg) I was getting almost nothing, even though the night was warm. This afternoon, it finally let loose with good flow. Hope to have 40 or 50 gal sap out of 55 trees by morning - flowing about 2 to 3 gal/hr. Hope it keeps going. Tapped trees on 12/29 with a whopping total of 65 gal sap to date....All are on either high natural gravity or pump.
1st year tapped 5 trees, boiled in pans on rock fire - really smokey taste
2021 - 20 taps - 4 Gal on barrel stove and pans
2022 - 9.1 Gal - 41 taps this year. 14 + 7 on 3/16" gravity vacuum. 20 in buckets/bags. DIY RO system - 2/3 water gone - amazing.
2023 - 59 taps: 25 on 3/16" vacuum line/pump, 30 on 3/16" natural vacuum, 4 on bags. New 2x3 Badgerland pan anxious to try.
Well a kick in the groin for sap flow. The afternoon before the sap should have been flowing, the forecast changed. Although temperatures will be warmer than normal, they now will just be a hair above freezing and I see zero days for sap flow in the extended forecast. When will I learn.Originally Posted by Swingpure
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.
It warmed enough to collect 3 gallons of sap yesterday. Today the sap started running (not fast) before 11. If the temps could rise a degree or so more than forecasted and if the sun would appear, maybe I would have enough for a small boil.
In the meantime, I am ice fishing.
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.
Collected 10 gallons this weekend, with temperatures not consistent with good flows. I will boil it tomorrow and make a litre of syrup. Might get more sap later this week.
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.
Turned out I only had 8 gallons, but I boiled it this morning anyways. As I was getting close to finishing what I boiled down, I realized it felt warmer than they forecasted and sure enough I collected another 2 gallons. The first 8 gallons I boiled over my fire bowl. These last two I am currently boiling on my induction stove. I will finish and filter it tonight and hopefully fill two 500 ml bottles.
This afternoon while waiting for the sap to run, I was ice fishing. When I finished ice fishing, I collected the sap.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/033r...0-lTXMRRnVcSGA
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.
Gary, how much ice have you got now. It sure seems like we have been up and down with temps to make ice around here.
2004 - 2012 2x3 flat pan 25 to 60 taps
2012 2x3 new divided pan w/draw off 55 taps
2018 - didn't boil surgery - bought new evaporator
2019 new SML 2x4 raised flue high output evap. 65 taps
made 17 gal. syrup
2020 - only put out 53 taps - made 16.25 ga.l syrup
2021 - Didn't work out
2022 - 25 taps on bags / 8 taps on 3/16's line - late start
Yesterday’s syrup I made was more amber than the last boil’s golden batch. I made just shy of a litre. What I am making is keeping up with my home use, with the Grandkids not around.
It looks like there will be more sap collection days over the next couple of weeks.
While making the syrup yesterday, I wondered why most hobbyist make maple syrup? Unless you are in it for the long haul, I doubt you make money or break even. So far in my three years, it would have been cheaper to go buy it, but I guess giving away more than 75% of what I make has something to do with that. Now that I am making less syrup, 90%+ will stay at home.
If you paid yourself for all of the hours you put in, you would be far in the hole, so there must be something else driving people to make syrup.
There is a certain satisfaction of making your own syrup, the accomplishment of making it and knowing the quality of the product you make. There is a satisfaction of doing work outside with the result of a finished product. This is similar to the satisfaction you get doing a hard days work doing a multitude of tasks.
I am still looking forward to the next sap flow. I am enjoying this slower pace and enjoying not be driven by any end goal, just being happy to make syrup until I do not want to make any more.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0d1a...MimEvT6qrfYcsA
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.
Our ice is very poor ice, but there is enough poor ice to make it safe in the spots that I have checked. We have an upper hard crust, then a gap before you hit the lower ice. In between is a slushy, almost air filled area, but the hard crust protects you from it. It is 80% white ice.
Our lake was the latest that I have ever seen, to freeze over. It did not freeze over until January 5th. Before it had a chance to become safe ice, we received the 150 cms (60”j of snow in three days. That created a large slushy area, but then we had three days of pretty cold weather and that froze the upper crust.
I have been on the ice in my ATV in the areas I have checked, but I am not running on any areas I have not.
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.
I won't speak for everyone, but I make syrup because I like making syrup! I've only been doing it nine years, so I guess I'm not in it for "long haul". I've never sold an ounce of syrup. If I want to keep doing it for the long haul, is that a requirement? LOL.
I thought that was the point of a hobby - to do something you love!
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
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