On a big thaw here in Kent, picked up 140 gal this afternoon, putting me at about 550 so far. Early this week the nights were just too cold, 19 one morning, 20 the next, nothing runs 'till about 2 pm, then slowing by dark. It is nice walking to pickup though, no snow, ice, or mud.
I tapped my tubing trees almost two weeks ago, on Monday. First boil was the following Monday, as that first week was cold enough to have a skim of ice on the sap keeping it cold enough. I boiled again Thursday night, to boil what I had before going away for the weekend. I’m not expecting much flow for the next few days, as it’s forecasted here by the shore for staying above freezing. I’m planning on tapping the trees on buckets early next week, when there is better sap flowing temps predicted.
2017 - 20ish taps on buckets, boiling outside in two baking pans
2018 - 70+ taps, 14-buckets, 50+ on tubing, homemade arch from oil tank in my barn, 17 gal syrup
2019 - same set up, 20 gal syrup
2020 - less taps, short season, but RO kit was fantastic! 6 gal syrup and a maple cat!
2021/22/23 - expanded into the neighbors yards! 50 taps on buckets and 40 taps on tubing
I'm a bit behind everyone else and only started tapping this weekend in Somers. I tap trees in different bushes from the CT River Valley to spots in higher elevations east of here. I put in 130 taps this weekend in the valley and will finish the rest this coming weekend. The sap was flowing very well, a good sign. This week looks cold after several days of warm weather so I don't know how much I'll get this week but I'll be ready for the next big run! The coming snow should help too though I did note patches of snow in several areas in higher elevations which is a good sign that the ground is still plenty cold.
About 300 taps
2'x6' air tight arch
Semi complete 12'x24' sugarhouse in Somers, CT
My YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/CapturedNature
My eBook: Making Maple Syrup in your Backyard
Just a little status update to throw in. I waited to tap, wasn’t worried about that first run in Jan…I aim for the meaty bulk of the season. So I tapped my lines in Durham/Middlefield last Wed, collected around 305gal before the weather yesterday shut it down. Should be a nice recharge now, 1st sugar was 4%, and as that few day run tapered we were down to 1.5% on Monday. Waiting to put in buckets in Somers for a bit longer. Running the RO, getting ready for the first boil on Saturday. Happy sugaring!
Last edited by Person25; 02-14-2024 at 10:40 AM.
1990-2013 - 35+, 7/16, on milk jugs+3gal galv buckets, 55gal drum firebox, 125 year old 10 gallon porcelain pot, outdoor boiling fun.
2014 - 40+ Built a 10x12 sugar shack, new 2x3 Mason.
2015-2023 - 75+ 5/16 Buckets, 3/16 tube, DIY RoBucket, on the mason in the shack, me, the dogs, sometimes the ole'lady, and defiantly a few beers.
After a 3yr. hiatus I am back to my lonely hobby.
Reinsullated my home built evaporator, sterilized all me gear and bought some new stuff and put in 30 taps over the weekend.
Collected 80+ gallons so far and will be make Sweet Steam over the weekend
Last edited by Agent914; 02-14-2024 at 12:14 PM. Reason: typos
19-21 Back to tapping
17-18: not able to tap
14-16 present: Portable Oil Tank evaporator 40+ taps
09-14: Stove to Barrel - 20 taps
I have to go pick up today, even as cold as it's been, I had some 3/4 full buckets yesterday - I really don't like snow, makes everything harder to do.
Just tapping a couple maple trees behind my condo in Cheshire. Tapped 4 trees on 2/09. Only 3 are producing much sap, so I'll probably move the poor producing one to a new tree. That's the benefit when you're only doing a few taps. You can baby each one to get a better yield per tree than the big guys. Though I'm not sure what type of maple they are.
Finished my first boil yesterday, using a propane turkey fryer. 99 lbs of sap became 5.1 cups, roughly a 1:37 yield. Not bad for one week with what was essentially 3 taps. Took about 7 hours and $7 worth of propane to do it.
we've been on a big freeze here since Sun AM, it was 11. this morning 12 - A few trees will run slowly for an hour or so, some won't budge. The thaw is on the way though, gonna get busy.
I'm in Tolland and I am in the same boat. This freeze is crummy lolOriginally Posted by Mike Van
I HOPE today it runs, but under 45 if no sun, it does not run well. The sun on them seems to make a BIG difference.
2020 - 1st year - 14 taps 1 Gallon Jugs + 4x 5-Gallon Buckets + Propane Grill + lots of headaches
2021 - 2nd year - 19 Taps (and some free sap from a friend in the same town!) 145 or so OZ
2022 - 3rd year - 46 taps (3 at home, 2 at neighbors, 38 at friends, and 3 at work) added ROBucket RB10, and Silver Creek 18x34x6 Divided Maple Syrup Pan w/warming Pan+Valve+Thermometer 6 Gallons 6 OZ!
2023 And we grow some more... Starting with OldPostMaple.com!
Expecting things to really start meaning business on Monday the 26th of Feb. Right on schedule for big maple business in these parts.
A tad late I know but put 50 taps in Thursday and 22 in yesterday. Running VERY well in some aspects and not quite so well in others. But storage filling up and RO better work well. And hope I do not overflow. Some of my aspects doing extremely well even on a 38-degree day in calm sunshine.
Who knows season could be over in two weeks.
Fine with me, I am adamantly opposed to this being a year-round job.
If you think it's easy to make good money in maple syrup .... then your obviously good at stealing somebody's Maple Syrup.
Favorite Tree: Sugar Maple
Most Hated Animal: Sap Sucker
Most Loved Animal: Devon Rex Cat
Favorite Kingpin: Bruce Bascom
40 Sugar Maple Taps ... 23 in CT and 17 in NY .... 29 on gravity tubing and 11 on 5G buckets ... 2019 Totals 508 gallons of sap, 7 boils, 11.4 gallons of syrup.
1 Girlfriend that gives away all my syrup to her friends.
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