I'm so not prepared, Evaporator isn't installed yet, sugar shack filled with junk, buckets all stacked and unwashed, missing some equipment, so not ready to tap.....:-(
This working full time 60 hrs a week is cutting my hobby time too much.
I'm so not prepared, Evaporator isn't installed yet, sugar shack filled with junk, buckets all stacked and unwashed, missing some equipment, so not ready to tap.....:-(
This working full time 60 hrs a week is cutting my hobby time too much.
You still have a couple weeks till you have to worry about tapping.
But now is the time to get all the other stuff ready while the weather is somewhat nice and snow levels arnt too bad.
Can almost walk right on top of the snow now it’s so hard.
600 taps on vacuum
Lapierre mechanical Releaser
CDL electric releaser
2.5 x 10 CDL Venturi ( new for the 2024 season )
Home made modulating auto draw off
Homemade RO 2 x 4" membranes
CDL 16 x 16 bottler
Wesfab 7" filter press
Delaval 73 vacuum pumps
12 hives of bees
Yeah, bricklayer, I’m with you on that. Been going full speed since Saturday to get everything ready thinking I would tap but have thought otherwise. Little warm spell here but it’s forecast to turn cold again next week - not surprising it’s barely February. Neighbour down the way put his buckets out late last week but haven’t seen any sap in them.
Curious though - has anyone tapped yet and how’s it been ?
Last thing you want is all your lines in the bush full of sap and a cold spell of -20’s for a week.
That’s pretty hard on fittings and valves. Never mind tanks and everything else that’s out in the woods. I’ve had taps freeze up so solid after a sap run that I had to go hammer them back in the tree. Every one was leaking due to ice pushing them out.
If you have sap you have to boil. So the evaporator is full , the permeate tanks are full.
I’ve learned my lesson that a little bit of early sap is not worth the damage done by frozen solid equipment. There will be freeze ups during the season. But usually not for extended periods of time like what we can get in early mid February.
600 taps on vacuum
Lapierre mechanical Releaser
CDL electric releaser
2.5 x 10 CDL Venturi ( new for the 2024 season )
Home made modulating auto draw off
Homemade RO 2 x 4" membranes
CDL 16 x 16 bottler
Wesfab 7" filter press
Delaval 73 vacuum pumps
12 hives of bees
Just for fun I put out two taps in late December when we had a slight thaw. My expectations were NIL, and I got a maybe half a liter between the two buckets. They are still on trees and I might now have about 3, maybe 4 L between the two. Based on this week's temps I'm thinking I'll be boiling on the stove this weekend. My goal for the season is 1L as I'm only doing the two buckets for fun as I'm prepping the house to list for sale this spring.. so no time to set up the regular operation.
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2023 -30 trees -24 vacuum, 6 buckets. ~1,845 L sap; Syrup count: 49.25L
2022 -30 trees -24 vacuum, 6 buckets. ~1,530 L sap; Syrup count: 48.65L
2021 -29 trees -23 vacuum, 6 buckets. ~1240 L sap; 34.5L of syrup
2020 -30 trees 32 taps. ~900 L sap; 27.1L Syrup.
2019 -27 trees 31 taps. ~725 L sap; 22.2L Syrup.
2018 -19 Trees 20 taps. ~750 L sap; 18 L Syrup
2017 -4 trees 4 taps. ~60 L sap; 1.5 L Syrup
Prep time down here probably could tapped this week but cold snap next week again.
I'll probably get mine in end couple weeks. Need to replace my chimney this year as she's rotted out. Thinking of changing over to taps and lines instead of buckets this year. 🤔
Lol fill yer boots Coatesy! Good you had a great year last year, mine was also pretty good.
Of course things may change and I will be able to tap, but as it stands right now, I pretty much have to be able to leave on short notice. Life can get complicated very quickly.
Bye for now all, don't tap too early! Be nice to your bush.
Been tapping since 2008.
2018 - 17 taps/7 trees...819l sap, approx 28l syrup
2019 - 18 taps/8 trees...585l sap, 28l syrup...21:1 ratio
2020 - 18 taps/8 trees...890.04l sap...gave away about 170l, 30l snafu'd....23l total for me from approx 690l
2021 - 18 taps/8 trees...395l sap, 12 l syrup
2022 - 18 taps/8 trees....7 sugars 1 red due to #2 having surgery so had the season off....582l sap, 18.5l syrup
2023 - 18 taps/8 trees...all sugars again. 807l sap, so far approx 14l syrup
Curious though - has anyone tapped yet and how’s it been ?[/QUOTE/
Tapped a couple lines Sat. Running so hard there was a steady stream of sap coming out by the time I got to the bottom of the line. Ran it out to flush lines. Collected about 30 gal from 38 taps on Sun, haven’t checked since but should’ve run yesterday and today too. Was hoping to get enough for a bit of a test boil before cold snap but doubt I will.
Last edited by jungmaria; 02-13-2024 at 07:10 AM.
2024 200 taps & a rebuilt arch and 2x8 raised flu evaporator
2020-23 85-167 taps shared with a neighbour
2019 41 taps on 3/16 line, 2x6 oil tank evaporator
2018 10 buckets, neighbour's homemade 2x3 arch
Wheelers had to boil over the weekend, earliest ever... If I had been tapped, I'm sure I would have as well. I am not tapping for a few weeks...
Batch boiling 100+ taps on my homemade AUF arch
Family of 7 that puts syrup on everything