Figured it's time to wake this thread up! Everyone getting ready? All set here for whenever the weather says go. I am really glad I put my tubing up during the nice January weather!
42.82N
2015 - Small operation. 25 buckets. One excited 5 year old and one 35 year old that feels 5 again.
2016 - One year older. New Homemade 2x4 Arch, Smoky Lake Pan and looking at 52 maples, 17 box elders and 2 walnut trees.
2017 - Shurflo 4008 hooked to 42 stingy silver maples and a few Norways. A couple buckets on sugars and Norways. 10 box elders.
2018 - ...a few more taps.
2019 - ...more taps on 3/16 gravity. This spiral is heading downward in a hurry.
2020 - 4x400 RO - RB20 (uh-oh!)
I have most of my woods work done thanks to the warm spell in early January. Long range forecast looks like 3 to 4 weeks before tapping. Good luck this year.
Smoky Lake 2x6 dropflu pans and hoods on homemade arch
Smoky Lake 6 gallon water jacked bottler
Concentric Exhaust
250 Deer Run RO
325 taps
Stumbled into the opportunity of a good lot of sugar maples from a coworker not too far from home. Good slope, enough drop at the end to make 3/16 worth it. So, time to scramble to get that going - need tubing, storage, fittings, transfer pump.... The little 2x4 is going to be working hard if the season ever shows up
42.82N
2015 - Small operation. 25 buckets. One excited 5 year old and one 35 year old that feels 5 again.
2016 - One year older. New Homemade 2x4 Arch, Smoky Lake Pan and looking at 52 maples, 17 box elders and 2 walnut trees.
2017 - Shurflo 4008 hooked to 42 stingy silver maples and a few Norways. A couple buckets on sugars and Norways. 10 box elders.
2018 - ...a few more taps.
2019 - ...more taps on 3/16 gravity. This spiral is heading downward in a hurry.
2020 - 4x400 RO - RB20 (uh-oh!)
I looked at last year, I finished up April 23rd.
1960 - 1970s 70 taps on galvanized buckets with Dad and Grandpa.
1970s - 1985 Acted crazy!
1986 - 2005 20-30 buckets.
2006- 2017 70 buckets and bags
2017-2019 100 bags and buckets
2020 Finally retired!!! 75 buckets, 50-75 on tubing. RO Bucket, New 12 X 16 Shack and a 42X42 flat pan.
2021-Adding another 125 taps along with a second RO bucket.
2022- Shooting for 350 taps, with 100 on lines.
Lots of Family and Friends and dogs named Skyy and Nessy!
Tapped 3 trees today to test & 2 were dripping well. I'm in Racine, so I may go ahead & tap all tomorrow. Previou years I had tapped sooner, but with all this snow... It still may be early, but I have to be done April 8th no matter what
2017 - 6 taps, steam table pans over open firepit
2018 - 2023 48 taps on buckets, 15 g Syrup, Smokey Lake 2x3 evaporator, RB10 Reverse Osmosis - runs on Solar Panel in Shed, Garden tractor with 31g water tank to collect
Got another dozen trees I can add, but do I have the time?
42.77° N
42.82N
2015 - Small operation. 25 buckets. One excited 5 year old and one 35 year old that feels 5 again.
2016 - One year older. New Homemade 2x4 Arch, Smoky Lake Pan and looking at 52 maples, 17 box elders and 2 walnut trees.
2017 - Shurflo 4008 hooked to 42 stingy silver maples and a few Norways. A couple buckets on sugars and Norways. 10 box elders.
2018 - ...a few more taps.
2019 - ...more taps on 3/16 gravity. This spiral is heading downward in a hurry.
2020 - 4x400 RO - RB20 (uh-oh!)
Changed my mind, I will wait a week or so to tap. Test taps going well today, but all that solid cold coming in next week has convinced me to wait. I'm usually a few degrees warmer than the weather forecast but the fore cast seems to keep changing lower and lower
2017 - 6 taps, steam table pans over open firepit
2018 - 2023 48 taps on buckets, 15 g Syrup, Smokey Lake 2x3 evaporator, RB10 Reverse Osmosis - runs on Solar Panel in Shed, Garden tractor with 31g water tank to collect
Got another dozen trees I can add, but do I have the time?
42.77° N
Keep us posted. I am putting a test tap out after the first of March. I am about 2 hours north of you and will also wait out the next cold snap.
80 Taps on Buckets
Smoky Lake 2x4 Continuous Corsair Arch
Slurping Sap Since 2011.
Doesn't look like anything happening for awhile. A year ago today we had 640 gal of sap collected already. I need to make a quick trip to Tuscon March 4 thru 7 so when I get back, we will get tapped in. Then it may be fast and furious.
150 on 3/16 gravity 2018 and 120 sap sacks
14 x 20 sugar shack
2014 New custom 2x6 arch "The Firestorm" w/ preheater, AUF & AOF
Smokey Lake pans and water jacket bottler
2024 new 2x8 set of drop flue pans and hood from Smoky Lake. Lengthen our arch.
Just a hobby but seems like more work every
year
3 generations working together
Wife that guards our syrup
43.74° N