Over here in Merrill we are under 50% of a normal crop yet.
Over here in Merrill we are under 50% of a normal crop yet.
2017:
600 taps on vacuum
4 x 8 flat pan
2 x 4 finish pan
Nights and weekends after my real job
10 degrees this morning and now 25 and sunny. Taps inthe sun are running well. Looks like below zero tonight then some solid syrup weather. I'm expecting some big runs with a foot of snow and no frost. Already at 120% crop and no reason to expect the best year ever. Wood supply is getting low, and need some more barrels.
custom made 2x7 intensofire
With SL pans
250 deer run
300 3/16 (new 2016)
500 sacks around the neighborhood
I suppose its possible since you stated that yours were running in February, while everyone elses' in the state were nil. I sure hope it starts running again soon, getting kind of deep in here, I am going to have to get a 2nd pair of waders out very soon.
So is it 120% of a quart per tap, or 120% of .666, depending on which one it is, you may only be at 1/2 a crop?
Last edited by markcasper; 04-07-2018 at 03:16 PM.
Mark
Where we made syrup long before the trendies made it popular, now its just another commodity.
John Deere 4000, 830, and 420 crawler
1400 taps, 600 gph CDL RO, 4x12 wood-fired Leader, forced air and preheater. 400 gallon Sap-O-Matic vacuum gathering tank, PTO powered. 2500 gallon X truck tank, 17 bulk tanks.
No cage tanks allowed on this farm!
Someone decided that I did not need to collect anymore and stole my 4 wheeler and 5 x 10 aluminum trailer out of my driveway after I went to work today. I will boil off the 200 gallons in the tank and call it a year.
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!)
Super Sapper that's beyond belief. It makes my blood boil thinking about it.
~ Karen ~
2012 - 10 taps, 1 turkey fryer - 169.5L sap 4.2 L syrup
2013 - 23 taps, 2 turkey fryers - 748.5 L sap 17.56 L syrup
2014 - 22 taps, 509 L sap 12.5 L syrup
2015 - 28 taps, 1093.75 L sap 25.1 L syrup
2016 - 25 taps, 1223.5 L sap 28.25 L syrup
2017 - 21 taps, 518.5 L sap 12.7 L syrup
2018 - 28 taps, 2 turkey fryers & Denali 3 burner propane stove - 798L sap 16.9 L syrup
2019 - 28 taps, 1409.5L sap 40.12L syrup
Sugar, Norway, Manitoba, Silver and Freeman Maples
Thanks, I was going to pull the plug this week but it sucks to have it happen this way. It looks like it could be another good weeks worth of sap for everyone still in it. I had a very good year up to this point. The guys who brought me sap on halves ended up with 4 gallons of syrup on 16 taps and I got 4 gallons for just a few more minutes boiling. Worked out nice and maybe seeded an addiction in them.
Hey Bob, sorry to hear about the theft. that's ridicules. I hope you can recover it somehow.
It sounds like you had a record, at least. Our year was down a little but the season just doesn't want to come to an end. After this 2 day storm blows through, it looks like another good week for sap. No moths, flies, ants, or peepers yet. we may just have a record year by the end of the week. 8 week season for us this year and the latest, strange year.
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
Well they actually way under forecast the blizzard. I was up last night boiling until 3am. Went out at 8 to fire up in flip flops since it was only supposed to be rain until sat night. Well went out to over a foot of fresh snow at 2 am.was a cold 50 yard walk to the house. Solid 30-40 mph winds all day and round 2 is starting up with another 12-18" coming. We are well over .5 gallons of syrup per tap in the bags so it's been a amazing year with a good week to go.
custom made 2x7 intensofire
With SL pans
250 deer run
300 3/16 (new 2016)
500 sacks around the neighborhood