Wouldn't that be Queen Lesley of Inverary? Sorry tired.....*surprise!*.....
And maybe the resident Court Jester has something to do with the wonderful syrup flowing from yonder maple bush ;-)
Wouldn't that be Queen Lesley of Inverary? Sorry tired.....*surprise!*.....
And maybe the resident Court Jester has something to do with the wonderful syrup flowing from yonder maple 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
I've now bottled the syrup made from Easter Monday's sap tsunami. I got 1.35L of box elder and 6.5L of soft/sugar blend. The niter is settling to the bottom of the bottles and a final bottling will follow.
Update on the box elder. In previous years the syrup is always very 'butterscotchy' in flavour. This year it's different. If you closed your eyes you'd have a difficult time distinguishing it from liquid honey. It's very good, and certainly not what I expected compared to other years.
I updated my signature tonight am thrilled to be over the 20L mark. My best season yet!
~ 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
Your not doing too badly yourself Karen, that's great!!Originally Posted by Run Forest Run!
2 acres of sugar maples. Woodburning arch with small evaporator and propane burners with steamer pans Year 5.
2015 - 35 taps on 30 trees. 1556 L sap and 44L syrup!
2016 - 42 taps on 40 trees. 2274 L sap and 64L syrup!
2017 - 37 taps on 36 trees. 1573 L sap and 47L syrup!
2018 - 33 taps on 32 trees. 2314 L sap and 53L syrup!
2019 - 30 taps on 29 trees. 1640L sap and 51 L syrup!
2020 - 31 taps on 30 trees. 760 L + stopped counting sap and 25 L syrup!
It's a good current total for the year. It's not "Lesley good", but it's definitely good.Thanks!
~ 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
So the temperature has risen steadily since yesterday morning, and all through last night to the point it is now 48.9F.
Meanwhile, the sap has continued to flow also, up to this minute it continues...and I've collected slightly more than 140 gallons since yesterday morning...sheesh!
2017: added shut-off valves at several points on the main line, 66L made, 13L sold
2016: Added Wesfab 7" Filter Press with hand pump, 96L sold
2015: now 216 taps, added low vac (24" hg) to new Sugar Shack (24' x 16') w/400gal storage, 143.15L sold
2014: now 150 taps, added 2 sump pumps to 12'x12' sugar shack w/100gal storage to CDL 18"x5', 2 chamber drop flue, 40L sold
2013: 10 5/16 taps gravity to hose, boiled on BBQ
Checked my buckets this morning and found a small quantity of dark yellow liquid in most of them. Either the squirrels have decided to use them as outhouses, or the sap has really changed.
67Heaven, that's just stained water than ran down the bark and into your buckets during yesterday's storms. Dump it - pronto! Things have started to drip convincingly here this morning. I think the falling barometric pressure is giving us a little gift.
MSM - dump that tree pee A'SAP'. We're getting fresh sap right now!
~ 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
Surprised to see some buckets half full to almost full this morning. I really thought we were done. But I'm tossing some of the really yellow stuff. Keeping the clear and slightly tinted ones. Will be putting some iced bottles into the buckets to keep the sap cool today. Don't want to fight the wind outside. My block chimney has been giving me heart palpitations every time the west winds take a swipe at it. Really afraid they'll come crashing down into my steam pans. I'll wait to boil tomorrow.
In the meantime, I'll be finishing what I have inside.
Karen - a big thank you for taking the time to explain your finishing process. I tried it with my last batch. Got it to syrup, let it sit overnite to let the nitre settle, next day checked/adjusted density, heated it back up, and bottled it. Letting the nitre to settle overnite was a huge factor in getting all my syrup go through the prefilters and felt filter go through so much easier.
Also Big_Eddy, your tip on pushing aside the prefilters as they clogged up also helped tremendously, as well as washing the prefilters in between pouring. I did a slight variation, put 2 (sap-wetted) prefilters in the felt filter. When the prefilters started to clog, I pushed it aside, put in another set of 2 prefilters and poured.
Using these processes, I was, for the first time, able to send through my entire batch of 8.5L into bottles, without lots of stress and muttering.
Man, if I could go visit all you guys to give you big hugs, I would.
Homeschooling mama to 8
2010-30 taps, steam pans on a fisher grandma bear woodstove outdoors. Bottled 18.5L
2012- 70 taps - 20L
2013 - 70 taps, 3 steam pans on concrete block arch. 50L
2015- 70 taps, 50.5L, 3.3lbs accidental sugar
2021 - 120 taps, new-to-me 2x5 flat pan with a cast iron arch atop a brick firebox.
Thanks for the information, Karen. I dumped the tree pee.
Now, I'm (sort of) patiently waiting to see if we're blessed with more sap.
Collected another 75L of sap at 11 this morning. Taps were dripping slightly, but the wind has kicked up several notches since. My blue buckets and lids are flapping in the wind. White buckets are flying around. Taps have stopped. Karen, you still getting sap right now?
Homeschooling mama to 8
2010-30 taps, steam pans on a fisher grandma bear woodstove outdoors. Bottled 18.5L
2012- 70 taps - 20L
2013 - 70 taps, 3 steam pans on concrete block arch. 50L
2015- 70 taps, 50.5L, 3.3lbs accidental sugar
2021 - 120 taps, new-to-me 2x5 flat pan with a cast iron arch atop a brick firebox.
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