Central Ontario Tapping

[NTBugtraq]

I've had my best year yet, and I fear that we must be nearing the end of sugaring weather. Our thaw came on fast and furious. Unexpected to say the least. If we get more I'm ready, but even if I didn't get another drop for the season I am thrilled with what I managed to make. Had a blast.

Karen,

I do appreciate the ominous forecasts, and understand that the climate is changing, but I got sap until the 26th of April last year and I will be danged if I give in just yet. I have 4 days in my 10 day forecast that could yield sap, so I'm just going to be optimistic. This has been such a bang up year I'm sure not giving up on it yet...;-]

[Run Forest Run!]

I bottled it into these new little 50mL maple leaf bottles...its darn difficult filling little bottles.

I agree, those little ones are a challenge. I fill some of the 50ml 'royal' style bottles for small sample-sized gifts, but those little maple leaf bottles pretty much sell themselves if you are using them for farmgate sales!

[NTBugtraq]

Well, I filter in one of those 10 gallon coffee urns, and as good as they are for filling many bottles, the flow moves around a lot coming outta the tap...and the little bottles are smaller than the urn's spout, so I seemed to end up with as much on my hands as in the bottles...lolz.

[NTBugtraq]

I agree, those little ones are a challenge. I fill some of the 50ml 'royal' style bottles for small sample-sized gifts, but those little maple leaf bottles pretty much sell themselves if you are using them for farmgate sales!

I'm selling the 50mL "Autumn" (maple leaf bottle), with a little neck tag that holds my label and looks pretty...for the same price as a 125mL "Royal" bottle. I couldn't believe how well the Royals sold already this year, and everyone said they were getting them as gifts. So I figured, give them a better looking gift with albeit a lot less syrup, and they'd be happier. We'll see. I am also making sure these small bottles get my highest brix values.

[Jerome]

I forced a piece of plastic tube into spout on my coffee urn to allow filling directly into the bottle.

[NTBugtraq]

I forced a piece of plastic tube into spout on my coffee urn to allow filling directly into the bottle.

Great idea Jerome, I will have to give that a try.

[Run Forest Run!]

The sunshine has now prompted the taps to start to drip a little. Hopefully it will continue.

[NTBugtraq]

Practically no sap today. Boiled 212L of sap off my storage, drew 16.825L of syrup. That's 12:1, a number I don't understand. Must have something to do with the sweetened pans. If that number holds, it means I have some 75L of syrup left to boil up. That would be awesome.

[Lespetras]

Practically no sap today. Boiled 212L of sap off my storage, drew 16.825L of syrup. That's 12:1, a number I don't understand. Must have something to do with the sweetened pans. If that number holds, it means I have some 75L of syrup left to boil up. That would be awesome.

Those are some wild figures! Maybe some of your good fortune will rub off on our last few boils

[NTBugtraq]

Those are some wild figures! Maybe some of your good fortune will rub off on our last few boils

Unlike you, I fire up my arch and my thermo says +7F over water boiling point. So I boil till it gets to +10, then draw down to +7 again. When I close it up, I am usually at +7.5-8.5F...In many ways, I'd prefer to do it a batch at a time as you do, it would suit my anal nature. To get my volume, however...I have to leave the pan with "nearup" all the time.