The study on total yield of red vs sugar when under vacuum was excellent. Short answer.... no measurable difference in yield. Tap all the reds you have under vacuum (that is the key).
The study on total yield of red vs sugar when under vacuum was excellent. Short answer.... no measurable difference in yield. Tap all the reds you have under vacuum (that is the key).
D. Roseum
www.roseummaple.com
~100 taps on 3/16 custom temp controlled vacuum; shurflo vacuum #2; custom nat gas evap with auto-drawoff and tank level gas shut-off controller; homemade RO #1; homemade RO #2; SL SS filter press
2021: 27.1 gallons
2022: 35 gallons
What grades are made with the reds
I Have access to a 100 or so acres beside one bush we own and have been thinking about renting it but one hesitation is the grade of syrup they produce
We currently have 11500 hard maple and make a good amount of golden and thinking on trying to process the red maple sap separately
Andy - If you are thinking 40 years ahead, get rid of those invasive norways! Then plant some sugars instead.Originally Posted by Andy VT
Currently it contains one thriving 27" diameter sugar maple and 4 accidental Norways coming of age that are not big enough to tap yet. No room to plant anything else, but thinking 40 years ahead...
2017 - 20ish taps on buckets, boiling outside in two baking pans
2018 - 70+ taps, 14-buckets, 50+ on tubing, homemade arch from oil tank in my barn, 17 gal syrup
2019 - same set up, 20 gal syrup
2020 - less taps, short season, but RO kit was fantastic! 6 gal syrup and a maple cat!
2021/22/23 - expanded into the neighbors yards! 50 taps on buckets and 40 taps on tubing
You are right! The reality is that this proves I'm really only thinking 5 years ahead... and I'm actually still conflicted about letting the norways continue.
They do make good syrup though.
This year for me was the "year of the Norways" (sounds pretty scary huh?). Scientific test between sugars and norways for syrup making. Need to do it two more years to be sure of results.
(I am spreading the word around the neighborhood to at least not let new norways establish themselves).
Sugars win the contest obviously... but Norway had a few good surprises. Well, mainly two good surprises. Grade (lighter than sugar for most of the season) and sugar content (barely behind sugar).
My experience has been very similar in grades. Some years here on 95% reds yielded predominantly Golden. Some years Amber. I believe handling and overall processing has more influence on grade than tree species alone. I believe Dr. Tim said the results of a large study on this topic is forthcoming.
D. Roseum
www.roseummaple.com
~100 taps on 3/16 custom temp controlled vacuum; shurflo vacuum #2; custom nat gas evap with auto-drawoff and tank level gas shut-off controller; homemade RO #1; homemade RO #2; SL SS filter press
2021: 27.1 gallons
2022: 35 gallons
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