Tapped in Essex County

[eustis22]

Anyone in Essex co. with a DIY RO system that they are happy with and woudn't mind showing off?

[eustis22]

Guess not. Anyways, tapped in Haverhill, just the lines as I broke my tapping bit before I could do the buckets. I don't see any leaks outside the bulkhead fitting on one of my collection barrels.

[berkshires]

Guess not. Anyways, tapped in Haverhill, just the lines as I broke my tapping bit before I could do the buckets. I don't see any leaks outside the bulkhead fitting on one of my collection barrels.

I did that last year. This season I brought three bits with me! Better safe than sorry, especially when it's a two hour drive each way.

GO

[eustis22]

So far, 60 gallons boiled..I am close to a draw but it's the lightest I've ever seen it. The warm spell has me shut down fr the most part as the taps aren't running too much. I hope to restart Sunday.

[eustis22]

So this happened...before the Big Freeze I had 20-25 gallons in my sap tank that I hadn't gotten to yet (in hindsight I should have boiled that off and emptied the tank). Keep in mind we had a warmish spell before the single digits....so this sap had been...well...not fresh outta the tree. So now my tank is thawing out and I'm debating if I should boil that warmed then frozen sap or just pitch it and start anew with the fresh stuff. Thoughts?

also, judging by my sap hydrometer on some draw off, I am drawing off way too dense, which is weird because I just replaced my pan thermometer with one of those 0-50 jobs that has a mark at 7 fr mapling. I usually just go by temp for drawoff but I will starting taking some density readings going forward at +5, +4, whatever it takes. I have always been worried that I will break my sap hydrometer out in the shaque but I guess I should just order a couple more as just in casers.....anyone use a Murphy Cup?

[Pdiamond]

I have the Murphy cup and wouldn't be without it. I started making syrup by just guessing and using the old spoon run down application. Now, no more guessing I hit density right on the button every time and adjust when I need to. I know they have gone up in price since I bought mine but I would buy one again if something happened to it.

[berkshires]

So this happened...before the Big Freeze I had 20-25 gallons in my sap tank that I hadn't gotten to yet (in hindsight I should have boiled that off and emptied the tank). Keep in mind we had a warmish spell before the single digits....so this sap had been...well...not fresh outta the tree. So now my tank is thawing out and I'm debating if I should boil that warmed then frozen sap or just pitch it and start anew with the fresh stuff. Thoughts?

If it passes the smell test IMO it's fine. And in my experience frozen sap lasts more or less indefinitely. But it's your syrup, so you be the judge. That said, some of my tastiest dark syrup has been from sap I thought was borderline at the end of the season.

GO

[eustis22]

Well the tossed sap has become Moo as my trees are all producing at a prodigious rate (almost as if they know this is their last year of tapping). I am almost not able to keep up with the sap flow and will try to RO today to cut down some of the build up. I anticipate another 130 gallions to go into the tank today and may have to stop collecting for a couple days because I have to head up to maine for the weekend.

[johnpjackson]

Well the tossed sap has become Moo as my trees are all producing at a prodigious rate (almost as if they know this is their last year of tapping). I am almost not able to keep up with the sap flow and will try to RO today to cut down some of the build up. I anticipate another 130 gallions to go into the tank today and may have to stop collecting for a couple days because I have to head up to maine for the weekend.

Their last year??

[eustis22]

I will be moving to Maine this fall. Not to worry, there is a whole new sugarbush where I am going.

Got the RO going but the pump is being balky.