Sap was flowing well today here as well. Looks like a hard freeze tonight and the next several nights. The next couple of weeks look pretty ideal actually...hope everyone can keep up. I'm so glad this season turned around from the mild weather that we were having!
300 and growing taps
2'x6' air tight arch
Building a new sugarhouse in Ashford, CT
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The beat goes on..........yesterday, 120 gal/sap & about 100 drown moths. Today 60 gal/sap on the tail end of this run. No moths. Need a freeze tonight to reset everything.
"But yes, I am curious too to see who is still there and who has quit. My money is on the sugar maples still being there."
I pulled out when my wife detected a bitter aftertaste. In hindsight I wonder if I had some spoiled sap and I should have dumped everything, cleaned, and restarted. On the flip side we got some great skiing in this last week.
On the Red vs Sugar debate: I tap three properties. The property with primarily sugars definitely out produced the property with primarily reds, both in sugar content (2.5% vs 1.5%) and sap quantity (over 3x). The reds did not like the unseasonably warm weather we had mid February.
It was a 7 hour boil today. My season total is over 12 gallons. I don't begin to know how it happened. This week looks good to push forward. I've given up on trying to make sense of this season.
41.457 x -72.907 148 elevation
2x4 wood fired evaporator with the "Hercules Blower"
hybrid pan and backflip preheater by Smoky Lake
103 taps. 44 on gravity
All sugar Maples
7" filter press
10 x 12 sugar shack
two very helpful kids
a wife that thinks I'm nuts
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Boiled 9 hours Saturday, season total about 14gal, still medium in color, and not a ton of niter. Good run over the weekend, 150gal still up at 3%. One moth in the collection barrel, a few flys coming into inspect the stinky fermented overflow around my collection tree. Let’s see how long it goes.
1990-2013 - 35+, 7/16, on milk jugs+3gal galv buckets, 55gal drum firebox, 125 year old 10 gallon porcelain pot, outdoor boiling fun.
2014 - 40+ Built a 10x12 sugar shack, new 2x3 Mason.
2015-2023 - 75+ 5/16 Buckets, 3/16 tube, DIY RoBucket, on the mason in the shack, me, the dogs, sometimes the ole'lady, and defiantly a few beers.
Just produced another 2.5 gallons.
I have 50 or so gal of sap in the tote. I'll see what I have after tomorrow and start the RO back up. Hoping for a good week.
I do notice the red maple buds starting to swell.
We shall see.
2025 - 160 taps, Shruflo 4048. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 Raised Flue. 5x400 RO - 30 gallons
2024 - 160 taps, Shurflo 4048. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 Raised Flue. 5x400 RO - 19 gallons
2023 - 121 taps. Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 XL, 4x150 RO. 20 gallons
2022 - 103 taps. Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 XL, 4x150 RO. 23 gallons
2021 - 77 taps on Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 2020
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Trout Brook Valley
Weston, CT
50 gal pickup for me today - I thought there'd be more, but a stiff wnw wind probably cut it back. The mud is back, for the 5th or 6th time this winter.
Going to find out today if 28 degrees and the wind blowing is a good enough freeze to start another run - Dead in the water otherwise.
i,m not even gonna check till tomorrow, between yesterdays cold temps and wicked wind and todays wind i cant imagine there will be much...i have a few gallons i drew off light yesterday to finish and bottle todayOriginally Posted by Mike Van
It was a late start today, but we're running again - I guess that was enough of a freeze. I had 14 second graders visit today, good time had by all -
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