Lets call it weather not favorable for sap runs
Lets call it weather not favorable for sap runs
5th generation
2 1/2 Buckets
1010 gravity
2 new flat pans. Back pan now has 16 V's
Rebuilt the block arch 3x12
Homemade pre-heater,steamhood
MES Dolly RO
Doing my last boil tomorrow. Taps were already pulled and we are finishing up our sap in The Thumb. Checked on the sap yesterday and it's still cool, tastes good and does not smell. Four our first full year of making maple syrup, it's been great.
2021 - First year: 4 taps; Tapped too late; 4.5 gallons of sap
2022 - 11 taps; 20 gallons of sap
2023 - 23 taps. 3 gallons of syrup; founded TruNorth Maple Co.
2024 - 26 (+10) taps; 4.5 gallons of syrup; added RO filter
2025 - 40 taps; Added 3/16 mainline line; Natural Vacuum; 6.5 gallons of syrup.
We pulled our taps on the 22nd. The sap is still flowing but some of the yard trees were starting to bud. We dumped some sap that smelled "yeasty" whether it was from the yard trees or woods trees. Bottled total for the season is 33.5 gallons. That's above what we were estimating for this year (and 10 gallons more than last year's total).
Daniel & Eleanor Bliese
Heritage Woods, LLC
SW Michigan
Smoky Lake 2x4 raised flue on Corsair arch
The RO Bucket 80gph Single Post
150 taps on buckets
33.5Gal from 100 buckets?Originally Posted by ebliese
2022 - 45ish taps - 16 on shurflo + solar, rest on buckets
Don't underestimate the bucket. Some years they produce great. One year we made 700+ gallon from 1300 ish taps on buckets. Tree+weather+ sugar conc.
When we still did buckets, 5gal plastic, some nice 30" trees in the grove by sugar shack. some days had to empty twice.
5th generation
2 1/2 Buckets
1010 gravity
2 new flat pans. Back pan now has 16 V's
Rebuilt the block arch 3x12
Homemade pre-heater,steamhood
MES Dolly RO
Yeah, it surprised us, too. Technically it was 106 taps (we have drops going into buckets). We ran out of firewood and bottles. As Ed R said, the weather can play a factor. This season was longer for us, even though we tapped about a week later than others in the SW MI area. We had a lot of freeze/thaw cycles as well as precipitation (whether rain or snow). Definitely a muddy season and also seemed to be a cooler March. There were multiple collections where we had full buckets, even right up to the end. That also shows our sanitation methods were good. We are very happy with the results but realize it won't be like this every year.
Daniel & Eleanor Bliese
Heritage Woods, LLC
SW Michigan
Smoky Lake 2x4 raised flue on Corsair arch
The RO Bucket 80gph Single Post
150 taps on buckets
My trees are not showing any signs of budding yet. Looking at extended forecast may be able to make it into April.
2004 - 2012 2x3 flat pan 25 to 60 taps
2012 2x3 new divided pan w/draw off 55 taps
2018 - didn't boil surgery - bought new evaporator
2019 new SML 2x4 raised flue high output evap. 65 taps
made 17 gal. syrup
2020 - only put out 53 taps - made 16.25 gal. syrup
2021 - Didn't work out
2022 - 25 taps on bags / 8 taps on 3/16's line - late start
2025 - No tapping for me
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