Favorite : Put me down as another of tapping and being in the woods.
Least Favorite: washing all the buckets at seasons end.
Favorite : Put me down as another of tapping and being in the woods.
Least Favorite: washing all the buckets at seasons end.
Favorite: The beginning of the season when it's still cool and some snow on the ground ( most years ).
Least Favorite: Dealing with the sticky that goes with making the syrup. I just have never been able to stand that and am constantly washing my hands to get the free of anything sticky. My wife just laughs.
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 ga.l syrup
2021 - Didn't work out
2022 - 25 taps on bags / 8 taps on 3/16's line - late start
Favorite: Eating it on waffles before work most mornings
Least Favorite: the dry rough burnt hands from hot and cold. Seems like not matter how careful I am, my hands take a beating after boiling.
Favorite: Woods work in the fall on a crisp December day. Good exercise, peaceful and not in a rush.
Least Favorite: Definitely end of season cleanup. Usually into smelting season and it never enough time as work gets busier.
305 taps on 2 Shurflo's, 31 taps on 3/16" and 229 taps on gravity. 565 in all
Mountain Maple S3 controller for 145 of the vacuum taps
2x6 Darveau Mystique Oil Fired Evaporator w/ Smoky Lake Simplicity Auto Draw
Wesfab 7” filter press
Favorite: CRISIS! - Tank overflowing, dry line pulling apart, pumps not starting as sap flows in, frozen lines through culverts, chasing a tiny leak freezing up an entire woods, syrup pan temperature climbing more than expected, tree down on a mainline, .....
Lease Favorite - waiting for the next crisis!
Life would be less interesting without sugaring.
Ken
Ken & Sherry
Williston, VT
16x34 Sugarhouse
1,500 taps on high vacuum, Electric Releaser & CDL Sap Lifter
Wood-Fired Leader 30"x10' Vortex Arch & Max Raised Flue with Rev Syrup Pan & CDL1200 RO
https://www.facebook.com/pumpkinhillmaple/
Favorite is hearing what someone is doing that improves the process, investigating it, implementing it, debugging, then (hopefully) seeing it bear fruit.
Least favorite is squirrels...........
3,100 taps
60 cfm flood
HC2
5 by 14 oil
Brian
Too many to choose from. How about:
Favorite: Arriving at the sugarbush to find every bucket overflowing.
Least favorite: Looking at the woodpile and knowing I won't be able to make it through all that sap.
Favorite: being in the sugar shack, everything is going well, snow is lightly falling outside and all is peaceful and beautiful.
Least favorite: washing endless buckets after the season. Frozen buckets of sap is a good one too.
GO
2016: Homemade arch from old wood stove; 2 steam tray pans; 6 taps; 1.1 gal
2017: Same setup. 15 taps; 4.5 gal
2018: Same setup. Limited time. 12 taps and short season; 2.2 gal
2019: Very limited time. 7 taps and a short season; 1.8 gals
2020: New Mason 2x3 XL halfway through season; 9 taps 2 gals
2021: Same 2x3, 18 taps, 4.5 gals
2022: 23 taps, 5.9 gals
2023: 23 taps. Added AUF, 13.2 gals
2024: 17 taps, 5.3 gals
All on buckets
This has been a fun post to read! All good likes and dislikes. We all probably have a small list of both if we gave it more thought. I have a bunch, but here's two of the bigger one's.
Favorite: Spending quality time at the evaporator- both operating it and showing visitors how it works.
Least favorite: Spending quality time at the evaporator- cleaning it.
Steve
2014 Upgrades!: 24x40 sugarhouse & 30"x10' Lapierre welded pans, wood fired w/ forced draft, homemade hood & preheater
400 taps- half on gravity 5/16, half on gravity 3/16
Airablo R.O. machine - in the house basement!
Ford F-350 4x4 sap gatherer
An assortment of barrels, cage tanks & bulk tanks- with one operational for cooling/holding concentrate
And a few puzzled neighbors...
http://s606.photobucket.com/albums/t...uckethead1920/
Favorite-tapping and hanging buckets in the snow
Least-taking buckets down knowing I have to wait another year to do it again!
100-110 buckets
Leader 7.5" 3 Bank filter press (2023)
RO Bucket RB10 (2017) upgraded to RB20 (2020)
Homemade oil tank arch
Homemade stainless pans
12x16 Sugar Shack (new 2020)
Favorite: Being outside in the woods. Secondly the plumbing of vacuum and pumping.
Least favorite: troubleshooting mechanical issues.
825 Taps
2 HP CDL Rotary Vane Vacuum Pump
2000 Gallon Poly Tank
H2O Electric Releaser
2023- 825 taps 17325 gallons of sap
2022- 800 taps 12375 gallons of sap
2021- 350 taps 3815 gallons of sap
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