Tapped today, we will see tomorrow how it runs.
A month or so ago, checking the lines, one line was down and an animal had cut the line in several places and while on the ground in several other places. I never had any animal problems before. I had expected squirrel gnawing, but did not expect them to cut right through and drop the line.
Having sold all of my tools, I no longer have the tools to repair the line. For that line, I just tied the line to a tree and lost about 7 taps above where I tied it off.
Today I discovered another line down because of an animal chew. Not positive it is a squirrel, but it makes sense.
Next year, if I tap, I may just put drops into buckets, as I will not need any special tools to do that.
The last two years, I was all in, this year just making do, does not feel totally right. I will reaccess at the end of the season.
2022 - 5 pan block arch - 109 taps, 73 on 3/16 lines, 36 on drops into 5 gallon pails.
930 gallons boiled, 109 L (28.8 gals) of delicious syrup made.
DYI Vacuum Filter
2023 - 170 taps, mostly on lines, 1153 gallons boiled, 130 L (34.34 gals) of delicious syrup made, on a 2x4 divided pan and base stack, 8” pipe, on a block arch that boiled at a rate of 13 gallons per hour.
2024 - made 48 L, December to March, primarily over two fire bowls.