Just collected it and certainly had to dump a couple buckets and didn't keep anything from any reds with buds. Sap has changed a little but in color but I can easily see the bottom of the 5 gallon collection buckets. Tastes like early season sap too so I guess we'll find out when I boil it in a little bit! I like the maple sugar idea for it though if we reach the same issue you had.Originally Posted by ADK_XJ
Just got done boiling the 60 gallons I collected today. Buckets had a good amount of ice in them so it was probably more like 80 gallons, I think? Did two nice draw offs and syrup is still tasting great. Still amber as well from the small samples I took.
Still goin. 90 gallons collected last night which will be RO'd and boiled today. Kept nice and cold last night. Sap still looking, tasting and smelling good but as you know that can change as it gets boiled and closer to syrup. This week is it for us though. Time to move on to other projects!
Should get to 20+ gallons for the season if there are no issues with the boils this week.
I'm still going as well. Same road as MRFNY, and we are at 800 feet elevation, hurts in early season, but gives us a bit more late season. I'm only at half what we made last year, similar amount of taps- 42. It's not been the best season for me. only 4 boils so far. All sugars here and the buds are still tight. I'm boiling tomorrow and Hoping for one more past that. My first three batches were super light. Last one was as dark as I've made. Flavor still good. What a weird season!
Pete
2017- 17 taps, 3 gallons, stove-top insanity
2018- 36 taps, 10 gallons, Oil tank evaporator
2019- 24 taps, 7 gallons
2020- 27 taps, 5.75 gallons
2021- 42 taps, 8 gallons
2022- 48 taps, 8.5 gallons
2023- 50 taps, 15 gallons
2024- 46 taps, 9.5 gallons
2025- 42 taps, ?????
Oil Tank Evaporator build
Good to hear from ya Pete and nice to see you are still chugging along too. I'm at about 650' of elevation so that helps a bit. I've started pulling taps from the reds, sugars are still doing great.
My wife always seems to say every seaon was weird, but this one was truly weird!
I am starting to think a weird season is normal. lol
Noel Good
1998 to 2009: 15 taps on buckets, scavenged fire pit and pans
2010: New 2x4 SS flat pan w/preheater
2015: New to me Lapierre 18x60 raised flue, new shack, new everything!! 59 taps 23.75 gallons
2016: 85 taps 19 gallons
2017: Purchased 2.5 acres and tubed half with 3/16. 145 taps total 49.25 gallons
2018: 200 taps (162 on 3/16ths 38 on buckets) New NextGen RO 63 gallons
2019: 210 taps 73.5 gallons
2023: 210 taps 89.75 gallons
www.wnybass.com
Totally agree, lol
Weird indeed; late start to sap flow, snowpack disappeared super fast, low sugar, dark syrup, way too hot in early March ... and all winter I thought finally a season that goes deep into March and early April like the old days. The birds and animals knew what was coming as the migrating flocks of all species and the hibernating mammals were showing up in force in early March, and then the frogs were busy in our ponds the week before St. Patrick's Day. Time to change some habits and start tapping earlier as holding out for the big mid-late March sap runs is not working for us south of Syracuse.
Last sap collection of the season for me this morning. 120 gallons from limited trees. Had some buckets overflowing. Sap still looking good. Running it through the RO now and we'll see how it holds up during the boil. If there's any off taste to it it'll be used for cooking and turned into sugar for baking, coffee, etc.
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