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Maine => Ice Fishing Maine => Topic started by: slt on Mar 17, 2008, 07:08 PM
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Any one tapping trees for sap? I haven't for a couple year now and was wondering about the sap run. The weather this past week has been almost perfect for it. Warm days , cold nights and a good snow pack. MMMMMMM.....homemade syrup on pancakes and bacon
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saw a bunch in bowdoin on my way to the lake
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Yup, I'm seeing tapped trees every place I've been driving, Skowhegan, Fairfield, Norridgewock, Smithfield..........
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Everything is good with maple syrup poured over it.
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I have had the trees in my yard tapped for a week. I have almost a gallon of syrup already. :)
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where would one buy the taps .. i would like to tap the 3 big mature sugar maples in my yard.. how many taps can a tree handle?
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Saw steam coming out of a local sugar house today :o......here comes the GOODNESS!!! :P
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i just put my taps out 2 days ago and the sap has been flowing pretty good. as far as where to get taps, i get mine at paris farmers union. a big maple can take 2-3 taps and really big maples (23"+) can take 4
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it has been flowing great!!!! buckets are overflowing!!! lots of real syrup coming my way
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I started abput two weeks ago and the sugaring has been pretty damn good. I would have to say that the trees I tapped today during work were doing well. Im glad that im not the one doing all the work though.
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First off, I'm not really sure of any places locally to find supplies for tapping, but there are many online vendors. Years ago for Christmas we got my grandfather some taps, filters, a large candy thermometer and the refractometer all online. I can't remember the site, but a quick search turned up this one and it has many types of taps. I definitely suggest the ones with hooks and you can just use coffee cans or something to collect it.
http://www.sugarbushsupplies.com/2007_Catalog/traditional_collection.pdf (http://www.sugarbushsupplies.com/2007_Catalog/traditional_collection.pdf)
For information on tapping and how many taps per tree, check this link out as there is a lot of helpful info. for the beginner.
http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/PDFpubs/7036.pdf (http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/PDFpubs/7036.pdf)
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i`ve been trying to get some Maple trees started in My yard.I had some that made it 3 years and then died.Planted 3 more summer before last and I do`nt think they will make it.
I want to get them going here so I can tap them and and get the good homemade syrup but just ca`nt seem to get the right combination.
Maple trees are not native to this soil and I think it might be an acid content thing as a Juniper will grow feet in a years time.or maby it could be the water from the shallow well as I think it has a lot of iron and alkali in it and also a lot of Magnesiem Sulfate.
I LOVE MAPLE SYRUP!!!! ;D
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MDB theres a Paris Farmers Union on washinton ave just past allen ave on the left they might have them
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where would one buy the taps .. i would like to tap the 3 big mature sugar maples in my yard.. how many taps can a tree handle?
One of the fondest memories from my childhood was getting off the school bus every afternoon at my grandfathers' farm and going out to collect the sap. He was your typical old time Mainah, and we made our taps out of small ash branches about 1" diameter or a little less. Hollowed out the pith with a coat hanger, and just used milk jugs to collect the sap. Worked just fine indeed. Great times and great memories.
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where would one buy the taps .. i would like to tap the 3 big mature sugar maples in my yard.. how many taps can a tree handle?
the taps are called "spiles".
a mature tree can handle 3, maybe 4 taps.
in areas where it's common to tap trees, local hardware or farm supply stores should carry suggering equipment.
if you're just doing a few trees for fun, you can boil down with a big stainless steel pot.
resist the temptation to boil inside- the steam makes a mess of your walls and ceilings. a big mess.
you will need to boil around 35 to 40 gallons of sap to get a gallon of syrup.
don't boil it too hard- just hot enough to have a gentle rolling boil
keep adding sap, slowly, as you boil.
when you get close to the syrup stage, be careful-you can boil over and ruin the whole batch.
use a candy thermometer-as the syrup stage approaches, the boil temp gets lower.(from 212 to 208 or so-i can't remember.)
don't keep sap for more than a day or two.
hope this helps
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If you do end up making some syrup, you'll have to boil some down and make taffy. Pour it from the boiling pan directly onto some clean snow and roll it up with a spoon or butter knife or something. The taffy was always my favorite part of the whole sugaring experience!!
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thats neat I was reading about that stuff!!! :thumbsup: Thanks all for the tips and recon on where to get supplies!
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The sap has been real sllllllllow in midcoast Maine this past week don't think it has warmed enough in the afternoons week before was awsome almost a gallon of syrup from 3 trees I think it will get better from here on out.
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The taffy was always my favorite part of the whole sugaring experience!!
I agree.
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It should be running good today!
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the taps are called "spiles".
a mature tree can handle 3, maybe 4 taps.
in areas where it's common to tap trees, local hardware or farm supply stores should carry suggering equipment.
if you're just doing a few trees for fun, you can boil down with a big stainless steel pot.
resist the temptation to boil inside- the steam makes a mess of your walls and ceilings. a big mess.
you will need to boil around 35 to 40 gallons of sap to get a gallon of syrup.
don't boil it too hard- just hot enough to have a gentle rolling boil
keep adding sap, slowly, as you boil.
when you get close to the syrup stage, be careful-you can boil over and ruin the whole batch.
use a candy thermometer-as the syrup stage approaches, the boil temp gets lower.(from 212 to 208 or so-i can't remember.)
don't keep sap for more than a day or two.
hope this helps
I boil my sap in the house on the wood stove and have never had a problem with a mess on the wall. I also save my sap sometimes for 2-3 days in cool wheather and have no problem with that either. I never bring it to a boil either. :)
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I boil my sap in the house on the wood stove and have never had a problem with a mess on the wall. I also save my sap sometimes for 2-3 days in cool wheather and have no problem with that either. I never bring it to a boil either. :)
If you get an extra gallon let me know. ;D ;D ;D ;D
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my sister tapped her trees in hiram cant wait to see how far the taps are from the ground when the snows gone ;D
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Helped my dad with his tapping over spring break. First good run for him was Friday and saturday, they boiled between 60 to 70 gallons of fancy on saturday and another 40 on sunday. It's been a start and hopefully it lasts, the last couple years have been kind of crappy for them. They were expecting to get 2 dollars a pound for commercial grade syrup this year ( 22 a gallon) :o and talked to someone who was going to be charging 50 + a gallon for other grades :o Glad I get all I need for free ;D
chimo
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If you get an extra gallon let me know. ;D ;D ;D ;D
you will be the first I think of. :)
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I have 12 trees taped, 2 gallon buckets, all were overflowing today! :) :) :)
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If you do end up making some syrup, you'll have to boil some down and make taffy. Pour it from the boiling pan directly onto some clean snow and roll it up with a spoon or butter knife or something. The taffy was always my favorite part of the whole sugaring experience!!
mmmm taffy :P
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I boil my sap in the house on the wood stove and have never had a problem with a mess on the wall. I also save my sap sometimes for 2-3 days in cool wheather and have no problem with that either. I never bring it to a boil either. :)
must be the trick is not to boil it. i finished some off in the kitchen once because of nasty weather, and it left a sticky film on everthing.
i've had other people tell me about the same thing.
maybe the wood stove helps, 40 gallons of water turned to vapor is a lot of moisture in the air, and wood stoves do keep a place dry
in any event, it's a lot of work, but NOTHING beats the taste of syrup you've made yourself!
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Here in NY our taps are really running. Looks like one of the best flows we've had in years. We will start boiling on Friday.
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Here in NY our taps are really running. Looks like one of the best flows we've had in years. We will start boiling on Friday.
what do you tap in new york? Oak trees.
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Saw steam coming out of a local sugar house today :o......here comes the GOODNESS!!! :P
ditto in Bartlett, NH
...... at paris farmers union. a big maple can take 2-3 taps and really big maples (23"+) can take 4
Ditto again, also some Aubuchon stores. I was told years ago: 6" min. dia. for 1 tap, then add 1 for each 6" in dia.
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First off, I just want to thank SLT for starting this topic and everyone who has responded. It got my remembering some great times from 25-30 years ago and consequently, got me excited about doing this again with my own kids. We now have 8 taps in and my kids are loving the experience (and so am I ;D)
One question I wanted to ask is about boiling it off because I can't remember what we did. Not running real well right now but generally, how often should I boil? Do you "small timers" wait till you have atleast 10 gallons of sap or something or just boil off what you get daily and keep adding finished product to your syrup jar? Was actually thinking I should have enough sap to make atleast a quart of syrup before starting the process. Would love to hear from some of the experts on this. Thanks guys.
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i too would like to know. thanks for the questions GF
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We usually boil when we have at least 15-20 gallons of sap. we have a smal 4 x 6 evaporator. it takes 40 gal of sap to make 1 gal of syrup. we put the syrup in jugs and any that is left over goes into a canning jar. we continuously add to the canning jar as the season goes on. this is for our use only.
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Thanks AdkRoy.
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I use an outside gas cooker w/3gal. pot. I start w/10gals. and end up with a quart of syrup. I keep adding sap until it is a couple inches from the bottom then I bring it inside on the stove put it in a telflon frypan and boil it down till it starts to bubble up and foam. I think someone mentioned a candy thermometer, I just keep a CLOSE eye on it. I do a 10 gal batch at a time instead of adding all the time. First thing my boy does when he gets off the bus is collect the sap he loves doing it, that and clamming......
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I use an outside gas cooker w/3gal. pot. I start w/10gals. and end up with a quart of syrup. I keep adding sap until it is a couple inches from the bottom then I bring it inside on the stove put it in a telflon frypan and boil it down till it starts to bubble up and foam. I think someone mentioned a candy thermometer, I just keep a CLOSE eye on it. I do a 10 gal batch at a time instead of adding all the time. First thing my boy does when he gets off the bus is collect the sap he loves doing it, that and clamming......
Good info., Hoodoo, and much appreciated. We are having fun as well.
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what do you tap in new york? Oak trees.
we got maples here. :)
as a side note, birch trees can also be tapped, but i think they take about 50 gal. or more of sap to make a gallon of syrup.
it's supposed to be very good.
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first time Ive heard of that but suppose its true they all produce sap...
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i looked this up on wikkapedia
birch syrup
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birch_syrup
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Sap seems to be running good in New Gloucester! I have 12-2gallon pails out and they all have been full most days this week. They are all on a southerly exposed hill on the south side of the tree I think this makes a difference. I have a 30 gallon evaporator pan and use 2 propane Turkey burrners to boil it down, when it gets to be about 1/2 ince left in pan I drain it and finish it off inside on the electric stove. The surup gets stored in 1pt mason jars.
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Sap has been slow here, hopefully well start flowing faster after maple sunday. Have about 300 taps in sofar ,300 more to go. Hope to fire up the larger evaporator this weekend if Ihave sap enough. I also have some 7/ 16 taps I would give to a hobbyist to help him get started. I am a hobbyist gone wild in this hobby.
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Sap has been slow here, hopefully well start flowing faster after maple sunday. Have about 300 taps in sofar ,300 more to go. Hope to fire up the larger evaporator this weekend if Ihave sap enough. I also have some 7/ 16 taps I would give to a hobbyist to help him get started. I am a hobbyist gone wild in this hobby.
Good to see you are on here and posting. You might pass along that you hauled what was it 250 gallons of sap today. I think it has passed the hobby stage for you now.
Glad to see you are posting now,
John
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Sap seems to be running good in New Gloucester! I have 12-2gallon pails out and they all have been full most days this week. They are all on a southerly exposed hill on the south side of the tree I think this makes a difference. I have a 30 gallon evaporator pan and use 2 propane Turkey burrners to boil it down, when it gets to be about 1/2 ince left in pan I drain it and finish it off inside on the electric stove. The surup gets stored in 1pt mason jars.
You've got a good spot indeed ICEMAN - cold as heck here in central Maine, hardly a drip..... maybe next week.... :-\ got to warm up sometime! ;)
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too dangerous to tap up here! with all this snow ya would have to dig tunnels or be tapping the tree's pretty close to the powerlines ;D
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Checked my taps yesterday afternoon - pretty hard for the sap to run when they look like a snow cone at the end ;D - hopefully a little warm up at some point - saw on the news Houlton minus 15 this morning - it is end of March right? :D
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lol southern aroostook lol dont think there is a spring for us way up here
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just pulled my set up out, i have plenty and it wont be long until the tree's start adding hormones into the sap
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Well we completed our first batch of syrup this weekend. Ended up with about 1 1/2 pints for 8 gal. of sap so figured about right. Candy thermometer was a great hel pas aposed to just "eyeballing". Came out awesome but took forever to do in a lobster pot ;D Does anybody know where a can get a reg. boiling pan in the central Maine area? (SS big surface, shallow pan) Thanks. Maybe one of those dishes like they serve food out of in a buffet?
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Well we completed our first batch of syrup this weekend. Ended up with about 1 1/2 pints for 8 gal. of sap so figured about right. Candy thermometer was a great hel pas aposed to just "eyeballing". Came out awesome but took forever to do in a lobster pot ;D Does anybody know where a can get a reg. boiling pan in the central Maine area? (SS big surface, shallow pan) Thanks. Maybe one of those dishes like they serve food out of in a buffet?
Mardens has just what your looking for (at least up here) were about 20 bucks up here wide and about 6-8" high about 18" wide or so
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Mardens has just what your looking for (at least up here) were about 20 bucks up here wide and about 6-8" high about 18" wide or so
Thanks Hazzy - went to Marden's in WTVL, had nothing that would work.... drive one down for me ??? :whistle: ;D
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Thanks Hazzy - went to Marden's in WTVL, had nothing that would work.... drive one down for me ??? :whistle: ;D
can ya wait till the 12th??
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Gamefisher,
Where are you boiling it? On you kitchen stove? When my grandfather used to do it, he had a local metal shop weld him like a 2'x3' square pan out of sheetmetal. He used it on a barrel woodstove that had the top cut off and a base made for the pan to set on, but I don't see why something like that wouldn't work with all 4 burners on. This was about 7 years ago now and I believe it cost him like $40. If you do it enough it may be worth the investment.
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can ya wait till the 12th??
Hazzy - that's why County guys and Downeasters rule right there - I got a lead on something, thanks very much for the offer.
Gamefisher,
Where are you boiling it? On you kitchen stove? When my grandfather used to do it, he had a local metal shop weld him like a 2'x3' square pan out of sheetmetal. He used it on a barrel woodstove that had the top cut off and a base made for the pan to set on, but I don't see why something like that wouldn't work with all 4 burners on. This was about 7 years ago now and I believe it cost him like $40. If you do it enough it may be worth the investment.
That' exactly the setup I had as a kid, worked awesome - who the heck knows where that pan ended up ;D Found a better pan, did it on a Coleman, finished it inside - going w/ the diff. pan and a clam cooker on the next batch. Only have a few trees to teach the kids so expecting this will work good enough. Thank you.
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Brought this back up - its getting close! (hopefully ;D) much better prepared this year, more taps, more trees, and a better pan. Built an evaporator out of an old Ashley woodstove to get away from the propane cost. Can't wait!
Anybody else getting the "fever" 8)
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Brought this back up - its getting close! (hopefully ;D) much better prepared this year, more taps, more trees, and a better pan. Built an evaporator out of an old Ashley woodstove to get away from the propane cost. Can't wait!
Anybody else getting the "fever" 8)
Getting close? Now is the time!!!!. Warm days, cool nights big snow pack......Start tapping!!!
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Getting close? Now is the time!!!!. Warm days, cool nights big snow pack......Start tapping!!!
You "southerners" may be getting above freezing during the day but not here yet. ;D Thanks slt, you're the one who started this whole fiasco for me last year, now I can't stop...... like I needed another addiction ::) :roflmao:
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YUMMMY!! Pour me some Dark Amber......on some Blueberry Pancakes..... :P
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YUMMMY!! Pour me some Dark Amber
That's all I can make, still a batch guy for now but wouldn't mind having a little half pint or mason hobby evaporator some day. :-\ Doesn't look like much but taste delicious. :tipup:
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Greetings All,
Thought I would add my 10 cents for what it's worth. I do about 6 gallons of syrup a year at my camp in Abbot Village, so can only boil on weekends - Up until last year I used wood for fire, but when you've got 75 -100 gallons of sap it can go pretty late into the night. Last year I transitioned to propane, which for me has worked great!! Like most of you have probably realized, I get about an hour of boiling and then have to refill the stove (50 gal barrel), which kills the boil for about 45 minutes and then I get another hours worth of boiling and then it's back to filling the stove. I would be up until midnight or more before it was complete, and typically more intoxicated then I should be for the most important final boil off. With propane, I can maintain a more consitent heat level and it boils down almost twice as fast. For tradition's sake I'd prefer to use wood, but the extra cost of propane is worth it for me.
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You "southerners" may be getting above freezing during the day but not here yet. ;D Thanks slt, you're the one who started this whole fiasco for me last year, now I can't stop...... like I needed another addiction ::) :roflmao:
HEY! Dont get mad it me, I just asked a question!!!! ;D Nobody said you had to try it. As far as the temps go, as long as the day time get's to 20 - 25 sap will run as long as the trees are in the sun. The air temp may be chilly but the sun angle is higher and the tree absorbs heat from the sun allowing the sap to move.
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Greetings All,
Thought I would add my 10 cents for what it's worth. I do about 6 gallons of syrup a year at my camp in Abbot Village, so can only boil on weekends - Up until last year I used wood for fire, but when you've got 75 -100 gallons of sap it can go pretty late into the night. Last year I transitioned to propane, which for me has worked great!! Like most of you have probably realized, I get about an hour of boiling and then have to refill the stove (50 gal barrel), which kills the boil for about 45 minutes and then I get another hours worth of boiling and then it's back to filling the stove. I would be up until midnight or more before it was complete, and typically more intoxicated then I should be for the most important final boil off. With propane, I can maintain a more consitent heat level and it boils down almost twice as fast. For tradition's sake I'd prefer to use wood, but the extra cost of propane is worth it for me.
I did propane last year and may have to revert back if this "customized" evaporator doesn't work like I'm hoping. Just trying to take advantage of "free" wood... (-the labor to cut and split of course ;D)
HEY! Dont get mad it me, I just asked a question!!!! ;D Nobody said you had to try it. As far as the temps go, as long as the day time get's to 20 - 25 sap will run as long as the trees are in the sun. The air temp may be chilly but the sun angle is higher and the tree absorbs heat from the sun allowing the sap to move.
Don't you get all "thin skinned" on me too slt ;D Do you have taps in already ??? Anybody else? RTD? Others? Thanks.
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Nope. No taps for me this year. Got enough going on right now. Still got some syrup left from last year and had a gallon given to me a while back. Oh and I wasn't being thin skinned, didn't you see the smiley? lol. Have fun with the process folks. It's a good project to do with the kids too, gives 'em an idea that all food doesn't come from the store and home made is often 1000 times better. Enjoy
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anybody that wants can come tap my trees if they want got 7 acres and I havent got the ability to get out there to tap them actually dont know how many trees I have that are good but they are available to who ever wants to try
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First boil yesterday on the "custom" evaporator. ;D Gutted ashley woodstove, lasagna pan, camp rack, clam pot pre-heater, and peach can sap injector......not a lot invested you might say :D Notice the forced air computer fan :roflmao: Hodge podge operation but hey, it works. Just wish it was a little faster, too much free time for beer drinking :woot:
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/Photo0032.jpg)
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/DCP_2118.jpg)
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Here's a picture from 2 years. I've since retired the stove in lieu of propane, but am still using the boiling pan. I put out taps on Saturday - The sap was running great yesterday in Abbot Village.
(http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/brian_race/Syrup05.jpg)
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Brace - I really need to get a 2 X 3 flat pan and gut the Ashley parts and put on a barrel. My pipe is 8" and really should be 6" like yours, draft is certainly not a problem, its the opposite;D Could you boil 5 gph of sap or better with your barrel?
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12 hours worth of tending and beer drinking on my little setup :wacko: ;D Time for an equipment upgrade but yum, yum!
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/DCP_2119.jpg)
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Saps running real good today. 8)
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Looks tasty. how many maples do you have gf?
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Looks tasty. how many maples do you have gf?
I only have 12 taps in BH, only 2 big enough to handle two taps but still making tasty syrup. Really enjoy doing it with the kids like my dad and grandfather did with me. Had the whole neighborhood stopping by yesterday, fun stuff.
PS - today is Maine Maple Sunday for anyone who cares to stop by their local saphouse.
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anybody that wants can come tap my trees if they want got 7 acres and I havent got the ability to get out there to tap them actually dont know how many trees I have that are good but they are available to who ever wants to try
That's a very generous offer Mainehazmt ;D
If i lived near you, i would be making lots of maple sugar.
james
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Just put some in this morning and made some more taps. had a bunch of maple dowls and drilled them out and added hook. used to do it when was a kid had a couple of large green houses heated with wood. had to have fires so boiled sap made a oil dripper for stove. was a 5 gal. can with a shut off and copper line ran in top of stove. hung bucket away and adjusted flow to a steady drip. help keep a more controlled heat with wood. saved oil from oil changes and got some from garages worked great. got a similar setup now and need to make all I can use it in fall for bear baits they can't get enough. Maple surp was on the table every meal hot bisquits baked potatoe peels ice cream cereal you name it. GOOD STUFF
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went out today with the fam for Maple Sunday.. tried to go to Merryfield farm in Gorham, and it was like trying to get into the Fryeburg fair on the last Saturday.. Was a Mob scene.. They actually had a line to get on the property stretched down N gorham, rd. We decided to forego that place, considering a long line with a 10 mo old would not be fun.. But as we passed we went by a small sugar shack that had an "open sign" and there was NO CARS, it was about 3/10 of a mile from Merryfield, we stopped in there and it was great.. got a hands on view of the operation.. It was fun, plus we bought some syrup that was made yesterday! It felt good to support a small family guy too..
it was Lockman farm....
Good times.... ;D
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Heres some pics of the cooker I use. Something we copied and threw together. Boiled 40 gal. in 6 hours last night. Slow but steady.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/rudethedude2009/DSC02334.jpg)
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/rudethedude2009/DSC02330.jpg)
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/rudethedude2009/DSC02331.jpg)
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/rudethedude2009/DSC02332.jpg)
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/rudethedude2009/DSC02335.jpg)
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/rudethedude2009/DSC02336.jpg)
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Syrup is Great....but has anyone told you that Crack Kills.... ;)2 :roflmao:
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RTD
I expected to see uncle Jesse and the duke boys somewere in your pics getting ready to deliver a load of moonshine.
Just kidding! nice setup.
WW
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Syrup is Great....but has anyone told you that Crack Kills.... ;)2 :roflmao:
Don't get me going, I have more crack pics. 8)
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hey rude what comes out of the white bucket and into the stove??
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hey rude what comes out of the white bucket and into the stove??
Use your Imagination. ::) Its acttually just a dripper, with used moter oil. When the fire gets loaded sometimes it will momentarily bring the heat down and lose the boil. The dripper turned on for about 10 seconds, gets the fire back up to temp immediatly and keeps the boil going. I might use a half a cup in 6 hours. We call it African Ingenuity. We just added that this year.
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Awesome setup Rude. I love seeing some of the stuff people come up with. 7gph on two full steam pans is fantastic. Having them recessed down in gives you that killer boil for sure. Those pine boards doesn't hurt a thing either. 8) They sure must be fun to clean RTD ::) ;D
Try hooking up your leaf vac through some metal down spout or dryer vent and get some air under the grates and "supercharge" it. Bet you'd get 10gph then! 8)
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Use your Imagination. ::) Its acttually just a dripper, with used moter oil. When the fire gets loaded sometimes it will momentarily bring the heat down and lose the boil. The dripper turned on for about 10 seconds, gets the fire back up to temp immediatly and keeps the boil going. I might use a half a cup in 6 hours. We call it African Ingenuity. We just added that this year.
figured it was something along those lines... liquid fuel to keep it up to a erfect temp.. Nice set up.. :thumbsup:
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Heres some pics of the cooker I use. Something we copied and threw together. Boiled 40 gal. in 6 hours last night. Slow but steady.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/rudethedude2009/DSC02334.jpg)
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/rudethedude2009/DSC02330.jpg)
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/rudethedude2009/DSC02331.jpg)
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/rudethedude2009/DSC02332.jpg)
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/rudethedude2009/DSC02335.jpg)
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/rudethedude2009/DSC02336.jpg)
That looks sweet! Have to swing down and check it out. 8) 8) Need to get a couple of gallons of syrup.
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want that the same crack as on sebbattus? lol
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want that the same crack as on sebbattus? lol
nope different, here you can compare better maybe with a refresher.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/rudethedude2009/wint08135.jpg)
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nope different, here you can compare better maybe with a refresher.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/rudethedude2009/wint08135.jpg)
That is still priceless. ;D ;D ;D
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hated to ;D but what the hay. 8)
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hated to ;D but what the hay. 8)
Got one to top that and you was there. Wait a minute and I'll upload it. ;D ;D ;D
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Got one to top that and you was there. Wait a minute and I'll upload it. ;D ;D ;D
Here you go. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
I little crack.
(http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z140/tdspoleman/100_1375.jpg)
I say "What did you do, pizz your pants?" He said "Yeah" Cant make this stuff up. I made sure I got a pic. ;D ;D
(http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z140/tdspoleman/100_1374.jpg)
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A little young for diapers ain't he. :o
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I say "What did you do, pizz your pants?" He said "Yeah" Cant make this stuff up.
He looks "twisted". :o
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It has been eunning good up my way from what i hear
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I picked up 60 gallons of sap last weekend in Abbot Village. I doubt it's been running up there the last 2 days, but looks like the remainder of the week should be good. I'll check in on Monday with some pics.
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Awesome run today. 8)
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Awesome run today. 8)
Was thinking the same thing Rude. Hope to have my "new" evaporator ready for the weekend. Going to limp by tonight with my current setup. :wacko: ;D
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Good luck. Your buckets should be full today. 8)
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Was busy this week making a new "high tech" evaporator as I wasn't happy with the speed of my other setup. Robbed some parts to put in a barrel, quite a bit better yesterday. Boiled 24 gal. in about 7 hours using mostly half wet pine. I think it can do 4-5 gph with good wood. Season might be over in a hurry unless we start getting some freezing night time temps. Atleast I'll have it for next year. To date: 71 gal. of sap off of 12 taps and a little over 1.75 gal. of syrup made and probably a 30 pack during the process. ;D
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/DCP_2122.jpg)
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Was wondering what you are using for a pan on top?
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Was wondering what you are using for a pan on top?
It's just a big s.s. lasgana pan, 18" X 24" or something like that, $25 on ebay. A couple full steam tray pans would work just as good if not better.
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Nice set up, and if its over, like you said , your ready for next year. I've been having alot of french toast, and pancakes, gotta love it. Let me know if you want some dry pine to burn. I have lots of slabs off my mill laying around, be happy to share. 8)
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birch trees can also be tapped, but i think they take about 50 gal. or more of sap to make a gallon of syrup.
it's supposed to be very good.
That sure wouldn't be Maple syrup,only thing birch is good for is wood in the arch.BB
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First off, I just want to thank SLT for starting this topic and everyone who has responded. It got my remembering some great times from 25-30 years ago and consequently, got me excited about doing this again with my own kids. We now have 8 taps in and my kids are loving the experience (and so am I ;D)
One question I wanted to ask is about boiling it off because I can't remember what we did. Not running real well right now but generally, how often should I boil? Do you "small timers" wait till you have atleast 10 gallons of sap or something or just boil off what you get daily and keep adding finished product to your syrup jar? Was actually thinking I should have enough sap to make atleast a quart of syrup before starting the process. Would love to hear from some of the experts on this. Thanks guys.
Older the sap the more bacteria it has which make poorer syrup.BB
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It's just a big s.s. lasgana pan, 18" X 24" or something like that, $25 on ebay. A couple full steam tray pans would work just as good if not better.
We've got a similar set-up but use a turkey roasting pan. Work great and makes great syrup but about 10 taps is about all we can handle. Can only boil about 2.5 gph of sap. Made about a gallon of fancy so far.
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Greetings All,
OK, I'm trying this for the 3rd or 4th time - Now that GameFisher has educated me on posting pics it will work better. We picked up another 45 gallons this weekend, but my parents had been up last week, so I wasn't expecting much. I am noticing the color has changed from last week, but I would guess I've got another 1 or 2 weeks in Abbot.
As you can see, the snow is still plenty deep
(http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/brian_race/Syrup4.jpg)
Collecting sap.
(http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/brian_race/Syrup11.jpg)
Pretty basic evaporator
(http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/brian_race/Syrup13.jpg)
Straining the sap
(http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/brian_race/Syrup17.jpg)
The Final product
(http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/brian_race/Syrup30.jpg)
The dogs weren't impressed at all.
(http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/brian_race/Syrup15.jpg)
I hope everybody is having as much fun at this as I am.
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Now that GameFisher has educated me on posting pics it will work better.
Are you paying attention to this billditrite? :wacko: :roflmao:
Brace - good stuff. I made a couple of pints on propane this year, a lot lighter than the wood but the propane cost is a killer and the wood made stuff tastes a little better to me because of all the extra ingrediants that float around. ;D
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My bro and I were using softwood/hardwood mix to start but noticed a pine taste so switched to all hardwood and taste was great. We have an old cook stove with 3 pans. First one preheats, second to boil down and third to finish. Made over 6 gals but I think we may be done as did not run over the weekend. Got brook fishing to do Weds so thats ok with me. ;D
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Well, after missing the first run two weeks ago, we finally got our 16 taps in yesterday in the rain, snow, and sleet. :wacko: Well behind toguefisha, RTD, and brace but really don't expect much of a run until later in the week. I can't remember the last night it got below freezing here, its been 2-3 weeks!
Was going to set up the evap. today but may wait given what they are talking for winds tonight as we have to boil outside.
Any other members of Team Maine sap-a-holics as well ???
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Weather looks good for this week. Dumped all my buckets yesterday, they been overflowing for three days, but the sap hasn't run all week. 8)
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Taped 12 trees yesterday, I drilled the holes my 8yr old son tapped in the spiles and my 6yr old daughter hung the buckets. In years past I used turkey boilers to boil the sap, it worked well but I felt it cost to much. This year I made a custom wood stove and stainless steel evaporator pan with a preheater tank I'll try to take some pic's my new set up after I get it set up today.
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Taped 12 trees yesterday, I drilled the holes my 8yr old son tapped in the spiles and my 6yr old daughter hung the buckets. In years past I used turkey boilers to boil the sap, it worked well but I felt it cost to much. This year I made a custom wood stove and stainless steel evaporator pan with a preheater tank I'll try to take some pic's my new set up after I get it set up today.
Please do IceMan, I agree, propane is just too expensive. :tipup:
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Does anyone know if you can tap trees on public reserve land?
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The ice shanty of maple sugaring
http://mapletrader.com/community/
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yeah i put mine out last weekend of feburary. shoulda been out earlier but i was fishing:)
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The ice shanty of maple sugaring
http://mapletrader.com/community/
That is a great site - Gamefisher put me onto it earlier this year.
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Brace, how much sap did it take to make that tin of Skoal on the table next to the syrup?
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Brace, how much sap did it take to make that tin of Skoal on the table next to the syrup?
The real question is how much of that skoal (and rum) did I go through while making the syrup... ;D
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boil, boil, toil and trouble....
I'm making up a batch right now, sap ran good today. ;D
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The ice shanty of maple sugaring
http://mapletrader.com/community/ (http://mapletrader.com/community/)
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You have to love March in Maine. Hang out at the ice shack all day fishing and out to the sugar shack at night for some sugaring. Had to put a no vodka rule in place this year after finding that half finished syrup and absolut make a good mixed drink ;D. <- somehow lost the wifes all clad pan that night, still don't know what happened to it.
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boil, boil, toil and trouble....
I'm making up a batch right now, sap ran good today. ;D
You guys that are running are killing me! ;D I haven't run a drop here since Sat., no freezing nights, 36 last night. :( At this rate, or lack thereof ;D, I'll be sneaking off Downeast to fish instead of boiling! :thumbsup:
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You guys that are running are killing me! ;D I haven't run a drop here since Sat., no freezing nights, 36 last night. :( At this rate, or lack thereof ;D, I'll be sneaking off Downeast to fish instead of boiling! :thumbsup:
Just put ten more taps out, dripping like crazy. First batch of the year is almost done. Should have almost a gallon of syrup by this afternoon. Just between yesterday and today I already have about 20 gallons of sap in reserve.
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Haven't boiled sap for years but you guys are sure giving me the itch to do it again! We just bought a house in Mount Vernon, and I've already been out scoping the Maple situation - hopefully I'll get in on the fun next spring! Hope you all have a great season... (things are bound to improve Gamefisher - looks like the next few days should be good for sap!)
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The real question is how much of that skoal (and rum) did I go through while making the syrup... ;D
Can't have rum when making Maple syrup! has to be Molson Canadian Beer! Has the big red maple leaf on the cap, nothing else will do when boiling sap. ;D
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Get those evaporators ready boyz, it's on in a big way right through the coming week! :thumbsup:
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I have a batch boiling right now! the new wood stove set up works great, can't find the cord to charge my phone so I can take pic's of it.
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Ran across this and thought of all you sappers http://www.woodgas-stove.com/ (http://www.woodgas-stove.com/)
Guy here http://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/53452/ (http://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/53452/) has some blemished ones for a discount.
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I have a batch boiling right now! the new wood stove set up works great, can't find the cord to charge my phone so I can take pic's of it.
I'd love to see a pick. Have been using propane, tried setting up a woodstove to evaporate today and it failed miserably ::)
Had it outide on block, surrounded by block to insulate. Had top fill whole open with evaporator pan over that. No matter how much I stoked it, I just couldn't quite get it up to boil. Pretty teeny wood stove thinking maybe I need one a little bigger. I have a small evaporator pan, and the stove is so small that I had to lay it across sideways with a few inches hanging off each side. :-\
Anybody got any tips?
(joined mapletrader a couple days ago but they still haven't approved my account so I can't post yet)
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There may have been a little wind hitting the sappan cooling it. that will keep it from boiling at times. Aslong as steam is riseing it is evaporateing.A few degrees makes differance in the finished product.
Hopeto finish tapping this week, 750 done ,150 new taps to go.
mike
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There may have been a little wind hitting the sappan cooling it. that will keep it from boiling at times. As long as steam is rising it is evaporating.A few degrees makes difference in the finished product.
Hope to finish tapping this week, 750 done ,150 new taps to go.
mike
Good luck, Night before last was the first night any where near below freezing at my house, 28, yesterday the sap looked like it was going to do something and I got a inch in my buckets all day, Last night was 28 for a low, expect the same run today. The sap has been in the trees so long one 28 degree night won't get it done. Forcast for the next three to four days is calling for temps in the mid to low thirty's at night, no help, now were into the middle of march, if there is any sap after that it's going to be garbage. I guess this year I'm getting my syrup from someone that was on it in Feb, when it was running hard for a week to ten days. I think it's all but done. 8)
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I'd love to see a pick. Have been using propane, tried setting up a woodstove to evaporate today and it failed miserably ::)
Had it outide on block, surrounded by block to insulate. Had top fill whole open with evaporator pan over that. No matter how much I stoked it, I just couldn't quite get it up to boil. Pretty teeny wood stove thinking maybe I need one a little bigger. I have a small evaporator pan, and the stove is so small that I had to lay it across sideways with a few inches hanging off each side. :-\
Anybody got any tips?
(joined mapletrader a couple days ago but they still haven't approved my account so I can't post yet)
The wood stove I have is made specially for boiling sap! it has no top on the stove so the pan has direct contact with the flames. It is set up in an old ice fishing house to keep it out of the elements, I modified the shack for ventilation, I've tried to boil it on a regular wood stove before but could never get it hot enough to boil well. This set up actually gets it done faster than my old turkey boiler propane set up. If I can find my camera charger I'll take some pics today.
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Still can't find that thing, come on, get on it. JK. Heres some pics of the set up I used last year. We retired it and got something better this year. If I can find my camera I'll take some pics of it. 8)
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/rudethedude2009/DSC02336.jpg)
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/rudethedude2009/DSC02335.jpg)
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Good run today. 8)
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I'd love to see a pick. Have been using propane, tried setting up a woodstove to evaporate today and it failed miserably ::)
Had it outide on block, surrounded by block to insulate. Had top fill whole open with evaporator pan over that. No matter how much I stoked it, I just couldn't quite get it up to boil. Pretty teeny wood stove thinking maybe I need one a little bigger. I have a small evaporator pan, and the stove is so small that I had to lay it across sideways with a few inches hanging off each side. :-\
Anybody got any tips?
(joined mapletrader a couple days ago but they still haven't approved my account so I can't post yet)
toguefisha,
I have some old stainless catering pans I used to use on my old setup. Your welcome to them. You could build a cinder block arch pretty easy and cheap (couple hours work ) that would get you boiling at over 5 gallons per hour.
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toguefisha,
I have some old stainless catering pans I used to use on my old setup. Your welcome to them. You could build a cinder block arch pretty easy and cheap (couple hours work ) that would get you boiling at over 5 gallons per hour.
excellent, I think I'll take you up on that offer.
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Had my best sap run of the year today, most buckets were full!
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22 in augusta this morning, should be another good run today. 8)
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22 in augusta this morning, should be another good run today. 8)
Good right through the week Iain! :thumbsup: I've got to see how much is in my buckets from yesterday while I was out playing instead of boiling. :nono: ;D Time to fire up the barrel!
I think the biggest problem this year is the trees budding out early and tainting the sap. I've got birches already starting. :(
Have fun today sap-a-holics! :)
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Guy told me its been slow in lewiston......he has been watching daily for the telephone to start budding............. :tipup:
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Guy told me its been slow in lewiston......he has been watching daily for the telephone to start budding............. :tipup:
your only maple syrup you want is the coating on the donuts!
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She ran awesome yesterday, I expect the same today. I've got my work cut out for me with my little lasagna pan for sure! ;D Sugar content seems a little low, closer to 45 / 1 instead of 40 / 1 but some of the best tasting syrup in years. :tipup:
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Almost all done for me. Looking at the weather, and not supposed to get below freezing at all in the next ten days. May just pull my taps today. Have enough stored for one more boil.
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Ran great yesterday and today! But I stayed on the computer to long last night and lost a batch, I checked it at 10:30 and it looked like their was plenty left in the pan, went back out an hour later and it was gone! Hopefully I'll do better tonight.
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Ran great yesterday and today! But I stayed on the computer to long last night and lost a batch, I checked it at 10:30 and it looked like their was plenty left in the pan, went back out an hour later and it was gone! Hopefully I'll do better tonight.
We've all been there before... :(
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Good here again today, 35 gal. off 15 taps in the last two days, pretty good for lousy trees. ;D Going to tackle it tomorrow and Sat., expect another decent run Fri. Brace - you should be dynamite going into next week! :thumbsup: Alec - here are pics of my "advanced" setup we spoke about ;D:
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/DCP_2192.jpg)
Sand in the back to ramp up the flame under the pan:
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/DCP_2193.jpg)
The lasagna pan and pre heater:
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/DCP_2194.jpg)
Ten minutes until boil:
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/DCP_2195.jpg)
Don't do anything permanent just yet, Toguefisha, you may be inheriting this unit....RTD, now that you are pimping out your sap boiling, what are you doing with your old rig? ;D
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Don't do anything permanent just yet, Toguefisha, you may be inheriting this unit....
Lol, that would be awesome, good looking setup. My setup is pretty primitive. I'd post pictures but it's pretty silly looking.....but it works.
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Nice looking setup gamefisher! is that white pipe sticking out of the ground your sap reservoir?lol
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Were sitting on so much sap right now were thinking about getting them both fired up this weekend and try and catch up. ;D
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Nice looking setup gamefisher! is that white pipe sticking out of the ground your sap reservoir?lol
;D You guessed it, problem is, it doesn't strain through the filter very well... :sick: :roflmao:
Lol, that would be awesome, good looking setup. My setup is pretty primitive. I'd post pictures but it's pretty silly looking.....but it works.
Alec - I'm serious, just sit tight for this year, I'm going to do something different for next, I'm never happy. ;D Check out the W.F. Mason 2X3 hobby evap. at Bacon Maple Farm Products website. ;) That's what I'm thinking if I can't get RTD to weld me up something. ;D
Well, off to fire up the sap-u-lator!!!! :)
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Looks like it's going to be a long weekend. I just got a call from my parents, who went up to camp yesterday - All buckets are overflowing. They just moved them to the side and put down new ones until I get up there tonight to collect the sap. Hopefully the weather will cooperate...
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Alec - I'm serious, just sit tight for this year, I'm going to do something different for next, I'm never happy. ;D Check out the W.F. Mason 2X3 hobby evap. at Bacon Maple Farm Products website. ;) That's what I'm thinking if I can't get RTD to weld me up something. ;D
Well, off to fire up the sap-u-lator!!!! :)
That is a great looking evaporator Gamefisher - And the price is very reasonable!!
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I finally got pics of my maple syrup set up. Here they are:
(http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee40/ICEMAN-73/maple004.jpg)
(http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee40/ICEMAN-73/maple003.jpg)
(http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee40/ICEMAN-73/maple001.jpg)
(http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee40/ICEMAN-73/maple002.jpg)
(http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee40/ICEMAN-73/001.jpg)
And finally, my partner in crime.....
(http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee40/ICEMAN-73/tobey001.jpg)
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Your set up looks great. You syrup looks good to. Nice color. 8)
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Your set up looks great. You syrup looks good to. Nice color. 8)
I was thinking the same thing, man, I wish I could weld. That's almost fancy grade right there. 8) Love the sap house as well. ;D
Got through 35 gal. yesterday, 10 hours, :wacko: still have to finish and bottle this morning. Going to wait until the p.m. to start the 12 gal. collected yesterday so I can include today's in the same boil, going to be another solid run today. Think that's going to do it for me and will probably pull the taps tomorrow, this syrup making stuff is too hard on the liver. ;D
Just finished bottling, 3.5 quarts on the 35 gal., not as light as IceMan's with the divided pan but pretty darn good for a batch boil, best we've ever made for sure. 8) On to the next round. ;D
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/DCP_2196.jpg)
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With the rain tommorow you might be right. Could be the end, again. ::)
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Boiling my last batch tonight! collected the sap and pulled the spiles today, I usually boil it down the same day that I collect it so I've had some late nights during the last few weeks, Now I can finally get a good nights sleep.
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finishing up the boil on my last batch right now. Pulled all my taps yesterday. It's tough pulling a tap when it's still dripping.
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finishing up the boil on my last batch right now. Pulled all my taps yesterday. It's tough pulling a tap when it's still dripping.
Sorta like putting the rod away when there still biting. 8)
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Put my first ones of the year out this afternoon. Already got a little drip, drip in the bottom of the bucket. Time to set up an evaporator. Anybody else syruping yet?
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not yet but I would like to get things set up this weekend!
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I tapped two trees last thur. It ran a little fri., sat, sat nite. I boiled down what I had and have a pint and a half of nice amber syrup. Dripping a little today, but not much. I wanted to get some more trees tapped today, but didn'nt happen. The early saps the best. @)
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I got a Gas Drill of Ebay. I can,t get it to run. My luck
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You need shopaholics anonymous ;D
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I got a Gas Drill of Ebay. I can,t get it to run. My luck
Not trying to be wize but what are you going to do with a gas drill? is it for tapping trees.
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I was going to ask the same thing but didn't want to ask a stupid question. I just use a cordless.
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I'm trying to think if I ever heard of one, although, whats an auger. ???
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Not trying to be wize but what are you going to do with a gas drill? is it for tapping trees.
They are used for tapping. I was going to use it for my auger
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I tried tapping a few trees today, but the sprills kept falling in the bucket. :'(
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I tried tapping a few trees today, but the spills kept falling in the bucket. :'(
try a smaller bit in you drill
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try a small it in you drill
???
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It's becoming that time of year folks!! I probably won't tap trees for another 10 days, but depending on where you live it's definately getting close. Boiling sap and icefishing Moosehead - Doesn't get any better then that...
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I got a Gas Drill of Ebay. I can,t get it to run. My luck
18 volt drill will get it done, but you definately go through some batteries. I gave up on manual drills a couple years ago - found that I was losing by buzz with all that exercise. ;D
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try a small it in you drill
I think he was trying to say. "try a smaller bit in your drill" ;)
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I think he was trying to say. "try a smaller bit in your drill" ;)
Perhaps, but in my neck of the woods the spiles dictate the size of the drill bit....
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The endstate....
(http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/brian_race/Syrup30.jpg)
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I'm trying the plastic spiles and tubes this year. We'll see how it goes
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I'm trying the plastic spiles and tubes this year. We'll see how it goes
You won't be disappointed Alex. Definately worth it.
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I miss the smell of sugering, I used to work for a guy that taped 20,000 taps back in vt.
I dont miss cleaning out the bulk holding tanks :-\
good times
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I got a Gas Drill of Ebay. I can,t get it to run. My luck
Man, send it back ... you can buy a lot of syrup for $400!!!!!!!!!
http://cgi.ebay.com/Tanaka-Gas-Powered-Drill-1-1-HP-1-2in-Chuck-NEW-/390290090533?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5adf1a2a25 (http://cgi.ebay.com/Tanaka-Gas-Powered-Drill-1-1-HP-1-2in-Chuck-NEW-/390290090533?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5adf1a2a25)
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How many taps does everyone have? This is my first year at my new house and it looks like I'll get about 20-25 taps on my 2 acre lot. Doing the last minute prep now and hope to get my taps in this weekend.
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How many taps does everyone have? This is my first year at my new house and it looks like I'll get about 20-25 taps on my 2 acre lot. Doing the last minute prep now and hope to get my taps in this weekend.
i have 20 and get 2-3 gallons of syrup a season
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Alec - brought up our old Maple thread which shows the history of the sap-a-holics on IS, hope you don't mind. Prehaps Scotty or Fool will merge them for us. ::)
I am still waiting, when I start I want it to be "prime time" and not stop and start. I bought a bigger used pan to speed the process this yr but it still needs to be fit to the barrel, tomorrow sounds like just the day. :(
Did you come up with a different set up to boil on Alec?
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Did you come up with a different set up to boil on Alec?
Not yet. I am at a different location this year (finally bought my own place.) The block arch worked fairly well for me last year so I may set up something similar. Not much money in the budget for much more. :-\
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You motivated me guys, just went to camp and picked up my rig and all the supplies I need to make the nec. mods. Good project for tomorrow in the garage, the rest of today is for the shack, man, is it nice out! @)
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Dumb question but can you tap any type of maples, not just the sugar maples. If so I'm going to order some supplies and give it a try.
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Dumb question but can you tap any type of maples, not just the sugar maples. If so I'm going to order some supplies and give it a try.
You can get suryup out of a birch if you want to boil down 55 gals for a quart. I like getting mine out of Skunk Spruce.
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Still a week or two away for us to start, but we did start to dig out the sugarhouse and the sugarbush. We do about 7-800.
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Dumb question but can you tap any type of maples, not just the sugar maples. If so I'm going to order some supplies and give it a try.
a more direct answer is yes, but the sugar maple has the highest quality sap and the highest sugar content. And, yes, you really can tap birches, if you want the work. the syrup has a more acidic flavor, according to a sample sent by friends who got it in Alaska ;) ;D
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a more direct answer is yes, but the sugar maple has the highest quality sap and the highest sugar content. And, yes, you really can tap birches, if you want the work. the syrup has a more acidic flavor, according to a sample sent by friends who got it in Alaska ;) ;D
Thanks that was what I was looking for
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Thanks that was what I was looking for
Reds tap fine, just a little higher sap - syrup ratio, if its maple, its all good. ;D
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I was cutting down a red, and pruning a sugar today at work...In Scarborough and both of them were pouring pretty good! I think the season is very close.
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FWIW, a few maple facts:
Sugar maples also known as Rock maples or Hard maples tend to have a higher sugar content.
Red and White maples, also known as soft or swamp maples make sap that can be boiled down to syrup, but because they "tend" to have a lower sugar content and tend to bud out earlier, most producers will thin them out in favor of the sugar maples.
What's the difference you ask? Sugar maples that produce 2.5% sugar will produce 1 gallon of syrup from 34 gallons of syrup. A soft maple producing 1.5% sugar content would have to yield 57 gallons of sap to make that same gallon of syrup. This isn't a major issue unless you're the one paying the gas bill or cutting the wood to boil that extra sap to make the same amount of syrup. ::)
We tend to average about 2.5 to 3% sugar from all our trees combined. When we test some and find weak trees that aren't producing as sweetly then those are marked for cutting, allowing the area trees more light and nutrients to grow bigger and stronger. Many of our trees can produce 6% +. Those are usually the field trees or road side trees that have lots of room to expand.
Anyone in the area that would like to test their sap to see where they are running get in touch. I can check it with the refractometer and tell you if you have a sweet tree or not. Then again, if you're cutting the wood to feed the fire, you know if you have a sweet tree or not. :)
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A better day to retro-fit the "new" pan than fish! ;D
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/DCP_2243.jpg)
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good looking pan, that ought to give you a little more capacity than the lasagna pans you were using. Been looking for a pan like that myself.
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good looking pan, that ought to give you a little more capacity than the lasagna pans you were using. Been looking for a pan like that myself.
It's homemade but the price was right. I had a friend add the 3/4" nipple and then I bought a valve. Can't imagine dumping that thing like the previous owner must have. :wacko: I'm hoping for 7gph up from the 3-3.5, too much time for beer drinking. ;D Keeping the smaller pan to finish with on the clam cooker.
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Looks good eric. now we just need the warmth again. Why did this topic get moved this year. Last couple there wasn't a problem. @)
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Probably start tapping around the 12th of March. No frost, lots of snow in the woods. Looks like it might be a good year. We will put out 500 on bags this year, maybe another 100 if the weather looks good.
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Have you ever or can you make maple beer?
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Have you ever or can you make maple beer?
Why...do you want something to pour on your pancakes? :roflmao:
But you probably can...they suck Gin out of a Juniper. ;D
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Had a productive day yesterday as I finished cleaning all my equipment and got my 20 taps in. I have about 6 more to put in but I need to get some more containers. I've been using 2.5 gallon water jugs as that was what I had on hand. I also got some 20 gallon rubbermaid containers burried in the snow bank for some storage. I know I'm a little early but I've got things planned for the next few weekends, so now all I need is the warmer weather.
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Looks good eric. now we just need the warmth again. Why did this topic get moved this year. Last couple there wasn't a problem. @)
Thanks Iain, I found two little holes that need to be welded in the pan. I'm concerned that I don't have enough of the flue opening showing to get a good draw with the new pan now but before changing it I thought I'd try a test boil.
Regarding the other, I was very dissapointed as well. We've had this thread going seasonal on the Maine Board since 2008. Tiny - If you read this, I know you think you have a job too do but I would ask nicely if this could be placed back on the Maine board while in season. I think 99% of us stay right there and have viewed this thread as a "right of spring passage" for us. After the season, burying it here wouldn't be a big issue. I'm sure we'd even offer a bribe of syrup if that's what it took. @) Thank you for considering my request. :tipup:
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I will move this back to the Maine page for you guys...however i will be lookig for a sample of maple syrup at the banquet...for EACH of the maine mods for keeping it there and maybe a taste for HIMO too...
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I will move this back to the Maine page for you guys...however i will be lookig for a sample of maple syrup at the banquet...for EACH of the maine mods for keeping it there and maybe a taste for HIMO too...
Oh i see..... Playing favorites are we??
:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:
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Oh i see..... Playing favorites are we??
:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:
yep...rules are rules and a bribe is a bribe!!
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yep...rules are rules and a bribe is a bribe!!
LMAO!!!!!
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granted I do like Maine maple syrup this thread needs to be moved to the OT section as so many other PERTANATE threads are as NY VT and NH and many others make maple syrup consistency please
thank you for your input...i will take it into consideration ;)
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Have you ever or can you make maple beer?
I brewed a maple porter with 5 gallons of sap instead of water. 6.5% alc, and a hint of maple.
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I brewed a maple porter with 5 gallons of sap instead of water. 6.5% alc, and a hint of maple.
OH that sounds delicious!!! There is a brewery in North Woodstock NH that makes a batch every year, but I bet a smaller batch is even better.
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I brewed a maple porter with 5 gallons of sap instead of water. 6.5% alc, and a hint of maple.
i think i might have to steal that idea. this is my first year tapping, do you guys think i'd do alright boiling off in my beer brew kettle?(8.5 gallon pot)
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FWIW, a few maple facts:
Sugar maples also known as Rock maples or Hard maples tend to have a higher sugar content.
Red and White maples, also known as soft or swamp maples make sap that can be boiled down to syrup, but because they "tend" to have a lower sugar content and tend to bud out earlier, most producers will thin them out in favor of the sugar maples.
What's the difference you ask? Sugar maples that produce 2.5% sugar will produce 1 gallon of syrup from 34 gallons of syrup. A soft maple producing 1.5% sugar content would have to yield 57 gallons of sap to make that same gallon of syrup. This isn't a major issue unless you're the one paying the gas bill or cutting the wood to boil that extra sap to make the same amount of syrup. ::)
We tend to average about 2.5 to 3% sugar from all our trees combined. When we test some and find weak trees that aren't producing as sweetly then those are marked for cutting, allowing the area trees more light and nutrients to grow bigger and stronger. Many of our trees can produce 6% +. Those are usually the field trees or road side trees that have lots of room to expand.
Anyone in the area that would like to test their sap to see where they are running get in touch. I can check it with the refractometer and tell you if you have a sweet tree or not. Then again, if you're cutting the wood to feed the fire, you know if you have a sweet tree or not. :)
They had a "sugar bush" at Umaine...they found that the red maples on their site had just as high, if not higher sugar content then the sugar maples on their site.
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I will move this back to the Maine page for you guys...however i will be lookig for a sample of maple syrup at the banquet...for EACH of the maine mods for keeping it there and maybe a taste for HIMO too...
your the man. Thanks @)
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Has anyone given there tree's a break or herd of giving them a break? I have taped the same trees for about 4 years now. I read in some of the sugaring books i got that its good to give trees a break from tapping. has any herd this or done this and seen a difference in there sap flow the previous year?
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Has anyone given there tree's a break or herd of giving them a break? I have taped the same trees for about 4 years now. I read in some of the sugaring books i got that its good to give trees a break from tapping. has any herd this or done this and seen a difference in there sap flow the previous year?
As long as its more than 10" in diameter and healthy, tap it! (but never overdue the total number of taps per tree) If concerned, they make tree saver taps that are smaller in size but do not really neg. effect sap flow.
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As long as its more than 10" in diameter and healthy, tap it! (but never overdue the total number of taps per tree) If concerned, they make tree saver taps that are smaller in size but do not really neg. effect sap flow.
i have 4 trees i run 2 taps off witch im told by people who tap that i should be running 4. but i dont have a big operation so i just tap as many trees as possible. i was just wondering because this year with my arm injury and i forgot to bring wood from the wood lot up for boiling i will be taking a break this year and wondering if i should expect a good sap outcome next year.
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i have 4 trees i run 2 taps off witch im told by people who tap that i should be running 4. but i dont have a big operation so i just tap as many trees as possible. i was just wondering because this year with my arm injury and i forgot to bring wood from the wood lot up for boiling i will be taking a break this year and wondering if i should expect a good sap outcome next year.
Taking a year off won't effect one way or another, its other conditions like snow pack, freezing / thawing, etc. that makes one yr. to the next different.
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i have 4 trees i run 2 taps off witch im told by people who tap that i should be running 4. but i dont have a big operation so i just tap as many trees as possible. i was just wondering because this year with my arm injury and i forgot to bring wood from the wood lot up for boiling i will be taking a break this year and wondering if i should expect a good sap outcome next year.
Are those the only 4 trees you tap? If so I would max them out. My general rule of thumb that I got from my grandfather has always been one tap for every 5" of diameter. Don't tap anything under 10" and don't put any more than 4 taps per tree. Don't know where it came from but it's what I've always gone by.
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Are those the only 4 trees you tap? If so I would max them out. My general rule of thumb that I got from my grandfather has always been one tap for every 5" of diameter. Don't tap anything under 10" and don't put any more than 4 taps per tree. Don't know where it came from but it's what I've always gone by.
no i have i think 20 or so taps that i run.
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i lost my taps... our garage is a complete mess!!!
where can i get some, how much?
need to hurry, just about time...
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I just bought some plastic ones for 2.25 each. The metal ones were2.75. I saw some cheap plastic ones for a little less than 2 bucks. Paris farmers, tractor supply, nights, anyplace like that should still have em. @)
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At least when I used to live out that way, Suga's Country Products on the Cross Hill Rd in Vassalboro had maple supplies.
923-3355
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i lost my taps... our garage is a complete mess!!!
where can i get some, how much?
need to hurry, just about time...
bacon farm maple products in sidney. right there by the sidney boat landing on mess!! i bought so tubing from them. very reasonable prices to!! check em out!
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sap running today? @)
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last summer i bought my first house and i have a few maple trees on my property, my ? is. is there anything around the house i can use for taps or where could i buy some. thanks
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last summer i bought my first house and i have a few maple trees on my property, my ? is. is there anything around the house i can use for taps or where could i buy some. thanks
If you head south on 202, there is an orchard store on the left in down town Alfred (Giles Farm.) They have the blue plastic taps for sale for a quarter a piece. Then continue heading south and buy some 1/4" plastic tubing and some five gallon buckets at lowes in sanford.
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sap running today? @)
From my nose.
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blue plastic taps for sale for a quarter a piece. .
I would buy everyone they have at that price. @)
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From my nose.
Ugh, I'd hate to see what that boils down to... :roflmao: :sick: :sick: :sick:
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O.K. Team Maine sap-a-holics, this is the weekend to get your taps in and your evaporator set up, it starts for real next week. :thumbsup: I think this may be a great year if we don't loose or snowpack too quickly. May your sap be 3%. ;D
Iain - how we looking on dry slabs ??? ::) :whistle: ;D
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Out of curiousity, what does everyone use for a method to know when their sap is done? The last time I did syrup with my grandfather he had a refractometer. I've been looking online but they say that a refractometer is calibrated for 10-30*C and I don't want to end up with it turning to sugar. So do you guys go solely by temperature, or use a refractomer or hydrometer to measure the sugar content? Thanks.
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Out of curiousity, what does everyone use for a method to know when their sap is done? The last time I did syrup with my grandfather he had a refractometer. I've been looking online but they say that a refractometer is calibrated for 10-30*C and I don't want to end up with it turning to sugar. So do you guys go solely by temperature, or use a refractomer or hydrometer to measure the sugar content? Thanks.
As I kid we just "eyeballed" and ended up with some mistakes accordingly. :'( When I started back into it, I used a cheap Walmart candy thermometer but there was so much variable in temp reading. You can still do that if you want, just put it in a SAUCEPAN ::) and check what it reads at boil, doesn't matter what the number says if you go 7.1 beyond that.
Having said all that, I broke down and bought a hydrometer and cup last yr. from Bacon's in Sidney, takes ALL the guess work completely out. Properly stored, it will last a long time.@)
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Been thinking all winter that I wouldn't be able to get set up at our new house to tap this year, but the closer sap season gets the more I want to make a stab at it. I figure I can just just throw together a cinderblock fire box and work on a better set up for next year. Question is, you guys have any suggestions for where I could find a cheap boil pan? I have a big lobster pot I could use if I have to, but I'd like something with a little more surface area. Don't want to have to burn five cords of wood for a half gallon of syrup! I still have all my other equipment, just no idea where my old pan went. :-\ Thanks!
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Been thinking all winter that I wouldn't be able to get set up at our new house to tap this year, but the closer sap season gets the more I want to make a stab at it. I figure I can just just throw together a cinderblock fire box and work on a better set up for next year. Question is, you guys have any suggestions for where I could find a cheap boil pan? I have a big lobster pot I could use if I have to, but I'd like something with a little more surface area. Don't want to have to burn five cords of wood for a half gallon of syrup! I still have all my other equipment, just no idea where my old pan went. :-\ Thanks!
Go to Sam's Club and get two steam pans, maybe $30-$40. Go to Mardens and get some s.s. cabinet handles and install at ends of each pan. Set blocks so they use the lip of pans for support. Be careful, they will shift some. Make sure to take some sand and ramp up 2" under half way the distance of your arch. Should do almost 5gph with that set up.
Google Mother Earth News - "Do it yourself evaporator" for more.
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Well, in between kids activities, the boy and I managed to get 12-14 taps in today, a few trees still too much snow to get to. Surprisingly, most were running, even though the temp. didn't drop below freezing last night. Evap. is set up and leveled, few cold nights and we should be in business. @) Good luck sappers.
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Well, in between kids activities, the boy and I managed to get 12-14 taps in today, a few trees still too much snow to get to. Surprisingly, most were running, even though the temp. didn't drop below freezing last night. Evap. is set up and leveled, few cold nights and we should be in business. @) Good luck sappers.
You need an assisitant? ;D
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You need an assisitant? ;D
We do seem to draw quite a crowd in the driveway on boil days :wacko:, always room for one more saucepan. ;D
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Sap was running as good as as gets today in my neck of the woods. The buckets will be full by the end of tommorow. @)
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The sap ran good here today, picked up 350 gallons will probably boil tomorrow Still would like to get 200 more taps in
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weather looks to be real good all this week. @)
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weather looks to be real good all this week. @)
No doubt, we should be swimming in it by week's end. @)
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Sap was running good up Abbot way this weekend. Put in 65 taps with my uncle at his place, then another 40 at my camp. Still a lot of snow in the woods.
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(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/DCP_2246.jpg)
We are ready to roll here, just waiting on Mother Nature, all mods. are complete. 12 of the 16 taps are running (not great) even though it hasn't dropped below freezing for two nights. Tonight should make all the difference, like Brace said, still lots of snow in the woods.
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That's a nice looking set-up GF. And, you'll love the hydrometer - It's worth ever dollar IMO.
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very nice setup. Makes mine look pretty primitive ;)
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/toguefisha/Photo03142039.jpg?t=1300152688)
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very nice setup. Makes mine look pretty primitive ;)
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/toguefisha/Photo03142039.jpg?t=1300152688)
Hey, it does the trick. I'm doing mine with a turkey fryer this year and the way I figure it, I'll probably need $50 in propane to boil a gallon of syrup.
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Hey, it does the trick. I'm doing mine with a turkey fryer this year and the way I figure it, I'll probably need $50 in propane to boil a gallon of syrup.
I think that's a conservative number Fishah. ;D
Alec - nothing wrong with that setup at all. How many taps this yr.? Is that this yrs. boil?
I surprisingly picked up 8 gal. last night considering how cold it was here all day. Today should be awesome. @) Hoping to have 40 gal. to boil by the weekend. :-\
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sap is flowing good today, quick ????. is it better to boil on gas or wood and witch is quicker, i got a small operation and hopfully ill have ten gal. by the weekend, looking to get a more taps next year if i can do this right.
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sap is flowing good today, quick ????. is it better to boil on gas or wood and witch is quicker, i got a small operation and hopfully ill have ten gal. by the weekend, looking to get a more taps next year if i can do this right.
Sap is flowing great today, ideal is 20-25 night / 40-45 day. If you are only expecting 10 gal. of sap, use a propane clam cooker and a single steam table pan, 10 gal. should give you about a quart of finished product. Wood is by far the cheapest way to go but hardly worth the hasssle for that little amount.
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Sap is flowing great today, ideal is 20-25 night / 40-45 day. If you are only expecting 10 gal. of sap, use a propane clam cooker and a single steam table pan, 10 gal. should give you about a quart of finished product. Wood is by far the cheapest way to go but hardly worth the hasssle for that little amount.
thanks
;D
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got another stupid ??????, does all the sap taste the same, not sure what kind of maple im tapping, how do u tell the difference with no leaves on them
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I think that's a conservative number Fishah. ;D
Alec - nothing wrong with that setup at all. How many taps this yr.? Is that this yrs. boil?
Only doing about a dozen taps taps this year. I bought my own house so I'm in a new location without as many maples (but the ones I have are huge.)
Yes, thats this years first boil. Had to make a few adjustments to that first design.
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got another stupid ??????, does all the sap taste the same, not sure what kind of maple im tapping, how do u tell the difference with no leaves on them
They all taste the same, except ash maple aka box elder. But they look quite a bit different than other maples. The main difference between different types of maples is the sugar content.
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Brace.... perhaps we can taste test that at Moosehead in a couple weeks?
PFD37... I will take some Al...let me know how much $ to bring to work!
D.
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Today is the day every sapper dreams of, my taps were already thumping at 6:30am, BIG run today, atleast in central Maine. After 12 gal. yesterday on 16 taps, today will easily exceed. @)
Storage question for you sap-a-holics - what are you guys using for food safe storage? So much conflicting info. out there about plastics leaching, etc. Thank you.
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don't worry about the plastic Eric , Lapage was wrong your wife wont grow a little beard
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don't worry about the plastic Eric , Lapage was wrong your wife wont grow a little beard
We had that same laugh this morning Swamper! ;D Come over this weekend, not sure which day is boil day yet, least windy will be the pick. @)
Super day, Sam and I just collected, 18 gal. from 16 taps, junk trees. Hope no run tomoorow, out of storage. ;D Looks good next week as well. @)
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I just use a clean rubbermaid trash bin. I think it's about a 40 gallon capacity. When it's full I know I'll get about a gallon of syrup. Had a major filtering disaster the other day. In the past I've used coffee filters. Got a different brand this year and they couldn't stand up to the pressure and ripped. Now I have a gallon of syrup canned up in pint jars but they all have about an inch of sediment in the bottom. Will the syrup be okay if I uncan it, heat it back up, filter it and then recan it?
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I just use a clean rubbermaid trash bin. I think it's about a 40 gallon capacity. When it's full I know I'll get about a gallon of syrup. Had a major filtering disaster the other day. In the past I've used coffee filters. Got a different brand this year and they couldn't stand up to the pressure and ripped. Now I have a gallon of syrup canned up in pint jars but they all have about an inch of sediment in the bottom. Will the syrup be okay if I uncan it, heat it back up, filter it and then recan it?
yes!
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So far in 3 days I have collected about 4 gallons of sap off from 5 taps.....had like 2 or 3 taps not produce ;)2....WHOOPS!!! ;D.....manage to get in 7 more taps today, now I'm up to 15 taps......Also got Big Red Fired up this afternoon to do some Boiling, it didn't get out on the ice this year, so maybe it can be used as a sugar house this spring!! :thumbsup:
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just got done boiling down 12 gal of sap and canned it, they are cooling now and there is some white_ish stuff on the bottom is that normal or not, eaither way its gooooood.
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You end up with sediment after you boil. Did you filter it through something. The sediment won't hurt you but most people don't like the looks of it on their pancakes.
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just got done boiling down 12 gal of sap and canned it, they are cooling now and there is some white_ish stuff on the bottom is that normal or not, eaither way its gooooood.
That is nitre (suger sand) you didn't get filtered out before bottling. If it's just for personal use, simply put it in the microwave for a few seconds to remove. (minus the metal lid. ;D) Otherwise, dump back out and reconstitute the whole batch with a little bit of fresh sap, boil, re-filter.
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I just use a clean rubbermaid trash bin. I think it's about a 40 gallon capacity. When it's full I know I'll get about a gallon of syrup. Had a major filtering disaster the other day. In the past I've used coffee filters. Got a different brand this year and they couldn't stand up to the pressure and ripped. Now I have a gallon of syrup canned up in pint jars but they all have about an inch of sediment in the bottom. Will the syrup be okay if I uncan it, heat it back up, filter it and then recan it?
Alec - I just took a quick pic for you. For a few dollars, you can make your life a WHOLE lot easier.
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/DCP_2248.jpg)
On the right is a $2 strainer from Mardens with a $2 piece of felt prefilter. I set that on my storage coolers and then dump the sap from my collection buckets into. I then rinse out, that filter is probably 3 yrs. old.
On the left is my advanced bottling system. ;D It is a simple wooden frame I made with a peach can to hold my felt cone pre-filter, again, a couple of bucks. Once my finished product is down to between 180-190 degrees, I pour through the filter into a waiting container. The pre-filter will get clogged with nitre, simply remove and rinse, repeat. I get NO sugar sand in my mason jars using this method.
I would suggest you going to your neighborhood sugarhouse, getting these materials, and re-finishing your syrup, you'll be happy you did. Good luck.
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I'm guessing the sediment you're seeing is crystalized syrup - And if so, I doubt reheating and filtering will fix the problem, as the crystals will just melt with the heat and then recrystalize as it cools. Perhaps you overcooked the last batch? I filter my initial sap through a heavy felt strainer and then filter my finished product through cheese cloth. At times I still end up with some sediment.
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I'm heading to camp this afternoon to boil tomorrow. Put out 40 taps on 16 trees last weekend - Would like to get out another 10 taps if possible. Looks like it should have been a great week for the sap flow.
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I'm heading to camp this afternoon to boil tomorrow. Put out 40 taps on 16 trees last weekend - Would like to get out another 10 taps if possible. Looks like it should have been a great week for the sap flow.
I have 5 gal. buckets with 2-3 taps going into them and they have been full every other day since last sat. It seemed like the sap didn't stop running for a few days in a row. Yestedays sap was cloudy. I dumped it. Boiling now, should be a nice cold moonlit night for it, started around 1, I started with 50 gals.. 4.30's going to come early tommorow. @
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I did OK with Sap this weekend, netting 60 gallons total. Some trees did better then normal and others not so much. Still - Not bad for the first collection of the year.
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Boiling right now and drinking canadian mist. Also cooking boneless spareribs. Can it get any better???? Sap ran great yesterday despite the wind. Not so fast today. Just when you think you know what it is going to do, you realize that you don't know anything at all!!! Fishing tomorrow!
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Here is my set up this year....going to b a lot different next year ...but this seems to be working....
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/SANY1591.jpg)
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/SANY1589.jpg)
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/SANY1592.jpg)
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/SANY1590.jpg)
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/SANY1585.jpg)
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Nice set up Adam for your 1st year. This time next year you'll have it all squared away.
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Nice set up Adam for your 1st year. This time next year you'll have it all squared away.
Thanks Brian....I've already got some good ideas for a boiler next year!! ;D
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We drove off 43 gallons on my "new" pan yesterday. After I got some better wood, it worked great. Finished this morning, took forever but made a gallon of nice looking stuff. I've determined it be much easier to just go buy a jug full. ;D
Brace / others - what do you filter with before bottling? My prefilter does a nice job but takes forever to get through and quite a bit gets wasted with the niter. :'(
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My very first batch of Yumminess!!! :P :thumbsup:
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/SANY1595.jpg)
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new and improved evaporator. Longer and now lined with fire brick, much more efficient
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/toguefisha/Photo03201704.jpg?t=1300668183)
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new and improved evaporator. Longer and now lined with fire brick, much more efficient
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/toguefisha/Photo03201704.jpg?t=1300668183)
Is that a barrel stove inside?
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Nope, just concrete blocks lined with fire brick. Used some tin and stove pipe to make chimney. Deep dish catering pans to boil syrup in. Very low tech.
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Well, you guys inspired me to get back into boiling this year instead of next. I thank you, but I'm not sure if my wife does... ;D
Got the evaporater set up on Saturday and fired it up for the first boil yesterday. Ended up looking about like yours, Toguefisha (hope you didn't have a patent on that rig!). Thanks also to gamefisher for some solid advise on the steam pans and construction tips. Had a few minor mishaps and a few little kinks still to work out, but overall everything went well and I ended up with about three quarts of golden nectar. :thumbsup:
Hopefully the sap runs well this week and I can do it all over again next weekend.
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/DSC_0916.jpg)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/DSC_0924.jpg)
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I was wondering where my license plate went to! ;D Look great Ryan. @) Good run for the next 10 days!
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Nice looking set-up Westerly!! And it obviously makes syrup.... :thumbsup:
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We drove off 43 gallons on my "new" pan yesterday. After I got some better wood, it worked great. Finished this morning, took forever but made a gallon of nice looking stuff. I've determined it be much easier to just go buy a jug full. ;D
Brace / others - what do you filter with before bottling? My prefilter does a nice job but takes forever to get through and quite a bit gets wasted with the niter. :'(
Just a gallon?? ;D How are you going to take care of your "county connections" with just a gallon ??? ???
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Notice Gamefisher didnt mention all the help he had ;D
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Notice Gamefisher didnt mention all the help he had ;D
I assumed the word "WE" implied he had a mouse in his pocket. ;D
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I assumed the word "WE" implied he had a mouse in his pocket. ;D
No but he sure had one in his noggin the next morning!!! :roflmao:
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Everyone always has more friends when the sap in running.... :whistle:
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No but he sure had one in his noggin the next morning!!! :roflmao:
Sweet, sweet nectar. ;D
Went around this morning and dusted the buckets off, (we got 6-7" here :'() 15 gal. of the most beautiful cold, crystal clear sap you could ever hope for from Mon. and Tues. Nothing like last week but still looks like a lot of sugaring season left.
Don't forget guys - Maine Maple Sunday coming at you local sugarshack but lots are open Sat. as well. Great fun if you have little kids, they love it.
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Just finished off about another two gallons of syrup. Sap buckets were full this afternoon as well. Ought to get at least one more boil.
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Just finished off about another two gallons of syrup. Sap buckets were full this afternoon as well. Ought to get at least one more boil.
You've got more than that, check the long range. @) How many gallons of sap so far Alec?
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Three gallons of syrup so far. Guess thats pretty good considering I only have three trees tapped. ;) Got some monster maples.
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Three gallons of syrup so far. Guess thats pretty good considering I only have three trees tapped. ;) Got some monster maples.
120 gallons of sap so far off 3 trees.... you better put them in the witness protection program...that is insane. :flex: Most people figure 10 gal. sap per tap for a season, still a lot more coming. 3 trees sure makes collection easy. ;D
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I don't understand how this off topic post has lasted so long?? it has nothing to do with Ice Fishing?? :o :o
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search the boards there have ben plenty of O/T threads these last couple weeks. enjoy it ;)
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120 gallons of sap so far off 3 trees.... you better put them in the witness protection program...that is insane. :flex: Most people figure 10 gal. sap per tap for a season, still a lot more coming. 3 trees sure makes collection easy. ;D
I've been sugerin' for about forty years and this is the best year I can remember. We've got five gallons of grade a put by all ready and I'm gonna pull the taps because I'm outa wood ;D
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120 gallons of sap so far off 3 trees.... you better put them in the witness protection program...that is insane. :flex: Most people figure 10 gal. sap per tap for a season, still a lot more coming. 3 trees sure makes collection easy. ;D
I've been getting about 3-5 gallons per tree per day. Have almost enough sap stockpiled up for another gallon of syrup
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I've been getting about 3-5 gallons per tree per day. Have almost enough sap stockpiled up for another gallon of syrup
This has been quite the yr. It's hardly been above freezing here this week, no sun, and my daughter and I just picked up another 23 gal. after I collected yesterday morning. Don't get it but hey, why question it. ;D It don't see it stopping for a while either. :tipup:
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Looking for a little insight here as I'm in a little predicament. I've got about 110 gallons of sap stored in 20 gallon rubbermaid totes and another 10 or 15 gallons still in my buckets. As you may remember I wasn't prepared with a set up this year since this is my first year at my own house and I didn't know what to expect for a maple run. I've been using a 50qt turkey fryer to boil and have found that it takes me about 10 hours to boil down 20 gallons and one tank of propane for every 30 gallons of sap. When I figure it out it's about $40 per gallon of syrup just for the propane. Figure in my labor and I should have just bought syrup! What is the cheapest and easiest way to boil? I'm trying to get a hold of some dry wood and set up a steam pan set up but where can you find them and what do they run? Thanks.
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Check out my set-up on pg. 14 of this thread. Nothing but conrete blocks, lined with fire bricks (no mortar used, everything free standing) and some stove pipe venting out the back. Using stainless steel catering pans I got from a used kitchen supply store instead of expensive evaporator pans. Pretty low tech and cheap.
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Ok, so you got them directly from a kitchen supply store. I had been looking at your set up and even though I have a barrel stove that I will be setting up for next year, I think I may stick with the steam table pans. Thanks for the help.
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anyone else from Wisconsin collecting sap on here? this is my first year and so far i agree...sappin is hard on the liver! i only have about 40 taps out and have already gotten around a gallon of finished syrup this season which according to many is just beginning. hope everyone has a safe and fun season...and pics of the last minute, ad lip evaporator in action will come soon. i keep forgetting the camera while we're boiling off!
good luck,
matt
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Looking for a little insight here as I'm in a little predicament. I've got about 110 gallons of sap stored in 20 gallon rubbermaid totes and another 10 or 15 gallons still in my buckets. As you may remember I wasn't prepared with a set up this year since this is my first year at my own house and I didn't know what to expect for a maple run. I've been using a 50qt turkey fryer to boil and have found that it takes me about 10 hours to boil down 20 gallons and one tank of propane for every 30 gallons of sap. When I figure it out it's about $40 per gallon of syrup just for the propane. Figure in my labor and I should have just bought syrup! What is the cheapest and easiest way to boil? I'm trying to get a hold of some dry wood and set up a steam pan set up but where can you find them and what do they run? Thanks.
Check my set up for propane....I hardly used a half a 20lber total for boiling down 10 gallons of sap....the baking pans were the ticket!!! ;D
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After tapping a bunch of trees in Vt for a friend, I'm getting more interesting in trying it out myself. I understand how you all are making you evaporators, but i'm questioning the whole boiling process.. I know it boils about 7 degrees higher than water, but how long do you keep it at a boil for? after that do you filter it right away and put in into the jars? any insight helps...
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well now that i've done it twice i still don't consider myself a master by any means, but today it took me 3 hours to boil down 20 gallons of sap to make 4 pints of syrup. after the initial 3 hours i take and empty the chaffing pans into a pot and bring it inside to finish the boiling down to syrup, which takes maybe 20-30min. after quite a bit of research...i would make one suggestion. get a cup and hydrometer to measure the sugar density! 2 friends of mine started without it and ended up with crystalized sugar jars...which is what happens when you over cook it. i have used it twice and the results are perfect everytime...quite tasty!
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Looking for a little insight here as I'm in a little predicament. I've got about 110 gallons of sap stored in 20 gallon rubbermaid totes and another 10 or 15 gallons still in my buckets. As you may remember I wasn't prepared with a set up this year since this is my first year at my own house and I didn't know what to expect for a maple run. I've been using a 50qt turkey fryer to boil and have found that it takes me about 10 hours to boil down 20 gallons and one tank of propane for every 30 gallons of sap. When I figure it out it's about $40 per gallon of syrup just for the propane. Figure in my labor and I should have just bought syrup! What is the cheapest and easiest way to boil? I'm trying to get a hold of some dry wood and set up a steam pan set up but where can you find them and what do they run? Thanks.
I'd say you better come up with something pretty quick or you will be so far behind you'll have to dump sap. I have 50+ gal. to get through and I'm not really looking forward to the amount of time it will take even with a 22X32 pan. I'm going to cheat and use my old smaller pan over propane at the same time to get caught up. Solid sapping right through 4/1.
Those steam pans are pretty cheap at Sams Club. You might want to think about 3-4 and make your block arch accordingly. Good luck.
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I can't believe how well the sap is still running. I'm already at my storage limit with two more days of collecting before I have time to boil... I also just discovered that I can use my homebrew hydrometer to figure out the sap's sugar content. I have mostly swamp maple so I'm doing well to stay around two percent. Oh well, still tastes good to me. ;D Wish I had one to tell me when my syrups done though. Pretty sure I overcooked the last batch thanks to a candy thermometer that goes between 200 and 225 degrees in less than 1/4 inch. :-\ How did you like using yours, gamefisher? Worth the $$? Here's a picture of some of the last batch. Good luck to everyone! (Especially you, MaineFishah!! :o )
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/DSC_0934.jpg)
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That is some gorgeous syrup!
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yeah...i'm thinking i might have to either A filter mine better or B buy a finer filter cause mine does not look like that! it looks like motor oil in the jar, tastes wonderful with no crytalization or anything...you just cant see through the jar looking at it towards the light.
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I can't believe how well the sap is still running. I'm already at my storage limit with two more days of collecting before I have time to boil... I also just discovered that I can use my homebrew hydrometer to figure out the sap's sugar content. I have mostly swamp maple so I'm doing well to stay around two percent. Oh well, still tastes good to me. ;D Wish I had one to tell me when my syrups done though. Pretty sure I overcooked the last batch thanks to a candy thermometer that goes between 200 and 225 degrees in less than 1/4 inch. :-\ How did you like using yours, gamefisher? Worth the $$? Here's a picture of some of the last batch. Good luck to everyone! (Especially you, MaineFishah!! :o )
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/DSC_0934.jpg)
Ryan - you've been holding out, you are a maple pro! Great looking stuff! @)
I'm just glad there is no zoning here! ;D Wind was so strong, had to come up with something...wife was pretty impressed when she got home. ;D
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/DCP_2249.jpg)
I was so far behind on sap I took yesterday off and drove off about 40 gallons. I finished today, doing it a different way and all I can say is wow, best batch I've ever bottled.
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/DCP_2250.jpg)
3.5 quarts of some really good looking stuff. What i did differently was broke down and bought a wool filter (w/pre-filter)and filtered off the big pan last night. Let it sit overnight in a stock pot and finished off outside on propane this morning and then repeated filtering process into a smaller pot. Brought it inside and bottled at 190 degrees, done. @)
For comparison, the middle quart was from the first batch was just a pre-filter at bottling.
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/DCP_2251.jpg)
I was happy with it but no comparison.
I would totally suggest the $20 for the hydrometer Ryan. The filter is nice as well but your setup looks to be producing well. I use a turkey friar therm. to get me close. Prior to finishing, I put the therm in boiling water to see what it reads for that day. (believe it or not, it changes) I then know when I get to 7 degrees above that number I'm close to syrup and check with the hydrometer. The beauty part about doing it this way is it doesn't matter if your particular therm. said boiling was 250, just go 7 beyond.
The hydrometer takes out all the guesswork, I would have said my batch this morning wasn't syrup yet but trust it.
I'm well over 100 gal. of sap now for the season, looks good still all next week.
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Pretty nice. A long time ago my brother got a few taps at auction and tapped a couple birch and a big apricot tree.
Definitely not maple but sweet. I need to get some sirup bought.
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I've been cooking since 4 this afternoon, I don't know if the last 3 buckets might have to wait till morning, boiled 35 gallons so far, the cold air is really helping it work tonight. @)
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I've been cooking since 4 this afternoon, I don't know if the last 3 buckets might have to wait till morning, boiled 35 gallons so far, the cold air is really helping it work tonight. @)
Hope you hung in there Iain, makes for a long day this sap stuff. ;D I've got about another 30 gallons to get started on but after just stepping outside, think I'll wait a bit! Brrrr.
Went to Bacon's yesterday afternoon, they were hopping for Maine Maple weekend. @)
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Ryan - you've been holding out, you are a maple pro! Great looking stuff! @)
I'm just glad there is no zoning here! ;D Wind was so strong, had to come up with something...wife was pretty impressed when she got home. ;D
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/DCP_2249.jpg)
Eric you better be glad you have the neighbors you do cause that looks trailer park esq....but as long as it work I'll try to keep the Portages man-o-war off your Back!!! :roflmao:
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time to get back at it. 3 buckets and I'll be caught up. Glad it didn't run much yesterday.@)
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I'm spending today boiling down my last 50 gallons. I decided to stick in there with propane and borrowed my father in laws cooker and have been preheating my sap in a canner on the stove to help speed it along. Yesterday we boiled down about 70 gallons and finished it this morning in the house. The extra cooker and preheating has made a huge difference in the amount of sap boiled and propane used. When finishing the syrup this morning I added the 4 pints I had already canned because I wanted to try and get rid of the sediment but to no avail. I filtered my sap through a towel when I collected it, then through a cone filter twice after it was finished. The first time as soon as I take it off of the heat and the second time at about 190 degrees before I can it. I still have a little sediment forming on the bottom. It looks like a wool filter will be in my future for next year. We are up to 2 gallons of syrup now and I expect a little over a gallon today and that will be the end of the sugaring season for me. I pulled my taps yesterday since I've got all the syrup I need. I'm already starting to plan for next year and how to make my process better. I wish you all the best in the next few weeks as the run doesn't show any sign of slowing anytime soon.
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I'm spending today boiling down my last 50 gallons. I decided to stick in there with propane and borrowed my father in laws cooker and have been preheating my sap in a canner on the stove to help speed it along. Yesterday we boiled down about 70 gallons and finished it this morning in the house. The extra cooker and preheating has made a huge difference in the amount of sap boiled and propane used. When finishing the syrup this morning I added the 4 pints I had already canned because I wanted to try and get rid of the sediment but to no avail. I filtered my sap through a towel when I collected it, then through a cone filter twice after it was finished. The first time as soon as I take it off of the heat and the second time at about 190 degrees before I can it. I still have a little sediment forming on the bottom. It looks like a wool filter will be in my future for next year. We are up to 2 gallons of syrup now and I expect a little over a gallon today and that will be the end of the sugaring season for me. I pulled my taps yesterday since I've got all the syrup I need. I'm already starting to plan for next year and how to make my process better. I wish you all the best in the next few weeks as the run doesn't show any sign of slowing anytime soon.
Glad you hung in there M.F., you'll figure something out better for next year. Just drove off my remaining 25 gal., finishing inside today, what a yr. @)
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Wow that maple syrup sure looks great...My grandpa used to do his own also wish he stayed around a little longer to show me the ropes..
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10 day weather forecast doesn't show an end in sight for this maple season. 3 gallons already done, should finish off another two tonight. Not sure I have enought wood for another boil.
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Bad week up at camp. Only picked up 20 gallons of sap - But it was super clear and very tasty just the same. I think the season has just begun up there.
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Bad week up at camp. Only picked up 20 gallons of sap - But it was super clear and very tasty just the same. I think the season has just begun up there.
Hey Brace, it was nice to meet you on Friday. Your a top notch outdoorsman. Your right it had been brutally cold up here, my buckets have been froze solid for a week now.
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Bad week up at camp. Only picked up 20 gallons of sap - But it was super clear and very tasty just the same. I think the season has just begun up there.
You better hang on Brian, starting tomorrow you are going to be swimming in it right through mid April! @)
I'm in great shape now, like many of you, I'm kind of glad the taps were froze up over the weekend to get caught up. Pretty sure I'll collect this week and pack it in this weekend. :-\ The "new" pan has been a huge help!
It has been great to see everyone's progress this season and the different ways people use to make quality syrup. @)
I really appreciate it Scotty, letting us keep this 3-4 yr. old thread going, I won't forget it bud. ;)
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Hey Brace, it was nice to meet you on Friday. Your a top notch outdoorsman. Your right it had been brutally cold up here, my buckets have been froze solid for a week now.
It was great meeting you as well Grub!! Hopefully we'll be able to wet a line this spring.
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You better hang on Brian, starting tomorrow you are going to be swimming in right through mid April! @)
That's what I'm hoping for Eric.
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Geeez....Started this post three years ago, must be some kinda record. I had no idea so many others were as interested in these old time activities but to be perfectly honest I haven't boiled a drop since I first made this post. Some of you guy's are close to genius with your methods and inginuity.
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after todays haul of almost 12 gallons, i'll have around 40 gallons to start on cooking down tomorrow. with less than 40 taps i'm hoping to get around 4 gallons of syrup this year...our first year. it has been rather fun and a little bit of excercise to move the sap around, but that's what the beer is for while your cooking i guess ;) this will be our 3rd cooking so far this year with around 6 quarts finished already. :pinch:hopefully i'll remember the camera to show you guys the setup before i finish the case of beer! ;D
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Wow! Nice build, Eric! I definitely was in need of some kind of windbreak for boiling this weekend. Finished off and canned the weekends batch last night and got about three and a half quarts. A distinctly 'smokey' flavored syrup thanks to all the wind raising havoc with the evaporator. That's my theory at least? I dunno, I think might even prefer the taste! Our niece and nephew came by to visit while I was boiling and helped collect some sap ("tree juice" ;D ) and see 'Uncle Jemima' in action. Having never seen where maple syrup comes from, they got quite a kick out of the whole thing. This spring has been a lot of fun and I'm glad to be getting back into it, mostly thanks to you all! I'm thinking the sap is probably flowing well again today...
(and thank you moderators for letting this thread live on the Maine board! :thumbsup: )
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Wow! Nice build, Eric! I definitely was in need of some kind of windbreak for boiling this weekend. Finished off and canned the weekends batch last night and got about three and a half quarts. A distinctly 'smokey' flavored syrup thanks to all the wind raising havoc with the evaporator. That's my theory at least? I dunno, I think might even prefer the taste! Our niece and nephew came by to visit while I was boiling and helped collect some sap ("tree juice" ;D ) and see 'Uncle Jemima' in action. Having never seen where maple syrup comes from, they got quite a kick out of the whole thing. This spring has been a lot of fun and I'm glad to be getting back into it, mostly thanks to you all! I'm thinking the sap is probably flowing well again today...
(and thank you moderators for letting this thread live on the Maine board! :thumbsup: )
I'm glad you got back into it Ryan, sure is fun to see the kids involved in the process. I too finished a batch last night, getting about 2.75 quarts from 25 gal. so its still good quality sap. Think I bottled a bit too hot, some sugar sand but absolutely gorgeous syrup, oh well, it all taste good. (although i haven't had a single drop yet! :o ;D) As good as its been, I think these next few days may be the best of season and that's saying a lot. @)
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Think I bottled a bit too hot, some sugar sand
So that could be one of the reasons I have been getting so much sugar sand in my finished product.
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Think I bottled a bit too hot, some sugar sand
Hey Eric, Are you getting maple sand or is it crystalizing? Overheating normally would culminate in crystalization. I don't know of any cooking method that removes maple sand - But I'm by no means an expert.
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Alec and Brian - this is a bad year for nitre in general I've been told. Just me always trying to be "perfect." Like I was told by a real producer, just start buying plastic jugs instead of mason jars, no one will know. ;D
It's not crystalized, it looks more like a 1/2" cloud on bottom, above it sits the most beautiful light syrup I've ever made, I give all the credit to the hydrometer and orlon filter. I could almost read the newspaper behind it. I'm just telling the people I'm giving it to to throw it in the micro. when they near the end of the bottle for a few seconds, its just sugar.
For experiment, I'm going to finish my next batch to syrup, filter immediately, but then let it sit in my pot for a day. I'm then going to bring back up to 180ish and carefully bottle. That should be enough time for any remaining nitre to settle to the bottom of the pan without creating more.
FYI - it ran well into the night last night. We collected around 5:30pm, yet my 5 gal. water jug was nearly 1/2 full of sap this morning. I won't be a bit surprised if my 16 taps produce 40+ gal. today and tomorrow. @)
Get ready Brian, holler if you need an extra pan to keep up. :tipup:
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Looks like Friday might be a good day for me to boil again(no school, snow day ??? )....have 9 gallons right now and with these warm sunny days my taps are flowing again.....Looking to jar up some more Yumminess!!! :P
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It's not crystalized, it looks more like a 1/2" cloud on bottom, above it sits the most beautiful light syrup I've ever made, I give all the credit to the hydrometer and orlon filter. I could almost read the newspaper behind it. I'm just telling the people I'm giving it to to throw it in the micro. when they near the end of the bottle for a few seconds, its just sugar.
1/2" cloud? Wow, I've never had it that bad - Normally the bottom of my jars are barely covered. Like you, the 1.5gal of syrup I've got is extremely clear also Much better then years past.
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I'm a total rookie at this and I'm probably just experiencing beginners luck, but I haven't had any cloudiness or sugar sand or anything in the syrup? I think i overcooked the first batch because I had some crystallized sugar form against the glass.
I have know idea if I'm filtering everything the 'right' way or not but it seems to be working so I'll leave it alone. When I'm done boiling outside, I bring it in and let it set in pot on the stove overnight, no filtering or anything. The next night, when it gets close to being finished I pour it all (boiling) through one of the cheap thin prefilters that go with the felty orlon filters. That gets out the majority of the sugar sand without clogging up the thicker orlon filter. Then it goes back on the stove to finish off completely. When its done, I pour it (boiling) through another prefilter hanging inside and above the thicker orlon filter. It goes through pretty well because most of the sand is already gone. Then it goes back on the stove to heat for canning. Once it hits 185/190 I ladle it off into jars that have been preheated with hot water. Then I cap em and go to bed to a chorus of jar lids "ping, ping... ping" as they cool. Like I said, I'm sure there are better ways to do it, but this process seems to be working for me.
Yesterday was my biggest sap day so far and I bet today's haul will beat that...
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I'm a total rookie at this and I'm probably just experiencing beginners luck, but I haven't had any cloudiness or sugar sand or anything in the syrup? I think i overcooked the first batch because I had some crystallized sugar form against the glass.
I have know idea if I'm filtering everything the 'right' way or not but it seems to be working so I'll leave it alone. When I'm done boiling outside, I bring it in and let it set in pot on the stove overnight, no filtering or anything. The next night, when it gets close to being finished I pour it all (boiling) through one of the cheap thin prefilters that go with the felty orlon filters. That gets out the majority of the sugar sand without clogging up the thicker orlon filter. Then it goes back on the stove to finish off completely. When its done, I pour it (boiling) through another prefilter hanging inside and above the thicker orlon filter. It goes through pretty well because most of the sand is already gone. Then it goes back on the stove to heat for canning. Once it hits 185/190 I ladle it off into jars that have been preheated with hot water. Then I cap em and go to bed to a chorus of jar lids "ping, ping... ping" as they cool. Like I said, I'm sure there are better ways to do it, but this process seems to be working for me.
Yesterday was my biggest sap day so far and I bet today's haul will beat that...
By the looks of your pics, I'd say its working. Maybe I went a little too far with this last batch, but I trust the hydrometer. When you flip the jar over you see nothing on bottom, who knows.... :-\
We ran O.K. yesterday but not great, today is a different story. I was home for lunch and forget dripping, it was at an all out gallup. ;D
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i didnt tap this year and im regreting it already! :'(
all these pics and how long the seasons been this year..... o well hopefully next year is just as good!
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13 1/2 gals of syrup and counting!!!!!!!
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13 1/2 gals of syrup and counting!!!!!!!
Fantastic, going to be hard to beat this yr. for awhile. How big is your operation?
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13 1/2 gals of syrup and counting!!!!!!!
wow...and i was proud as a peacock with my 2 1/2 gallons off of about 40 taps! wow that's awesome!
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103 taps homemade stove 2 pans but well over 20 gals of adult beverages!!!!!!!!! ::)
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wow...and i was proud as a peacock with my 2 1/2 gallons off of about 40 taps! wow that's awesome!
I've boiled down 5 gallons out of my eight taps.
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I'm up to a little over 4 gals. with 9 trees, I have about 20 taps. I think I'll go for one more batch and pull my taps this weekend. Glad to hear everyones having a good year. My wife's been coming up with some great maple syrup recipes this spring. We usually don't have enough to really think about cooking with it.
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Collected about 10 gallons of sap today from 19 taps....had some water jugs flowing over.....sap was running awesome today!!! Now have just over 20 gallons to boil this weekend....hoping for a snow day Friday so I can get started!!! :blink:
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I think I'll go for one more batch and pull my taps this weekend.
I'm with you. I only have three big maples on my property so never envisioned getting so much sap. I quickly ate through my small wood pile. Cousin gave me about half a cord and now I'm pretty much through that too. One more boil and I'm all done.
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Seems like we are all in the same boat, yesterday was incredible for my junk trees, 23 gal. from 16 taps, expect the same today. At 140 gal. of sap for the season, pretty much double my best with two day to go. Sap is still nice and clear but time to wrap this hobby up and re-claim my driveway. ;D
I'm just glad I'm not Brace with 60 taps on a 2X3 pan with it running like this..... have fun Brian! ::) ;D
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1/2" cloud? Wow, I've never had it that bad - Normally the bottom of my jars are barely covered. Like you, the 1.5gal of syrup I've got is extremely clear also Much better then years past.
Do you fish anymore or just boil sap?
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my taps are not running that well but hope they do soon as I'm farther north than most of you. If not I'll be looking to buy some from a fellow shanty member of course.
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heres a pic of my cooker this year. going to have to fire it up tommorow. over 50 gals the last two days for me. @)
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/rudethedude2009/DSC03652.jpg)
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stove is running with 45 gals on it and 150 in cold storage better start to catch up before tomorrow.. ;)
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I feel like Roberto Duran, No Mas, No Mas! ;D 50 gal. in storage (out of storage) and who knows how much hanging on the trees. Got some major boiling too do this weekend if I can find the woodpile. ;D Sure are envious of you guys that get to boil inside right about now. :'(
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I feel like Roberto Duran, No Mas, No Mas! ;D 50 gal. in storage (out of storage) and who knows how much hanging on the trees. Got some major boiling too do this weekend if I can find the woodpile. ;D Sure are envious of you guys that get to boil inside right about now. :'(
I've been boiling ALL day!!!! :wacko:
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i've gotta get boiling this weekend too.
most if not all of my buckets were overflowing yesterday, and the same thing already today.
this is the last weekend for me. pulling em tomorrow night.
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(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/SANY1631.jpg)
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are you finishing that off on a boil like that.? It's best to slow it down at the end. looks like you have a pretty good stash going. @)
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are you finishing that off on a boil like that.? It's best to slow it down at the end. looks like you have a pretty good stash going. @)
Thanks for the info..I appreciate it!!! :thumbsup:
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20+ gallons of sap....equals.... :P
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/SANY1633.jpg)
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looks great adam!!! ;D
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Looks like a great year. Pm me if you want to spare some.
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do you guys boil it down and finish it in the same day or do you let it settle for a week and then finish it? i ran into a guy here in wisconsin that boils it down to syrup, puts each batch into 5 gallon pails and lets em sit for a week or two. after that he pours off the top as best he can, reboils it, then cans it...no filtering required. his stuff looked good i just don't know about the two week waiting period. granted he is making between 10 and 15 gallons at a crack compared to my 1-2 gallon batches, but i just don't know about the no filtering.
oh and as long as i'm here i'm going to be boiling down 75 gallons of sap tomorrow morning so i should be able to take a few pics of my rig...nothing too exciting, but for my first year i was pleasantly surprised at the results!
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do you guys boil it down and finish it in the same day or do you let it settle for a week and then finish it? i ran into a guy here in wisconsin that boils it down to syrup, puts each batch into 5 gallon pails and lets em sit for a week or two. after that he pours off the top as best he can, reboils it, then cans it...no filtering required. his stuff looked good i just don't know about the two week waiting period. granted he is making between 10 and 15 gallons at a crack compared to my 1-2 gallon batches, but i just don't know about the no filtering.
oh and as long as i'm here i'm going to be boiling down 75 gallons of sap tomorrow morning so i should be able to take a few pics of my rig...nothing too exciting, but for my first year i was pleasantly surprised at the results!
A lot of the old time syrupers do it that way, stuff that's close to syrup or syrup is pretty resistant to spoilage, unlike sap. In an ideal world we would all boil the same day we get our sap when freshest but just doesn't happen with work commitments, etc. I have more sap than I can get through today, I'm going to boil what I can but leave it right in the big pan tonight and re-start in the morning, won't be any problems with doing it that way. This final batch I plan on filtering BUT letting it sit 1-2 days in a cool spot and let it settle before bottling just to see what it looks like. @)
I'm guessing I will have close to 75 gal. to plow through this weekend also. :'( I've had enough and am pulling taps as well, what a yr.!
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MDH, your stuff looks alot like mine.
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Someone should bring some for a door prize at the banquet :whistle:
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Or PM me with how much you want for a 1/2 gallon of the good stuff
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Greetings All,
Just got back from a weekend of boiling at camp. Arrived yesterday morning and after shoveling out camp and breaking out the maple trail, we were able to collect 40+ gallons of Sap - A decent flow, but certainly not great. Starting boiling at 11:00am, and had the syrup in jars and everything cleaned up by 6:30pm. Great weather and a nice trip:
Nice rolling boil:
(http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/brian_race/2011%20Icefishing%20Pics/IMG_0409.jpg)
A front view of my set-up. Absolutely nothing fancy, but it gets the job done:
(http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/brian_race/2011%20Icefishing%20Pics/IMG_0408.jpg)
Decided to expedite the final boil-off, which was a very bad idea, but it definately boiled fast:
(http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/brian_race/2011%20Icefishing%20Pics/IMG_0411.jpg)
Moved it inside for the final-final:
(http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/brian_race/2011%20Icefishing%20Pics/IMG_0412.jpg)
Really nice looking syrup - Super clear, which would suggest I've got at least a few more weekends left to boil. I ended up with 4.5 qts of syrup. Well, as I mentioned previously - Forcing the final boil is never a good idea, and in this instance I managed to overcook the batch, causing some pretty serious crystalization:
(http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/brian_race/2011%20Icefishing%20Pics/IMG_0414.jpg)
Hope everyone else is enjoying the season as much as I am.
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NICE Brian!!! :P Looks Awesome!!! :thumbsup:
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I finally got some sap today went to my mother in laws and she has some huge maples like over 20 of them total so I put in 10 taps and in 2 hours 3.5 gallons. this being my first time I'm boiling a small batch inside to get the feel for it. I'll post pics later.
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I finally got some sap today went to my mother in laws and she has some huge maples like over 20 of them total so I put in 10 taps and in 2 hours 3.5 gallons. this being my first time I'm boiling a small batch inside to get the feel for it. I'll post pics later.
I bet you'll end up with far more sap then you imagined. It's is still running really well in Central Maine - Up there it has probably just begun. Good Luck!!
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great run today and yesterday, not sure why but I put 5 more taps in today. Hard to pull em when it's still running clear sap in the volumes it is. I boiled from 6 last night till three this morning to boil the 50 gals I had from the beginning of the week. Emptied my buckets around noon( 35 gals) from the last couple days and started boiling again around 2. almost done. The way it was running at noon, the buckets will be full by tomorrow again. I figure at this point I'm all in, Smelts will have to wait a few days, not sure if the sap has interfered with smelting before, but I know theres not going to be a shortage of syrup @)
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Pulled my taps today. Boiling the last batch down right now.
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Marathon weekend! 10 hrs. Sat., 12 yesterday, I'm cooked as well as the syrup. 80 gal. total, all that is left too do is re-heat to 180 and bottle, hard work is done. What a yr., 180+ gal of sap from 16 taps, will end up with 4.5 gal syrup, although have already given alot away. :blink:
Interesting how quickly it can turn. The previous batch was very light and this last batch is considerably darker, my trees are getting ready to call it quits. :bow:
Pulled taps yesterday and got somewhat cleaned up, lot of work, maybe too much so. Thinking my rig would look pretty good at Tougefisha's house! ;D
PS - Adam - may want to re-check your syrup density in the last batch, I'm afraid you might be too thin. It's been running close to 40-1 this yr., would be tough for you to end up with that much syrup from 20 gal sap. Worth checking, otherwise you'll have moldy syrup in no time. :(
Really enjoyed sharing the season with the fellow sap-a-holics. Thanks again Scott, Scott, and Tiny. @)
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my first batch overcooked and is now sugar I should have listened to the daughter who said 15 minutes before that it was done and she's only 9 but one hell of a foodaholic.
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my first batch overcooked and is now sugar I should have listened to the daughter who said 15 minutes before that it was done and she's only 9 but one hell of a foodaholic.
Get a cheap candy thermometer for your purposes. Test it in boiling water prior, whatever it says go 7 degrees above. Also, you can get it pretty close just by watching how it drips off a spatula. It should "hang on" and run down the edge before dripping. Good luck, lot of work to mess up a batch, we've all been there. :'(
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so do you keep your temp at 7 degrees above the water boiling point the whole boiling time?
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so do you keep your temp at 7 degrees above the water boiling point the whole boiling time?
The closer it gets to syrup, the more the temp. will rise. At some point, all of a sudden, it will just shoot up there. You can almost tell by the bubbles, they become very small and caramelized in appearance. It is very important to check those cheap therm's. in boiling water first because they vary so much. Yours may say boiling is 225 instead of 212, just go 7 degrees higher than it says, that's syrup.
Go online and buy a book called Backyard Sugarin, very helpful to us small time guys.
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I'll second the Backyard Sugarin' book. A great read for someone just getting started.
I thought (hoped) I'd be done this weekend, but after boiling for 13 hrs yesterday I quit with 15+ gallons of sap still in the tank. Just couldn't take it anymore! Looks like I'll be collecting for a few more days, and finally wrap this operation up thursday or friday. It's starting to feel like work... :)
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I thought (hoped) I'd be done this weekend, but after boiling for 13 hrs yesterday I quit with 15+ gallons of sap still in the tank. Just couldn't take it anymore! Looks like I'll be collecting for a few more days, and finally wrap this operation up thursday or friday. It's starting to feel like work... :)
That's just how I felt, :wacko: as I picked up buckets yesterday I kept hoping they'd be empty! ;D
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NICE Brian!!! :P Looks Awesome!!! :thumbsup:
X2 here.
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I had a gallon left over from last year and the wife said " thats enough if we go easy." I said " cool ", I dont have to slave over that this year. Well, the neighbor wanted me to show him how and my wife agree to can it for him. 4 gallons later she said " I cant work days and can syrup at night too. " He is still going and is at about 6 gallons of prime syrup as I type and is still cranking it out at his place. Been a wicked good year.
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Family friend did 31 gallons on 106 taps this year, pulled his taps yesterday.
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2nd batch is much better pics soon
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2nd batch is much better pics soon
Great news, just takes a little getting used to. I bottled last night, ended up with 2 gal. (and a half pint ;D) from the 80 gallons boiled off this weekend, some beautiful tasty end of run dark amber. @)
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I'm so tired just watching you guys doing making syrup .I cant believe the amount of work you have been putting in to this. I always thought of doing this because I have 6 big maples in my yard. I've had second thoughts now may be I'll just buy some. :-\
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Rumor has it there might be a few jars of it given away as door prizes at the banquet. :whistle:
Maybe we can have a judging contest on the best maple syrup of this season ;D
Any of you boilers willing to offer up a jar or 2 for saturday night??
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I've had second thoughts now may be I'll just buy some. :-\
That's the smartest decision you'll ever make Jim. ;D
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That's the smartest decision you'll ever make Jim. ;D
Don't get me wrong ,I still think it sounds like fun but wow!
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Don't get me wrong ,I still think it sounds like fun but wow!
It's like any other hobby addiction Jim, I started with my grandfather and wanted to pass it along to my kids. It's a great family / friend activity but extremely time consuming for the "small guy." Fun to see what you can make on some pretty primitive setups! ;D
Having said that, I recommend you go and buy a gallon. ;D I've seen it for $50-$60 in our area. @)
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It's like any other hobby addiction Jim, I started with my grandfather and wanted to pass it along to my kids. It's a great family / friend activity but extremely time consuming for the "small guy." Fun to see what you can make on some pretty primitive setups! ;D
Having said that, I recommend you go and buy a gallon. ;D I've seen it for $50-$60 in our area. @)
I don't think so,I'll need my money for gas to go smelting. I guess I'll have to settle for Wal-Mart brand. :'(
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I'm so tired just watching you guys doing making syrup .I cant believe the amount of work you have been putting in to this. I always thought of doing this because I have 6 big maples in my yard. I've had second thoughts now may be I'll just buy some. :-\
To be honest...this was my first year doing it...I had 19 taps and have so far boiled down around 35 gallons of sap....it REALLY isn't all that hard...the most time consuming thing is boiling down....which I boiled down 20+ gallons last Friday....I highly recommend you giving it a try!!! :thumbsup:
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To be honest...this was my first year doing it...I had 19 taps and have so far boiled down around 35 gallons of sap....it REALLY isn't all that hard...the most time consuming thing is boiling down....which I boiled down 20+ gallons last Friday....I highly recommend you giving it a try!!! :thumbsup:
MDH-
I could not help notcie that your finishing your sap on the stove. Hows the wallpaper holding up? get it holding UP I made that mistake my first year and I now have paint, its the easiest way to remove it If you do it again throw some eggs in there prior to the finish boil and hard boil them wicked good egg salad.
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MDH-
I could not help notcie that your finishing your sap on the stove. Hows the wallpaper holding up? get it holding UP I made that mistake my first year and I now have paint, its the easiest way to remove it If you do it again throw some eggs in there prior to the finish boil and hard boil them wicked good egg salad.
:woot: Good thing I don't have wall paper....and my final boils have only been about an hour in the house, if that. So there hasn't been too much steam in the house!! :thumbsup:
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We did a finish boil in the house last night and just cracked the windows enough to let the moisture out. Worked fairly well. We bottled about a 1/2 gallon. We were just playing, had about 15 gallons of sap that we boiled through the weekend. Next year we have use of an evaporator so we will be stepping it up a notch.
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(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad279/malysha2181/DSCF6884.jpg)
As I said above my second batch was better not perfect but better. Can't wait to get some more sap.
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ok i have a new hobby. after reading all the posts and doing some reserch i decided to tap three trees in my yard. after alot of trial and error i think i got it. its funny how many people ask for it once they find out your makin maple syrup. next year def. gunna use wood with gas the way it is. hear is the final product. thanks for all the help and advice.(http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx306/cmstearns5978/004-1.jpg) ;D ;D ;D
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Fishalot, let me know if you wanna try it next year. I have a ton of spare spiles you could use.
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Fishalot, let me know if you wanna try it next year. I have a ton of spare spiles you could use.
Thank I'll have to think about it.
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Just finished my last boil last night. Ended up with 3 1/2 gallons of the good stuff. The trees are still flowing good but I think I have enough to keep the kids happy. Next year I am going to shoot for 5 gal.
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Just finished my last boil last night. Ended up with 3 1/2 gallons of the good stuff. The trees are still flowing good but I think I have enough to keep the kids happy. Next year I am going to shoot for 5 gal.
MM MM Good stuff.. I wish I had trees available to me to tap, I remember as a kid boiling down gallons of the good stuff! congrats you are so lucky to have that tree candy.. ;D
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question though, at what point are you drawing off to do a finish boil. Are you checking Baume units in the main boil and when you get close drawing that batch off to finish or are you going until you are out of sap, and then taking that whole batch after a while to finish. I guess there is a lot of finnesse here, but just wondering about the general rule of thumb??
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Great looking syrup Malysha and cmstearns!! Nicely done! :thumbsup:
duckblaster:
I don't even know what a 'Baume unit' is. :blink:
Some people (who probably aren't boiling on bricks in their dooryard) probably get all wrapped in the brix scale, specific gravity, (maybe even Baume units?) - but it's pretty easy to tell when it's time to take it inside just by eyeballing it. If you start getting nervous, you can just stick a thermometer in and and get some idea how close you are to finished.
Finally finished, filtered and canned the batch from Sundays marathon boil last night. A fair amount darker and a quite a bit more red than the earlier batches. I'm guessing the color has something to with most (if not all) of the sap coming from red maples? Who cares though, it still tastes great! Didn't get through all the sap though, so I still have another boil session staring me in the face. Sap hasn't run for squat since the weekend which doesn't hurt my feelings. Two or three of my trees have gone yellow too, so not expecting much more...
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Yes, nice job guys. We've never had so many guys bitten by the maple bug before. @)
I'm tempted to throw a few taps back in given the forecast for the next three nights. ;D
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I'm tempted to throw a few taps back in given the forecast for the next three nights. ;D
If it runs heavy, you're getting all my sap!!! ;D
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If it runs heavy, you're getting all my sap!!! ;D
I'm thinking just like 4-5 of my good producers, enough to pizz the wife off without a lot of work for me. ;D
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I'm thinking just like 4-5 of my good producers, enough to pizz the wife off without a lot of work for me. ;D
:roflmao: :roflmao:
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Pulled all my taps out today....started getting dark sap....have about 8 gallons to boil tomorrow....Can't wait till next year...This has been A LOT of fun!!! :thumbsup:
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Yeah I also got a late start and looking at the weather may only have a few more days even though I'm up in the sticks. So next year I hope is as good as it was for everyone this year. I got to go get 5.5 gallons to boil tonight.
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So last nights boil looked ok until this morning when I noticed it had about an inch of brown sludge in the bottom of the jar anyone got any thoughts on this????
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So last nights boil looked ok until this morning when I noticed it had about an inch of brown sludge in the bottom of the jar anyone got any thoughts on this????
You went too far. Don't fret, add it to your next batch of sap, re-boil, re-filter, re-bottle. @)
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Had some free time at lunch today and threw this together (hope it works). Thought it might be fun looking back at all the pictures in this thread from the shanty's sap-suckers... ;D
(Thanks to Banjo Dan for the 'sweet' soundtrack...)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/th_maple.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/?action=view¤t=maple.mp4)
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Well done Ryan, very cool! @) I think Team Maine could also be known as Team Hodge Podge after looking at that video.... :wacko: Pretty neat how everyone is doing it with homemade items and still producing some great product. :thumbsup:
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:clap: :thumbsup: :bow:
That's classic Ryan!!... :tipup:
Adam.....there's another one for Saturday night!! ;D
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:clap: :thumbsup: :bow:
That's classic Ryan!!... :tipup:
Adam.....there's another one for Saturday night!! ;D
YES I AGREE!! Very AWESOME!!!! :thumbsup: I will add that to the slide shoe for sure!! :woot:
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Nicely done Westerly!! :tipup:
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4.5 gal. off 5 taps today. ;D
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thats a real nice piece of work, love the cooker on the cover. @)
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That was great!! Nicely done?
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Gee looked like the "Sebatus Crack" reemerged in that video
Great Job Music is perfect too!
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Had some free time at lunch today and threw this together (hope it works). Thought it might be fun looking back at all the pictures in this thread from the shanty's sap-suckers... ;D
(Thanks to Banjo Dan for the 'sweet' soundtrack...)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/th_maple.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/?action=view¤t=maple.mp4)
very nice!! :clap:
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the season is winding down in central new york, the guy i work for was making dark amber this week and we pulled taps ended up with about 2500 gallons of syrup for the season
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the season is winding down in central new york, the guy i work for was making dark amber this week and we pulled taps ended up with about 2500 gallons of syrup for the season
Wow! at how much a gallon? ;)2
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Gee looked like the "Sebatus Crack" reemerged in that video
Great Job Music is perfect too!
HAHA will always be a classic!
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Thanks guys, I thought you might like it.
I picked up about 8 gallons from my 11 remaining taps yesterday and todays run should be just as good. Even the three or four trees that had started dripping yellow are back to producing clear sap! Last boil tomorrow and that's it for me. The weather looks like it's going to be all done after that anyway, so good timing.
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Nice job Ryan I really enjoyed it.A great way to winded up a good post.
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Thanks guys, I thought you might like it.
I picked up about 8 gallons from my 11 remaining taps yesterday and todays run should be just as good. Even the three or four trees that had started dripping yellow are back to producing clear sap! Last boil tomorrow and that's it for me. The weather looks like it's going to be all done after that anyway, so good timing.
I almost put four more this morning but then I remembered how miserable I was last weekend. ;D I was home for lunch.... pour baby pour, insane drip going. @) I actually think it will get cold enough tonight to run tomorrow as well, you should hold off until Sunday Ryan, you haven't had enough fun yet. ;D
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Sap is running really well at camp. I boiled down 40 gallons last weekend, mom & dad boiled 40 gallons that was donated by my uncle during the mid-week (the darker syrup), and I boiled down another 60 gallons this weekend. Given the syrup's color, I may get 2 more weeks of sap. I think my trees being down in the woods and still surrounded by significant snow is helping to prolong the season. I had sap boiling at 9:30am yesterday and had everything put up and cleaned at 7:30pm - A long day to be sure, but worth it.
This is most of the syrup from the 3 boils - Notice the difference between the syrup from my uncle's trees and that from mine....and he's only 15 miles away. I think this gives me about 6 gallons for the season.
(http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/brian_race/2011%20Icefishing%20Pics/003.jpg)
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Amazing the difference between the two properties Brian, I really need to experience this whole thing with you next season.
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And they say batch guys can't make fancy. :bow: Beautiful syrup Brian, I boiled my last 15 gallons of sap today and was surprised to see it had turned back light as well. @) You must have a lot bigger wallet than me, 20# cylinder of propane gone! :o
Almost 200 gal of sap and nearly 5 gallons of syrup, most of it already given away, its amazing how many friends you have during sugaring time! ;D
Great to see all the new guys that jumped into the hobby this spring, you picked a great year to do so. Come on open water, I'm ready. :tipup:
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First timer here. Tapped 8 big maples, got about 100 gallons of sap since mid march. Boiling right now (some over wood and some over propane turkey fryer).
This is my new after ice fishin hobby!
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First timer here. Tapped 8 big maples, got about 100 gallons of sap since mid march. Boiling right now (some over wood and some over propane turkey fryer).
This is my new after ice fishin hobby!
Glad to hear you had a good year Iceman!! 100 gallons of sap will give you plenty of Syrup for the family. But, like GameFisher stated, you've always got more friends during the maple season..... @)
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Thanks for your comments Eric - Coming from you, that means a lot!! Propane is definately more expensive then wood, but I like seeing sap boil 30 minutes after turning it on and continuing to boil for the entire day. Plus, my parents have a hard time handling a wood burner.
Harry - As you know, you've always got a place at my campfire. Just let me know when you're coming and we'll make it a grand weekend.
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i know its early but im starting to make my evaporator, does anyone know were i can get some 6" stainless buffet warming trays or something that will work better
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i know its early but im starting to make my evaporator, does anyone know were i can get some 6" stainless buffet warming trays or something that will work better
Can you let me know if you find anything like this, Im doing a project for school, in which im making maple syrup and im trying to find an easy way to boil it. I was going to use a turkey fryer but people said there wasnt enough surface area.
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i know its early but im starting to make my evaporator, does anyone know were i can get some 6" stainless buffet warming trays or something that will work better
Sam's Club
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Can you let me know if you find anything like this, Im doing a project for school, in which im making maple syrup and im trying to find an easy way to boil it. I was going to use a turkey fryer but people said there wasnt enough surface area.
turkey fryers work but it takes a long time. 10 hours to do 30 gallons of sap to finished produce +/-. ive been told not to use aluminum pots for long boils
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i have one i got from my mom who bought it from the school supply store thingy.
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im thinking its not going to be a good year for tapping :(
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im thinking its not going to be a good year for tapping :(
x2, no snow pack.
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that would suck :(
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yeah it sucks. but its the truth.
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I would imagine the sap is running right now!
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I would imagine the sap is running right now!
;D
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the weather is weird this year and with the temps in the 40s is it still too early to tap, even if its for a few days. ???
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Cut the arm off a maple that was hangin over the driveway two days ago and the sap ran both yesterday and today. The weather report says frigid this weekend, but I'm probly gonna punch holes in some trees first of next week.
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the amount of snow wil effect it. temps probably not. supposed to cool down later this week.
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MMMMMMM Can't wait to make some more YUMMINESS!!! I wife's family is in the progress of building a 20x20 sugar house at the Family Farm in Starks!!! :P
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/SANY1633.jpg)
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My Nephew called me tonight said he tapped a few trees today down here in Southern Maine and the sap was running good.
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Hmmmm. I started this thread four years ago.......got some awfully good milage out of it. Just found a handfull of taps out on the porch. Think I might tap a tree or two here in the yard in the next day or so.....just enough to make a pint or two....
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just finished my last jar of syrup from last year, good thing I'll be making some more soon!
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I'm still sitting on almost 2 gallons. @)
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I'm still sitting on almost 2 gallons. @)
I still have over a gallon myself and since someone stole my sap stove out of my camp I'll be downsizing a bit this year and going propane. :'(
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I still have over a gallon myself and since someone stole my sap stove out of my camp I'll be downsizing a bit this year and going propane. :'(
Thats stinks, last year was a good run thats for sure. I think I'm going to scale back this year to. @)
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It's time boyz. @)
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was thinking the same thing, gunna put the taps in tommorow :o :o :o :o :o
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WHERE IN SOUTHERN MAINE CAN I GET SUPPIES AS FAR AS TAPS AND HOSE
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Slaterys in Minot has prety much everything you need!
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WHERE IN SOUTHERN MAINE CAN I GET SUPPIES AS FAR AS TAPS AND HOSE
I would imagine any paris farmers union, or blue seal would have what you need.
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WHERE IN SOUTHERN MAINE CAN I GET SUPPIES AS FAR AS TAPS AND HOSE
Tractor Supply in sanford had some a week ago. Giles Orchard Store in alfred sold taps last year, thats where i bought mine and used lowes 5 gallon buckets.
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i'm sappin ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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already got sap huh?? i thought about it the other day when it was like 40 here in wisconsin, but we're still in the 10's and 20's every other week so i'm holding off. it's hard though. had a good first year last year...kind of made it a neighborhood affair with everyone coming out for cookout. drank a lot of beer last year and had quite a bit of good food with it. and in the end 4 gal. of sweet stuff!
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cmstearns - Nice, good luck!
I'm going to put a couple 'test taps' in today, but thinking I'll hold off at least another week to really get going. Still thinking it's early. Who knows though with the way this winter has been!
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cmstearns - Nice, good luck!
I'm going to put a couple 'test taps' in today, but thinking I'll hold off at least another week to really get going. Still thinking it's early. Who knows though with the way this winter has been!
It's not early... the trees in my yard are pizzzin sap out all over everything... I hate this time of year... I almost got stuck to my trailer yesterday from all the sap....
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It's not early... the trees in my yard are pizzzin sap out all over everything... I hate this time of year... I almost got stuck to my trailer yesterday from all the sap....
Put a bucket under it! ;D
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Put a bucket under it! ;D
I'm just about ready to fire up the chainsaw ;)
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Anyone start taping yet?
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Anyone start taping yet?
ya i have 6 out and there running good
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ya i have 6 out and there running good
I taped last year, but this weather this year is different, are you saying I should start taping?
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I taped last year, but this weather this year is different, are you saying I should start taping?
i dont have a clue what im doing this is my second year doing it, but looking at the forcast and the way this year is going the trees are going to bud out earlier. so im trying the early aproach
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i dont have a clue what im doing this is my second year doing it, but looking at the forcast and the way this year is going the trees are going to bud out earlier. so im trying the early aproach
HA so I guess we're in the same boat!!! :woot:
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iv tapped for 4 ears now?? i dont know if ill do it this year. maybe when i see taps out ill throw mine out for a lil bit.
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what is the best way to store sap til boil time
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what is the best way to store sap til boil time
With no snowpack, I'd say insulated drink coolers and don't let it sit to long before boiling, it spoils just like milk.
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last year i took some 2" foam board left over from the ice house and just made a 4x4 meat locker next to the cooker. last year i could just shovel snow into it...this year i'm thinking ice in an ice cream bucket from my freezer everyday.
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i know it's early but i tapped 8 trees and is getting some sap. just wondering if anyone else is tapping yet. my first question is what would make a good evaporation pan and where can i pick somthing like it up, i want to try wood this year.thanks ;D
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we been getting 40 gal a day and cook over wood and then finish with gas. i just got my sheet metal guy to cut me up some ss sheets and welded em together.
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My uncle has been tapping for a week or more now and he is up in the Garland/Dexter area. This year is way ahead of schedule.
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:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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The two 'test taps' I put out last week haven't done squat yet, but I probably have the rest in by the end of the weekend.
cmstearns - see if you can pick up a hotel pan/steam pan/buffet pan (4 - 6" deep). I got mine at cooking supply place in Winthrop (Caprera's?), but they have them at Sam's Club too.
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taped 12 trees today and it was running strong! this early spring caught me off guard, have to make some modifications to my boiling pan/ wood stove but I'll get her done and it will be better than ever!
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Too much fishing to do....hard to get time to get taps in....might have to do it in the dark some evening!! ;D
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Too much fishing to do....hard to get time to get taps in....might have to do it in the dark some evening!! ;D
I know what you mean! sometimes I think I have too many hobbies.
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Ttttappem boys!!! What you cook now will get you going til it starts to go real hard.
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Have 11 taps going here in Freeport...off to a bit of a slow start, but the syrup is a nice dark amber.
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mmmmmmmm yum
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what is the best way to store sap til boil time
Ready or not, here comes the sap. One trick for storing sap is to be sure and dump in all the ice from the sap buckets. Also if your just starting out try and get a good sized pan that way you can flood your pan to the top with sap fill your stove with wood and go to bed/work. I use this method and am able to cook down about 30 gallons a night and only have to get up once or twice to reload and flood pans. I do the same during the day before work / lunchtime swing home and reload. Have fun.
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I have about 50 buckets out and most are full, running great here boiling tomorrow....
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good flow today ;D
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I taped 4 more trees today and allmost had a steady stream of sap coming out one of them, I have never seen a tree drip so fast! :o
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Popping some Taps in tomorrow!!! ;D
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Popping some Taps in tomorrow!!! ;D
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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ITs that time of year again might have to go and pop some in to see how she's starting to flow.
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Thanks for starting and continuing this thread! I decided to try tapping a few trees around the house this year. Never done it before, no idea what I'm doing. Stuck 3 taps in Sunday and Monday just to test it out. Not much happened Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday, but I checked last night and was able to collect my first gallon. Last night I stumbled upon this and spent a good portion of the evening reading through all 25 pages of this thread. Lots of my questions were answered, and some that I wouldn't have even known to ask. In the end, I might only get enough to cover a couple of pancakes, but still, there's something satisfying about "growing your own"...
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Awesome Keychain - good luck! I put a half dozen more taps in this morning and sap was coming in at a pretty good clip. First day that it's really run for me so far. Hopefully have the rest in this weekend.
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i have another ????. i put 8 taps out and i have 6 good dripping taps and 2 duds. myy ??? is are the tap holes a dud and should i retap another hole or just let it go.
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Have they been in long? For whatever reason, some trees seem to go on a different schedule. I'd hang with them awhile longer and see what happens.
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Have they been in long? For whatever reason, some trees seem to go on a different schedule. I'd hang with them awhile longer and see what happens.
i tapped a week ago even when i drilled them they seamed dry so they must not have triggered yet,
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IceDrinka My nephew has a Qt of finished product. He says he has 30 gallons sap ready for a second boil. I have been down in Florida just got back so maybe I'll get on board and try my luck..
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In my experience, you know, being an expert and all after setting out three whole taps :)
I put two taps in the same tree. First one was dry, second one on the other side of the tree was practically gushing out when I drilled. The "dry" one did start producing a bit, but not even a third of the amount as the other. Seems like the first one must have missed the vein. So I'd say the occasional dud is bound to happen...
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im gunna do a boil on sunday and watch the 500/ i only have 15 gallons and was wondering if i could boil it to almost syrup like 215 degres and then stop and put it in the fridge and finish it when i have a bigger batch.
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working on boiling down my fist batch, got a late start tonight because I had to set up the stove, Its going to be a late night!
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drip drip drip ;D
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not a good day for the sap run only collected about7 gal, on the bright side it will be a early night!
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Alright guy's, my first time ever doing anything like this (it's fun...for sure), but I have a question. Time is limited, and I can't boil down my sap
right away, so I have started to store it in the fridge, until I get enough to boil down. Is this OK to do?
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18 taps in....run seems a little slow right now, but hopefully it'll pick up!! :-\
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almost done my first boil, now time to filter and bottle
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Hows the sap runnin ?
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Hows the sap runnin ?
I put 18 taps in and the temps drop!!! No FLOW right now!! :-\
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Yeah, temp drop did seem to slow things down, didn't it? I decided to do my first trial run Sunday with 2 gallons, just to see how it would come out. Ended up with about 3 oz and it tastes great. Pretty happy with the results for my first time...
(http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/IMG_8199.jpg)
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Yea the wind is no help to running either.....need wind to stop and temps to go back up. We have boiled twice so far (120 gallons) sap that is we have about 2.5 gal of syrup!!!!!!
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Long range looks dynamite. @)
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Long range looks dynamite. @)
:thumbsup: and it looks like snow pack will be back in southern maine
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checked my buckets today and to my surprise they where about 1/2 full of slush, got enough to boil so I'm back in business at least for tonight!
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What are they selling the finished product for a gallon?? It's around $40 per gallon here in michigan.
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I'm a virgin tapper. ;) But today I tapped my first trees. ;D
Sap was running good for a bit. Anyone else tapped ?
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I'm a virgin tapper. ;) But today I tapped my first trees. ;D
Sap was running good for a bit. Anyone else tapped ?
I have a couple trees tapped. It hasn't really done much around my place. I've made almost quart. @)
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Going to tap next week with the new buisness boiling should be alot easier. My grill and exhaust fan should make for a nice finish area. I can set pots overnight too and keep it low and slow.
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I'm a virgin tapper. ;) But today I tapped my first trees. ;D
Sap was running good for a bit. Anyone else tapped ?
(http://i804.photobucket.com/albums/yy323/edman2010/sap.jpg)
Tapped 11 trees, got about 6 gals sap this weekend. Should be a good week for sap run down here. Here's a picture of my set up for now.
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(http://i804.photobucket.com/albums/yy323/edman2010/sap.jpg)
Tapped 11 trees, got about 6 gals sap this weekend. Should be a good week for sap run down here. Here's a picture of my set up for now.
I was wondering were my kerosene container got off to! ;D(j/k) I like that setup. Me and the youngest sap hauler set out 10 last night, according to Westerly, we haven't missed much yet. @) Hoping to have to boil by Sunday. :tipup:
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Hoping my taps thaw today...I have frozen full gallon jugs hanging on taps!! :-\
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ya true but i hope the night temp go below freezing this week with highs in the 50s ::)
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ya true but i hope the night temp go below freezing this week with highs in the 50s ::)
Yes sir was thinking the same thing!!! ;D
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ya true but i hope the night temp go below freezing this week with highs in the 50s ::)
That's the key element right there boyz, if the trees don't reset themselves at night, it could be a very short season before the trees start to bud. :(
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Only picked up four gallons off 26 taps after yesterdays warm weather. :-\
Was hoping for more, but we'll see what today brings...
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Only picked up four gallons off 26 taps after yesterdays warm weather. :-\
Was hoping for more, but we'll see what today brings...
Same deal here Ryan, I didn't do squat yesterday and it didn't go below 32 last night either..... :'(
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Anybody else surprised with their collection today? I dumped all mine yesterday, but checked again just in case. Only have 9 taps in, 3 were dry, but got almost 3 gallons out of the others. For a small timer like me, that means a late night tonight. Wasn't expecting to boil, but it's rolling now...
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Today was my best day of sap collection. I got about 8 gallons off of 12 taps. ;D
How long can I save / stock pile the sap in a large marine cooler?
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Good question, not sure. I would assume if it still has some ice chunks in it and stays under 40 degrees or so it would be fine. No expert here though. This year is my first attempt. I'm storing mine in a 5 gal igloo and boiling it off as soon as I think I might not have enough room for the next collection. I think I have a whopping 8 oz of syrup after two boils. The last one got a little thick, about the consistency of honey. I may try to thin it down with some of tonight's product...
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Already boiled 4 times here in NE Ohio for a total of 5 gal of syrup so far this season and sitting on another 40 gal or so of sap from wed and thur. Will be boiling again Saturday for sure. It's our first real year of it(last yr we experimented a little). Unfortunately there was no icefishing this year in Ohio so had to take advantage of what mother nature gave us- early sap:-) I guess my brand new gas auger gets to sit in the basement for while before I get to crank er up. In the mean time, more waffles please! Good luck fishin and boiling guys
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I collected 5-6 gal. off 9 taps yesterday, (dropped my first bucket of the day :%$#!: ;D). Simply bury your water jugs, buckets, coolers, etc. in the snow and you'll be fine, I'm boiling Sunday. You'll know if its gone bad, it spoils just like milk and will be milky colored instead of clear. When in doubt, dump it. Hoping for another "surprise" run myself today, even though it didn't drop below freezing again last night. Sunday and Monday's run will be the best of the season, take it to the bank. @)
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Glad some of you guys are getting decent sap - it was another disappointing day for me. Nine buckets were bone dry, and I only managed five gallons from the other 17. :-\ I have a few more taps that I didn't use because I thought I'd have way too much to deal with, but now I think I need to put em in just to have enough to make what I've already promised to give away! I'm going to leave them a bit longer and see what happens but any suggestions from you long time tappers? Did I tap too early (Feb 25) and the holes are already shutting down? Should I pull em and tap different trees? Or maybe ream the 7/16 holes with a 15/32 to freshen them up? What do ya think - after Monday it looks pretty bleak and I want to be able to make the most of it...
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Glad some of you guys are getting decent sap - it was another disappointing day for me. Nine buckets were bone dry, and I only managed five gallons from the other 17. :-\ I have a few more taps that I didn't use because I thought I'd have way too much to deal with, but now I think I need to put em in just to have enough to make what I've already promised to give away! I'm going to leave them a bit longer and see what happens but any suggestions from you long time tappers? Did I tap too early (Feb 25) and the holes are already shutting down? Should I pull em and tap different trees? Or maybe ream the 7/16 holes with a 15/32 to freshen them up? What do ya think - after Monday it looks pretty bleak and I want to be able to make the most of it...
Hang tight Ryan, some of your trees just haven't woken up yet, they will Sunday. ;) You might be right about the SHORT season, looks almost tropical next week, bad for sapping, good for open water! :thumbsup:
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Hang tight Ryan, some of your trees just haven't woken up yet, they will Sunday. ;) You might be right about the SHORT season, looks almost tropical next week, bad for sapping, good for open water! :thumbsup:
I agree, I think my trees are late runners too!!! Hoping to boil this Sunday!!! :P
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I had a couple good days early in the week. Today was not good. What sap
i collected today from the last couple days is stained. Those trees you don't think are awake yet might be further along than you think. I cut some wood this week and the trees look like they were cut in June and no sap coming out of the stumps. And if it is early it's only forcast below freezing like one or two nights between now and the end of next week. I'm glad i don't really need it this year, after a superb year last year this year looks like a bust. now if we can get rid of the mud. We were drying out nice till those last couple storms. @)
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Just collected around 15 gallons of nice clear sap!!! :P
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I don't think my trees gave up a drop yesterday. I did put four more new taps in last evening (up to 30 now) - two ran right off the bat, and two were dry. I can't figure it out. I'll be boiling tomorrow and after that I guess I'll just take whatever I can get. A far cry from last year. :-\
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I don't think my trees gave up a drop yesterday. I did put four more new taps in last evening (up to 30 now) - two ran right off the bat, and two were dry. I can't figure it out. I'll be boiling tomorrow and after that I guess I'll just take whatever I can get. A far cry from last year. :-\
Wait till tomorrow afternoon unless you've had some sitting awhile Ryan, 1 gal. per tap day coming, then the season is over. ;D
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my first sttempt at an evaporator. my blower is a little big lol
(http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx306/cmstearns5978/004-2.jpg)
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18 taps....25 gallons of sap....8 hours of boiling....
Finish Pot...
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/SANY2586.jpg)
Finish Product.....1st Batch of Liquid Gold!! :P
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/SANY2587.jpg)
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8 hrs on the electric stove...... use must work for the power company ::)lol looks good!
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8 hrs on the electric stove...... use must work for the power company ::)lol looks good!
I only finish on the electric stove....the earlier boil is on propane burners!!
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Looks good Adam are those qts or pnt ars?
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Looks good Adam are those qts or pnt ars?
Pints!! ;D
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(http://i804.photobucket.com/albums/yy323/edman2010/sapisboilin.jpg)(http://i804.photobucket.com/albums/yy323/edman2010/Makingsyrup.jpg)
Started at 7 30 am its 9 30 pm and I'm still going at it. Thank god for the Captain... ;D ;D
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My family has a 80 acre bush with about 5,000 taps. Im away at college but what i hear is that its been running pretty good. Looks like its not going to the next couple days because of the real high temps and lack of freezing at night but ill be home monday morning to start helping while im on spring break
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Collected 6 gallons yesterday....hoping to collect at least another 25 gallons!!
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Everyone's stuff looks great! Fired up the new and improved maple machine for the first boil yesterday. Goes a lot faster than last years two pan model (but I was still at it under lights at 10 pm :) ). Figured the back pans would end up just being preheaters but if everything was just right, all four boiled pretty good! Boiled around 35/40 gallons and will finish it off tonight. Sap was coming fast and furious when I last saw it this morning - looks like a big day. :thumbsup:
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/DSC_0422b.jpg)
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That PBR add good flavor to the syrup?? ;D
You can drop off my pint on the 7th at the Legion....anytime between 4-11pm ;)
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Everyone's stuff looks great! Fired up the new and improved maple machine for the first boil yesterday. Goes a lot faster than last years two pan model (but I was still at it under lights at 10 pm :) ). Figured the back pans would end up just being preheaters but if everything was just right, all four boiled pretty good! Boiled around 35/40 gallons and will finish it off tonight. Sap was coming fast and furious when I last saw it this morning - looks like a big day. :thumbsup:
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/DSC_0422b.jpg)
That looks AWESOME!! Great Set Up!! :thumbsup:
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Everyone's stuff looks great! Fired up the new and improved maple machine for the first boil yesterday. Goes a lot faster than last years two pan model (but I was still at it under lights at 10 pm :) ). Figured the back pans would end up just being preheaters but if everything was just right, all four boiled pretty good! Boiled around 35/40 gallons and will finish it off tonight. Sap was coming fast and furious when I last saw it this morning - looks like a big day. :thumbsup:
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/DSC_0422b.jpg)
Thats a great set up!!
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finish boil
(http://i804.photobucket.com/albums/yy323/edman2010/finishboil.jpg)
Liquid Gold
(http://i804.photobucket.com/albums/yy323/edman2010/1stbatchofMaplesyrup2012.jpg)
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Looks Great Ed!!! :thumbsup: So are you hooked ??? ;D
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Looks Great Ed!!! :thumbsup: So are you hooked ??? ;D
x2 Who knew standing over a propane burner for 15 hrs. to make 2.5 quarts of syrup could be so much fun! ;D
I've got some going outside right now, best run of the yr. today by far. @)
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x2 Who knew standing over a propane burner for 15 hrs. to make 2.5 quarts of syrup could be so much fun! ;D
I've got some going outside right now, best run of the yr. today by far. @)
Thanks guys, I am hooked. I collected aabout 10 gallons last two days.
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I saw this, and thought it looked like a great idea for the small-scale producers: (https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/421858_372207666130866_191395747545393_1422834_1941553691_n.jpg)
Made from a file cabinet: (https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/429430_372208969464069_191395747545393_1422845_632813422_n.jpg)
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the first batch, and with this stupid weather might be the last :'( . what do ya think ;D
(http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx306/cmstearns5978/bo.jpg)think
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the first batch, and with this stupid weather might be the last :'( . what do ya think ;D
(http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx306/cmstearns5978/bo.jpg)think
Looks Great!!! Where'd you get ur bottles? How much syrup is that ? 12 oz bottles or 8 oz?
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Almost screwed up 7 hours of boiling last night by by getting caught up in an episode of Pawn Stars, got it just in time, just have to finish and bottle. Night time lows look much more favorable in my area now, freezing or below through Sat., might not be over after all! @)
Ryan - great looking setup minus the PBR, showoff. ;D
CStearns - you are a quick study, well done. What was your filtering process?
BDuckin - on your next batch, fill your bottles chock block full to avoid spoilage.
Jeff- I have seen that file cabinet setup on another site, one guy is actually boiling in an old alum truck box as well, amazing the crude inventions people come up with and still make great syrup. :thumbsup:
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the first batch, and with this stupid weather might be the last :'( . what do ya think ;D
(http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx306/cmstearns5978/bo.jpg)think
That is Great!!! :thumbsup: Yeah...where did you get those bottles?? ::)
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Almost screwed up 7 hours of boiling last night by by getting caught up in an episode of Pawn Stars, got it just in time, just have to finish and bottle. Night time lows look much more favorable in my area now, freezing or below through Sat., might not be over after all! @)
Ryan - great looking setup minus the PBR, showoff. ;D
CStearns - you are a quick study, well done. What was your filtering process?
BDuckin - on your next batch, fill your bottles chock block full to avoid spoilage.
Jeff- I have seen that file cabinet setup on another site, one guy is actually boiling in an old alum truck box as well, amazing the crude inventions people come up with and still make great syrup. :thumbsup:
:roflmao:
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Lots of places you can get bottles, do a search for maple syrup bottles. I get mine from www.atkinsonmaple.com (http://www.atkinsonmaple.com)
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That is Great!!! :thumbsup: Yeah...where did you get those bottles?? ::)
i got the from andersons, andersonsmaplesyrup.co m/ good service and good prices. the ones i got were the 8 oz bottles, they were 9$ for 12. not too bad, i think this is the perfect size for personal use. ;D
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(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r283/vermonner/mainline.jpg)
A couple of main lines for a few taps (17,000) ;)
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r283/vermonner/evaporator.jpg)
A wee little rig to make a small batch of syrup (60+ GPH)
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, syrup
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Scott - Does the PBR make the syrup better? PBR makes EVERYTHING better!! ;D
That looks like quite an operation vermonner - hope you are making enough syrup this year to make it all worthwhile! Great looking syrup cmstearns and blackduck. :thumbsup: Did you guys filter it before you bottled it? I really hate the filtering and skimped on it a little with last nights batch. Seems like the last third takes forever to drip through. Ended up with three and half quarts and the new hydrometer was awesome gamefisher! So much easier and removed all my doubts about the endpoint. Big day yesterday - already have close to 30 gallons waiting for the boiler!
Any idea how much propane you used, Eric? Probably not to late to get hold of a file cabinet...
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/DSC_0423.jpg)
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Not as bad as I was expecting on propane, a little less than a tank for 20+ gallons I'd say. I did surround it with cinder blocks to help keep the heat under the pan. If I thought the season was going to amount too much I'd do something different but will ride out the propane cost for this year I think.
I hear you about filtering such small batches Ryan, I'm actually going to try "old school" with this batch, no filtering, just finish it off, let it sit and settle for a few days in a cool place, re-heat to 180, and carefully pour, we'll see, I'll let you know results.
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Yeah, Westerly, I'm just a rookie hired hand on that operation this year. I hope they have a good year, but we're all worried about this consistently warm weather. Trying to learn all I can so I can get into it myself. This guy has his operation together, he's good for me to learn from.
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you guys are lucky to have had much of a syrup season at all. it is 70 deg here in wisconsin right now and no sap! this time last year i already had 2 40 gal. cook offs. now i have 10 gals buried in the last snow pile i pushed together with a wheeler and all of the snow is gone!! with the heat all of this week i'm thinking the trees will bud and that will be it! there is no sub 32 deg temps in the forcast for the next week to a week and a half...and definetly no sap. so have fun while you can!! my syrup season is going as well as my ice fishing season did so far!!
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you guys are lucky to have had much of a syrup season at all. it is 70 deg here in wisconsin right now and no sap! this time last year i already had 2 40 gal. cook offs. now i have 10 gals buried in the last snow pile i pushed together with a wheeler and all of the snow is gone!! with the heat all of this week i'm thinking the trees will bud and that will be it! there is no sub 32 deg temps in the forcast for the next week to a week and a half...and definetly no sap. so have fun while you can!! my syrup season is going as well as my ice fishing season did so far!!
Sorry to hear that!!! It is VERY depressing!!! :'(
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Sorry to hear that!!! It is VERY depressing!!! :'(
As depressing as it is for us hacks, imagine the people who depend on the sap season for income! :'( I'm not convinced freezing / thawing is over yet, the question will be more what happens to the trees next week when its 60's / 70's. :o
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Is it cheaper to buy the syrup and use the wood for heat.
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Is it cheaper to buy the syrup and use the wood for heat.
Oh I agree x10. Do you know how much money time and effort is put into that and hope you know what your doing? lmao My wife likes doing it and I help her but it is NOT my idea of fun.
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Lots of places you can get bottles, do a search for maple syrup bottles. I get mine from www.atkinsonmaple.com (http://www.atkinsonmaple.com)
Thanks Phoenix. Can never have to many sites to check out.
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i got the from andersons, andersonsmaplesyrup.co m/ good service and good prices. the ones i got were the 8 oz bottles, they were 9$ for 12. not too bad, i think this is the perfect size for personal use. ;D
Thanks CM!!
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Is it cheaper to buy the syrup and use the wood for heat.
yes if you add the cost of beer!! ;) ;) but i wouldn't do that if i were you. i would say that by the time i get done i'm probably hovering around the $30 per gallon.
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Well I went to check my taps today...DRY!!! :'( I would love to have at least 10-15 more gallons of sap...I have 12 right now....anyone have any near by they can spare ??? ;D
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Is it cheaper to buy the syrup and use the wood for heat.
True! but if we all thought like that it would be its cheaper to stay home and save the gas and bait and buy our fish at Hanaford. ;D ;D
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Well I went to check my taps today...DRY!!! :'( I would love to have at least 10-15 more gallons of sap...I have 12 right now....anyone have any near by they can spare ??? ;D
If you come up this way I'm sure I could spare some. My runs are just begining :sick: if you give me a day or two heads up I can give it to you in 5 gallon jugs and this stuff is CLEAR seems like is closer to 32 to 1 then 40 to 1 :o Good stuff but so far slow in 6 days off 20 spiles I have 38 gallons we haven't had the big run yet I'm guessing the next few days may do something good or at least I hope I would like to try for 5 gallons of finished product this year.
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i got them from andersons, www.andersonsmaplesyru p.com good service and good prices. the ones i got were the 8 oz bottles, they were 9$ for 12. not too bad, i think this is the perfect size for personal use.
andersons is about 20 miles from my house...i love that place and find it funny that you guys in maine are buying bottles from wisconsin. i have been up there several times and they are truly very helpful during all aspects of the process. just flat out good people running a family operation. if ya gotta spend money on something it is a good place to look. the first year we bought taps online...cause that's usually where i find things cheepest. then we went up to andersons and they were half the price even after the shipping. so i also bought a filter and a cup and hydrometer. got lots of info that first year to get us going...i must have talked to that poor gal in the store for over and hour. it's just funny someone mentioned them!! what a small world we live in!!
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Is it cheaper to buy the syrup and use the wood for heat.
But it dosen't taste as good....the Wife makes me do it!! She is Great....she tells me every year...I have to shoot at least 2 deer, and I have to catch her fish to eat, and I have to make HOMEMADE Maple Syrup, and we can't share any of it!! :P
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it might flow today ::)
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it might flow today ::)
I was thinking the same thing!!! :thumbsup:
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I was thinking the same thing!!! :thumbsup:
I was hoping the same. It dipped down to at least 30 degrees at my house last night. Hopefully that will trigger a couple more gallons for me to finish off one last boil...
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Fingers crossed here too - got down to 25 last night, but it's going to have to warm up some more for anything to happen today. Still only 34 on my thermometer. Next week looks plain awful for sap, but good for early ice out (on the bright side :) ).
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Fingers crossed here too - got down to 25 last night, but it's going to have to warm up some more for anything to happen today. Still only 34 on my thermometer. Next week looks plain awful for sap, but good for early ice out (on the bright side :) ).
But then look at the temps beyond that....... ;)
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My son started boiling his sap last night at 9:30 and when I went to work this morning at 7:00 he was still going. He had about 265 gallons to boil through the evaporator he built.
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For as chilly as it seemed today, was pleasantly surprised when I came home and saw the buckets. @)
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Not so much here in 04039. Granted, I only have 9 taps, but only got a gallon or so today. Decided to boil the whole 2.5 gallons ;D that I had stored up assuming we had moved into warmer temps. Now i see that it's 29 and maybe we'll have another run tomorrow? Who knows...
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slow up north, if it gets warm 60 for 5-6 days then back down cold will we be ok. What is the cutoff point when you can't get anymore sap. This is only my second year and I quite early last year as I had enough sap before it quite running. This year has been good one day bad for 6 then a good one. still hoping for the big drain;
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Good question Crab. First year for me so I can't offer much, but wondering the same. I'm thinking if we get more than a week of above freezing all day and night that it's time to pull the taps. But I'm keeping all (9 ;D) of mine in until they've been dry for more than a week and there's no hint of freezing beyond that...
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I think once the tree starts to bud is when your done...I'm not sure but I think it gets a little less clear but I'm no expert either maybe one will chime in and let us know.
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I think once the tree starts to bud is when your done...I'm not sure but I think it gets a little less clear but I'm no expert either maybe one will chime in and let us know.
If I remember right, it will start running darker ???
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The trees will let you know. Yes, it will be all dark from here on out but for personal use, that stuff taste way better than the stuff made for tourist anyway! ;D Work on your suntans this week coming boyz, the following week its back to sapping. @)
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I was surprised to find over 10 gallons hanging on trees when I got home last night. Got that taken care of and then went out after some cusk last night. The holes were skimming over pretty quickly and I'm guessing we had another good freeze. Pretty raw out today, so we'll see. Should have well over 40 gallons to boil this weekend and not seeing much for buds popping yet - hoping it last a little longer!
"Grade A is for flatlanders" - new bumpah stickah?
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I was surprised to find over 10 gallons hanging on trees when I got home last night. Got that taken care of and then went out after some cusk last night. The holes were skimming over pretty quickly and I'm guessing we had another good freeze. Pretty raw out today, so we'll see. Should have well over 40 gallons to boil this weekend and not seeing much for buds popping yet - hoping it last a little longer!
"Grade A is for flatlanders" - new bumpah stickah?
You catch on quick, that Dark Amber stuff is the = to a good Gritty's stout! (just had lunch in Freeport - yum yum! ;D) Don't know how or why bud but they are running good here today as well! :thumbsup:
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just checked my trees, it ran great today probably the best day? all the buckets are full! ;D
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Heres a picture of what I got. Just checked the sap I have, it appears to be cloudy? what is up? Is it spoiled now , should i boil it down or toss it? Thanks Ed
(http://i804.photobucket.com/albums/yy323/edman2010/MmmmmmmSyrup.jpg)
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Workin' on another boil....stole some sap from my summer boss!!!! :thumbsup:
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/SANY2603.jpg)
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/SANY2604.jpg)
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buckets had about 7 gal of sap today! looks like its over for this season so I took down my buckets and pulled my taps. boiling down my last batch tonight. :'(
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Got caught up watching the race (recorded) and checking out Iceshanty posts, forgot I had what is likely my last boil finishing on the stove. Probably ruined it. Well, if it turns out to be candy instead of syrup, I guess it's not really "ruined". :)
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Got caught up watching the race (recorded) and checking out Iceshanty posts, forgot I had what is likely my last boil finishing on the stove. Probably ruined it. Well, if it turns out to be candy instead of syrup, I guess it's not really "ruined". :)
As long as its not burnt, simply add a little tap water if you are out of sap and re-boil. @)
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Started my first evap yesterday. 65 gals
(http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x410/grub662/343.jpg)
(http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x410/grub662/344-1.jpg)
(http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x410/grub662/345.jpg)
It works pretty good.
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As long as its not burnt, simply add a little tap water if you are out of sap and re-boil. @)
Thanks gamefisher, did just that and it doesn't look too bad. A little darker than the other batches, and maybe a bit more sediment on the bottom, but it tasted just fine...
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Last Batch of Liquid Gold....Dark Amber!!! :P Sorry for the picture quality, didn't have my camera on me at the time. :-\
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/0318121538.jpg)
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I think once the tree starts to bud is when your done...I'm not sure but I think it gets a little less clear but I'm no expert either maybe one will chime in and let us know.
Yup, once they break bud, you're done, tastes like hammered arse, too. Wouldn't give it to the neighbor I hate. Smells like sweat socks in the sugar house. Sap gets a 'tangy' odor to it and tends to be yellow/cloudy.
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Yup, once they break bud, you're done, tastes like hammered arse, too. Wouldn't give it to the neighbor I hate. Smells like sweat socks in the sugar house. Sap gets a 'tangy' odor to it and tends to be yellow/cloudy.
I dont know what hammered arse tastes like would you like to explain? lmao
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I dont know what hammered arse tastes like would you like to explain? lmao
....or so I've been told...
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Get ready sap-a-holics - looking like the weekend of the 23rd might be the time to tap! @)
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I sugared for 20+ years got to big for my britches took all the fun out of it, only holes I will be drilling now are the ones I fish thru and....... well leave it at that!! ;D
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i was thinking the same thing ;D ;D ;D
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I'm just glad we got tracks on the Farmall H, looks like there may be some snow in the woods this spring! It's gotta be better than last spring...
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It hasd started in Southern Maine boyz... My nephew has about 60 gallons collected already... first boil coming soon..
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i have taps out and 5 gallons of sap more to come ;D
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I'm curios why this post which has nothing to do with ice fishing never gets moved,but any other post gets moved quickly ??? :o :nono:
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Off topic, and we are assembling sap sack holders in the basement now, getting ready!
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Wow...you guys are already getting sap huh? Well over here in Wisconsin yesterday's high was 3 deg. I'm thinking march now for tapping!
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We always get a run or 2 in Feb, then it freezes back up for 2 weeks the we start to sugar, old timers tap out town meeting day.....
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You know when you see the Maple Taps post come up that the best part of the ice fishing season is upon us, hanging out on the lake in a sweatshirt jigging up fish, dozing in a chair by the shack and soaking up the sun with no gloves on, being able invite some folks out fishing and not have to huddle up in the shack like sardines. It also reminds me that I need to get my butt in gear, clean up all my sugaring equipment and re-weld the smokepipe on my evaporator that broke off about 6 months ago , clean out all the crap I've stuffed in my makeshift sugar shack and start tapping some trees.
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I'm curios why this post which has nothing to do with ice fishing never gets moved,but any other post gets moved quickly ??? :o :nono:
Cause fresh syrup goes good on fish.
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I'm curios why this post which has nothing to do with ice fishing never gets moved,but any other post gets moved quickly ??? :o :nono:
Wahhhh @)
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I'm curios why this post which has nothing to do with ice fishing never gets moved,but any other post gets moved quickly ??? :o :nono:
Come On Man!!!
After 31 pages, 610 replies and nearly 20,000 views on this topic, you have to ask?
I would say that obviously this "off topic" has shown tremendous interest from the ice fishing community each and every year. Most of the people on here respond to the anticipated start of the maple syrup season with great enthusiasm.
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We sure do dennis .. the kids are bugging me to maybe make some this year. Been walking the wifes property looking for tapable tree's. Whats the smallest tree's we can tap guys?
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TAKE A 2 INCH MAPLE
BEND THE TOP DOWN NEAR THE GROUND AND TIE IT THERE
CUT OFF THE TOP AND PUT A BUCKET UNDER IT !
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Tapping this weekend, 1,200 (ish) taps, been cutting in tees at night all week. New pump, New 3x12 D&G Natural gas fired rig, New sugarhouse. Weather looks good from Friday on. Bring it. Who needs sleep?
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I'm curios why this post which has nothing to do with ice fishing never gets moved,but any other post gets moved quickly ??? :o :nono:
A bribe of pure maple syrup. :whistle: >:D :bow:
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A bribe of pure maple syrup. :whistle: >:D :bow:
2 pints each season we let the thread run :clap: :P
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I'm curios why this post which has nothing to do with ice fishing never gets moved,but any other post gets moved quickly ??? :o :nono:
Guessing maybe one of those guys always picked last on the baseball team when younger ??? :o ;D
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Guessing maybe one of those guys always picked last on the baseball team when younger ??? :o ;D
What the H**ll is BasketBall?? NO i spent every waking moment in the woods & on the water were real Men Play :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:
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What the H**ll is BasketBall?? NO i spent every waking moment in the woods & on the water were real Men Play :roflmao: :roflmao:
Well then, I would have thought you to be most familiar with something equally near and dear to Maine's heritage as maple sugaring. @)
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Well then, I would have thought you to be most familiar with something equally near and dear to Maine's heritage as maple sugaring. @)
I love Maple syrup .but i don't understand why this thread was never pulled when every other OT thread gets moved?? I don't care one way or the other.Just curios??????
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I love Maple syrup .but i don't understand why this thread was never pulled when every other OT thread gets moved?? I don't care one way or the other.Just curios??????
Let it be known that this thread HAS been moved quite a number of times, but it always seems to find it's way back home......kind of like a lost dog @)
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I love Maple syrup .but i don't understand why this thread was never pulled when every other OT thread gets moved?? I don't care one way or the other.Just curios??????
I believe its you that asks this same question every single year, wouldn't it be great if we could just leave it alone and have some fun with it ??? It only stays up "in season" and then it disappears, thank you. :)
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We sure do dennis .. the kids are bugging me to maybe make some this year. Been walking the wifes property looking for tapable tree's. Whats the smallest tree's we can tap guys?
10-12 inch tree in diameter is about the smallest ill drill one into, but save them for a last resort. Look at the crowns of the tree,the bigger the crown the more sap, the more sun they get the better to, trees on a South facing edge will give u more sap than the same tree in a dense patch of woods. @)
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Went up to the Family Farm in Starks today....sap is runnin' up there!!! :thumbsup: :P
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Ok. I have to ask, am I nuts for wanti g to try this in RI?
I am dying to try it with the kids. Very modest property here and will do a maple survey soon to see what my real prospects for the season.
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Put out some taps today. Some were running better than others but they were running.
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Put out some taps today. Some were running better than others but they were running.
I definitely think there is sap to be had this week, albeit a modest run, I've just been to lazy to waddle through the snow. ;D I did go to Bacon Farms in Sidney Sat. for a few things and started grabbing all the equipment so getting close to making a move. @) They were actually doing a small boil surprisingly.
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I've been dragging my heels a little too but I finally had time to wash the buckets last night and hung a half dozen or so this morning. Sap was dripping in all of them. Might need to get the snowshoes out and get the rest in this weekend.
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Put out one test tap on Sunday. When I checked it Monday night, dry as a bone. But when I checked it last night there was about a half gallon there. Just need to find the time to start drilling and tapping now...
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Put out one test tap on Sunday. When I checked it Monday night, dry as a bone. But when I checked it last night there was about a half gallon there. Just need to find the time to start drilling and tapping now...
Seems like yesterday was about 1/2 gal. per tap day according to those that post on Mapletrader. I've been slowly gathering items, going to make my move on Sat. between bball games. With busy kids, trying to cut down on the workload and stream line the operation a bit, doing away with bukets this year in favor of tubing into water jugs, fill the jug with sap and swap out a new is the plan. Wait till you guys see my "new" combo. propane or wood boiler, I'll post a pic when all set up, it will be a thing of beauty. ;D
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My neighbor is boiling 60 gallons today, and it looks good for at least the next 4 days nonstop.
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This thread brings back some great memories. I wish I had access to a few maples.
WS
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first boil of the season, and her first ever boil, she loved being in the steam.....
(http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx306/cmstearns5978/EDC46A6F-69DC-479E-8B86-12E94BBEF293-1262-000001688B90E5C9_zps7ef92a8d.jpg)
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Put some taps in today.....dripping good!! :P
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Maples? Tapped! After a few test taps last week, I put the rest out this morning. Last year (my first year) I only put out 10. This year I'm doubling that. Have 18 out now and will put a couple more out once I can scrounge up a couple more buckets. Most of the ones I drilled today were dripping before I could hang the buckets.
http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/77AB867B-6286-405D-907E-5CFAEE099D6E-5568-0000096ADF620AC1_zpse3f925ef.mp4 (http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/77AB867B-6286-405D-907E-5CFAEE099D6E-5568-0000096ADF620AC1_zpse3f925ef.mp4)
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I know some of you are into collecting sap. So how's it going? The weather seems right for it. Mud season is here for sure.
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I know some of you are into collecting sap. So how's it going? The weather seems right for it. Mud season is here for sure.
It hasn't cut loose yet but should by the weekend. For comparison, I put 10 taps in on Sat. and have about 10-12 gal so far. One a good day, I'll get that amount in one day. I like to wait until 40 gal. to boil, that's an 8-10 hr. day for me with my pan size and will give approx. 1 gal. of finished product. @)
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I haven't gotten below 30 degrees in over a week and the trees have shut right off. Not even a gallon off 40 taps over the past couple days. Need a good freeze and some sun to get things going again.
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My "operation" is small-time for sure. Last night I tried to do a small boil, only 3-4 gallons, just to see how it would come out. Underestimated the time required to do that and decided to shut it down a little after midnight when it was only half to three quarters done. I let it cool and dumped it back in the cooler and will try to finish it off tonight. Just hope I haven't wasted that batch by stopping partway through...
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My "operation" is small-time for sure. Last night I tried to do a small boil, only 3-4 gallons, just to see how it would come out. Underestimated the time required to do that and decided to shut it down a little after midnight when it was only half to three quarters done. I let it cool and dumped it back in the cooler and will try to finish it off tonight. Just hope I haven't wasted that batch by stopping partway through...
Your fine, just bury everything in the snow. Find the pan that you access to that has the most surface area, not a pot, lasagna pan, steam table pan, etc.
I'm sitting on a whopping 12 gal. right now myself. :o ;D
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Have about 18 taps out now. Need the sun to come out and get things flowing!!!
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finally got my taps in yesterday, collected about 14 gal of sap today out of 12 buckets!
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tapped a doz trees sunday, monday night had 20 gals. since then about 8 gallons tonight . Same prob. here. Not getting cold enough at night. I haven't had a freeze since sat night. This weekends looking good. With the trees I already had tapped before sunday I'm sitting on about 40 gallons. Probably take care of it tommorow night. @)
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my first of the year./././././(http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx306/cmstearns5978/64d2b991-7aa6-4ecd-880d-d5b23c5f6c45_zps87b780c7.jpg)
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I have trees to rent.... half the crop should cover it...yum yum..any takers?/
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LOL. Never heard of that. You are the business man.
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my first of the year./././././(http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx306/cmstearns5978/64d2b991-7aa6-4ecd-880d-d5b23c5f6c45_zps87b780c7.jpg)
:o that needs a few more hours on the burner.
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my first of the year./././././(http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx306/cmstearns5978/64d2b991-7aa6-4ecd-880d-d5b23c5f6c45_zps87b780c7.jpg)
looks like grade A Light Amber to me!
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:o that needs a few more hours on the burner.
nope its perfect. i have a hydromiter and candy therem.
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nope its perfect. i have a hydromiter and candy therem.
Must be the lighting making it look so clear.
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no im just that good ::) ;D
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Yeah, mine looks a bit muddier than that. Still tastes good though ;D
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no im just that good ::) ;D
I guess so... ::)
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The boy and I put in 10 taps last Sat. and have collected 22 gal. since. Like every back yarder, always tweeking the operation. ;D This year, going tubing into 5 gal. water buckets, capping when full, and storing until boil, no buckets. @) Here is the overall, very sophisticated setup: ;D
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/F6F4821D-6542-4795-9CAA-3714C3425FC6-27455-000012FAD443FD76_zpsac8b9612.jpg)
Although my barrel is really made to wood boil, many days I just don't have a full day to do so. What I've done is put my 2 210K clam cookers inside the barrel for times like today when I only have a few hours. I smartened up this year and went to camp and grabbed one of my 100# tanks. Stopped at a gas place and got some fittings and made a little conversion. Got a tee and some new ends, (had to changed the plastic ends on the clam cookers to work.)
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/FB339B6F-3237-4132-9C9B-811208CA5BB7-27455-000012FADB4F226B_zps193508a9.jpg)
Best part of propane and the operation is the dripper, I can drizzle preheated sap at the same rate of evaporation. My operation will do about 5/ gal. per so I can take off and do something else for an hour or so and then repeat.
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/ED077249-4268-44AB-B5FA-3778ED6F75C9-27455-000012FAE140706A_zps294dabd2.jpg)
It takes 5 gal. to flood the bottom of my pan and was boiling ice cold sap in less than 10 min.
I can convert it back to wood in about the same amount of time. @)
Get ready for a great weekend boyz, you'll do a gal. per tap today and tomorrow. :tipup:
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Finally got my a$$ in gear and put some taps in today :)
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Boil #2 of the season happened today. Granted, for my small time operation it was only 4 gallons (sap, not product) but the weather today tells me I might have another boil tomorrow.
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Wow, guess someone forgot to tell my trees this was supposed to be a huge weekend! ;D Just got home from a weekend away only to find 11-12 gal. on what I thought should be more like 20ish, guessing it didn't get as warm here as they were calling for. :-\ I'll cook this down and add it to my Sat. batch and then finish. @)
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Wow, guess someone forgot to tell my trees this was supposed to be a huge weekend! ;D Just got home from a weekend away only to find 11-12 gal. on what I thought should be more like 20ish, guessing it didn't get as warm here as they were calling for. :-\ I'll cook this down and add it to my Sat. batch and then finish. @)
I thought the same thing! just collected my sap for the day and only ended up with 12 gal, like you I thought I would have 20 gal plus today. just didn't get as warm as I thought it would today!
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cmstearns,
Nice job on the filtering! I ended up butchering my first batch of the season, it's full on sugar sand. 2nd batch went well, just over 3 gallons total so far. It was a tough decision this weekend having the great weather. Sap was running but I couldn't resist hitting the lake on Saturday, epic day out there.
(http://i1036.photobucket.com/albums/a447/drumlace/IMG_24861.jpg)
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Don't feel bad. I boiled all day yesterday and was just finishing up what would have been about a half gallon of syrup. The fire had died down, or so I thought, and I figured it would be alright to run out town for a minute. When I got back the pan was a sorry mess of burned syrup :'(
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That stinks Phoenix, I had a little better luck, this time. ;D With a couple warm days on the horizon, wanted to get everything finished and bottled. Had about 14 gal. to boil down and add to Sat.'s. Was able to get it real close outside last night, only had to finish up about 10 minutes inside this morning before syrup. @) Best tweak of the whole system was buying a $25 s.s. 30 cup coffee urn from Amazon. I pre-heated with water as my syrup finished, dumped it, then clipped 2 pre-filters in it to pour my syrup into. Put the cover on to retain heat and then started peeling through the Mason jars, no ladling, etc. WORKED SLICK! :thumbsup: 3.5 quarts from approx. 37 gal of sap and very little sugar sand to deal with. @)
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/208CCE8D-D831-40C1-B2C1-F32221D92955-29679-00001466DF61F0AE_zpsfd84daaa.jpg)
The urn is the way to go boyz, I'm sold. :tipup:
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hey GF, you have a picture of this Urn? and how you set it up? thanks! ;D
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That stinks Phoenix, I had a little better luck, this time. ;D With a couple warm days on the horizon, wanted to get everything finished and bottled. Had about 14 gal. to boil down and add to Sat.'s. Was able to get it real close outside last night, only had to finish up about 10 minutes inside this morning before syrup. @) Best tweak of the whole system was buying a $25 s.s. 30 cup coffee urn from Amazon. I pre-heated with water as my syrup finished, dumped it, then clipped 2 pre-filters in it to pour my syrup into. Put the cover on to retain heat and then started peeling through the Mason jars, no ladling, etc. WORKED SLICK! :thumbsup: 3.5 quarts from approx. 37 gal of sap and very little sugar sand to deal with. @)
And exactly when can I expect my bottle of surup to arrive in the mail ??? ???
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That stinks Phoenix, I had a little better luck, this time. ;D With a couple warm days on the horizon, wanted to get everything finished and bottled. Had about 14 gal. to boil down and add to Sat.'s. Was able to get it real close outside last night, only had to finish up about 10 minutes inside this morning before syrup. @) Best tweak of the whole system was buying a $25 s.s. 30 cup coffee urn from Amazon. I pre-heated with water as my syrup finished, dumped it, then clipped 2 pre-filters in it to pour my syrup into. Put the cover on to retain heat and then started peeling through the Mason jars, no ladling, etc. WORKED SLICK! :thumbsup: 3.5 quarts from approx. 37 gal of sap and very little sugar sand to deal with. @)
And exactly when can I expect my bottle of surup to arrive in the mail ??? ???
This is way too much quality for your palate, you better play it safe and just stick to Aunt Jemimah. ;D
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This is way too much quality for you palate, you better play it safe and just stick to Aunt Jemimah. ;D
:roflmao: Why are you like that.
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Everyone's syrup looks awesome. Did my first boil on the new rig last night. Still a few kinks to work out, but what an improvement over the cinder blocks (easier on my back too). Priority one is getting set up with a preheater. Hope to finish and bottle tonight (gonna be rough without one of those slick coffee urns!) ;D
You've even got professional labels now, Eric? Nice!
Doesn't look like much of a week for sap but I think it'll run great after the cold.
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/boiler_zpscf2f5cb0.jpg)
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Did you buy or build the new setup Ryan, looks great. @)
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Looks like good old mainer ingenuity, you'll want to go bigger soon.
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14 spills in today.
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Did you buy or build the new setup Ryan, looks great. @)
Can't take any credit for much of the design or the build. My welding skills are poor at best. :) I talked to a HS shop teacher whose students built it during school. They did a great job! (I got it for the cost of materials - basically the stainless pan).
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Boiled last night, cooking again tonight. Had to build a roof today, warm and wet, not ideal, but like gamefisher, I want to get it done up before it's bad.
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hey GF, you have a picture of this Urn? and how you set it up? thanks! ;D
Not much to it, simple and effective. I get the bulk of the crud out by filtering off the evaporator pan with a wool filter. In the urn I just had two pre-filters, as the first one clogged removed and continued on. Really made clean up and bottling a snap, the worse part of this whole hobby imo. ;D
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/E1E79A72-1017-44E1-879D-BF564C54D479-30640-0000151F91F18BD8_zpsc5761ffb.jpg)
Iain - any pics of the "new" rig ???
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but what an improvement over the cinder blocks (easier on my back too).
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/boiler_zpscf2f5cb0.jpg)
every year I say I'm gonna upgrade from my cinder block arch and every year I simply tweak the block arch a little more....next year....maybe
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Lost 5 gallons of sap last night!! :'( Had it in a water jug on snow and the snow melted out from underneath it last night and tipped over, leaking it all out!!! :'( :'( :'(
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Lost 5 gallons of sap last night!! :'( Had it in a water jug on snow and the snow melted out from underneath it last night and tipped over, leaking it all out!!! :'( :'( :'(
rats!
Not much to it, simple and effective. I get the bulk of the crud out by filtering off the evaporator pan with a wool filter. In the urn I just had two pre-filters, as the first one clogged removed and continued on. Really made clean up and bottling a snap, the worse part of this whole hobby imo. ;D
GF do you have it plugged in to keep things warm?
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rats! GF do you have it plugged in to keep things warm?
I cycled it through with water as the syrup finished in a clam pot. When the syrup was done, I unplugged and dumped the water from the urn and immediately begin to filter the syrup through. No need to plug back in, the stainless walls help retain heat and you are pouring syrup in that's close to 219. It bottles so fast with the spigot that it doesn't have a chance to drop below 180. @)
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I find this all very interesting. I'm glad you guys are willing to share all this with us.
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Collected and did a small boil on Sunday and hadn't checked the buckets until last night. Two of my 18 taps had produced about a half to three quarters of a gallon, but the rest were almost dry. It got down to 25 or so at the house last night, so I'm hoping that will kick things back into gear...
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the sap finally ran again today, should have enough to do a batch tomorrow night!
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how much sap do you guys get before you boil......I'm setting on about 15 gallons now and I'm sure another 7-8 tomorrow. I'm thinking to start a batch tomorrow night.
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how much sap do you guys get before you boil......I'm setting on about 15 gallons now and I'm sure another 7-8 tomorrow. I'm thinking to start a batch tomorrow night.
Depends on your setup I guess and how much you can keep stored cold. I'm small time, so I'll boil before I get more than 5 gal or so, simply because that's the limit of my storage, time, and boiling capacity. Working a smaller one right now, hoping it finishes before midnight :)
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I have big snow banks and lots of fridge room this time of year. I have a primitive set up, but can boil from several sources during the day at work :)
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One advantage of being self employed, for sure! BTW, it's past midnight and mine ain't done yet. Might need to double up on the coffee tomorrow morning...
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you guys are lucky...we have no sap in Wisconsin yet. still have 24" of ice on the lakes...but no sap!
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I have a question if someone can help me out please... I'm going to start boiling tomorrow... First time I have done this much... About 47 gals of sap... I have 2 propane burners and 2, 7 or so gallon pots to boil in... My question is do I just keep adding sap to the pots when I have room in them till I'm out of sap? Thank You.... ;D
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I have a question if someone can help me out please... I'm going to start boiling tomorrow... First time I have done this much... About 47 gals of sap... I have 2 propane burners and 2, 7 or so gallon pots to boil in... My question is do I just keep adding sap to the pots when I have room in them till I'm out of sap? Thank You.... ;D
No, only put in enough sap so it stays an inch or two. You better start early with what you are using for pans and you better have some really deep pockets for more propane. ;D You might boil 2 gal. per hour on that setup, heck, start now. ;D
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I think sap is like anything, it loses quality after time. Sap collected on sunday and boiled Monday, will be better syrup than sap collected on sunday and boiled the next weekend. I've already cooked three nights this week and I just got out of dumpster at home depot for to nights boil so I'm going to fire it up again right now. Last night was a good boiling night, tonight should be to.I've boiled around 90 gallons so far for almost 2 gallons. I'm going to go see how it did today after a get the last 20 gallons at the house going. I'm not expecting much, I don't think it made it over 36 today in my neck of the woods. @)
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not a good season for me so far, last week was too warm for the sap to run this week is going to be too cold, glad I don't make a living selling maple syrup!
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No, only put in enough sap so it stays an inch or two. You better start early with what you are using for pans and you better have some really deep pockets for more propane. ;D You might boil 2 gal. per hour on that setup, heck, start now. ;D
I did good.. :P Spent most of yesterday boiling down about 40 something gallons of sap.. Worked out well... Used about 1 1/2, 20pound LP tanks... This is what I have left after giving 3 jars away.... That's some good sh, Stuff... ;D Had chilie with corn bread for dinner and syrup on it..I was in a hurry and forgot to run the last step through the cheese cloth and got some sugar crystals in it.. Oh well, it will eat.... One pan I boiled down to maple sugar/butter... Man that's good on toast...
(http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/raquettedacker/100_2438_zps48a50bfb.jpg)
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Got about 3/4 of a gallon off of my first boil. Weather report isn't looking great for this next week
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Got about 3/4 of a gallon off of my first boil. Weather report isn't looking great for this next week
You got that right, needs to warm up for sure, I've been froze up for four days now, maybe by the week's end... :-\
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First Boil....boiled about 25-30 gallons of sap....Hoping for a second boil this year!!
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/SANY3939_zps77e1a8a7.jpg)
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/SANY3940_zpsa2ac7258.jpg)
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/SANY3941_zpsc8acb150.jpg)
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Nice Adam... I'm going to put my taps back in next week to get some dark stuff..
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Nice Adam... I'm going to put my taps back in next week to get some dark stuff..
Thanks!!......I still have my taps in, so I'm hoping when things warm up, it will flow again!!!
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Quick question..... I have been seeing alot of sugar sand in my syrup, am I doing something wrong ?...... how do I reduce this.................a lso I have read that you are not supposed to boil frozen sap, is this the case ? if so what is the reasoning behind not boiling the frozen sap ?- thanks
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How are you filtering it? I filter just as its finished and I havent gotten any sugar sand.
Ive also boiled a bunch down to what I call a concentrate, put it milk jugs then froze until i was ready to complete the syrup process. Worked perfectly fine for me.
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I use cheese clothe folded over a few times. Works great!!
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I use a paper grease filter works like a charm
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Where can you buy those filters??
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First Boil....boiled about 25-30 gallons of sap....Hoping for a second boil this year!!
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/SANY3941_zpsc8acb150.jpg)
Oh man, that is some good looking stuff. I like the dark syrup myself and that looks great. Nice work!
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Finished my second batch on Monday. Not having good luck finishing this year. Wasn't paying attention to the first batch I finished which got ahead of me and turned out thicker than honey. Since it was 1 am, I bottled it anyway. This second batch filtered soooooo slow and I had to reheat it to bottle it. I'm thinking it got hotter than it was supposed to and made more sugarsand because they all have settled into this cloudy layer like the one it this picture. Pretty frustrating. Thinking about dumping both batches into a pot, adding some raw sap, and finishing it all over again. Ugh. I'm sure both batches are fine, but it just really irritates the perfectionist in me.
The forecast looks pretty good for sap - I think we'll all be back in business soon.
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/syrup_zps24c40994.jpg)
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Sounds like a good plan, frmo what I hear that wont cause any issues and then you can get the consistancy you are looking for. My taps all started running again yesterday, so im hoping to boil this weekend.
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Finished my second batch on Monday. Not having good luck finishing this year. Wasn't paying attention to the first batch I finished which got ahead of me and turned out thicker than honey. Since it was 1 am, I bottled it anyway. This second batch filtered soooooo slow and I had to reheat it to bottle it. I'm thinking it got hotter than it was supposed to and made more sugarsand because they all have settled into this cloudy layer like the one it this picture. Pretty frustrating. Thinking about dumping both batches into a pot, adding some raw sap, and finishing it all over again. Ugh. I'm sure both batches are fine, but it just really irritates the perfectionist in me.
The forecast looks pretty good for sap - I think we'll all be back in business soon.
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/syrup_zps24c40994.jpg)
Just keep the first batch for your family and do better on the stuff giving away, you just went a little too far, when you get near the bottom you might have to throw it in the micro for a few seconds. If you went WAY to far with the first batch, I'm sure it will crystalize on bottom over time but kids love maple candy also. ;D Easy for me to tell you what to do but being a perfectionist as well, I'd be struggling. Not really that much more work to put it all back into your third batch of near syrup and re-constitute the whole thing. I had very little sugar sand in my fist batch just 20 miles from you, very weird.
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Not really that much more work to put it all back into your third batch of near syrup and re-constitute the whole thing.
Perfect - that's the answer right there - just wait till I'm finishing the next batch and dump it all in. I guess I was so anxious to fix it, that thought never even crossed my mind! :wacko:
Time to go see if anything ran today...
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it ran today, and yesterday, got a late start both days though. @)
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cooking good tonight @)
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr113/rudethedude2009/DSC04382.jpg)
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Looks good Rude! I'd say today was a pretty good drip, maybe yesterday too since I didn't check 'em. Collected almost 5 gal off my 18 taps tonight and did another boil. Next year I'm gonna have to get a woodstove set up out in the yard. The propane cooker provides a quick start, but boiling no more than 5 gal at a time is pricey and time consuming. 5 pints of good stuff made up thus far though, more than double last year's product...
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Love the new set up Iain, you can fly through the sap now. It's hard to imagine just what a difference a few miles makes, I've been froze up for 8 days now, only late yesterday afternoon did a few of my 10 actually thaw out and start running again, I have 1 gal. of sap and 5 gal. of block ice in storage. ;D Not quite as cold last night as its been, hopefully the trees will wake up for good this season, I think there is a lot of sap ahead providing the trees don't bud out. This week coming should be smokin' by the looks of the forecast. @)
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sap ran good today, best day so far this year! about 30 gallons out of 20 taps wohoo. ;D
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About 20 gallons off my six taps today (two big yard trees)
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About 20 gallons off my six taps today (two big yard trees)
sap ran good today, best day so far this year! about 30 gallons out of 20 taps wohoo. ;D
You guys are living in a completely different world than I, maybe 3-4 gal. from 12 taps, only got to 36 with a cold breeze all day, hoping for better results this weekend. @)
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You guys are living in a completely different world than I, maybe 3-4 gal. from 12 taps, only got to 36 with a cold breeze all day, hoping for better results this weekend. @)
Same for me Eric, only got 10 gallons today, It's been so cold at night it's taken to long to warm up, it was dripping good at 5 but by the looks of the buckets it started late . I finally got all the ice out of my buckets though. May be getting darker but like you said, we should have a good run coming up.@)
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all my tree have southern exposure on the south side if a hill, all the small undergrowth is cleared out around them so they get sun all day long. from talking with others in the area seems like mine run better than most especially early! I may have got more today but some of my buckets were actually overflowing. looks like its going to be some late nights this coming week because the weather looks good all week!
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Here ya go a magaiver set up cheap too. http://www.instructables.com/id/MacGyver-Style-Indestructible-Maple-Sugar-Evaporat/
(http://www.instructables.com/id/MacGyver-Style-Indestructible-Maple-Sugar-Evaporat/)
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Was away all weekend only to come home to fairly disappointing buckets, just can't seem to shed that cold North wind here. A couple trees produced well, others still haven't hit their stride it seems, hoping for a good week to make up for lost time. :-\
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Last few days I've been averaging a qt to a half gal per tap. Funny thing is, some have none and a few are overflowing 1.5 gal buckets. I think they're slowly waking up though and this week could be primetime. I'm at the tail end of cooking off 50 gal right now so i can start the week with plenty of storage.
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Came home from fishing Moosehead this weekend to over flowing gallon buckets!! Emptied them around noon, and they were half full this evening around 6....the flow is on again!! Have 30 gallons collected, might need to do short steams this week!!
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I boiled down close to 80 gallons this weekend, ended up with 145oz of syrup....Here is a picture of my finish pan from yesterday and my results last night. When I moved from the big boilers to the finishng pan I was convinced I was a lot closer to syrup than I actually was, boiled off almost 2 more gallons after it hit the finishing pan :-( the mess on the ground was just me throwing my foam on the drive way LOL I gotta hose that down tonight.
(http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr261/scottDNH/IMG-20130324-00218_zps7ff1f88b.jpg)
(http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr261/scottDNH/IMG-20130324-00221_zps3982e351.jpg)
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:thumbsup: :thumbsup:(http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx306/cmstearns5978/a16dbe10-081d-4408-8e3c-94bb91b2515b_zpse0ead60e.jpg)
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Sap ran real good yesterday and I expect more good results today. Ran out of storage, so guess I've gotta do another burn tonight.
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Sap ran real good yesterday and I expect more good results today. Ran out of storage, so guess I've gotta do another burn tonight.
HA I ran into the same thing yesterday, ran out of storage. Had to do a boil yesterday after work. Going to try to finish it off tonight. Still have about 15 gallons in storage, hope to boil that off this weekend, plus some!! :P
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Swamped here too. Filled over 3/4 my storage from just yesterday. Gotta bottle the last batch tonight and then its right back to boiling.
We are going to be busy, but it sure beats the heck out of last year.
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Swamped here too. Filled over 3/4 my storage from just yesterday. Gotta bottle the last batch tonight and then its right back to boiling.
We are going to be busy, but it sure beats the heck out of last year.
Can't wait to sample this!!!! ;D
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Swamped here too. Filled over 3/4 my storage from just yesterday. Gotta bottle the last batch tonight and then its right back to boiling.
We are going to be busy, but it sure beats the heck out of last year.
TRUE....last year I had to get sap from friends. My trees went dry in days!! >:(
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Can't wait to sample this!!!! ;D
I'm sure you'll have the opportunity - I'll probably have enough for some quality 'camp salmon/togue' prizes in May too. (Better than that swill I had to bring from my last boil last year :sick: That stuff was embarrassing. ;D )
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I'm sure you'll have the opportunity - I'll probably have enough for some quality 'camp salmon/togue' prizes in May too. (Better than that swill I had to bring from my last boil last year :sick: That stuff was embarrassing. ;D )
I don't know what you're talking about..... that stuff was great last year!!!
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Really? Hmmm. Maybe I gave that batch of funk to Joe... ;D
Tonight i didn't collect even half of what I got yesterday. Oh well, didnt have room for more anyway.
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Really? Hmmm. Maybe I gave that batch of funk to Joe... ;D
Tonight i didn't collect even half of what I got yesterday. Oh well, didnt have room for more anyway.
Sounds like you need some help boiling and drinking....I can stoke a fire and empty cans with the best of them ;D
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sad night for me, I had about 1 gal of syrup 10 min away from bottling when I accidentally dropped the electronic thermometer in the syrup, it was in it for about 30 seconds before I could get it out! it obviously ruined the thermometer but it might have contaminated the batch of syrup so I ended up dumping it out. :'(
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Alot of hardwork goes into making syrup BUT nothing tastes better then the final outcome! :P
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As I donned the headlamp at 9:30 tonight to finish collecting the rest of today's sap, I began to question my sanity a bit. The 3 year old in the house pretty much runs my schedule until his bedtime, so this will be my 3rd school night in a row being up past midnight watching sap boil. But then, I looked at the finished product, and it seemed worth it. 8 pints put up so far and it seems like the trees are just kicking into gear the past few days. Hell, I can sleep when I'm dead...
(http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/8F5FD404-4BB8-4C82-B40A-4D6F3AF79A91-830-00000100CAF41111_zpsba85c98c.jpg)
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Yep, no rational person would do this ;D But the final product kinda looks like gold don't it?
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sad night for me, I had about 1 gal of syrup 10 min away from bottling when I accidentally dropped the electronic thermometer in the syrup, it was in it for about 30 seconds before I could get it out! it obviously ruined the thermometer but it might have contaminated the batch of syrup so I ended up dumping it out. :'(
Ouch! Really feel your pain ICEMAN considering the work and time that goes into getting it down to that 1 gal. :'(
Key chain - you've come a long way at this obsession, your product looks good! @)
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ICEMAN, I'd be pretty bummed right now considering 1 gal is my entire season's production thus far! Had to have been hard to dump all of that out...
Thanks gamefisher, and you're on target. It is an obsession. I'm still getting a bit of sediment, but since I'm too lazy to filter, I've just been letting it settle then pouring off the good stuff into another jar. The sludge goes into another container that maybe I'll try to boil down to candy. Only got about halfway through my boil last night before I shut it down, but still didn't get shuteye until after midnight. Expect there will be more to collect and boil again tonight...
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My trees finally cut loose on Mon., 17 gal. from 12 taps coupled with about the same amount I had in storage made for a good boil. Trees here are still making for beautiful light syrup. Finished and bottled yesterday and wow. The reflection you see is actually the dish cloth in back, no sediment whatsoever in the 2 batches I've finished to date. @) BUY THE COFFEE URN GENTLEMEN. ;)
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/aa0c36f7-31ef-4546-8a8c-be98234813ad_zps90459b64.jpg)
Yesterday was much colder and breezy but still 10 gal of sap from the 12 taps last night, should be a good boil for Sat. Spent some time this morning converting back to wood, 100# cylinder is out and want to do a comparison anyway. I see great conditions right through next weekend. ;D I think this will easily be a 10 gal. of sap per tap year. :)
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Finished off about 25 gallons last night....ended with 2.5 quarts of Syrup!! Pictures to come!! ;D
Collected 10 more gallons yesterday and still had about 15 gallons in storage, this Saturday will be my final boil!! @)
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Bottled about a gallon and a half last night (including the cloudy stuff from the last batch). Happy to say they were all crystal clear but it was probably the worst filtering session I've ever had. I'll be changing a few things up next time around.
ICEMAN, that is a real drag. Can't imagine having to dump all that hard work. Maybe this link will cheer you up! Saw this last year and got a kick out of it (it's a little long, but worth it).
http://youtu.be/EqreE_O6mBU (http://youtu.be/EqreE_O6mBU)
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Gonna finish boiling off last of my sap tonight and then pull my taps. Sap run has tapered off to nothing and spring weather is finally in the forecast. Not a bad year, should have a total of 2-3 gallons of syrup after this last boil. Not bad considering I only tap the two trees in my front yard :)
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Gonna finish boiling off last of my sap tonight and then pull my taps. Sap run has tapered off to nothing and spring weather is finally in the forecast. Not a bad year, should have a total of 2-3 gallons of syrup after this last boil. Not bad considering I only tap the two trees in my front yard :)
You've come this far Alec, you might as well as hang in there through the weekend, you won't regret it. @)
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Gonna finish boiling off last of my sap tonight and then pull my taps. Sap run has tapered off to nothing and spring weather is finally in the forecast. Not a bad year, should have a total of 2-3 gallons of syrup after this last boil. Not bad considering I only tap the two trees in my front yard :)
Alec, I'm so jealous of trees like that. You and I have made about the same amt of syrup only difference I had to tap 40+ woods trees over several acres to do it!! ::) ;D
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This is what your shooting for. No sugar in the bottom, not too light " maple flavored water ", not too dark " molasses. But I cheated. I dropped the gallon jugs off at Breakneck Ridge Farm in Blanchard and Steve filled them for me. It was about 1/3 rd of the price that I can make it for and comes out PERFECT!!! ;D
(http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x410/grub662/DSCN1369_zps228b6677.jpg)
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How much longer do you Maine guys have? I just pulled my taps last night after getting no runs the last few days and a forecast with no freezing temps over the next week.
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You've come this far Alec, you might as well as hang in there through the weekend, you won't regret it. @)
Weather report is looking like it'll barely get down to freezing at night :/ Need to get my apple trees pruned up this weekend, plus I had some apple rootstock and scions come in the other day. Time to graft myself up some more trees
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Alec, I'm so jealous of trees like that. You and I have made about the same amt of syrup only difference I had to tap 40+ woods trees over several acres to do it!! ::) ;D
I have a third, even larger tree right in my backyard that I don't even bother to tap because it'd be way more sap than I need. I taped all 3 my first winter after moving in, felt like I never stopped boiling ;)
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How much longer do you Maine guys have? I just pulled my taps last night after getting no runs the last few days and a forecast with no freezing temps over the next week.
We are probably nearing the end this week!! Up north may be a little longer!!
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I got a week at least left just getting prime for me :)
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It takes a little longer than normal to collect sap when I have my "helper" but I wouldn't trade him for the world :)
http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/40C9928C-4C2E-4406-8CA6-FCD43CD26C8C-2295-0000032E3DB47CC5_zps75c454f8.mp4 (http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/40C9928C-4C2E-4406-8CA6-FCD43CD26C8C-2295-0000032E3DB47CC5_zps75c454f8.mp4)
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I was just reading on another site where investigators swarmed a yard in Anna,Ill. It seems some neighbors thought these people were running a meth lab. Come to find out it was just a syrup operation. They sent the law on their way with a couple of quarts of syrup and thanked their neighbors for being so alert.
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just finished my last batch, so far I'm just shy of the 5 gallons I wanted. Looks like it's over. I'm going to wait a few more days before I give up, supposed to get cold a couple nights next week. All in all compared to last year , this year wasn't to bad. Time to dig out the smelt nets. @)
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I was just reading on another site where investigators swarmed a yard in Anna,Ill. It seems some neighbors thought these people were running a meth lab. Come to find out it was just a syrup operation. They sent the law on their way with a couple of quarts of syrup and thanked their neighbors for being so alert.
That's funny. I don't know anything about making meth but I would assume it doesn't involve maple trees lol
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just finished my last batch, so far I'm just shy of the 5 gallons I wanted. Looks like it's over. I'm going to wait a few more days before I give up, supposed to get cold a couple nights next week. All in all compared to last year , this year wasn't to bad. Time to dig out the smelt nets. @)
I'm just over 2 gallons right now Iain, by the time I give away what's spoken for I might have a tablespoon for myself. ;D It will run here today and tomorrow, 30 as I type, Tues. - Thurs. could be the best run of the year for me if the forecast holds true and that will be my last boil. After that, you are taking me smelting. ;D
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After that, you are taking me smelting. ;D
sounds good, we should make it happen. @)
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Hoping for one last run here. It was just a touch under 32 this morning, so we'll see...
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Buckets were dry as a bone. Guess we might be done for this year...
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Buckets were dry as a bone. Guess we might be done for this year...
Nice run here today, 8 gal. from 12 taps, expect about a gal. per tap tomorrow, best run of the year still to come at least in central Maine northwards. @)
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sounds good, we should make it happen. @)
Maybe we will see you guys there Monday night?! @)
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Buckets were dry as a bone. Guess we might be done for this year...
. Ditto, nothing has run down here for 3-4 days now
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I had ten gallons at my folks , nothing at my house, and a friend thats quit for the year called this morning, he was going to pull his taps but it was running good so he asked if I wanted it, got 35 gallons there, another night boiling. I've had enough. this should round me off at 5 gallons, i quit. @)
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No sap to boil tonight and 3 hrs of fishing without a hint of a fish this afternoon. Still, hanging on ice on a sunny 50+ degree afternoon ain't a bad way to spend some time :)
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Hold the phone Myrtle, it's 29 here right now. Maybe one more drip tomorrow?
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Hold the phone Myrtle, it's 29 here right now. Maybe one more drip tomorrow?
25 here right now, south wind to come, this will be a day where its more of a stream instead of a drip. @) Have finished and bottled three batches to date, amazingly still running fancy here, would have expected it to be darker by now but not complaining. :)
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Nice run here today, 8 gal. from 12 taps, expect about a gal. per tap tomorrow, best run of the year still to come at least in central Maine northwards. @)
that scares me cause I'm sitting on 35 gallons of sap. got the boil going today. boiled off 10 gallons yesterday
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(http://i804.photobucket.com/albums/yy323/edman2010/photo_zps385af710.jpg)
Finished up with one and a half gallons.
All done, trees have stopped, buds are coming out.. Today is clean up and store away till next year.
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Was real easy to convert my barrel back to wood after running out of propane. Found a $1.99 piece of sheet metal at mardens that was simple to cut and form into a ramp under the rear of the pan. Boiled 17 gal. on it Fri. as a test, worked good with marginal wood, should do even better with dryer stuff.
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/869D1792-40E3-439A-B157-4D019E9B90C3-42329-00001CD5831E70D2_zps39c1c068.jpg)
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/149195B9-240D-41AB-8E12-8F36053FEB60-42329-00001CD58938A9AE_zps23c38bb0.jpg)
Have 18 more gal. from the weekend run to boil as well as what runs the rest of this week then pulling, cleaning up, and getting ready for trolling season. @)
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looks like the sap should be flowin again for the next several days, time for one last hooraa!
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looks like the sap should be flowin again for the next several days, time for one last hooraa!
I was hoping that too, but have had zip for the past two days. Was cold again last night, so maybe I'll find a bit more when I go check them this evening...
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So I did about twice as many taps this year, which produced a lot more sap. I also started a lot earlier then years past, again producing more sap. Here is my first boil again of the year, probably the clearest syrup I have made. I wish I had a picture of it in the sun.
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/SANY3941_zpsc8acb150.jpg)
Here is my second boil of the year.....
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/8345_4646828497345_1467162907_n_zpsf3904014.jpg)
And the Final Boil of the year....
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/newell-34/Maple%20Sugaring%202011/58058_4646829057359_1250084022_n_zps5c5612bd.jpg)
So roughly 2 gallons of Pure Maple Syrup this year, that should hold me over till next year!! :P
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Have 18 more gal. from the weekend run to boil as well as what runs the rest of this week then pulling, cleaning up, and getting ready for trolling season. @)
Exactly what I'm thinking too. Seems funny to say in April, but it might actually be too cold to run much today. Rest of the week looks pretty good though.
Finished up almost a gal last night and still have close to 20 gal of sap buried in the snow so I should be able to do another big boil this weekend. After that - I quit!
Gotta focus on getting the boat fixed up and ready for the water.
That's a pretty versatile cooker you have there gamefisher! Have you noticed much of a difference boiling since setting up that windbreak?
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I see I'm not the only one with a little cloudy sediment on the bottom.
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I see I'm not the only one with a little cloudy sediment on the bottom.
Maybe you should see a doctor about that... ;D
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Exactly what I'm thinking too. Seems funny to say in April, but it might actually be too cold to run much today. Rest of the week looks pretty good though.
Finished up almost a gal last night and still have close to 20 gal of sap buried in the snow so I should be able to do another big boil this weekend. After that - I quit!
Gotta focus on getting the boat fixed up and ready for the water.
That's a pretty versatile cooker you have there gamefisher! Have you noticed much of a difference boiling since setting up that windbreak?
Spot on Ryan - no run here today yet, still only 31, amazing for this time of year.
I think the blue tarp has more effect on reducing proparty values in the neighborhood than boil rates. ;D
I see I'm not the only one with a little cloudy sediment on the bottom.
Just sugar, means it boiled a tad to long, won't hurt a thing just throw in the micro for a few seconds when the jar gets down. A hydrometer is a great $25 investment for this hobby. @)
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I see I'm not the only one with a little cloudy sediment on the bottom.
Better filtering helps with it.
Just sugar, means it boiled a tad to long, won't hurt a thing just throw in the micro for a few seconds when the jar gets down. A hydrometer is a great $25 investment for this hobby. @)
Not always from over boiling.
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Better filtering helps with it.
Not always from over boiling.
Niter
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Niter
That too!! :)
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guess it didn't get warm enough today barely got any sap, oh well the smelts will be running soon. something is allways in season in Maine! For me its something like this Icefishing, maplesyrup, dipping smelts, trolling for iceout salmon, brook fishing for trout, togue fishing, bikini watching on the beach, early bowhunting season for deer, bird hunting season, firearms for deer, then maybe some coyote hunting the it all starts back over again. Isn't this a great state and a wonderfull place to live!
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Checked the buckets tonight, only got a little over a gallon of pretty dark stuff. Left them out for at least another couple of days just in case. As my second season of this winds down, I thought I was satisfied and ready for it to end. Then I got word from my mom that dear old dad was working on a project for me. Either he liked the taste of the syrup, or he got tired of hearing me gripe about my limited boil capacity. He's about 3/4 finished fabricating a wood boiler for next season! He's apparently been doing more research than me. The stove is mostly finished, complete with a stainless boiling pan with baffles and a separate finishing pan. I'll post pics as soon as I have them, but for now, here's a stove that he built for someone about 10 years ago. I thought this was the cat's a$$, but it looks like caveman gear compared to what he's doing this time. Never thought I would say this on April 2, but I can't wait until next spring!
(http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/0A24377D-E7B4-4D84-9D39-2A658589A576-5644-000008629586E898_zpsc610b5bd.jpg)
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I just picked up some cheesecloth to filter my finished syrup with. Is this the recommended final filtering material for most of you? I'm tapping a couple of trees with my wildlife biology class and any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
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Checked the buckets tonight, only got a little over a gallon of pretty dark stuff. Left them out for at least another couple of days just in case. As my second season of this winds down, I thought I was satisfied and ready for it to end. Then I got word from my mom that dear old dad was working on a project for me. Either he liked the taste of the syrup, or he got tired of hearing me gripe about my limited boil capacity. He's about 3/4 finished fabricating a wood boiler for next season! He's apparently been doing more research than me. The stove is mostly finished, complete with a stainless boiling pan with baffles and a separate finishing pan. I'll post pics as soon as I have them, but for now, here's a stove that he built for someone about 10 years ago. I thought this was the cat's a$$, but it looks like caveman gear compared to what he's doing this time. Never thought I would say this on April 2, but I can't wait until next spring!
(http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/0A24377D-E7B4-4D84-9D39-2A658589A576-5644-000008629586E898_zpsc610b5bd.jpg)
Beautiful Stove!!! Is he going to put a spigot on it? Just wondering how you are going to get your sap/syrup out of it?
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I just picked up some cheesecloth to filter my finished syrup with. Is this the recommended final filtering material for most of you? I'm tapping a couple of trees with my wildlife biology class and any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
I use cheese clothe folded four times. I put it a canning funnel and pour directly into the mason jar.
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I use cheese clothe folded four times. I put it a canning funnel and pour directly into the mason jar.
I use cheese cloth too this year. Last year I had some fancy paper filters for filtering grease they were top notch nothing but pure goodness got threw
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Beautiful Stove!!! Is he going to put a spigot on it? Just wondering how you are going to get your sap/syrup out of it?
Not sure what he ended up doing with that one. He made this for someone about 10 years ago. The one in process right now will have a spigot for sure!
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Crazy day here! Not a drop at lunch time but from then until 6pm, 10 gal. from 12 taps of beautiful crystal clear nectar! @) ;D I don't get it, we had a high of 35 and it's blowing about 30. :wacko: 28 gal. since the weekend, this week will be the best of the season by far here. @)
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Crazy day here! Not a drop at lunch time but from then until 6pm, 10 gal. from 12 taps of beautiful crystal clear nectar! @) ;D I don't get it, we had a high of 35 and it's blowing about 30. :wacko: 28 gal. since the weekend, this week will be the best of the season by far here. @)
ya same here i thought i was done now i have 40 gal to boil this weekend ::)
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Crazy for sure. I think I'm in between you guys north-south wise and I've had nothing for the past couple of days. My trees look like they're budding out, so I expect I'll be pulling taps and packing up within a day or two.
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Keychain - Exciting news about the new boiler. Looks like you're going to need more taps next year! ;D
I was surprised by the run yesterday too. Bonus! Have had a few taps dry out, but even so - still have over 30 gal of nice clear sap buried in the snow and today is shaping up to be even better.
Haven't been doing this for too long, but I've already made the most syrup of any year yet. Sweet!
Are you still plugged in, MDH?
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Insane run going on today. @)
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Hope someone Donates some for doorprizes at the Banquet! :P
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Are you still plugged in, MDH?
Nope, I pulled everything last Saturday. Made a gallon of syrup. 2 gallons for the season was good for me!! ;D
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strange day for me, some buckets were nearly full some were completely empty, I have my last batch boiling down! now its time to clean everything and get ready for smelting!
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Yeah, pretty excited for next season already. Here's a teaser pic of the new boiler, still in the works. Didn't get out to check the buckets tonight, but if interested you'll see why in a few moments when I post the "OT Caught a 6 pounder today" thread ;D
(http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/77A4D1D0-946D-4088-AE6F-54850D8F9BAD-7061-00000A8AC3CF8807_zps3a5c491c.jpg)
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my flow has slowed but I got a chance to catch up for next week 1.5 gallons finished so far 1 gallon is very clear syrup. it was boiled at a very slow rate while I was working this stuff looks the best I have done. I will post some pics soon.
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Best run of the year yesterday, I've got 45 gal. to try and get through today, 30 of which have come in the last two days, all on just 12 taps, amazing run this late in the season, still crystal clear and no hint of budding. It got down to 32.5 last night here, may still run today as well. :'( I'm done this weekend no matter what happens. :tipup:
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I said I was done last weekend, but, after this week I'm still in the game. It's done at my house, but my folks is doing the same as yours Eric. My buddy that gave me some sap last weekend left his taps in and has got 150 so far this week. The next couple days look good to. I don't remember a season this long. @)
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I said I was done last weekend, but, after this week I'm still in the game. It's done at my house, but my folks is doing the same as yours Eric. My buddy that gave me some sap last weekend left his taps in and has got 150 so far this week. The next couple days look good to. I don't remember a season this long. @)
54 gal. since Sat. Iain on the 12 taps, just got done boiling it, don't know how but still boiling some fairly light syrup. Running great again today surprisingly, I may do as much this week as the previous 4 weeks combined. :wacko:
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54 gal. since Sat. Iain on the 12 taps, just got done boiling it, don't know how but still boiling some fairly light syrup. Running great again today surprisingly, I may do as much this week as the previous 4 weeks combined. :wacko:
How is your liver holding up??
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55 gallons from just yesterday and today. Add that to the 30 I already had and that should just about keep me boiling all weekend. Might need to do a beer run.
What a finish!
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55 gallons from just yesterday and today. Add that to the 30 I already had and that should just about keep me boiling all weekend. Might need to do a beer run.
What a finish!
That's great Ryan, glad I boiled yesterday, man, it's like winter out there today. I did notice the syrup content is way down now, probably closer to 50-1 but still making good looking syrup. @)
How is your liver holding up??
Just glad it's not a year round hobby Mark. ;D
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Does anyone know of some good plans on how to build a good pan? On the 3 section pan how much room is under each separator section?
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Does anyone know of some good plans on how to build a good pan? On the 3 section pan how much room is under each separator section?
Check out mapletrader.com, you'll get all kinds of ideas. In a divided pan, dividers are welded or solder to the bottom of the pan the entire length with the ends of the dividers cut usually in a small triangle shape to allow the syrup to pass between sections. You may want to check out bascommaple for used equipment first, I got my used pan there for $100 + $25 for shipping, although not a divided pan it has boiled a lot of sap. There are some professional outfits out there that make some beautiful pans also.
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Thank you for the info gamefisher. I just acquired a big old wood stove...Which I will also use to heat the swimming pool this summer.. ;D Trying to get away from the propain..I have a lot of free wood to burn.. I love some of the stoves on this thread....Thanks again...
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Thank you for the info gamefisher. I just acquired a big old wood stove...Which I will also use to heat the swimming pool this summer.. ;D Trying to get away from the propain..I have a lot of free wood to burn.. I love some of the stoves on this thread....Thanks again...
Propane is very convenient for sure, I did about 75 gal. on propane and 75 gal. on wood this season, much better boil rate with good wood plus no cost. I just have a 22"X32" home made flat pan sitting on a 55 gal. drum, not pretty but it works, boiled over 50 gal. yesterday without much difficulty because I had good wood. @)
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Decided it was time to pull my buckets yesterday, well, until I got to the last one. It had about a quart in it, so I left it hanging. I just don't know when to quit!
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Now that I have pulled all the buckets, I know I should just let this thread rest, but....
Here's today's pic of the new boiler that will be put to work next season.
(http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/CDB84FF6-4D63-462E-89F1-2B58AC608AA2-216-0000000CC9E4847B_zps9ed87bb2.jpg)
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Talented Dad, do you have a valve from the 3 section pan to the finishing pan that we can't see in the pic?
I ended up with other 150 gal. of sap on 12 taps, a good season. Almost half came in the last week of a 5 week season. I never did make "dark" syrup including my final boil on Sun., very strange. I will say that my syrup at the end doesn't seem as sweet or as good as the first 3 batches but the kids claim it's still good so who I'm I to argue. @)
Thanks Scott, Scotty, and Tiny for indulging us again with this thread, I've got a present for you when I see you. @)
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sweet set up. That should get you through some sap. I saw another pan this year a guys making and it's sort of the same design except the dividers go the other way. He's getting 450 for em which I think is cheap. my last batch must of had a little bad sap in it, has a funny taste, prob. dump it, should of quit when I was ahead. Enjoy the bounty till next season boys, you know it's hard earned. @)
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Talented Dad, do you have a valve from the 3 section pan to the finishing pan that we can't see in the pic?
I ended up with other 150 gal. of sap on 12 taps, a good season. Almost half came in the last week of a 5 week season. I never did make "dark" syrup including my final boil on Sun., very strange. I will say that my syrup at the end doesn't seem as sweet or as good as the first 3 batches but the kids claim it's still good so who I'm I to argue. @)
Thanks Scott, Scotty, and Tiny for indulging us again with this thread, I've got a present for you when I see you. @)
Yup, he's got some skills. Probably forgotten about more stuff than I'll ever know. Plan does call for a valve/spigot to drain it off to finish, just not sure that he's gotten there yet. I half boiled my last 3-4 gallons of sap and froze it so we'll have something to test it out with in a couple of weeks.
Agreed on the thanks to the mods for allowing this way off topic thread to stay. Or maybe I should curse them for getting me into this sickness ;D
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sweet set up. That should get you through some sap. I saw another pan this year a guys making and it's sort of the same design except the dividers go the other way. He's getting 450 for em which I think is cheap. my last batch must of had a little bad sap in it, has a funny taste, prob. dump it, should of quit when I was ahead. Enjoy the bounty till next season boys, you know it's hard earned. @)
Yeah, I'm a bit torn though. My small time operation boiling with propane on the deck was expensive but I could boil 5 gallons on a Tuesday night and keep up with it. This is going to require more time, planning, and storage capacity. I'm not sure how much he's got into it, but considering that he built the whole thing from scratch, other than the stove door, I'm thinking $450 would be a steal. I'll be sure to post again after we test her out...
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Now that I have pulled all the buckets, I know I should just let this thread rest, but....
Here's today's pic of the new boiler that will be put to work next season.
(http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/CDB84FF6-4D63-462E-89F1-2B58AC608AA2-216-0000000CC9E4847B_zps9ed87bb2.jpg)
That is my goal for next spring. Great set up..
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boys I'm still getting pounded with sap. I have a gallon of finished syrup. and still have 40 gallons to boil and get around 8-10 gallons of sap a day, this has been a long season for us up here
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Yep, we reached a point where we had all the syrup we could use and all we wanted to give away. Just couldn't see any point in burning anymore wood ;D
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(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad279/malysha2181/gold.jpg) (http://s943.photobucket.com/user/malysha2181/media/gold.jpg.html)
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad279/malysha2181/gold2.jpg) (http://s943.photobucket.com/user/malysha2181/media/gold2.jpg.html)
only 30 more gallons to go. phew.
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Looks good Rusty.
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well after a lot of work and watching and learning from a lot of you...I finally made a few videos and posted them. thanks for all the help and the pics posted on here...they were a great inspiration.
part one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzaActx7PLk (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzaActx7PLk)
part two
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4Y22DQPH7Y (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4Y22DQPH7Y)
part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1IxbZ5ynTc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1IxbZ5ynTc)
and the final result is this
(https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/923471_4750983134682_814489713_n.jpg)
and this
(https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/483481_4714124373236_2053456242_n.jpg)
so far this year...the neighbors and I have split close to 5 gallons of the sweet stuff and the trees are still running! this will be my last week though as I am almost out of wood! hope everyone had an awesome season, and again...gamefisher...t he coffee urn idea was to maple syrup what the smitty sled is to ice fishing. absolutely brilliant....thanks again!
pipe
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That is awesome... I cant wait till next year..
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Nice haul pipeboy! Though with a dog, three cats, and a three and a half year old rugrat in my house there's NO way you'd catch me stacking it up like that even for a two minute photo op!
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Well I have 2 dogs and 3 cats and 2 kids ages 10 and 12. I locked the cats in the bed room and told the kids that one of them had to walk the dogs and the other had to empty sap buckets. The wife was at work and the kids rock-paper-scissors each other for job choice and I got to snap my pics in peace. Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in a while! This weekend will be my last! I already have 6 + gallons of finished syrup. I have 40 gallons of sap saved up and will let it run all week till Saturday night. The cooker will fire up Friday night and run till we're done on Saturday. Then the taps will get pulled and equipment washed and stashed.
It's been a hell of a year...way better than last year. After 4 seasons of doing this...this is the latest I've ever cooked sap! No one I know around here that does it can think of a run the went this late into the season!
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Well played! Yeah, this was only my second season and it definitely ran later here as well. First season I had 8 taps out and only made 3-4 pints. This season I put out 18 and made a little over a gallon. I expect I'll be expanding a bit more next season. Just hope it runs as well as it did this year...
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Yeah, I know I should be thinking of ice and not looking toward spring, but we just finished the sugar shack and new evaporator this weekend. She's all ready to go in a few months!
(http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/BBC741F1-11EB-4F4E-944B-8DE6F16ECFBF-2649-000001AE935D57DD_zpsba2bf3dd.jpg)
(http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/73973F68-7E9A-4DBC-848F-ACAC0EDE511D-2768-000001AEEFA02011_zps8959bf93.jpg)
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Sweet set-up. (pun intended) It sure will be nice to have a project like that done when when all you want to do is have a few more days on the ice instead of building a sugar shack in the snow.
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Wow, you have caught the fever! I must admit I check mapletrader most every day however. ;D Best thing about your design is that it will double nicely as a bus stop for the kids! ;D Couple thoughts, not criticisms:
1) Slide your metal roofing down all the way around even with your top nailer for better steam escape. You may still experience some drip from the roof to deal with, not sure.
2) Slide your stove more to the right so you can add a tier of wood inside to feed from. Sides of stove wont be that hot after bricking it or add a piece of metal roofing inside with short spacers if worried about to hot.
3) Get that talented Dad of yours to to weld on a nipple from your sectioned pan and plum it to your finish pan. Use the valve you have to draw off the finish pan from a "T" and add another valve that controls flow from back pan to front. No ladling or nothing that way, as your front pan gets low, simply add more near syrup from the back pan with your valve. Must be a valve handle on that back off the pre heater we can't see, great hobby set up you have. @)
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Good points gamefisher! I had wondered about drip from the roof on the inside but figured we'd just have to give it a try and see what happens. I didn't consider stacking wood inside but had worried a bit about having enough room to maneuver beside the stove. And we'll definitely have to consider #3. But for now, let's just get some ice made and catch a few fish first...
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I was thinking about Trying a small scale run this year. Never made syrup before but I do like to eat it! Where can I get the taps and other supplies I will need and as always any expert advice is welcome!
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I use cheap plastic ones that I picked up at the hardware store and asked the local grocery store to save plastic buckets from the deli for collection buckets. I only have two seasons under my belt, so I wouldn't count any of my advice as "expert" at this point :)
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I use the cheep plastic taps too. So far we're 4 seasons in and I haven't broken any. I personally use 2 liter pop bottles to collect in. Just cut a quarter size hole in the top of the biggest diameter of the bottle and it will stay on the tap. I used to use plastic tubing into 5 gallon buckets...but if the tubing freezes up...the sap won't run out until the block is melted. I also have the ability to collect at least once a day as all of my trees are at the edge of the yard, but on heavy flow days i do feal guilty coming home from work and seeing dozens of overflowing bottles. Plus at the end of the season there is no washing of anything...I just recycle them and start collecting them a month before we start tapping.
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I'm almost done building my sap evaporator and was wondering where I can find taps and tubing in the southern maine/nh area. This is my first season looking to run about 10 taps.
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any paris farmers union. @)
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where I can find taps and tubing in the southern maine/nh area. This is my first season looking to run about 10 taps.
I just bought 10 taps and 50 feet of hose on Ebay for $36 with free shipping....
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Wonder if tractor supply or agway might have the taps and tubes?
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Sap is starting to run ,Look at broken branches on Maples from ice damage and sap icicles are hanging along the roadways.
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Sap is starting to run ,Look at broken branches on Maples from ice damage and sap icicles are hanging along the roadways.
A quick glance at the extended forecast tell me I need to hurry up and get some buckets out!
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No way...you guys in Maine are getting sap already? The syrup season hasn't even been a thought in my head in here in Wisconsin. We still have 30"+ of ice to drive on.
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Gah! You're killin' me! I hope it's not time yet. I'm gonna be out of town for work March 4-11 which is what I would expect to be prime time. Though now that I think about it, maybe if it starts earlier I'll be better off. Can't wait to get this bad girl fired up ....
(http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/BBC741F1-11EB-4F4E-944B-8DE6F16ECFBF-2649-000001AE935D57DD_zpsba2bf3dd.jpg) (http://s1106.photobucket.com/user/ggilbert1968/media/BBC741F1-11EB-4F4E-944B-8DE6F16ECFBF-2649-000001AE935D57DD_zpsba2bf3dd.jpg.html)
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I am jealous of Maine, maple syrup and Allen's. Throw in a moose steak or two and I might cry.
I know of a couple non commercial guys here as well as a well know Route 66 spot.
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We put in about 130 taps on Saturday, still about 400 to go. Hoping to get 75 gallons bottled up this year. No sap run yet but then end of the week looks promising.
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where would one buy the taps .. i would like to tap the 3 big mature sugar maples in my yard.. how many taps can a tree handle?
On trees over 12inch I place 3 taps east facing as much as possible.
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We tapped our 1100 over the weekend. Pump reassembly (we moved it) tonight, new releaser over the tank tonight. Plumb lines into releaser tomorrow (we reconfigured), lots of little odds and ends in the sugarhouse and probably start boiling Thursday Night. Our trees are frozen HARD and it will take a day or two for them to really get going, but if the forecast holds, we'll run like hell on Thursday. R.O. gets plumbed in during next week's freeze, then our long days shorten significantly. I love sugaring. Hope everyone has a great season/good time boiling.
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Gah! You're killin' me! I hope it's not time yet. I'm gonna be out of town for work March 4-11 which is what I would expect to be prime time. Though now that I think about it, maybe if it starts earlier I'll be better off. Can't wait to get this bad girl fired up ....
(http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/BBC741F1-11EB-4F4E-944B-8DE6F16ECFBF-2649-000001AE935D57DD_zpsba2bf3dd.jpg) (http://s1106.photobucket.com/user/ggilbert1968/media/BBC741F1-11EB-4F4E-944B-8DE6F16ECFBF-2649-000001AE935D57DD_zpsba2bf3dd.jpg.html)
This is a sweet little setup, I like it, nice job!!!
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This is a sweet little setup, I like it, nice job!!!
If you like that you should check his posts on the evaporator his dad built :o
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If you like that you should check his posts on the evaporator his dad built :o
;D just hoping I don't miss the better part of the season...
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Got all my supplies together, weather looks sappy going to put them in soon!
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Tapped my first ever trees today! Got about a half gallon out of each one!
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I don't know anything about collecting sap and I don't do it. The other day riding around in my oil truck I was looking at the damage the ice storm had done to the maples. I got to wondering, will this make the sap run harder in an effort to help heal the wounds the tree suffered or slow it down because of the excess bleeding do to the broken branches? Maybe it won't make any difference at all, the tree will just do it's thing. Who's the expert? I need answers so I can move on with my life.
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That's a tough one. What really makes the sap flow (as I understand it) is the pressure differential from inside the tree to outside the tree (why vacuum helps sugaring). Bearing that in mind, a large surface area where branches have broken off will be exposed and could(?) represent a greater surface area exposed to pressure differential causing greater sap flow? We have an old timer at our sugarhouse who has forgotten more about trees than I have learned, I'll ask him his opinion and I'd be surprised if he isn't right. Guy's an encyclopedia.
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we got ours in now for a couple days ;D
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anyone tappin yet ;D
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plan on taping and getting set up Sat morning, should get enough to be boiling on Sunday!
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Spoke with a friend in Windham and he had harvested 40qts this passed week.
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Is every one ready? Going to be good the next couple days.... ;D
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Anyone use a gas drill for tapping? I have one if someone needs one.
(http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj192/pro390/DSC01523_zps175633f4.jpg) (http://s272.photobucket.com/user/pro390/media/DSC01523_zps175633f4.jpg.html)
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Can you mail it and how much? I'll pm my info.....
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Just wondering......I started this "off topic " thread 6YEARS ago and figured it would get pulled.......any other topic had a run this long ????? Funny thing is that I haven't tapped a tree since the year I posted it
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Just wondering......I started this "off topic " thread 6YEARS ago and figured it would get pulled.......any other topic had a run this long ????? Funny thing is that I haven't tapped a tree since the year I posted it
A little bribe offering goes a long way... :whistle: ;)2 :bow:
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we already have 35 gallons..started to boil some on sunday. didnt finish it cause we ran outta sap collected,now waiting till we get more ;D
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it's runnig pretty good at my house right now, started around 1 @)
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We put a few out on Saturday - probably hold off on the rest until this weekend.
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/maplesm_zps8a657b53.jpg)
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I'm about half tapped. @)
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We put a few out on Saturday - probably hold off on the rest until this weekend.
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/maplesm_zps8a657b53.jpg)
Good stuff right there Ryan, you and Iain are making me feel like a slacker. ;D
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you won't miss much Eric, after today looks like nothing till the weekend. I'll probably do the rest of mine this weekend to. @)
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I put in a few more taps this weekend and boiled off my first 20 gallons from that last warm spell!
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I put in a few more taps this weekend and boiled off my first 20 gallons from that last warm spell!
Do you have a picture of the stove you built? Always like to see what people come up with for boiling inventions. ;D
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Ill take pics soon, it's a 55 gallon woodstove style I guess you would call it.
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Ill take pics soon, it's a 55 gallon woodstove style I guess you would call it.
That's all I have, you can make some great syrup on very primitive setups. @) Do yourself a favor and buy yourself the $25 coffee urn for bottling, search back a few pages and you'll see what I'm talking about. :)
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How important is the filtering? I filtered my finsehed good through a 50 or 100 mircon oil filter from work, it caught a lot of the junk but the syrup was still a little cloudy.
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How important is the filtering? I filtered my finsehed good through a 50 or 100 mircon oil filter from work, it caught a lot of the junk but the syrup was still a little cloudy.
It depends on how perfect you want to be. If for personal use and you don't mind a little sediment, don't worry about it, doesn't effect the taste.
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How about texture and shelf life? most of it seams to have settled to the bottom of my mason jars.
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How about texture and shelf life? most of it seams to have settled to the bottom of my mason jars.
You will be fine, just might be a little crunchy at the bottom. ;D. Lots of times you can put it in the micro at the end of the jar for a few seconds and gain a little. It is more just an obsession to get perfect if giving away for gifts or whatever. If worried about it, just buy some plastic jugs, there is a reason why many use them. ;D. You really should take a glance back through this thread for ideas or better yet, take a peek at mapletrader.com., a lot of great info. there. :o
Looking at the forecast, I think there is a chance this could be a busted season. Doesn't look anything special right up to the 20th and then we go right into the 50's if you believe accuweather. :-\
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Dosen't look good at all, the sap has run ok the last few days however.
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???
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Put three testers out tonight. 2 dry and one was dripping as soon as I drilled. Gotta get up early tomorrow and get them all out. Hopefully I can get a bit tomorrow before it goes back below freezing on Sunday...
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I have 18 summer taps out now. Summer working, summer not... :D
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decent sap run today but not as good as I was hoping, got about 10 gal out of 22 taps! looks like the next run wont be until Wednesday.
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Think there is better than a month before anything happens up here even if you can get in the woods. Snow is deep!
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Think there is better than a month before anything happens up here even if you can get in the woods. Snow is deep!
yeah but you never know. a few more feet of snow and the sap will be pushing out the tops of the trees :)
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Sap runs have been few and far between but tomorrow I'll be boiling off 15 gallons or so. The maiden run for the new setup...
(http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/73973F68-7E9A-4DBC-848F-ACAC0EDE511D-2768-000001AEEFA02011_zps8959bf93.jpg) (http://s1106.photobucket.com/user/ggilbert1968/media/73973F68-7E9A-4DBC-848F-ACAC0EDE511D-2768-000001AEEFA02011_zps8959bf93.jpg.html)
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Had my first "big" boil today. Also my first boil on my homemade evaporator. It is so much faster than my colman stove, I had it going about 5 gallons an hour and it made short work of my 20 gallons of sap! Heres my setup. (http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss60/browntroutboy/b_zps8e84dbf0.jpg) (http://s561.photobucket.com/user/browntroutboy/media/b_zps8e84dbf0.jpg.html)
And the fruits of my labor. (http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss60/browntroutboy/o_zps463e3bc5.jpg) (http://s561.photobucket.com/user/browntroutboy/media/o_zps463e3bc5.jpg.html)
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That's a pretty nice setup. I popped in another 20 taps last night putting me at about 450 taps total. Only made about 5 gallons of syrup so far this year...usually pushing 50 by now. Looking like this week will be a good run. Hoping it lasts and doesn't warm up to much to fast.
https://www.facebook.com/WestSumnerSugarHouse (https://www.facebook.com/WestSumnerSugarHouse)
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Might be able to make syrup right through April central Maine northward looking at the long range. @)
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I get a lot of "sand" looking stuff at the bottom of my jars after I let them sit overnight. Is this bad and if so how do I remove/prevent it?
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Look back in this post .the subject has come up . I think you can filter it out ? But you don't have to .
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I get a lot of "sand" looking stuff at the bottom of my jars after I let them sit overnight. Is this bad and if so how do I remove/prevent it?
The old timers let what they thought to be finished syrup sit in a cool place for as much as a week before before bottling, the "gunk" all settles to the bottom and you just take off the clear. Or you can go to your supplier and get a wool filter and some pre filters, just make sure you don't bottle your syrup above 185 degrees, you are still making nitre at that point.
G.B. is right, take a look back through the pages on this thread, many good suggestions to cut the learning curve down. @)
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I think I am canning it while it is still to hot then. After it sits for a few days and the gunk settles and the sap is very clear. It still tastes fine but is it bad for it?
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As stated, there are lots of good ideas earlier on in this thread, but my process is usually to finish it, then dump it into big jars. Set it in the fridge for a day or two then carefully pour off the clear stuff into the final jars. Then I water bath can the final jars. The leftover sludge can be used to cook down into maple candy. This from a "seasoned" veteran in my third year of production, so take it for what it's worth :)
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The sludge will settle over night, I pour it in a 5 gallon bucket then reheat and package the next day.
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I tried a new filter this weekend and man the finshed goods are crystal clear now!
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I tried a new filter this weekend and man the finshed goods are crystal clear now!
I knew you seemed coachable. ;D Looking at the forecast, guess it's time for me to get a few taps in. :)
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I also waited until the sap was 185 to jar, makes a world of diffrence. Thanks for the help.
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I also waited until the sap was 185 to jar, makes a world of diffrence. Thanks for the help.
It is so addicting to see how good a final product you can make. @)
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Without a doubt, I even put in 5 more taps after seeing how good my boiler worked.
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Without a doubt, I even put in 5 more taps after seeing how good my boiler worked.
Yup, you officially have the fever. ;D
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If the sap is going to come, this week looks like prime time. Tap 'em if you got 'em, boys...
It sure looks sappy!
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Looked like a big day in the making when I left this morning (vid).
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/th_IMG_1863_zps06fe1a05.jpg) (http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/IMG_1863_zps06fe1a05.mp4)
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I finally got around to putting in 10 taps yesterday, don't think I've missed much at all given my locale. Didn't run like I had hope , cold wind off the lake, but a friend 3 miles away ran like crazy. I expect a little better run today, game on I guess. ;D
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Yesterday I was afraid I might be done. Seemed like my trees were looking a little too leafy. But I managed to collect a little over 3 gallons today. Maybe it'll turn around in the next few days...
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I expected a better run yesterday, only got 4 gallons from 15 taps. haven't checked today haul yet.
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I got 40 gallons on tue. Best run so far for me. Didn't have time to get it yesterday, I'm sure the buckets will be full today. Only made 1 gallon so far, sittiing on one more. Way behind last year. @)
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WOW, the trees really let loose today!
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A little over 6 gallons from 30 taps today. Most of my trees are just barely big enough to allow one tap, so I guess that's not a bad day. If tomorrow goes the same I'll be boiling off 40-50 gallons this weekend...
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With a little over 100 taps in we collected about 30+ gallons yesterday and have made 1 and a half gallons of sap so far, just me and my old man
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Took the day off yesterday to boil some of this sap I'm swimming in. Should've just gone in to work because I got a little sidetracked working on other things and burned up my pan. :%$#!: (Not my proudest moment. ::) ) I'm still sitting on 100+ gallons and need to get back at it, so any of you experienced guys have any magic tricks for taking this black off? It's been soaked in vinegar, scrubbed, scraped and soaked again over night (all without doing much good). Planning to light a fire under the vinegar tonight then scrub the crap out of it with Bar Keepers Friend but after that, I'm out of ideas. ???
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/pan_zps430955b4.jpg)
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OUCH! EZ Off Oven cleaner, a good scothbrite pad or four, and some old fashion elbow grease, you are going to be awhile. ;D I have heard of baking soda and lemon juice being used as well but if vinegar didn't touch it not sure those options will either. Whatever you do Ryan, especially if you try the oven cleaner, rinse real well after. Good luck.
Maybe a little dremel tool with a brush as a last resort ??? Bacon Farms may have some suggestions as well. @)
LUNCHTIME UPDATE - you better get that pan taking care of because they are running 1.5 gpt today in central Maine. :o @)
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Ouch is right. Hope you can get that taken care of. Agreed that things seem to be running well in Central Maine. My dad is in Winslow and he's gotten more out of 4 taps the past couple of days than I've pulled from 30 in Gray.
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Boiled off 15 gal. this morning, syrup isn't getting darker yet like I heard it should, trees are running better than ever!
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We're looking at a short season, collected about 500 gal off 600 taps so far, and the weather don't look promising. Might just sell the sap and not dirty the evaporator.
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I had 40 gal. yesterday. from 20 taps, over 2 days is about 1 gal a tap for me. Going to empty em tonight before the rain. Who knows after today. @)
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My suger count seams low almost 50:1 or even lower. Tapping a lot of reds however.
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(http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss60/browntroutboy/sy_zps5bf78d38.jpg) (http://s561.photobucket.com/user/browntroutboy/media/sy_zps5bf78d38.jpg.html) The product of about 12 gallons.
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Took the day off yesterday to boil some of this sap I'm swimming in. Should've just gone in to work because I got a little sidetracked working on other things and burned up my pan. :%$#!: (Not my proudest moment. ::) ) I'm still sitting on 100+ gallons and need to get back at it, so any of you experienced guys have any magic tricks for taking this black off? It's been soaked in vinegar, scrubbed, scraped and soaked again over night (all without doing much good). Planning to light a fire under the vinegar tonight then scrub the crap out of it with Bar Keepers Friend but after that, I'm out of ideas. ???
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/pan_zps430955b4.jpg)
Try a drill with a wire brush in the end of it, also try a orbital sander with 40-60 grit sand paper. Good luck. I've also heard letting raw sap sit in the pan for a 24 hours plus also works.
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warm the pan to 180-200*, spray with original Easy-Off (yellow can), let sit 2 hrs to work, scrape with a sharp scraper, rinse with Dawn soap, DRY THOROUGHLY, repeat if needed. Depending on how it looks after the first try, alternate cooking (boiling) some white vineger for 10 minutes or so with the Easy-Off treatment. Easy-Off is a base, vinegar is acid, they may work together to help chew it up It won't be easy, but should work better than risking damage from wire wheels or sanders.
As a last resort, get some Muriatic Acid (drain and pipe cleaner) from a plumbing supply (or maybe Lowes), but be careful- don't breathe the fumes or let it splash on anything you don't want to lose, including skin
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What would the damage be????? It's a stainless STEEL pan. U worried about scratches? LOL!
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Great progress on the filtering and bottling BTB, you are getting the hang of it now! Any updates on the pan Ryan?
I have picked up 25 gal or so this week that I need to get busy on. :)
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Don't ever burn your pan... After many tedious hours of scrubbing, boiling vinegar, scraping, muriatic acid, baking soda, scraping, scrubbing, Easy Off, and more scrubbing and scraping, my fingers are pretty chewed up but it finally came clean. Now I'm trying to work through all the sap that built up while I couldn't boil. I can't stress enough how much that process sucked. NEVER BURN YOUR PAN!
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/5C5063CE-273A-43E8-B647-90C89426F51B-9834-00001352F5C5C099_zps81158e4d.jpg)
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Don't ever burn your pan... After many tedious hours of scrubbing, boiling vinegar, scraping, muriatic acid, baking soda, scraping, scrubbing, Easy Off, and more scrubbing and scraping, my fingers are pretty chewed up but it finally came clean. Now I'm trying to work through all the sap that built up while I couldn't boil. I can't stress enough how much that process sucked. NEVER BURN YOUR PAN!
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/5C5063CE-273A-43E8-B647-90C89426F51B-9834-00001352F5C5C099_zps81158e4d.jpg)
Way to stick with it Ryan, guess those side projects can wait when boiling sap now. ;D
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Wow , glad to see you got that beauty of a pan cleaned back up!!
Hey thanks guys , I have learned a lot here about fishin, what gear is good... and how to make awesome maple syrup! !
Here is my first ever attempt. Came out really well!
... but NO sap today? !
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Wow , glad to see you got that beauty of a pan cleaned back up!!
Hey thanks guys , I have learned a lot here about fishin, what gear is good... and how to make awesome maple syrup! !
Here is my first ever attempt. Came out really well!
... but NO sap today? !
Your stuff looks good grumpy. No sap today, didn't freeze last night. I think we will run Mon., Thurs., Sat., Sun. and then be done, short, short season, not sure about the coast. :-\ I finished and bottled a 30 gal. boil this afternoon, kids have already had probably a pint on ice cream. ;D Sugar content seems outstanding this year. @)
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r106/gamefisher_photos/141254D6-CD91-4DB0-BE60-CC1986A4CE89-49789-00000F0D69542E0B_zps375beed7.jpg)
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We did well this weekend. Had really good runs on Thursday and Friday. Put up just shy of 450 gallons of sap, bottled just over 12 gallons which puts us at almost 21 gallons for the season. Not even half way to where we should be at this point. Hopefully we get a few more weeks!
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you'll be lucky for a few more days . I had a steady run from Tue till yesterday. After today, who knows maybe another day or two if were lucky unless the forcast changes dramatically. I've made 3 gallons so far. Not bad really. I had 5 last year. Hoping for one more. 22 taps. @)
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Ran pretty good here past few days, up to about 1400 gal off 600 taps, still thinking we are about done. It's been testing 2.8-3.1, but also loosing about 35 bags per day to tree rats.
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Sure is thumping good in central Maine today. @)
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Not much "thumping" down in southern Maine, but I've boiled off almost 50 gallons giving a better yield than I expected. 12.5 pints made so far. Collected 3 gals today to go along with 5 or so already sitting in the tank. I'm giving them another day or two then I'm done. A short season but I'd agree with gamefisher's assessment that the sugar content seemed high this year. Seems like I got at least two pints more than I expected.
(http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/B4CDD02F-DE29-4550-9C30-EEC9D643C62C_zpsobgd9xbf.jpg)
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good reading
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X2 on sugar content. I'm seeing 32:1 ratio this year when I'm normally closer to 38:1
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Still playing catch up thanks to the pan episode. Finished off a gallon and a half last night but yesterday's good run has me with back up over 100 gal buried in the snow behind the house. Gotta take another vacation day tomorrow to boil. Agree with what you all are saying about sugar content - most of my trees are soft maples in the woods and are usually 45-1 at best. This is the first year I've been able to get 40-1 or better.
Might run on Thursday but thinking I'm done after that.
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Pulled all my stuff in today. There might be a bit of a run tomorrow but I'm out of town for most of next week and wouldn't have time to process any more. Even though it was a light season I ended up with more syrup than my first two years, close to 2 gallons. Anyone else think twice about whether it's worth the effort when you're cleaning all your buckets and stuff at the end? I sure did today...
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I pulled half my taps yesterday going to boil my last 5 gallons tonight and call it a season.
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Pulled all my stuff in today. There might be a bit of a run tomorrow but I'm out of town for most of next week and wouldn't have time to process any more. Even though it was a light season I ended up with more syrup than my first two years, close to 2 gallons. Anyone else think twice about whether it's worth the effort when you're cleaning all your buckets and stuff at the end? I sure did today...
I think the best move I ever made on this hobby was going away from spiles and buckets to water jugs and tubing, anything you can do to reduce the clean up is a good move! :thumbsup: I'm not sure what is worse, cleaning up after sapping or getting the ice shack, fishing stuff, and snowmobiles put away. :-\
26 this morning at my house, looking for a good run today, and then pulling the plug this weekend. Lake is still white and tight so fishing gear isn't being put away quite yet. ;D
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The last time I hit the ice was for a couple hours on 3/24. I'll be in San Antonio for about a week so I guess my hardwater season is done. Good luck to those still getting out there.
After pulling everything yesterday, I saw this scene on several trees tonight. Made me wonder if I should have given it just one more day...
(http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/5E325F09-9084-4DBE-9C99-EBE1D84CE4F2_zpslts9hzj3.jpg) (http://s1106.photobucket.com/user/ggilbert1968/media/5E325F09-9084-4DBE-9C99-EBE1D84CE4F2_zpslts9hzj3.jpg.html)
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Hey guys, should a dowel cut and tapped into this season's tap hole to protect the tree?
I have just enough sap for a small boil off!
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No, they will heal on their own. Good run here yesterday, that will do it for me. :)
Hey guys, should a dowel cut and tapped into this season's tap hole to protect the tree?
I have just enough sap for a small boil off!
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No, they will heal on their own. Good run here yesterday, that will do it for me. :)
I wondered that my first year too, but if you zoom in a bit on the pic, you can see the first hole from two years ago just a couple inches below and to the left of this year's. It's pretty well all filled in. Last year's is 6-8 inches above and to the left and it looks well healed up too.
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Anybody still tapped? I pulled mine because we are taking off on a trip end of the week but 26 here this morning, forecasting a good three day run. The reds have budded but still small, the rock maples haven't even started, amazing to think you could still be sapping this late. I agree with all the comments about sugar content. I only made just shy of 6 quarts this year but that came from only 47 gal. of sap, nice quality as well. @)
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I'm still tapped. @)
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I don't tap but my neighbor does. His trees are still tapped and I suspect it ran good today. Yesterday never got above freezing. This morning was 9 degrees and today's high was 44. Forecasted temperatures look good for sap through the weekend. I expect to see him pull his maple taps next week and start tapping the birch trees.
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Well boyz, looking at the long range, I'd say second weekend in March we can expect the start of some sap...... if you can get to your trees. ;D. Anybody build anything new for 2015? With last season being a bust and the snow pack what it is, I thinking this could be a good season. @)
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I got my lines and buckets out yesterday so I can wash them and get them ready..
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I got my lines and buckets out yesterday so I can wash them and get them ready..
Was just thinking today, that I need to get mine ready!! :-P
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I don't tap trees, but seeing this thread tells me the weather will change. ;D ;D
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This weekends project is to dig the barrel arch out of a 5 foot drift of snow, set it up and rebrick it. Only thing new planned for this season is a metal roof for the sugar shed and some new tap lines. Not sure what I enjoy more in March, those bright sunny days on the ice or the late nights sugaring and listening to tunes.
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Not sure what I enjoy more in March, those bright sunny days on the ice or the late nights sugaring and listening to tunes.
Same here, they both involve beer so I call it a draw. ;D
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When we're sugarin' in April we can tell the grandchildren, "why, I remember when I was a young fella we used to do this in February around here ;D
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OMG here we again for the fifth straight yr why doesn't someone end this tread. its not about Ice Fishing
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OMG here we again for the fifth straight yr why doesn't someone end this tread. its not about Ice Fishing
And canoeing, ocean acidification, and deer herds do? Here is a novel idea.... Just don't click on it. @)
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Looking like its going to warm a little for next week, have to dig out the evaporator and start washing buckets!
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I have a giant...what I was told...."Swamp" Maple in my yard. Can you make syrup from that? I really want to try making syrup but don't really have any access to maples.
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I have a giant...what I was told...."Swamp" Maple in my yard. Can you make syrup from that? I really want to try making syrup but don't really have any access to maples.
Tap it! Just the sugar content will be a little lower. I wouldn't put more than four taps in any tree but that could still yield you a gallon of syrup over the course of a normal season. @)
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We're starting to get sap sack holders together, but my arthritis is too bad to drive tractor this year,and collecting crew is way down with college, work, etc. Prob only tap 300 or so.
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Tap it! Just the sugar content will be a little lower. I wouldn't put more than four taps in any tree but that could still yield you a gallon of syrup over the course of a normal season. @)
You think so? Hmmm...now you got me thinking.
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You think so? Hmmm...now you got me thinking.
Absolutely. Your kids will very much enjoy.
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Picked up a few more buckets today, now its time build a shelter for my evaporator set up!
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What are the drawbacks to tapping trees too early? For example, we may be a couple of weeks away from the sap flowing, but I'm off this weekend and was thinking about heading out with snowshoes to put some taps in. If the taps are in two weeks before they should be, what is the result?
-Ron
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What are the drawbacks to tapping trees too early? For example, we may be a couple of weeks away from the sap flowing, but I'm off this weekend and was thinking about heading out with snowshoes to put some taps in. If the taps are in two weeks before they should be, what is the result?
-Ron
If you have time this weekend, I would tap.
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Had a trickle this afternoon on a couple taps. Should run tomorrow and this weekend! Only got 6 taps in. More going in friday
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I don't have an evaporator, but am looking to tap some trees to use the sap instead of water to brew some beers and wine. Anything I need to look for? Is there a way to gage how much sap I would get from a tree? I don't want too much (waste), but want enough to do brewing using the sap as the sole base.
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I don't have an evaporator, but am looking to tap some trees to use the sap instead of water to brew some beers and wine. Anything I need to look for? Is there a way to gage how much sap I would get from a tree? I don't want too much (waste), but want enough to do brewing using the sap as the sole base.
One tap should yield 10 gal. of sap in a normal season as a guide.
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One tap should yield 10 gal. of sap in a normal season as a guide.
Thanks Eric!
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I'm putting out 30 taps tomorrow in the A.M. ill let you know how it runs!
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WHO'S TAPPIN ;D, I PUT IN A FEW AND THE REST WILL GO IN FRIDAY
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Im putting my 15-20 in tomorrow looking like it should really let loose this week!
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Next week looks great. Probably drill some taps on Monday!!! :P
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;D drip drip drip ;D
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I put in a few yesterday. Nothing today. I'll put in a few more in the next few days. I only do 8 or 10
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Checked my buckets yesterday hardly a drop what gives? ??? ???
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Checked my buckets yesterday hardly a drop what gives? ??? ???
Must be 8 more weeks of winter...
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Same here browntroutboy. When I looked at the forecast I figured I'd be able to do a small boil this weekend. I don't have more than a cup or two of sap... Figured it'd be running good
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Checked my buckets yesterday hardly a drop what gives? ??? ???
Maple trees are just like MEhunter, it takes them a while to wake up. ;D. Mine are still dry today, that surprised me a little.
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running strong in New Gloucester, just need to find something to store it in! Don't have time to do nightly boils anymore so I have to wait until the weekend. By then I should have about 100 gal of sap.
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I put out 25 taps on sat. Whent and tapped 15 more last night and my buckets had a inch in them from sat. And it was dripping real slow. I didn't check today but they should of done something. It takes a couple good days just get things started. Tomm. should be decent. @)
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Iceman,
I work in New Gloucester and have most of my taps over that way. I use 55 gal coated drums that were used for corn syrup for storage. If your interested I can see if we have any more laying around. Trees should be running pretty good tonight and tomorrow.
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Went by some milk jugs hanging in Ellsworth this afternoon. They were half full.
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Is the sap running anywhere in Maine? I have not gotten a drop yet. Hope it changes soon. Time is running short before the maples start budding. NT
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Is the sap running anywhere in Maine? I have not gotten a drop yet. Hope it changes soon. Time is running short before the maples start budding. NT
I got 10 gallons last week going to do a small boil tonight before it spoils.
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Nothing here yet but a little ice in the buckets, slow start indeed, looks cold all week as well after today. :'(
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I got 10 gallons last week going to do a small boil tonight before it spoils.
I think you are okay on it spoiling as long as it stays cold. I've held on to sap for near 2 weeks and it was fine.
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I've heard rumors of businesses might have to import it in for Maine Maple Sunday
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I've heard rumors of businesses might have to export it in for Maine Maple Sunday
I think a lot of operations will be boiling water for show and selling the remainder of last years supply.... if they have any.
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Yes, I'm surprised they didn't move the date!! :-\
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I think you are okay on it spoiling as long as it stays cold. I've held on to sap for near 2 weeks and it was fine.
You are a wise man.. I have had it buried in coolers under snow for 2 weeks before any sign of spoilage.. ;)
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I think a lot of operations will be boiling water for show and selling the remainder of last years supply.... if they have any.
Meant import = blame the alcohol ;D
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ran good in New Gloucester today, got about 22 gal out of 26 taps. still have to get my evaporator set up so i can get boiling!
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ran good in New Gloucester today, got about 22 gal out of 26 taps. still have to get my evaporator set up so i can get boiling!
Just dug mine out of the snow yesterday, but I think it's froze to the ground!! :-\
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I boiled my 10 gallons last night got about a quart that light "early" season syrup.
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sap ran surprisingly well today, picked up about 20 gallons! Out of storage need to get some boiled down.
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Thought I'd bump this back up. As of Saturday I had only collected about 6 gals off 30 taps. Figured the season was a bust so I boiled off what I had with the propane burner. Now I'm sitting on another 20 gals or so and may actually be able to do a real boil over wood this weekend. Won't be a banner season but it guess it won't be a bust...
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Thought I'd bump this back up. As of Saturday I had only collected about 6 gals off 30 taps. Figured the season was a bust so I boiled off what I had with the propane burner. NNow I'm sitting on another 20 gals or so and may actually be able to do a real boil over wood this weekend. Won't be a banner season but it guess it won't be a bust...
It has been slow out of the gate for sure. It ran pretty good here the last two days, other than that, basically zippo. I am thinking a short and sweet season as well. @) Looking forward to hearing how your new evaporator works out.
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boiled 20 gallons since the season "started" hope they ran good the last few days.
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I would love to be able to do that, not much for maple out here in Idaho. I had heard you can tap birch just wondering if any of you have tried?
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I would love to be able to do that, not much for maple out here in Idaho. I had heard you can tap birch just wondering if any of you have tried?
The birch sap run is a little after the maple and has a lower sugar % 60:1 I think it is, I work with a guy that taps them.
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It has been slow out of the gate for sure. It ran pretty good here the last two days, other than that, basically zippo. I am thinking a short and sweet season as well. @) Looking forward to hearing how your new evaporator works out.
It did quite well for us last year. We processed about 40 gals of sap last season in two boils. A little slower than I expected, so we'll probably tweak some things this year. Replacing a section of the stovepipe to add a damper to see if that helps, hinders, or maybe it will make no difference. Also learned that my plan to use all the junk dead softwood to burn was not the best idea. Turned out it was really too wet and punky to burn well so we switched to hardwood. I suppose the soft stuff might be fine if I took better care and kept it dry...
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my trees broke loose the past 2 days, 35 gallons from 15 taps boiled half of it last night!
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Thanks Browntroutboy.
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my trees broke loose the past 2 days
Same goes for me and I'm out of storage space. Hauling out the stove tonight to do my first boil tomorrow - can't believe I went the whole month of March without firing it up.
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Went down the Bog Rd in Rockland today and saw were somebody had all their oak trees tapped. ::)
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Went down the Bog Rd in Rockland today and saw were somebody had all their oak trees tapped. ::)
That will make some dark bitter syrup. Maybe their making some special deer lure! ;D ;D
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Got a 45-50 gal. Boil going right now, sure is beautiful out. My AUF experiment hasn't worked out as good as I had hoped, 55 gal. drum could be a little tighter. ;D. Running today even though it only got to 34 last night. Looks half decent next week and that could be the end of it if you believe the long range. :-\
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Wish someone would donate a few jars for door prizes at the Banquet. :P
Or at least give me a jar ;D
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been boiling since yesterday collected approx 80 gal of sap out of 26 taps this week. I'm done after tomorrow should end up with about 4 gal of syrup for the year.
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we are on our fourth boil I've already got 2 gallons put up so far. If ur trees are not R unning you probably tapped them too early unless ur north of augusta
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we are on our fourth boil I've already got 2 gallons put up so far. If ur trees are not R unning you probably tapped them too early unless ur north of augusta
Where the hell you been RTD? I thought an avalanche got you or something this winter.
Smelt dipping is a week away.
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Prolly be more than another week in our area guys cmon lol
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Prolly be more than another week in our area guys cmon lol
You'd be surprised : :tipup:
I'm watching a spot right now that will run any day now. Got to put your time in.
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Deciding wether or not to pull my taps. just finished a boil and it looks like I've ended up with 4.5 gal of syrup for the year. might run a day or two this week then it may put me over 5 gal for the year. How did everyone else do this year?
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Deciding wether or not to pull my taps. just finished a boil and it looks like I've ended up with 4.5 gal of syrup for the year. might run a day or two this week then it may put me over 5 gal for the year. How did everyone else do this year?
I bottled just over a gallon this morning, my first of the season. Today ran 1/2 gal. per tap even though cold, I think this week will actually be pretty decent, I would ride it out at this point and maybe pull next weekend instead.
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Anybody out there boiling off mash instead of maple syrup in there sugar shacks, now that would be sweet LOL
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Been a busy week boiling, have a little over 5 gallons bottled and about 60 gallons of sap in storage that is starting to get cloudy. Spent the day down in Mass with the family so it will be a late one tonight catching up. Ice is out on some of the ponds down that way, I was kicking myself for not bringing a spinning rod with me.
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Boiled down 50 gallons Saturday night, got a little over a gallon. (http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss60/browntroutboy/a_zpswvbys3cb.jpg) (http://s561.photobucket.com/user/browntroutboy/media/a_zpswvbys3cb.jpg.html) (http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss60/browntroutboy/e_zpsovsjaisq.jpg) (http://s561.photobucket.com/user/browntroutboy/media/e_zpsovsjaisq.jpg.html)
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Boiled down 50 gallons Saturday night, got a little over a gallon. (http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss60/browntroutboy/a_zpswvbys3cb.jpg) (http://s561.photobucket.com/user/browntroutboy/media/a_zpswvbys3cb.jpg.html)
NASA control we have lift off
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She was burning hot that's for sure!
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Cool picture Jeff, looks like you have the bottling part figured out as well. @) My batch finished out a gallon and a pint but is running darker in central Maine than you southern boyz.
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Cool picture Jeff, looks like you have the bottling part figured out as well. @) My batch finished out a gallon and a pint but is running darker in central Maine than you southern boyz.
Think I may go large scale for next season, build a sugar shack this summer and try to run over 50 taps next season, have to figure something out for a bigger evaporator too.
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Think I may go large scale for next season, build a sugar shack this summer and try to run over 50 taps next season, have to figure something out for a bigger evaporator too.
You would be very happy with a Mason 2X3 and blower Jeff, he is fairly handy to you in Cornish, great prices and craftsmanship. If I had a place to build a shack I would have already had one by now. Fishmoresurfless is doing 163 taps on one but has a beautiful sugarhouse and an unending supply of beer so has lots of helpers. ;D
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$900 bucks for that is quite fair, 7-9 GPH is pretty good I'm doing 4-5 an hour on my ghetto fab set up. A guy at work is trying to get me to buy his 2x6 evaporator but I think that is to big.
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$900 bucks for that is quite fair, 7-9 GPH is pretty good I'm doing 4-5 an hour on my ghetto fab set up. A guy at work is trying to get me to buy his 2x6 evaporator but I think that is to big.
You would definitely need more that 50 taps to run it right.
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BrownTroutBoy - that barrel is crankin'! Syrup looks great, too. I boiled all weekend and hope to finish it up on the stove tonight - should end up being the biggest batch I've ever done. Fancy new upgrade in the operation this year lets me keep going right through the rain. So far so good but we'll see how it holds up. (I bought it, when I saw it, at Marden's)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f201/bbpinecone/photo-1_zpsdvshhros.jpg)
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I like how much bigger your pan is, I will fab something different up for next season!
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Yesterday was the. Best day of the season so far @) sap still crystal clear
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Yup, ours finally broke loose up here in the Lincoln area, gonna have to boil today.
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Yesterday was the. Best day of the season so far @) sap still crystal clear
For me also Iain, 1.5 gal. per tap, should be a good boil this weekend as I am thinking today will be decent as well. @)
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Boil'n, boil'n, boil'n.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v461/Phoenix94/boiling%20sap%202015_zpsfleuewgp.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Phoenix94/media/boiling%20sap%202015_zpsfleuewgp.jpg.html)
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Boiled down 50 gallons Saturday night, got a little over a gallon. (http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss60/browntroutboy/a_zpswvbys3cb.jpg) (http://s561.photobucket.com/user/browntroutboy/media/a_zpswvbys3cb.jpg.html) (http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss60/browntroutboy/e_zpsovsjaisq.jpg) (http://s561.photobucket.com/user/browntroutboy/media/e_zpsovsjaisq.jpg.html)
Now that's a fire. LOL
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And that's a wrap! All my buckets have been pulled and I finished off the last 10 gallons of sap last night. A few weeks ago I was convinced this season would be a bust, but it turned out to be my best ever. Ended up with a bit more than 3 gallons of syrup, questioning my sanity and the buy vs. make choice every step of the way... :)
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It didn't go to bad for me, I ended up with just over 5 gallons which is about average for me. I did put in extra taps to get it. Sugar content seemed high. I've never seen it shut of so quick. Our last boil was in 70 degree weather, not cool. @)
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Bump
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You found it!
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http://www.pressherald.com/2016/02/03/sap-is-running-early-in-southern-maine-and-some-maple-syrup-producers-are-going-with-the-flow/
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I searched MFF 1st, Im an idiot. ;D
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Surprised this hasn't been bumped, given the weird "winter" we've had. All my taps went in Saturday and Sunday and I've pulled 22 gallons of sap so far. Looks like first boil on Saturday...
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Until last year, after I skimmed through this thread, I never even noticed all the trees that get tapped just outside of Portland. Sure makes me want some syrup, but that is a lot of work boiling!
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It's not that bad, get a snapper and a big pot. You can get them at wal mart cheap. Get it boiling and you can kick around while it boils down. Once it gets evaporated to a certain point transfer into a pot on the stove then you need to babysit it.
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First boil of the season. 28 gallons yielded 6 pints, just what I was expecting. Before you question my counting skills, yes, there are 8 jars in the pic. They're 12oz jars... ;D
(http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/C8E4FF58-B9AD-4B46-A20D-407D75282C57_zpsh39heuoh.jpg)
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First boil of the season. 28 gallons yielded 6 pints, just what I was expecting. Before you question my counting skills, yes, there are 8 jars in the pic. They're 12oz jars... ;D
(http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/C8E4FF58-B9AD-4B46-A20D-407D75282C57_zpsh39heuoh.jpg)
Good looking stuff Keychain and that's a great yield compared to a lot I'm hearing, seems to be a lot of 1% sap out there currently. :'(
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Who knows... maybe I'm just leaving it too thin and that's why I'm getting "more"... ;D
I may have to boil again BEFORE Saturday. After finishing off the first batch Saturday, I collected another 18-19 gallons Sat-Mon.
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Who knows... maybe I'm just leaving it too thin and that's why I'm getting "more"... ;D
I may have to boil again BEFORE Saturday. After finishing off the first batch Saturday, I collected another 18-19 gallons Sat-Mon.
I would totally encourage you to spend the $20 on the hydrometer if you haven't already, takes all the guess work out, best money you can spend in this addiction. @)
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This is my first year sugaring, tried out one tap. Wow, what a great time. The kids love it and even my wife is getting into the fun. She's already looking around for more taps to tap every tree in the neighborhood. With only one tree, we'll be lucky to get a pint of syrup all spring. Next year we'll get serious.
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Welcome to the addiction! I started with 10 taps a few years ago. Put 30 out the next year. I've somehow been able to keep that as my limit for a few years now. Any more than that for me and it will become more work than fun. Though there are days when I'm slogging out through the woods wondering how much "fun" it actually is...
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It's not that bad, get a snapper and a big pot. You can get them at wal mart cheap.
Question for maple syruping: what is a snapper?
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The snapper we know Salty bites. ;D
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Question for maple syruping: what is a snapper?
The big propane burners, turkey burners.
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Question for maple syruping: what is a snapper?
Red Hot Dog Silly
but I find them better tasting grilled not boiled
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I was worried about what kind of answers my question about snappers might produce! Thanks...
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Just to clear things up I was talking short hard shell lobsters. I can see the red hot dog. Now Clammy on the other hand may be thinking something else.
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Anybody still in the game? Anybody even get in the game to start? ;D I wasn't going to even bother this year since we went to Florida prime sap time, thanks to my lovely bride. ;D. I had been working on building a new arch for my junk pans so couldn't resist putting 20 or so out just to see how she will preform. Did a test run with water the other night and have high hopes but should have enough sap after today to put it to the test for real.
Hope to get some pics of the new, highly sophisticated, " homemade sap pan into lasagna syrup pan" 2 pan system in action soon. ;D
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Show us some pictures, would like to see this setup. Got a quart the other day. Traded for lobsters I haven't caught yet.
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Show us some pictures, would like to see this setup. Got a quart the other day. Traded for lobsters I haven't caught yet.
Ran good today, picked up 35-40 gallons, definitely enough for a test run. Doesn't taste like much sugar in the sap, might do a lot of boiling for little final product. :'(.
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It's time to admit I have a problem... I pulled all of my taps 2 weeks ago after collecting and boiling off 95 gallons of sap. This morning it was kinda chilly and the forecast looks a bit sappy for a few days so I hung 10 buckets back out this morning...
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Great run this afternoon, tomorrow will be good also. My sap looks great and so do the trees, not sure if I will be able to say that after 60 on Thursday. Just left Bacon Farms, looked like a good crowd, hope all the "real" producers are fairing as well this weekend, Happy Easter guys, we will be having our own Maine Maple Sunday in the driveway tomorrow, sapping always seems to gather a crowd. (Or is that the beer ??? ;D)
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Unbelievably huge sap run for me yesterday - most ever in 24hr period I think. Boiled all weekend, pulled the pan off last night and still have more sap stored than before I started. I see a vacation day in my future :)
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Unbelievably huge sap run for me yesterday - most ever in 24hr period I think. Boiled all weekend, pulled the pan off last night and still have more sap stored than before I started. I see a vacation day in my future :)
I have never seen anything like this either Ryan, I just gathered again at lunch to see where I stood after it ran all night, best I can figure is 95 gallons from 22 taps in a 48 hr. period. I got 60 of it down yesterday, still have to finish and bottle, hoping I can keep this additional until Thursday, I see another big run on Wed. I used the term "epic" run with the neighbors in the driveway a lot yesterday. ;D
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I have never seen anything like this either Ryan, I just gathered again at lunch to see where I stood after it ran all night, best I can figure is 95 gallons from 22 taps in a 48 hr. period. I got 60 of it down yesterday, still have to finish and bottle, hoping I can keep this additional until Thursday, I see another big run on Wed. I used the term "epic" run with the neighbors in the driveway a lot yesterday. ;D
Sounds great Eric! With this "epic" run should I expect double the sap you usually send me? 😎
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Sounds great Eric! With this "epic" run should I expect double the sap you usually send me? 😎
This stuff is so good it would throw that fragile system of yours into shock after all the Aunt Jemima you've eaten! ;D
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Who's tapping?
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Thought about putting a few out yesterday but just got an invite to Moosehead for a few days, so I think I'll wait. Looks like this week would probably be some sappy weather though...
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Just gathered 35 gallons, will have 150 plus to do Saturday and sunday!!
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Sno Pro what did you do change your shack house to a Sap house?
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Sno Pro what did you do change your shack house to a Sap house?
Nah, got evaporator on porch of my hunting camp. Not to bad of a set up.
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Looks like 200 gallon boil this weekend, should be a long 2 days!
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I've enjoyed reading the posts in this thread the past few years. I have a question for Snopro or anyone else who collects sap to make maple syrup. Is this year an early start to the sap collection season? I live in south eastern NY. the sap season usually starts in march around here I realize the unusually warm weather many parts of the North East U.S. could cause the sap to run.
Steve
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I've only been doing this for 5 years or so but I wouldn't say it's super early. I just hung 10 buckets today but have started 2 weeks earlier in past years, 2 weeks later in others. Mother Nature doesn't always look at the calendar.
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Keychain thank you for your reply I assume air temperature is only one factor in what causes tree sap to start moving in the tree.
Steve
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My cousin was boiling in January! Yes we have a early run. Its like ice fishing, take advantage of it while its here! We made well over a gallon of syrup yesterday. Will get a couple more today.
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I have a couple of trees tapped with my classes. We finished with just over a pint of nice stuff the other day. Looks like a good week coming up.
(http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd409/slammah/IMG_1795_zpsy7qrbkye.jpg)
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The batch we boiled this past week was golden. Just enjoyed some with strawberries, and cinnamon rolls. Next week looks like they will be running full bore again.
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Many times when I'm slogging out through 2 feet of snow collecting sap I ask myself whether this is worth it. I take pics and videos like this to remind me that it IS!
http://s1106.photobucket.com/user/ggilbert1968/media/F6182DC6-8420-4CD2-9F8C-98FDACC762CD_zps0krznxjy.mp4.html
(http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/E9C99010-886E-4AE8-BE3B-FA821EA44FDC_zps6dbrryde.jpg) (http://s1106.photobucket.com/user/ggilbert1968/media/E9C99010-886E-4AE8-BE3B-FA821EA44FDC_zps6dbrryde.jpg.html)
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This is 100% truth. You can't make this stuff up. I rarely miss an opportunity to laugh at myself. Fortunately (?) I seem to provide plenty of opportunities. I've been doing this maple syrup thing for 5-6 years now and just learned today that I've been doing it wrong! Well, I guess if it still works it's not "wrong" but not as designed. The thing in this picture is what I call a tap. Technically it's not a tap, but a spile. First mistake. Second mistake? Imagine the maple tree is on the right hand side of the photo. Once I drill the hole in the tree, I pound the "tap" in that way, hang a bucket and wait for it to drip sap. I always thought it was odd to pound that semi flexible piece into the tree at a weird angle, but figured that was what created a seal so the sap wouldn't leak out around the edge.
(http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/ACFD1DCD-BAD9-45E3-8C5E-D38129D6E93B_zpsyif6hbfz.jpg) (http://s1106.photobucket.com/user/ggilbert1968/media/ACFD1DCD-BAD9-45E3-8C5E-D38129D6E93B_zpsyif6hbfz.jpg.html)
If you flip it around this way, you have a more solid piece to drive into the tree and a nice flat surface on which to pound it in! Dad asked me today why one of my spiles was in backwards. Turns out they all were and still are... Until next year...
(http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h364/ggilbert1968/3F6BECC6-5149-40CB-B337-D984CD6C9AA0_zpsfl4kpqjb.jpg) (http://s1106.photobucket.com/user/ggilbert1968/media/3F6BECC6-5149-40CB-B337-D984CD6C9AA0_zpsfl4kpqjb.jpg.html)
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I like it Keychain. That also made me laugh. Funny that they still worked.
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Put in another dozen or more taps this weekend. Hope to get a few good runs this week. Then its get ready for next year. I got hundreds of trees here to tap. Need to get them brushed out and roads made to them. Will have a few small pipe lines to help things out. Its all a learning curve.
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A good friend of mine has a nice maple syrup business here in Wv,he started small like many do,with a few taps and buckets on trees.Over the last few years,he added all the bells and whistles for a small family business,he can produce 60 gal of finished syrup an hour once the sap enters his building.
He also runs tubing to a centralized tank,I believe this season he and his family tapped 7500 trees.Our season has ended here in Wv, temps really wrecked high production,no wonder the stuff is so expensive!
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My 1st year trying it only got about 14 taps in ,Did some boiling today but really not sure on the finishing ! ??
tastes great but seems a little to thin to me > still fun and yes it is a lot of work
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My 1st year trying it only got about 14 taps in ,Did some boiling today but really not sure on the finishing ! ??
tastes great but seems a little to thin to me > still fun and yes it is a lot of work
If this is just for personal use TC, you can come pretty close to correct density by just watching how it comes off the end of a spatula, it shouldn't drip, rather come off in sheets if that makes sense. If you have a cheap candy thermometer try to bottle at 180-190 degrees. Even if you are a little thin, as long as you get it refrigerated it will be fine. Finally if you are really concerned, just add it to your next batch of "near syrup" and refinish. Season could be over before it starts in central Maine atleast.
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If this is just for personal use TC, you can come pretty close to correct density by just watching how it comes off the end of a spatula, it shouldn't drip, rather come off in sheets if that makes sense. If you have a cheap candy thermometer try to bottle at 180-190 degrees. Even if you are a little thin, as long as you get it refrigerated it will be fine. Finally if you are really concerned, just add it to your next batch of "near syrup" and refinish. Season could be over before it starts in central Maine atleast.
Yeah personal use ,Thanks for the info i will go a little longer with it !It really didn't run good yesterday either seems to be over here in southern maine
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Yeah personal use ,Thanks for the info i will go a little longer with it !It really didn't run good yesterday either seems to be over here in southern maine
The spatula trick will get you real close without investing in a hydrometer and cup, especially just for your own use.
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Cheap candy thermometer seems to work fine for me. Once it's boiling at 219F, I call it done. But then... if you scroll up, you'll see that I surely do NOT have all the answers... ;D
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Cheap candy thermometer seems to work fine for me. Once it's boiling at 219F, I call it done. But then... if you scroll up, you'll see that I surely do NOT have all the answers... ;D
After reading your tap adventures, I think I need to stop picking on JDK about being french and turn my attention to you. ;D You crack me up with some of your exploits. @)
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After reading your tap adventures, I think I need to stop picking on JDK about being french and turn my attention to you. ;D You crack me up with some of your exploits. @)
Not French, but did grow up in Central ME, so there was certainly a time in the past when some of my "exploits" may have caused someone to assume I was of a certain ethnic background... :)
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After reading your tap adventures, I think I need to stop picking on JDK about being french and turn my attention to you. ;D You crack me up with some of your exploits. @)
Hey now, I married into French and sadly it is wearing off on me.
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Its running !!!!!!!!!
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A lot of I.S. History in these 36 pages! @)
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Maple syrup is used on Lake trout smoker fillets the last hour of smoking, Some of the togue fishermen brush on Maple syurp It does make them mighty TASTEY!!!!
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Nooo!!! its too soon to be seeing this pop up
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Nooo!!! its too soon to be seeing this pop up
I just thought the same. Heading to Moosehead for 3-4 days next week. Won't be able to put any out until after that...
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How is it running ?
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First timer here! I put out 15 taps Sunday afternoon and collected 15 gallons of sap Monday. I think that is good.
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First timer here! I put out 15 taps Sunday afternoon and collected 15 gallons of sap Monday. I think that is good.
Welcome to the addiction! Put my first 20 buckets out Sunday as well and had almost 8 gals last night. Forecast for the next 10 days looks pretty sappy!
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So sap has reduced dramatically. Is this due to warm overnight temps?
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So sap has reduced dramatically. Is this due to warm overnight temps?
Yes, ideally you would like in the order of 25 at night 45 in day, raw winds can be a factor also. I'm near you, don't believe it got to freezing last night. Hang tight, you'll get it when Mother Nature wants you to have it. @)
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Thanks. I am just anxious to boil. I guess I will do a small boil this weekend to test out the new evaporator.
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Thanks. I am just anxious to boil. I guess I will do a small boil this weekend to test out the new evaporator.
Don't blame you, boughten or homemade?
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First post of the season for me, with both boys playing hockey I spend all my time in rinks these days, only got on the ice three times this season. Just discovered that my new Wi-Fi reaches the sugar shack, wohoo!! Finishing up first batch of the season tonight.
(https://s9.postimg.cc/n4m4s1063/IMG_20180301_191532.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/n4m4s1063/)
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Well it is homemade and I bought it. Got it from a kid that built in a high school program.
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First batch of the season. Not as good a haul as I expected but for me the sap pretty much shut down on Tuesday.
(https://s18.postimg.cc/h0rra3l79/4_FD0_E09_B-5088-401_A-9_AC2-_A28_AE6_BAAE45.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/h0rra3l79/)
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Very nice. I didnt do any this year and sure miss the smell....
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I brought a small batch to 219 this afternoon, still have to check density, filter, and bottle. Going to stockpile my small batches and do it all at once because filtering is the part that sucks! ;D Looks nice and light however. @)
Keychain- did you get the taps in right this year? ;D
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I brought a small batch to 219 this afternoon, still have to check density, filter, and bottle. Going to stockpile my small batches and do it all at once because filtering is the part that sucks! ;D Looks nice and light however. @)
Keychain- did you get the taps in right this year? ;D
Affirmative! They have been properly installed this year. But if my yield is lower I’m going to claim the “wrong” way works better... :)
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(http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af13/frankandlacey/F76B73F4-342C-4674-AF29-8E42815F17CC.jpg) (http://s989.photobucket.com/user/frankandlacey/media/F76B73F4-342C-4674-AF29-8E42815F17CC.jpg.html)
My first boil
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(http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af13/frankandlacey/CAE77227-98AE-4E0E-9D2D-6A4DC867AA22.jpg) (http://s989.photobucket.com/user/frankandlacey/media/CAE77227-98AE-4E0E-9D2D-6A4DC867AA22.jpg.html)
The evaporator! Need to boil another 70 gallons this weekend!
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Pretty good haul for your first batch and it sounds like you've got plenty more to go. I was really hoping this snowstorm would shut things down for a few days so I could get caught up, but I'm sitting on 50 gallons right now and it just keeps coming. I grew up in Winslow so it's nice to see a "neighbor" joining in the fun...
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I have a similar problem. I have no storage containers left. Supposed to stay cold for a few days hopefully that will slow it down.
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Good job fmm, see if you can scrounge up one more length of stove pipe and some sort of cap, an old license plate or anything. You could even take a big can and poke a nail hole in it for a sap drixxler into the pan.
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Did a “pre-boil” boil tonight on propane trying to get a head start on the 50+ gals that I need to boil tomorrow before I go collect another 20+ gallons sitting out in the woods. The point of the pre-boil was so that I wouldn’t be finishing in the dark tomorrow night, but there I was tonight, in the dark. Something just didn’t add up...
(https://s10.postimg.cc/byao8t5md/A5_F019_DA-93_E9-4_ECE-_A427-_E8_A0_AE2_CFCD7.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/byao8t5md/)
(https://s10.postimg.cc/opoufb7ol/D676_A20_F-_BF47-4_FC5-8902-_AA791_C93645_A.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/opoufb7ol/)
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Boil #2 done, just about a cup shy of 12 pints. Now once again really hoping for a few days of cold to shut things down for a bit of a break... :)
(https://s10.postimg.cc/fkll62kid/2_D059_C72-_D4_FB-4_DC8-_A082-_B03845_CDF77_F.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/fkll62kid/)
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Nice haul Keychain! I am boiling today assuming my sap isn’t solid state.
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Looking good all Sugar’s. You can get caught up on boiling now that its to cold for the sap to flow. I like this thread , I had many great memories doing the same growing up in Huntington VT.
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This one is primarily for gamefisher since he seems to enjoy my "exploits" with sapping/syrup. Was sitting on about 60 gallons of sap with no time to boil in the past couple of weeks. Finally made some time on Fri-Sat to get it done. Did half of it on Friday afternoon and finished it up on Saturday. I wanted to finish what I had left on Saturday in two batches to make it more manageable. So I had two pots on propane just about ready to take inside to finish, filter and jar. Turned off the burners and took one inside to finish. With two quarts jarred, I headed back out to warm up the other pot and bring it in to finish. This is what I saw. Apparently I did NOT turn both burners off. Looked like a gradeschool science experiment gone bad. Lost a half gallon of syrup with that mistake, but hey, I ended up making 3.5 gallons this year, which is way more than we'll ever use anyway. Live and learn, hopefully...
(https://s7.postimg.cc/exm0ft1fr/Syrup_fail.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/exm0ft1fr/)
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You always keep me entertained with your sapping adventures keychain! We are hanging in there atleast through this week and have made the lightest syrup ever.
(https://s7.postimg.cc/5h0smpwmf/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/5h0smpwmf/)
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You always keep me entertained with your sapping adventures keychain! We are hanging in there atleast through this week and have made the lightest syrup ever.
(https://s7.postimg.cc/5h0smpwmf/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/5h0smpwmf/)
Looks like good stuff! I am done. Buckets are still out but if anything is in them, it's getting dumped in the woods when I finally get around to pulling them. I can't afford to keep buying new pots... ;D
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Looks like good stuff! I am done. Buckets are still out but if anything is in them, it's getting dumped in the woods when I finally get around to pulling them. I can't afford to keep buying new pots... ;D
Super sweet, super light this year. You are not going to believe your buckets when you get home, today is the biggest run yet, 36 degrees and cloudy, makes no sense but not much of this crazy hobby does! ;D Stay the course this week, lots of sap on the way!
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Super sweet, super light this year. You are not going to believe your buckets when you get home, today is the biggest run yet, 36 degrees and cloudy, makes no sense but not much of this crazy hobby does! ;D Stay the course this week, lots of sap on the way!
Yes, I will stay the course this week. The course is, I'm done! Anything that is in my buckets today will be hitting the forest floor at some point in the next few days.
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Yes, I will stay the course this week. The course is, I'm done! Anything that is in my buckets today will be hitting the forest floor at some point in the next few days.
Quitter. ;D
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Quitter. ;D
Normally I would not classify myself as a quitter. But in this case, you are dead right. I'm done for the year... ;D
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Normally I would not classify myself as a quitter. But in this case, you are dead right. I'm done for the year... ;D
Ya, just teasing, I don't blame you, I am an hour north of you and have noticed some trees in the neighborhood with their buds starting to swell. I suspect another big run today in central Maine.
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A shot in the dark here -
I love all things home made and am wondering if anyone is willing to sell a jar so I can have pancakes with the youngster. Ill pay shipping. Not sure what the cost of a jar is but id even be willing to trade a jar of my backyard honey for some maple. Used to work with a lady and her parents lived in Vermont. Every time she would go up for Thanksgiving she would bring me back a jar, boy do I miss that! used the last 2 teaspoons of it to cook some bacon maple brussel sprouts months ago.
From early to late season honey the color is amazing.
(https://s17.postimg.cc/9dc7qqz3f/20140917_Honey.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/9dc7qqz3f/)
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Hard to believe, but it might be time to give this thread a bump for 2019! A friend of mine has already started tapping. I hadn't even considered it yet, but it's probably time to start watching the 10-day forecast for temps...
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Got my lines and buckets out and washed them today. Im ready...... ;D
(https://i.postimg.cc/xXJgNXZW/20190222-153237.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/xXJgNXZW)
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No! Not yet! What are you thinking?!? I’ve had my ice gear ready since sept, not even going to think about spring stuff yet.
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My mind isn't even close to thinking sap season with 28-30" of ice but you are right, wont be long at all now.
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Key Chain, I wondered when someone would start this thread back up. Best to all of you with this season's sap collecting and syrup making.
Steve
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Temps have been right in southern Maine . 30-40 days and teens and 20s at night .
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My son convinced me to tap early. Temps are right but nothing flowing...
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My son convinced me to tap early. Temps are right but nothing flowing...
Trees are froze up in good shape, it will be awhile in our neck of woods. Got a feeling it might be a good year eventually with all the moisture in the ground.
I was poking around the net and found a new product that smokey lake maple came out with for backyard hobbyist called the star cat. A 16x30 flat plan that supposedly does 8 mph, arch ships in bolt together form, will be interesting to see response in the market.
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If you tapped trees up here right now, you wouldn't be able to reach them when (if) the snow melts :(
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If you tapped trees up here right now, you wouldn't be able to reach them when (if) the snow melts :(
You speak the truth.
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If you tapped trees up here right now, you wouldn't be able to reach them when (if) the snow melts :(
You speak the truth.
I think you have a big producer in Eagle Lake, he may not tap until June at this rate.
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OK central and southern Maine sap-a-holics, if you can find your trees in all the snow this is the weekend to get the taps in, northern boyz will have to wait until 4th of July!!!
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OK central and southern Maine sap-a-holics, if you can find your trees in all the snow this is the weekend to get the taps in, northern boyz will have to wait until 4th of July!!!
Not sure I'm really ready yet, but Mother Nature doesn't really care about that, does she? Put 12 taps out earlier this week and am debating whether I do any more or keep it scaled back a bit this year. Still have over a gallon of syrup left from last year so not much point in making a ton more just to store it for another year.
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Not sure I'm really ready yet, but Mother Nature doesn't really care about that, does she? Put 12 taps out earlier this week and am debating whether I do any more or keep it scaled back a bit this year. Still have over a gallon of syrup left from last year so not much point in making a ton more just to store it for another year.
I have a bunch left over as well, hard not to fight the temptation to put in a few however. Same setup still keychain?
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I have a bunch left over as well, hard not to fight the temptation to put in a few however. Same setup still keychain?
Same setup for boiling but started using some bigger buckets last year. Right now I have 12 taps flowing (hopefully?) into 6 5 gallon buckets. Hoping to not have to check/collect every day. When it runs well, my smaller buckets would sometimes overflow in a day. Had some land cleared for a garage project which yielded a cord and a half of poplar. Seems like that should burn hot and fast enough to evap some sap. We'll just have to see how well I can stick to the "scale it back" plan... :)
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Same setup for boiling but started using some bigger buckets last year. Right now I have 12 taps flowing (hopefully?) into 6 5 gallon buckets. Hoping to not have to check/collect every day. When it runs well, my smaller buckets would sometimes overflow in a day. Had some land cleared for a garage project which yielded a cord and a half of poplar. Seems like that should burn hot and fast enough to evap some sap. We'll just have to see how well I can stick to the "scale it back" plan... :)
We are our own worst enemies on this hobby, when you see another maple, tap goes in! ;D Poplar should be fine, burns fast, burns hot, little ash to it, you'll just be feeding it alot. Some claim it has a little skunky smell to it when it burns, just make sure it doesn't taint your boil, you'll know after first go round. Good luck.
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Buckets empty today:( starting to think I didn’t do something right.
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No worries i got 7 gal saturday , Today i wasnt sure about how much was water and snow from the storm so dumped em , Gonna get better later this week ,keep at it you,ll see better results tomorrow
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ok so qick question i use use propane to boil down my sap , takes me approx 3 hours to do 5 gal ,is this resonable or not , i know its not cost effective however i do enjoy the whole process ,I know i can buy it cheaper but hey it my own stuff
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ok so qick question i use use propane to boil down my sap , takes me approx 3 hours to do 5 gal ,is this resonable or not , i know its not cost effective however i do enjoy the whole process ,I know i can buy it cheaper but hey it my own stuff
Its got all do with the size of the pan you are using more than your choice of heat source, a 2x3 pan gives you 6 gph, a 2x4 gives you 8. Gph, etc. You must have a steam table pan or two I'm guessing
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yeah i steam pan and 1 alum pot , im at 216 on my 1st batch right now
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yeah i steam pan and 1 alum pot , im at 216 on my 1st batch right now
Don't take your eye off it!😁
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Done 1st one always seems the sweetest !!!
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(https://i.postimg.cc/7G1DXyD0/20190311-203915.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/7G1DXyD0)
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Don't take your eye off it!😁
Uh, yeah, what gamefisher said... :)
(https://i.postimg.cc/ZB2KMFvh/Syrup-fail.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/ZB2KMFvh)
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Uh, yeah, what gamefisher said... :)
(https://i.postimg.cc/ZB2KMFvh/Syrup-fail.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/ZB2KMFvh)
You might have taken that batch just a smidge too far. ;D Keychain always takes the cake in entertainment value! I really got in the habit the last few years of just taking a batch close to near syrup and then letting it sit in a stainless pot in the cold. As I boiled the next batch I would just do the same and add to pot. Over time a lot of the sediment settles to the bottom and then when you have a gallon or two to finish just be careful to not include the guck in your process. Since finishing and bottling is the worse part of this hobby for the backyarder, certainly makes it much easier to only do it a time or two per season.
PS - I've noticed that one of the trends is to not filter it all. The granolas call it "all organic". ;D If it's just for personal use, don't worry too much how it looks..... or just bottle in plastic. ;D
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Took about a month of soaking and scrubbing, but I was able to save the pot... ;D
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PS - I've noticed that one of the trends is to not filter it all. The granolas call it "all organic". ;D If it's just for personal use, don't worry too much how it looks..... or just bottle in plastic. ;D
I don't filter my syrup. I pour it in gallon glass jars and leave it alone for a few days. The sediment settles to the bottom and I pour clean syrup into pint bottles.
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Checked my buckets yesterday and not a whole lot of action. Earlier this week I thought I might be boiling this weekend but leaving for Moosehead in the morning instead. Hope they don't overflow while I'm gone, but if they do, oh well...
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Nothing here really either!
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really slowed up here in gorham
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Many one making maple wine?
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Many one making maple wine?
No but it sure does require a lot of beers to boil!!! ;D
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No but it sure does require a lot of beers to boil!!! ;D
Since when do you drink beer.🥺
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Since when do you drink beer.🥺
Thought I might try something new. ;D
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Starting to wonder if I missed my chance or if it just hasn't really started yet. Put some taps out 2 weeks ago. Checked them a couple times, really nothing. Left for Moosehead Fri-Mon, so when I got home last night I figured I'd have a bunch to collect. Still really nothing. A couple of the 5 gal buckets were maybe a third full but it was all frozen, so nothing to collect yet...
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Starting to wonder if I missed my chance or if it just hasn't really started yet. Put some taps out 2 weeks ago. Checked them a couple times, really nothing. Left for Moosehead Fri-Mon, so when I got home last night I figured I'd have a bunch to collect. Still really nothing. A couple of the 5 gal buckets were maybe a third full but it was all frozen, so nothing to collect yet...
Still coming. Short and sweet season before the bud out is my guess.
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Tapped 42 trees a couple weeks ago in Central Maine and have 7 gallons of sap so far.
Slow this year as last year I had 5 gallons of syrup by now.
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So i only have soft maples on my property.can i tap these?ive always wanted to boil sap even if its a low production boil..theres still a few sugar shacks around here and ive found the process fascinating.
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So i only have soft maples on my property.can i tap these?ive always wanted to boil sap even if its a low production boil..theres still a few sugar shacks around here and ive found the process fascinating.
Tap away, it all makes syrup.
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Tap away, it all makes syrup.
nice my plan is to buy some taps and i can get food grade buckets for free. next yearits a plan.ive got at least 50 decent size soft maples out back.just boil it in a pan using a turkey fryer.i realize it wont be grade a maple syrup but bet it tastes better than store bought.my bro in law helps his boss that runs a sugar shack at the farm he works at so i can get him to lend a hand.
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nice my plan is to buy some taps and i can get food grade buckets for free. next yearits a plan.ive got at least 50 decent size soft maples out back.just boil it in a pan using a turkey fryer.i realize it wont be grade a maple syrup but bet it tastes better than store bought.my bro in law helps his boss that runs a sugar shack at the farm he works at so i can get him to lend a hand.
It will taste great and you will have fun doing it. Try and surround cooker with cement blocks to keep wind off cooker and pan. Good luck
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It will taste great and you will have fun doing it. Try and surround cooker with cement blocks to keep wind off cooker and pan. Good luck
thanks for the tips.a tree fell on my hunting blind so i need to build another.maybe i will build a small sugar shack/hunting blind.lol
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She be runnin now !
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She be runnin now !
Hopefully she makes the trip up I95 today.😁
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Hopefully she makes the trip up I95 today.😁
I wouldn't hold your breath about that trip up 95 gamefisher. Still pretty much zero flow in Gray... :)
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I wouldn't hold your breath about that trip up 95 gamefisher. Still pretty much zero flow in Gray... :)
Starting Sunday you should have an opportunity to scorch some syrup. ;D
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Starting Sunday you should have an opportunity to scorch some syrup. ;D
Maybe this year I'll try doing a whole batch with just a propane torch under the pan... ;D
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12 taps out since March 4. “Collected” yesterday and put a whopping 3 gals in the tank. Looks like it dripped a little today but surely not a solid run. Maybe this week things will turn on...
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12 taps out since March 4. “Collected” yesterday and put a whopping 3 gals in the tank. Looks like it dripped a little today but surely not a solid run. Maybe this week things will turn on...
Ran good in central Maine for first time today.
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Heard some taps are being pulled already. as the buds are popping out and when that's happens the sap gets Bitter??? in so Maine
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Pulled mine in gorham today ,Put up 14 pints enough for me with my small operation ,Need to get some type of better evaporator or something next year
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Pulled mine in gorham today ,Put up 14 pints enough for me with my small operation ,Need to get some type of better evaporator or something next year
You really just need a pain with more surface area, wood or propane setup is fine for small timer. Check Bascom maple in the coming few weeks for used as people trade them in.
Season just getting going up here.
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Good luck with your season !! ;D
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Pulled mine in gorham today ,Put up 14 pints enough for me with my small operation ,Need to get some type of better evaporator or something next year
Sounds like a decent haul! I've only tanked 7 gals of sap. Might not even be worth starting a fire for me this season. I may just boil it off on the deck with a propane burner...
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Sounds like a decent haul! I've only tanked 7 gals of sap. Might not even be worth starting a fire for me this season. I may just boil it off on the deck with a propane burner...
I would think you should run well the next two days providing you didn't tap those oak tress again! ;D
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I would think you should run well the next two days providing you didn't tap those oak tress again! ;D
I never tapped an oak tree. Not having any on my property might be the only reason I didn't but... ;D Yeah, I'm hoping for a little run today but the next few days after that it doesn't look like it'll get cold enough. Maybe a couple more freezing nights Sunday, Monday but after that the buds may be full leaves...
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Any body on here tap the yellow birch or the black birch???
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Any body on here tap the yellow birch or the black birch???
Maple is enough work at 40-1 let alone birch at 110-1! ;D
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Any body on here tap the yellow birch or the black birch???
Don't bother tapping those . Just cut off the chaga and make tea
(https://i.postimg.cc/svQfjjfn/chaga-on-white-birch.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/svQfjjfn)
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That's a great hunk of chaga there! Make some fire cider with that! And some tea too ;) :tipup:
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Any body on here tap the yellow birch or the black birch???
I haven't tapped yellow or black birch but I tapped some white birch trees a few years ago. I won't be tapping birch to make syrup again. Maple syrup tastes better. I am planning to tap some black birch this spring to make birch beer.
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Black Birch has a nice tasting flavor, Like Wintergreen
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Short and (hopefully) sweet season for me. 12 taps out March 4 and got very little. Threw another 10 out a few days ago and got enough for one boil to make a gallon....
(https://i.postimg.cc/kBVpKQ1t/0236-EE28-4971-47-D1-958-C-FD0-FB3-C449-D8.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/kBVpKQ1t)
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Short and (hopefully) sweet season for me. 12 taps out March 4 and got very little. Threw another 10 out a few days ago and got enough for one boil to make a gallon....
(https://i.postimg.cc/kBVpKQ1t/0236-EE28-4971-47-D1-958-C-FD0-FB3-C449-D8.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/kBVpKQ1t)
The dark stuff tastes the best! Way to hang in there.😎
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The dark stuff tastes the best! Way to hang in there.😎
Prolly not done just yet! We’ll see...
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I think its running ?
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I think its running ?
I'm sure it is a little and a few guys may chase it but really not worth it with the sun still low , etc. I'm sure we will get winter at some point, if you tap too early holes will start to dry out before the real run. I always waited until mid Feb. , first of March, sometimes even later depending on forecast.
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No! Too early for this! We haven’t even seen the crack on sabattus yet.
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I saw a guy at tractor supply getting buckets and taps. He said it's running and he was headed home to tap a few more Sunday . I know the forecast looks right but I didn't think it would run this early even with the temps .
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Get those taps ready !!! It's time in southern Maine !! This weekend it will be running ?
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Put 11 taps in yesterday afternoon, only 1was running with the cold north wind. Got a few more tweaks to the truck tool box / lasagna pan evaporator to make this week, hopefully will have enough to boil this weekend. Good luck to all of the Team Maine super sappers.😁🍺
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I put 25 taps in yesterday with 30 more going in today. I missed a good 4 day sap run last week because of work obligations but that job's finished and the next month looks free to make syrup, catch fish and hopefully shoot a few rabbits.
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I boiled 60 gallons of sap yesterday! Should finish out with just over a gallon of syrup tonight!
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Homemade or manufactured evaporators 9huskies and cap207? I always love to see some of the contraptions people make great syrup on. @)
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Mine is homemade from a barrel stove and 2 big shallow roasting pans. If I burn good, dry hardwood it can boil 60 gallons of sap in an evening. Burning whatever softwood and poplar that I salvage it will boil 40 gallons of sap down to 1-1/2 gallons, then I finish with propane. I usually burn junk wood in the evaporator and save the good wood to heat my house, and ice fishing shack.
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How are you guys making out?
Been cold and slow flowing here... :P
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How are you guys making out?
Been cold and slow flowing here... :P
Same here, haven't boiled yet, cold north wind hindering flow, hopefully enough to boil Sunday.
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Pretty funny it was 20* this morning 36* and cloudy now no wind, put in 6 more lines and it was running out before i had them hooked together. Didn't check the others but might have 60 gallons by Sunday..
But i really like to wait for the dark stuff.. ;D
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Still not much sap here but the truck tool box and homemade pan turning out some good product. Looks like a run mid week then it might be all over. With the stack temp running 758-800, the "pre pre heater" will get to 100 - 120 degrees before going into the dribbler, certainly helpful and free recaptured heat.
(https://i.postimg.cc/yJF2YBYM/7-D31-F319-7-D16-4-AA5-B2-D1-557-BA9-A0-D187.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
(https://i.postimg.cc/hzswTrmM/C31-EA7-A6-CDB7-4-D48-BBCD-99-FBC3336435.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
(https://i.postimg.cc/k2RkzWrX/D77-B9093-837-F-4-B2-A-B950-B6137-FEAC412.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
(https://i.postimg.cc/gL07DZqp/F3-D0-C1-A7-32-F5-478-F-B21-A-7-D188-EA70-A1-A.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
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I’ve made 2 and 3/4 gallons so far...the run has been sporadic at best. I have 38 taps out and boil on a 2x4 evaporator, still learning the hang of that...haha
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I’ve made 2 and 3/4 gallons so far...the run has been sporadic at best. I have 38 taps out and boil on a 2x4 evaporator, still learning the hang of that...haha
That's a nice comfortable size rig for the number of taps you have. I'd love to have a store bought rig and give up on all this homemade junk given the efficiency difference, just hard to justify the $$$ for a hobbyist.
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That's a nice comfortable size rig for the number of taps you have. I'd love to have a store bought rig and give up on all this homemade junk given the efficiency difference, just hard to justify the $$$ for a hobbyist.
Now that the kids are gone I somehow have more money...🤔🤔🤔
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Great set up gamefisher.
Im going for my first boil tomorrow morning. Not quite 60 gallons but it should keep me busy... ;D
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Now that the kids are gone I somehow have more money...🤔🤔🤔
Hmmmm...... supposedly we are getting some money back from college shutting down, maybe I can sell it to the wife as "free money" for an evaporator! ;D
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Not quite 60 gallons but it should keep me busy... ;D
How long should that take?
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We dropped the ball this year and really won’t be processing any sap like normal. Just too much going on at my cousins business, and he usually drives the sap collection.
I like twine if the home made evaporators you have on here. We messed around for years trying to get something we liked and had similar set ups.
I’ll try to get a picture but we ended up taking an old, and unused “all nighter” front load wood stove, chopping it in half to extending the fire box, and then cutting a hole in top to fit a custom stainless steel pan we had made to fit in relatively snug (left some wiggle room for expansions and contraction). It works slick, and minus the stainless pan it was all home made and pretty cheap. If you’re interested I’ll try to find some pictures.
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How long should that take?
With my homemade evaporator burning junk wood like fir and poplar I can boil 60 gallons of sap down to 2 gallons in a long evening. If I burn good hardwood I can save an hour or more but I'm too cheap to buy it when I can get junk wood for free. The next day I finish it over a propane burner.
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We dropped the ball this year and really won’t be processing any sap like normal. Just too much going on at my cousins business, and he usually drives the sap collection.
I like twine if the home made evaporators you have on here. We messed around for years trying to get something we liked and had similar set ups.
I’ll try to get a picture but we ended up taking an old, and unused “all nighter” front load wood stove, chopping it in half to extending the fire box, and then cutting a hole in top to fit a custom stainless steel pan we had made to fit in relatively snug (left some wiggle room for expansions and contraction). It works slick, and minus the stainless pan it was all home made and pretty cheap. If you’re interested I’ll try to find some pictures.
I've tried every hodge podge way possible, vamp and re-vamp. ;D Love to see pics of what others come up with.
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With my homemade evaporator burning junk wood like fir and poplar I can boil 60 gallons of sap down to 2 gallons in a long evening. If I burn good hardwood I can save an hour or more but I'm too cheap to buy it when I can get junk wood for free. The next day I finish it over a propane burner.
Wow! Very impressive!!
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(https://i.postimg.cc/jC5rWRkP/DSCF2692.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/jC5rWRkP)
(https://i.postimg.cc/3khSvBJV/DSCF2693.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/3khSvBJV)
This is my nephew's operation. He is up to 65 gallons so far this year...h2l
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Hes got a nice set up there Doug.
I had friends who had a monster evaporator and they use to produce barrels of syrup.. They cut and burn enough wood to heat a small town.. ;)
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Good start.. ;D
(https://i.postimg.cc/tnPCWB8j/20200315-193939.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/tnPCWB8j)
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Good start.. ;D
(https://i.postimg.cc/tnPCWB8j/20200315-193939.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/tnPCWB8j)
There you go, the dark stuff tastes the best! Finished a batch yesterday, alot of sugar sand this year, filtering not fun! :'(
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A good run yesterday, boiling tomorrow...a good way to socially isolate, not that I don’t do that everyday...lol
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There you go, the dark stuff tastes the best! Finished a batch yesterday, alot of sugar sand this year, filtering not fun! :'(
Yes dark is good. ;D And your right about the sugar sand. And I ran it through a bunch of filters.. :-\
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Brings back many memories. I made syrup,with a good friend for many years. We tapped 2800 trees that last year I was with him. He had a reverse osmosis setup that reduced the raw sap to an 8-1 concentrate before hitting a 5 x 10" arch fired from a natural gas well on the property.
It was a very social thing with neighbors and friends stopping in at any hour as we boiled 24-7. They brought home made wine, cider , food and company. The best was eggs hard boiled in the last pass of the arch with a glass of hard cider. On the side.
Haven't done that in 20 years.
Rg
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Stock up on your drive through beers boys because she ran all night and you will need them!😁🍺
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If you have enough sap, pull a gallon (or 5) at 24-28 Brix (or water some syrup down) and add some yeast and nutrients, make a nice maple wine. Just like making mead, but maple syrup tends to be more expensive than honey.
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If you have enough sap, pull a gallon (or 5) at 24-28 Brix (or water some syrup down) and add some yeast and nutrients, make a nice maple wine. Just like making mead, but maple syrup tends to be more expensive than honey.
That sounds awesome.
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I made a gallon and a quart today, but it took 63 gallons to get there...one more boil for me then it’s on to cutting wood...the lack of snow makes for an early start on spring chores...
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I made a gallon and a quart today, but it took 63 gallons to get there...one more boil for me then it’s on to cutting wood...the lack of snow makes for an early start on spring chores...
Cold weekend should reset your sugar content, best week of the year coming, firewood will wait one more week but I'm thinking the same thing about perfect year to get a jump on.😎
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My nephew boiled for the last time yesterday. He made about 100 gallons. Local sugar bush was up to 1400 gallons last week...h2l
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Lots of sap...looks like a Friday and Saturday boil
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Lots of sap...looks like a Friday and Saturday boil
A buddy of mine in town who has 300 plus on natural vac said it looked like a faucet open yesterday, even gravity was plinking along at better than a gpt. Shaping up to be above average season which I totally didn't see coming with lack of snowpack. Lot more sap to come.😎🍺
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Still making good syrup in the Belgrade’s, I had my doubts on sugar content yesterday as I boiled, but finished of some real nice looking stuff this morning.
(https://i.postimg.cc/2bWp0sgH/4-D318-CFD-74-BB-4-FE0-A6-CB-C74-DD85964-F0.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/2bWp0sgH)
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Nice. I have a small boil going on now.. ;D
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Still making good syrup in the Belgrade’s, I had my doubts on sugar content yesterday as I boiled, but finished of some real nice looking stuff this morning.
(https://i.postimg.cc/2bWp0sgH/4-D318-CFD-74-BB-4-FE0-A6-CB-C74-DD85964-F0.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/2bWp0sgH)
Nice! I just never really got much of a drip going at all down here in Gray. Got 3-4 gallons yesterday and if I can get that much again today I'll have at least enough to do a close to normal batch tomorrow, hopefully yielding a gallon or so.
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I made 2 gallons and a pint today...took 106 gallons to get there. Makes a little over 6 gallons for the season. Not much of a sap run today, might be all for me...we’ll see
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Small batch from yesterday. This is very thick and dark... ;D
(https://i.postimg.cc/Snb8Bjqp/20200328-074548.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Snb8Bjqp)
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Syrup is definitely turning darker but still tasty. I suspect one small boil mid week and then done.
(https://i.postimg.cc/0bSdK7CN/39992552-53-D0-4-D58-82-B7-5-BDEA2-BDD9-EF.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
I’m ready for a new hobby anyway, lake should be out in a couple more days.😎
(https://i.postimg.cc/jDmXFK4M/835-C632-D-DAC5-424-A-AF70-A4-CF486-B95-B1.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
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Yep, short and (hopefully?) sweet season for me. 20 taps produced just shy of 30 gallons of sap from 2/23 until 3/28. Ended up with 6 pints of pretty dark looking stuff and just crossing my fingers that I didn't take it too far and end up with crystals forming in the jars. Ah well, there's always next year... :)
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Yep, short and (hopefully?) sweet season for me. 20 taps produced just shy of 30 gallons of sap from 2/23 until 3/28. Ended up with 6 pints of pretty dark looking stuff and just crossing my fingers that I didn't take it too far and end up with crystals forming in the jars. Ah well, there's always next year... :)
A $20 hydrometer is your best friend in this hobby, takes away all the wondering. @)
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A $20 hydrometer is your best friend in this hobby, takes away all the wondering. @)
Had one but never took the time to figure out how to use it. I don't think I've had problems once I started using a candy thermometer, just back in the early days when I was eyeballing it... :)
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Who's tapping this weekend ?
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It's still too early where I live. There's one day in the 10 day forecast that might go above freezing but not long enough for a good sap run.
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It's still too early where I live. There's one day in the 10 day forecast that might go above freezing but not long enough for a good sap run.
(https://i.postimg.cc/dkB3k66X/Screenshot-20210218-210944-Chrome-2.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/dkB3k66X)
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My forecast is 10 degrees colder than that. The coast and the mountains are in different climate zones. Thinking positive about that. Your ice fishing season ends a month before mine.
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Who's tapping this weekend ?
I will be this weekend. What different year from 2020. I made a gallon in January last year and another Feb 15... about time it starts, I am getting low
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Usually am this pops up at late ice, but that kinda happened quick this year. How’s the tapping going or is that almost over too??
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Taps have been in trees here in Gray yarmouth, Cumberland for over 2 weeks now...
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Going to be a short season just like ice fishing
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I never even tapped this year. Evaporator pan got cleaned but nuffin to boil in it. May get a chance to tap next week if the weather guessers are correct, but don't think it's worth it for such a short run. I still have syrup in inventory but not much