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Maple Syrup 2019

Started by Chuck White, February 05, 2019, 04:56:23 PM

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Chuck White

We drained the flue pan today and fed it into the front pan, and boiled off 4.1 gallons of syrup!

In the meantime, we kept the flue pan well supplied with permeate water!

Tomorrow we'll finish the boiling in a pan on the turkey cookers!

As of now we have made 252.7 gallons of syrup!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

Chuck White

We boiled for the last time this season, today!

Boiled on the turkey cooker and ended our year with 258 gallons of syrup!  8)   8)   8)

All we have left to do is the final cleanup at the sugarhouse, and then the saplines, barrels and a few buckets.

When it dries up a little, we'll refill the woodshed, woods all cut, just has to be cut to length, split hauled and stacked!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

petefrom bearswamp

Just got back yesterday from Jake's,
 Thanks for the clarification on grading maple flats.
Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
Kubota 900 RTV
Polaris 570 Sportsman ATV
3 Huskies 1 gas Echo 1 cordless Echo vintage Homelite super xl12
57 acres of woodland

Stephen1

Swamp Donkey you have my head spinning with all those numbers and I'm from here. :D
IDRY Vacum Kiln, LT40HDWide, BMS250 sharpener/setter 742b Bobcat, TCM forklift, Sthil 026,038, 461. 1952 TEA Fergusan Tractor

SwampDonkey

Quote from: Stephen1 on April 10, 2019, 08:54:32 PM
Swamp Donkey you have my head spinning with all those numbers and I'm from here. :D
I suspect most of the global market is on the metric system. :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Stephen1

We have another boil coming, ran yesterday, not much but it gives us hope. Looks like it should run today, sunny this morning and barometer is still rising. Tonight is sleet and hail with a full day of rain tomorrow. Looks like the end is near
IDRY Vacum Kiln, LT40HDWide, BMS250 sharpener/setter 742b Bobcat, TCM forklift, Sthil 026,038, 461. 1952 TEA Fergusan Tractor

millwright

Finished everything up, trees are getting buddy here in n Wisconsin. Everything went pretty good except for a blowout on the filter press, got sprayed with 200 degree sap. My own fault for trying to push it a little too much.

maple flats

We drained the flue pan and boiled everything down in the front pan, we got 14 gal of dark as our last boil. we have a total now of 356 after boiling new sap on 4/7 and making 25 gal more, now the 14 finish off. I still have one partial barrel that might add to that but likely not.
I had drained the front pan to clean it, draining it into my draw off tank by opening the auto draw on manual. Then I put white vinegar in the pan, with the ball valve ahead of the auto draw closed. After that ball valve I have a tee an elbow on each side and then the auto draw on one and another ball valve on the other. After getting all sugarsand loose in the pan, I opened the second drain valve and then the valve ahead of that tee, I forgot to close the auto draw valve. I got about 3-maybe 6 oz. of that in the draw tank. As soon as I saw that I closed the first valve, but I had some white vinegar on the draw off tank. I then pumped that into a barrel to do later, I suspect I will not be able to count it in my syrup total, I will likely need to  make it into salad dressing. I will boil that to density before I know. That will happen next week. I might have 12-14 gal of syrup or that amount towards a large batch of salad dressing or marinade. I don't have a 20C certified kitchen so I may not be able to sell it unless I rent time in a certified kitchen. I might just be giving friends and neighbors some for years. That will be decided after it is boiled to density, I think it will not be added to the syrup total.
I still need to get an accurate tap count, I may have hit my target of .52 gal/tap or better but will not know until the tap count is totaled. If my final tap count is 654 or more I didn't get .52 gal/tap, if less than that I did. Will not know that for a week or 2.
Putting up the greenhouse tomorrow, a few other chores to do too, then pull taps and clean tubing along with a final tap count.
logging small time for years but just learning how,  2012 36 HP Mahindra tractor, 3point log arch, 8000# class excavator, lifts 2500# and sets logs on mill precisely where needed, Woodland Mills HM130Max , maple syrup a hobby that consumes my time. looking to learn blacksmithing.

millwright

Used the vinegar method for cleaning the pan, worked great. Pan looked like new when I was done.

Mapleman

We're  done here too.  We had a good freeze night before last and I was hoping for one last good run yesterday to help bring the total up, but that didn't happen.  We'll boil in the last of the sap today and then its on to the cleaning up.  Over all it wasn't as bad a year as I had feared.  After today we'll have around 400 gallons on 1800 taps, not where we wanted to be, but certainly not the worst year either.  

Dave
"The older I get, the better I used to be."

SwampDonkey

Temp warmed up quick here to 40F this morning and the sap pales are filling with fresh sap. :)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Corley5

We went over the 200 gallon mark yesterday.  Looks like we've got about four more days.  Should put us over 250 on 800 taps. 
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

Chuck White

Congratulations to all!

Seems we made the best out of what appeared to be a "not very good" season!

I've been out yesterday and day before for routing Dr appt. and Inc. Tax. prep.

Today it's back to the cleanup!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

Stephen1

We had a run this week and boiled all day yesterday, 400 gal. we will see what today brings as it only went down to 32 and that wasn't untill 7 this morning. It is a beautiful sunny day ahead of us so our fingers are crossed!
IDRY Vacum Kiln, LT40HDWide, BMS250 sharpener/setter 742b Bobcat, TCM forklift, Sthil 026,038, 461. 1952 TEA Fergusan Tractor

Ed_K

 Took my lines out of the tanks and started cleaning monday of last week. I got 27 gals which is average for me but we did it in 3 weeks. This has been the weirdest weather we have had ever. This last week an one coming we've washed lines, I use a 3k power washer with an air attachment to clean the lines. What a weird month :D.
Ed K

SwampDonkey

Been in the 60's here for two days and the sap wagons are going steady and steam a rolling. :)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Chuck White

Good to see that some are still hard at it!

We got over half of our lines flushed out and taps pulled yesterday!

We'll be back at it again this morning!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

Magicman

I say Thanks to all of you guys that documented and explained your "sugaring" operation.  It was very interesting and educational for us guys South of the Glaciated North.  :P
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

celliott

Biggest sap run of the season for us, Friday- today. Friday we made 1675 gallons, a record for the new sugarhouse, Saturday we ran both evaporators about all day and made 2175 gallons, a new company record! Today the sap has slowed a bit and we made 800ish gallons. Not a bad 3 day total. Still far short of our goal but we're taking all we can get these next few days. Like Chuck said, making the best out of a slow season.
Chris Elliott

Clark 666C cable skidder
Husqvarna and Jonsered pro saws
265rx clearing saw
Professional maple tubing installer and maple sugaring worker, part time logger

cbla

Pulled everything on Saturday. Finished with 8 gallons of syrup.

btulloh

I second MM's sentiment.  I've learned a lot reading this thread.  For some reason, I usually get a hankerin' for some pancakes when I'm reading it.   :)

HM126

thecfarm

The gallon amounts WOWs me.  :o   
I use to do it,but on a very very small scale. Can't get enough verys in there.  ;D  I mean only about 20 taps and get 2 gallons. But I have fun doing it. Well I  should say we,the wife and I.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

SwampDonkey

My cousin here only does about 2500 taps. But they have been boiling and not using reverse osmosis. They have one, but apparently it has given them troubles.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Ron Scott

Yes, some great effort has been displayed in the enlarged commercial systems developed to maximize production and quality. A real science for sure.

~Ron

maple flats

I can't even fathom how much celliott and company do in a day. They made almost 2,200 gal of syrup in one day at 1 sugarhouse, and then Chris says the season has been slow. By the way, they have 2 sugarhouses too.
I will visit their big one someday, but not likely during my season. The good part is that much of their season runs 2 or more weeks after mine has ended most years.
logging small time for years but just learning how,  2012 36 HP Mahindra tractor, 3point log arch, 8000# class excavator, lifts 2500# and sets logs on mill precisely where needed, Woodland Mills HM130Max , maple syrup a hobby that consumes my time. looking to learn blacksmithing.

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