Maple sugaring 2021

[Stephen1]

We had a good 3 day run, pulled in 65 liters, 16 gallons. We lost our vacuum for a day. A tap was knocked out of a tree, it was still in just enough we couldn't see anything wrong.
I wish there was a better way of finding leaks. 
looks like the last run today and maybe a small amount tomorrow and that should finnish us. 

[Ed_K]

 I pulled the lines out of the tanks back last week, it started running again Sunday but it has a bad taste and there's white slim coming out with the sap. We're almost done cleaning up, got the pans soaking with pan cleaner will take them off the arch next real warm day and power wash them. Then it'll be time to wash the sap lines, we use the power washer and I inject air into the fitting where the soap inlet is to get some turbulence as the water goes up the lines. When it gets to the end of line we pull taps back down to the beginning. We ended up with 20 gals 1/2 of a regular season.

[SwampDonkey]

45F here now, and 3 shacks within sight boiling sap today.

[chep]

The sweet goddess smiled ! We had a great last few days of the season. A couple big runs and a buddy of mine gave me a couple hundred gallons of sap (that's a big boost for a small timer !)

The peepers are going loud and the syrup is dark and ROBUST! Great flavor. Prob going to call it a season tomorrow and pull buckets. But my favorite thing about buckets is that you get to see the difference between individual trees. Some are running hard now while others quit weeks ago. You get to really know them like you could never know on a pipeline.  
Anyhow. Our total is around 65 gal right now and that may increase a few over the next couple days. I have a couple cold spots and those buckets usually run hard right up until the ditches are dry...not sure if the pic does it justice but its midnight and I got the doors glowing cherry red so must be doing something right in this world! Thanks for a great season

[Chuck White]

I know you syrup guys are busy, has anyone heard from @celliott .  last active Feb. 7th.

If his outfit is anything like those around us, he's probably wondering how much they're going to be down!
Quite a few in this area are DONE, the only ones still going are the ones who's sugarbush is on the north side of the hill (referred to as a "cold bush").
Seems those to the east of the Ohio valley are down this year and those to the west are up!

[mike_belben]

Chuck dont say it too loud or we'll end up with a whole new climate agenda regimen come pandhandling through the airwaves to save us.  Make both sides of the sugar bush fair for all. 

[BLink]

I bottled a few quarts of syrup in glass jars with plastic lids and they don't seal like a canning jar.

Do I need to keep these refrigerated to keep them from spoiling, or not until they are opened?

[Chuck White]

YES, if bottled/canned maple syrup is not sealed, it needs to be refrigerated or it will spoil!

If you're limited on refrigerator space, and have a freezer, put your syrup in there, it will be ok!

[mike_belben]

Will it not freeze and break the bottle?  I put mine in whiskey bottles in the fridge. 

[Corley5]

Maple syrup finished to the proper brix won't freeze.  If it freezes it's too thin.

[wiam]

Gave up today. Sap turned sour. Test boiled some concentrate before adding to rig. Got what I call tangy taste. Emptied back pan into front pan. Filled back with water. Boiled till syrup. 365 gallons from 900 taps. 

[Chuck White]

Sap or Syrup?

[SwampDonkey]

Cousin was boiling here yesterday.

[Trackerbuddy]

First experience sugaring this year. Helped a guy finish boil and can  6 gallons   :D
Until yesterday I didn't know syrup sand was a thing.  I'm trying to think of a way to make money from it. How about putting it in capsules and calling it natural bioavailable micronutrients?
Seriously what is syrup sand?

[Chuck White]

If you don't clean your boiling pan (evaporator) often enough sugar sand will deposit in the bottom of the front pans!

It takes a special "acid" to dissolve it.

If it deposits too heavily, you can ruin (burn) your pan because there will be no liquid between the sand and the bottom of the pan!

[Corley5]

Season Update #8: Bulk buy prices jump this week; Northern Vt. crop way down | Season Summaries | The Maple News

[Corley5]

Just made a deal on 6 drums of syrup to be picked up Monday AM   Prices are up 8) 8) 8)  We're keeping two drums back.  One to repack and one for a Christmas bonus ;) ;D  

[Corley5]

   Niter/sugar sand is composed mainly of potassium nitrate with other minerals.  We've got a fair amount of calcium in our sugar sand too.  Heating syrup above 190 degrees after filtering will bring out the niter and make the syrup cloudy again.  We've had it go cloudy at 185 and had to filter it again.     We've used the maple equipment suppliers "pan cleaner" and Milk stone cleaner from TSC.  Both are phosphoric acid and do well.  This season I got some 30% cleaning vinegar from HD.  It worked pretty well too.

[Stephen1]

We are done. 125 liters, 30 gallons. Way down on our count, considering we added 60 new taps on 3/16 line. I was really hoping to break 50 gallons this year. 
Flushed all the lines with water today, will inject isoprhol alchohol in the taps this week. The evapourator is sitting with cleaner in it. 
It is a relief when its all over. 
Glad to see it come, glad to see it go. 

[Corley5]

Six of them weighed and ready for pick up tomorrow 8) 8)



 

 

 

[mike_belben]

I have moved many a drum of waste vegetable oil with a handtruck and a chain, and loaded/unloaded them with a hitch boom, a 2" ratchet strap for a noose and a pair of vicegrips to keep the noose on.   I figured them for 450 lbs or so.. Thats a bit scary of a number in hindsight.   Toe remover. 

[Corley5]

We weighed them on old Fairbanks Morse platform scales and lifted them to weigh and load with a sling and the Bobcat.  Not a pleasant experience.  The proper equipment last night made it fun ;)   We did have the barrel jack last year but it's not all terrain  ;D

[Chuck White]

Can't help but wonder how @celliott did this season!

Last year we made 190 gallons, this year only 88!   :

That's a big outfit Chris works with, but I'm thinking they're down too, just like the rest of us, east of the Ohio Valley!

[mike_belben]

i hope chris is ok.  

[SwampDonkey]

As of Tuesday I know the sugar bush out in South Ridge were still running the pumping stations for sap. It's only been around 30 degrees here for 2 days. Been nasty snow and rain mix them two days to and going to be all night.