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ALMOST MAPLE SYRUP TIME that's why you haven't...........

Started by Mrs._Stump_Jumper, February 06, 2005, 03:37:35 PM

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Mrs._Stump_Jumper

seen us lately.


Here are some PICS showing what we have been doin'.
Delcy - Morley, MI
'07 F350 Dually, Diesel, Flatbed
3 Lovely Children Jonathon, Monica, and (Jeff)
2 Brittany Spaniels:  Buddy and Pumpkin Pie

Mrs._Stump_Jumper

Couldn't figure out how to get a couple of more pics on.

But in the last post I am not sure if you can see, but there are hoses running from tree to tree we are changing the way we collect sap this year.  We are goin to a hose system.  Before we had gallon jugs attatched to each tree this made it very time consuming in collecting.  There will be over 200 hundred trees that will be tapped.  So Stump Jumper has been very busy with his father to try to get this all ready for sap season.

Here is a picture of the sleeping quarters and below that are pictures of the burner and pans that they have made and/or  put together.
Delcy - Morley, MI
'07 F350 Dually, Diesel, Flatbed
3 Lovely Children Jonathon, Monica, and (Jeff)
2 Brittany Spaniels:  Buddy and Pumpkin Pie

Paschale

If I remember correctly, I think it takes 40 gallons of raw syrup to make one finished gallon.  Is that right?  How many gallons of syrup are you guys able to manufacture?  It'd sure be fun to buy some from a fellow FFer!   :)
Y'all can pronounce it "puh-SKOLLY"

Mrs._Stump_Jumper

Paschale

It veries on how many gallons of sap to make syrup on the average about 50-60 at the end of the season it takes more because there is less sugar content in the sap.

This is the first year we have tapped this many trees in the past it has been like 150 or less if my memory serves me right. I will have to get with Stump Jumper to find out how many gallons in the past they have done I can't recall.  We did this the year before last and skipped last year because we needed a better system.

They only had one pan to process the sap in.

This year it will go a lot quicker becuase of the 3 pan system also.
Delcy - Morley, MI
'07 F350 Dually, Diesel, Flatbed
3 Lovely Children Jonathon, Monica, and (Jeff)
2 Brittany Spaniels:  Buddy and Pumpkin Pie

EZ

Home made syrup, aint nothing better, Ican taste it already.
Thats pretty cool, thats some thing that I need to do.
EZ

thecfarm

Don't look like you have much snow.Sap will flow better with snow melting if I remember correctly.Freezing nights and warm sunny days help.We don't have much snow here in Maine.Maybe a foot.I can go anywheres I want with my tractor to cut wood.Should have a good couple feet at least  by now.Hope you have a good run.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Furby

Can you explain a bit about the burner?
Do you build  a fire on top of the grating?
Then the pans go over top and the smoke is drawn out the flue, right?

I use to make small amounts of syrup, but do to my "crude" DIY method it wasn't the best stuff ever made, but real sweet none the less!

ronwood

Mrs._Stump_Jumper,

Do you have any problems with the sap freezing in the lines?

Ron
Sawing part time mostly urban logs -St. Louis/Warrenton, Mo.
LT40HG25 Woodmizer Sawmill
LX885 New Holland Skidsteer

Ernie

I.m an expat Canadian, lived in NZ for 35 years.  about 12 years ago, I planted a sugar maple it's now about 12" dbh, every spring for the last three years, I've tried to tap it with no luck at all.  Our min temperature in winter is about 35 degrees F with no definite spring change.  Is there any hope? or should I just keep enjoying the autumn colours?
A very wise man once told me . Grand children are great, we should have had them first

SwampDonkey

My cousins next door have made a family business from maple syrup and Christmas tree production. They have been getting ready to tap as well. Our snow fall was about 14 inches and it's now settled to about 8 inches in the bush and 4 inches in the fields.  I dunno where it all went. This 30's mild weather kinda helped I suppose. I even seen a robin on sunday. I'm not puttin my stove shovel away just yet, but I've only used the blower once this year.

I hope it's a good sap season this year, it hasn't been that good the last couple of years.

cheers
"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)))

Sawyerfortyish

Mrs Stump jumper How big is your evaporator? I bought a 4'x10' evaporator late last spring with hopes of having it all ready to go this spring.  But it don't look like i'm going to make it happen  :(.  Just like the smell of fresh cut lumber there ain't nothing more enjoyable than the smell of sap cooking. Keep us posted on your progress.

isawlogs

Ernie
I aint no expert on taping ... but we have been taping for as long as I can remember and we tape on average 500 mapples ... For the sap to run ... you need to have a good frost atnight and sunny no wind during the day ... now it will run if not this temp. but this is ideal ... If you are not geting the frost and there is no temp difference you might be only looking at the color change in the falll .... Wich is not all that bad ... If you want I can sent you some Syrop d'érable  when we start this spring ... I wunder if it can be shiped ... I could get it canned  by a friend of ours .... We only bottle it ....
Swomp.
We still have over 16 inches here in the fields and near 2 feet in the bush ....  ;)
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

SwampDonkey

isawlogs,

I have some pics ready to post of around the yard and fields beside the house. :)
"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)))

Ernie

Isawlogs---Thanks for the offer, every time I go back to Canada, Ontario, I bring home about 4 gallons of the beautiful stuff, mostly to drink in small sips from the can. much to the disgust of the rest of the family.  I just can't resist. The last time, as I was going through the States, each can had to be opened and checked to see if it was explosive, at least the checker had the decency not to take too large a sample.  With our weather patterns and your explanation of the requirements for a sap flow, I guess I'll just have to admire the autumn change in colours and look at my tree and reminisce about home.
A very wise man once told me . Grand children are great, we should have had them first

Mrs._Stump_Jumper

Sawyerfortyish

Our arch is a 30" x 10' long.  We have four homemade flat pans.  To fit the arch. 

Furby

The fire grates we found at the junk yard.  They were floor grates (cast iron) fit perfect.  Yes the fire is built on top of the grates.  We are going to try and to run a blower for forced draft.  The pans is basically the fire box top so you have to keep sap in them at all times when the fire is burning or you will scorch and warp the pans.

ronwood

This is the first year with a pipeline system so far yes sap is froze in the pipe but nothing will break and soon as the sun hits it is thawed.

I think we have answered everybody questions if we forgot one I am sorry.

Things are going well still do not have all of the trees tapped.  Putting in this pipeline takes time and there is quite the learning curve.  But once it is up you can leave it up and just clean out the lines and pull the taps and plug the taps.

We will keep you updated.  Will have more pics to follow.  Just came home to check the forum and bring in wood and check the animals and fill the stove.

Delcy and Jeff
Delcy - Morley, MI
'07 F350 Dually, Diesel, Flatbed
3 Lovely Children Jonathon, Monica, and (Jeff)
2 Brittany Spaniels:  Buddy and Pumpkin Pie

sawguy21

We don't have sugar maples here in the west but I was in southern Ontario last week. Had pancakes on Shrove Tuesday with real maple syrup for the first time since I was a kid. MMMM
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

SwampDonkey

They do that here to sawguy21. That's all my uncle talked about for days before the pancake luncheon at the church. ;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)))

Corley5

Squirrels love sap pipelines that are left up year round ;)  We never left any lines up.  We had 20-30 trees on a run that emptied into a 55 gallon drum with a lid.  We'd drive up to the barrel and bail it into barrels on the loader bucket.  The trees were painted, the lines tagged and we had a diagram where they all went to put them up the next year.  We used to tap 400 or so trees.  The tubing is in the garage and the flat pans are in the barn.  Once Zach's a bit older Dad and I plan to make a bit.  Our supply is running thin now anyway ;)
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

Furby

Yeah, from what I've been reading, you should remove those lines each season.

Corley5

There'a a big syrup operation just a bit north of me and they leave their main pipelines up year round.  They run everything into progressively larger tubing and vacuum pump the sap directly into big holding tanks at the cook shack.  Every year before they start tapping they back flush the lines with water to find and repair the squirrel chews.  They've got quite an operation.  Last I heard they had about 35 miles of tubing up and have gone with a reverse osmosis machine to reduce the water content of the sap before boiling begins in the evaporator.
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

Furby


Mrs._Stump_Jumper

I am checking in things are going well have over 200 taps in and they are putting up more when I get a chance I will take some more pics and put them on.

Delcy
Delcy - Morley, MI
'07 F350 Dually, Diesel, Flatbed
3 Lovely Children Jonathon, Monica, and (Jeff)
2 Brittany Spaniels:  Buddy and Pumpkin Pie

SwampDonkey

Corley, that reverse Osmosis machine is what my cousin uses now. Saves on the fuel bill.

Some of the problem with chewed piping is by quill dogs too. They chew anything with rubber and plastic. They'll take the tires of your hunting trailor if ya leasve it at one spot long enough. One night camping, one almost took to truck tires off the pickup untill I drove the buzzard outta the camp yard. I could here this chewing outside and I desided to take the flashlight, and sure enough a quill dog was chewing the white wall off the side of the tire. The next day I found bits of hose on a forest harvest landing where the bugger was chewing up.
"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

A logger I once worked for left his clam truck on a job unattended for a few weeks and the porkies proceeded to eat anything on it that was rubber or rubber coated.  Radiator hoses, heater hoses, hydraulic and brake lines, tires, fuel lines etc.  The truck never ran again.  He moved the clam to another old truck. ;D
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

junkyard

I had 800 taps on a 2x6 evaporator boiled 3 eighteen hour days for every one day the sap ran. Waayyy to much fun.  Only hang about sixty just for fun. layed a 55 gallon drum on its side cut a door in the end cut off the top put on two sixteen by twenytyfour inch pans. build a fire. Set and talk with freinds and neighbors. Syrup is dark and heavy but that is the best kind. Best of all my son loves it even takes vacation for sugaring. Several three to twelve  thousand tap producers in the area. some times we go visting just to see how the big boys do it. Reverse osmosis preheaters ect. Two miles from American Maple Museum. Thuosands of gallons of local syrup shipped to Vermont from this area.
                               Junkyard
If it's free, It's for me. If for pay, leave it lay.

SwampDonkey

I'de have to agree with junkyard on that.

But as I understand it, the dark, thick maple syrup may taste the best and is most expensive, but according to grading, the light golden colored syrups are Vermont 'Fancy Grade' or 'Grade A Medium Amber' (or Canada grade # 1). The dark stuff is Vermont 'Grade A Dark Amber' or 'Grade B' (or Canada grade# 2). The grading seems backward to me.  ::)

http://www.vermontmaple.org/mgrade.htm

http://www.ontariomaple.com/aboutmaplesyrup.html

As long as there are no crystals and not alot of impurities, it all tastes lip smackin good to me.   :)  :P
"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)))

junkyard

The dark heavy is low grade lowest wholsale price. This is not the last of season or buddy syrup. Good old fasioned realy sweet hearty maple flavor. it was what dad made fifty years ago. I grew up on it I like it that is why I  make black pan syrup' put it on your pancakes it stays there. And the crystals are dang good hard candy.
                         Junkyard
If it's free, It's for me. If for pay, leave it lay.

Furby

The dark stuff is what I have made, and it's DanG GOOD!
The maple cream was something else, and I love those little crystals! ;)

SwampDonkey

Junkyard, the last of the season stuff is buddy as you say. As I remember, when I tried boiling that, it was cloudy stuff, and it got tossed. I suppose they do filter that out at the large outfits. We just boiled sap, for what we wanted that season, on the stove. It's not something I eat that often, I rarely buy it.
"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)))

Stump Jumper

well im out of the woods for about a week, its froze back up out there and my knees are sore .we have about 3000' of pipe instaled 9-55gallen pick up points, 40+4 and5 gallen pails scattered through the woods and about 300 spiles.If our evaperator keeps up we will tap more trees next year maybe :D
Jeff
May God Bless.
WM LT 40 SuperHDD42 HP Kubota walk & ride, WM Edger, JD Skidsteer 250, Farmi winch, Bri-Mar Dump Box Trailer, Black Powder

junkyard

Stump Jumper

You got the bug. It gets in your blood like sawdust. You will tap more and more till it gets to be work. Then you make the decision, go commercial or go back to hobby. Any way may the snow be deep, and you be flooded with sap.Nothing like boiling all night to keep up. Oh the rule of thumb here is one quart of syrup per tap for production. The percent of sugar in the sap devided into I believe eighty-four gives the number of gallons of sap to make one gallon of syurp. 
                        Junkyard
If it's free, It's for me. If for pay, leave it lay.

beetle

I have been ready for 3 weeks, the juice just aint running. Gona be a short one this year.
Too many hobbies...not enough time.

Furby

It was running here, then it stopped.
Then it was running, then it stopped.
Then it was running, now it's stopped.
This coming week it should be running.
The week after.................................
::) ::) ::)

OLD_ JD

canadien forest ranger

maple flats

Here in upstate NY we havn't tapped yet. Yea we could have gotten a day of flow here and there but our weather is not yet right. We need frost at night and warm days and we have gotten prescious few of them. If you start tapping and then get too many days with no flow because of too cold temps the hole can heal up and the experts tell me you should not re tap. I expect to tap this coming week because the long range forcast looks right. This year I will only tap about 175 but I am growing. The delay this year allowed me to put up some more pipeline. Even though I am small I have 4 pipeline setups. ranging from 72 taps for the longest and 14 for the smallest. My land has little slope and I have no electric at the bush for vacume (and a gas vacume pump would be too cost prohibative for such a small operation) to use sap ladders ( a set up where the pipeline runs down to a low point and a fitting typically with 6 small lines of 5/16 " run up to a higher line and vacume pulls it up into the higher line and then it flows downhill in the new line. These can be run as I understand it to a max combined rise of 15-20 foot max with one setup often rising 5-10 feet) so I have short runs into tanks and I drive my tractor around to the tanks and use a small gas powered pump to go from the tank into one on the tractor and then at the sugarhouse I pump it into an elevated tank on the north wall of the sugarhouse that then feeds my 2 x 6 evaporator. As I grow in size I have designed my sugarhouse to accomodate a 3 x 10 evaporator if needed. I have only been producing for 3 years and hope to get electric this next year or 2 and will then go up to maybe 400-600 taps. Will never go much larger than that unless I get a helper because this is part time for me and I'm too old to boil all night and then safely drive school bus at 6:00 am. If I found someone reliable to boil while I drove in the afternoon I could get a little larger.
Yesterday I set up my 4th short pipeline where I had buckets in the past and today I will rewash my pipelines (I pump water using my transfer pump into a setup I made with an air hose connection which puts an air water mix into the pipeline which the turbulance cleans the pipeline. I have a generator I run to use the compressor for this.) As promised in an earlier thread I will post some pics someday of my undulating land, sugarhouse, pipeline system, sawmill and maybe even me If my camera doesen't break trying the last item ;D . Hopefully I can get this all done soon, but 24 hours sometimes seems to run out before my to-do list does each day. 8) :'( but I sure am having fun doing what I love. 8) 8)
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.

OLD_ JD

hi maple flat
iam not realy that far from where u live,about 3 hours drive up ,my operation is just at the border of N.Y state,at 20 mile from malone n.y...about the tap's they can last about 6 weeks bfore the start to heal out,the fact u dont use vacum it can last even more.
i do run 5.000 tap's and like to get up to 8,000 but right now the $ is just not there :(
ure washing set up is like what i use,it realy does the job :)
what size are ure main line? 3/4 or 1"?
i do have some ladder like ure talking we call them spider ladder aroud here they work fine wit vaccum,this wood is full of up and down :-\..i have to use a "reverse slop" set up whit a tranfer tank in the bush,and a domper,i will post some picture of it later when it will "run"

as long u have fun doing it 8)that all it matter ;D
canadien forest ranger

maple flats

  8)Old_JD, thanks for the info. My forcast just went to Saturday for the right temp instead of Thursday. Seems they don't come very close on the long range forcast. How about the post Ernie made about planting a sugar maple about 15 yrs ago and already has 12", Too bad we can't grow them that fast, but then he grows 12 months and we grow about 6-7 if we're lucky and without freezes he can't make syrup.  8) 8)   8) 8) 8)8)
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.

maple flats

Forgot to answer one thing, my main line is 3/4" and my runs are small enough that I will never need 1" on my place. Someday when I start renting bush who knows. I have been offered two different bushes so far, one is about 7 miles, looks good, about 75 taps. The other has a potential for about 300-400 taps but I would need to haul sap about 35 miles, haven't decided about that yet. I may find more closer and will be looking as I am ready to expand, not ready this year. If I saw enough lumber this summer I may expand to a larger evaporator and sometime even an RO (reverse osmosis)
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.

OLD_ JD

hi maple
RO are very good (we do have it here coze we use oil burner) if u have manny tap's others wise u wont be able to boil long enough to caliber ure evap..that the prob we face here whene we have few day whit slow run. the set up we have here can support 20,000 tap's and i run only 5,000 :o..but maybe one day i will be whit the big boy 8)
canadien forest ranger

KiwiCharlie

What a facinating subject.  All I knew was that I liked the stuff!  I never knew what went into making it.
My stepmother sends me a tin each year from Canada.  The pure stuff, as its hard to find here.  You can buy syrup here thats got water, sugar and maple flavour added to it.  Not nearly as nice!  :D
Charlie.
Walk tall and carry a big Stihl.

asy

Quote from: SwampDonkey on February 17, 2005, 06:10:23 PM
Some of the problem with chewed piping is by quill dogs too.

OK...

Um...

What's a Quill Dog?  And why do they Take your tyres?

Now, not being a total dill (just a partial one) I 'assume' they are Porcupines, and they eat tyres, but, I gotta tellya, I did have a chuckle imagining a dog with quills stealing tyres and rolling down a hill with them, or making little dog billy carts outta them...

Well, I'm not entirely sure I should admit this, but here goes:  I've never tasted Maple Syrup.

We have stuff here called 'maple syrup' but it's just an imitation one, and it's very sugary and watery...

I suspect the stuff you guys make is a little nicer than that.

asy :D
Never interrupt your opponent while he's making a mistake.
There cannot be a crisis next week. ~My schedule is already full..

maple flats

Try just one time and about 95% or more of the people don't want anything else for syrup after that. The real stuff is absolutely GREAT. I'd offer to send you a sample but being so small I do not deal out of state. There's something about federal licensing or something ( part of a new homeland security law) and I don't get into that. I do what is needed for in state sales according to New York State Ag. And Markets but that is enough. Besides that I drive school bus and sell at the bus garage to other drivers and have sold out completely just with that, so no advertising etc. Maybe when I get bigger I will need some adv. but now all I need is more syrup. Many drivers keep comming back for a reorder, either for them or as gifts for their kids for christmas or birthdays (seems almost all bus drivers here are retired from other jobs and have grown kids and grand kids) If you want some I'm sure many others on this thread who are bigger do ship.  8) 8) 8) 8) 8) Oh, and yes quill dags are pocupines, they love for some reason to chew rubber and plastic.  8)
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.

SwampDonkey

There is an outfit here, calling themselves organic, that taps over 40,000. No more organic than anyone else in my opinion, but it's a marketing thing. They have several full time staff and seasonal workers. Dang lot of taps to tend.  ::)

http://www.canadianorganicmaple.com/Aboutus.html
"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)))

maple flats

Just returned from my woods. Too cold, 26 deg. F in the woods, no flow. This week end still promises to be good. I'll keep you posted. If they don't change the forcast I will be starting this Friday. Will take my 11 yr old grandson to tap, he really enjoys that part and the local schools are off that day for superintendant's day (teachers go to meetings). I should then be in for at least 3 or 4 days. At this point I just need about 125 gal sap to start my first boil, after that I can boil smaller amounts if the flow slows but I need enough sugar in the pan after first boil to keep it from freezing, If I had more taps that would be easier, the problem is being at the lower end of an evaporators capacity in gal/hr evaporation. I can boil away about 25 gal/hr and 100-125 gal sap gets the sugar concentration in the pans high enough to protect from freezing. Last year my average sugar % in the sap ran at 2.8% for the entire season. It'll be interesting to see if I can get that this year since the norm throughout the northeast is considered to be about 2% according to the books I have been reading. 2% for sugar maple or black maple and 1% for most soft maples. I do not tap any soft maples, do mostly sugars with a few black (3 trees, 5 taps) Still final washing my pipelines, got one section done but the second section froze and water would not flow, I pump an air water mixture, need to wait for a delivery of degrees I guess, maybe 33 tomorrow and sunny, might work then. 8) 8)   8) 8) I love pure maple syrup  8) 8) 8)
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.

Corley5

Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

OLD_ JD

about "chewed piping" wa have several damage by squirrel before, we resould the prob by stoping using pre-made wasing formula(who it contien cloride) and use clear water whit vinager...we cut down are damage by 75% 8) 8)...every time a saw a fisher tracks in the snow ,make me  ;D...I wish him good lunch  ;D
canadien forest ranger

maple flats

Corley5, yes there are black maples, the leaves have 3 lobes. Try looking it up and if you can't find it I'll try to get a picture of the leaf to show you. I might be able to find one on line or I'll need to wait for the leaves to develope on the trees (not sure my memory will last that long) 8) 8) I first discovered it when I read the North American Maple Producer's Manual, a book all about maple syrup production.
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.

Ed_K

 Well its not much better here in western ma, I washed my mainlines today, but haven't put up the 5/16 line. Will start tomorrow on them. I run 300 + taps and boil on a 2 x 8 waterloo raised flue, with steamhood and preheater. Its wood fired as we have lots of slabs  ;D. I think this is going to be a short season :'(.
Ed K

farmerdoug

There is a neighbor down the road that taps and sells maple syrup.  I asked him today how it was going as we have had the perfect weather for the run since Friday.  8) He said that the run is really kicking in but with the late break in the winter weather he figures that the run will end very quickly as mother nature likes to makes up for late starts in the growing seasons.   >:(With the busted season last year here it will be hard to get local syrup if you do no have it ordered already. ::)
Doug
Truck Farmer/Greenhouse grower
2001 LT40HDD42 Super with Command Control and AccuSet, 42 hp Kubota diesel
Fargo, MI

Bro. Noble

Well we've had frosty nights and warm days this last week,  but,  we only had one maple tree and sold it to the Arkansawyer :D :D

We used to make shorghum though.  It's cooked down in pans much like the ones pictured,  except the sap winds it's way up and down the pan in little channels that you can dam up.  You continuously skim the green foam off the top,  letting it progress through the pan. 
milking and logging and sawing and milking

Corley5

Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

OLD_ JD

did any of u ever heard about taping yellow birch :P..they do some medical stuff whit it. i dont no if it wort the pain :-\
canadien forest ranger

maple flats

I read somewhere that Alaska has some folks tapping birch and making syrup, not sure how much it takes. You can't mix the two and call it maple syrup though.  I understand the syrup is quite good (but not as good as maple) For those interested in I.D. ing black maple try this link;   www.extension.iastate.edu/pages/tree/blk-map.html    8) 8) The sugar content of the sap on mine last year for one of my black maples was 2.6%, didn't test the others as I didn't tap those last year.
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.

SwampDonkey

Corley

They have black maple in southern Ontario along the St Lawrence, lake Michigan and lake Ontario.  I believe it is in Michigan (southern half), but it may be confused for sugar maple. There is usually a couple stipules (tiny leaf-like or scaly organs)  on the base of the petiole (stem of leaf).

In my area there are some old timers that don't believe in red spruce. They call it black spruce and when I explain the difference they go back to calling it black spruce. ;) :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)))

Keltic

May tap in today, we only tap about 50, for fun. Great to get into the woods after the winter. Add hot italian sausages on a stick, some visiting friends, and cold beer, and it's a whole lot of fun.  Can't wait.

Paschale

Anyone heard of shag bark hickory syrup?  There's only one supplier in the whole country, based in Indiana.  It's been featured in a lot of cooking magazines as well as on Food Network.  Supposed to be pretty tasty--anyone ever heard of it or tried it?


http://www.hickoryworks.com/

http://hickoryworks.homestead.com/files/The_ARTICLE__gif.gif

http://hickoryworks.homestead.com/HISTORY.html
Y'all can pronounce it "puh-SKOLLY"

bassfisher

Saps not running here yet.  The sweet birch has started to drip but not serious yet.  Being a transplanted city boy, i just watch when the old timers stop logging or cutting firewood and turn their attentions to things sweet and follow that lead.
Birch beer by April 30th is the norm around here.
"Waste not time, for time is the stuff that life is made up of." B.Franklin
Stihl 045AV 034AV--Stihl 026 Husky 65-- XL-76-- Echo 3450  Case 580SE JDeere 440 ICD
Bancroft-the mineral capital of canada & one of the last places that legally allows men to stretch (trapped) beavers without spousal permit

tnlogger

 JD had a friend in maine that did birch,elderberry,tater, and about anything else he could cookk down or ferment.  :D :D :D :D shore was good too
gene

maple flats

Warmed enough yesterday for a brief time to wash tubing. As I started ran into a problem, when the air water mix hit the 5/16" tubing it froze, had to wait about an hour and it thawed so I could proceed. Ran 2 lines  complete, making repairs as needed, really find every leak from squirrel damage with the pressure. Had to fix about 6 or 7 leaks so far, then it got too cold again. Hope to finish today if weather is right then I can tap. The extended forcast looks right for the next 10 days starting tomorrow. Should be making syrup real soon. As far as washing again I use only water and air mix. I wash immediately after the season and again just before the next season. As for squirrel damage it usually seams to be at the end of a line or where a line curves around a tree. They seem to climb the tree and chew where the line is against the bark. Generally they only chew a small hole and cause a leak, only had one where it was all the way thru and that is the only one that was not against bark, wonder if it was deer, squirrel, mice, porkies or something else? If in fact the sap runs I will not be online nearly as much but I'll try to keep you posted. Will try to get some pics soon. 8) 8)  8) 8) maple syrup is great  8) 8)
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.

SwampDonkey

Asy,

Yes, quill dogs are porcupines. ;D

I must admit that image of the quill dog you suggested is hillarious. :D

cheers
"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)))

Ed_K

 I'm going to start tapping today. Ever have trouble with bears chewing lines? I think the worst is cubs just chewing for fun  :o.
I've heard that it takes 100 to 1 to boil birch sap, and they will pay $100 gallon in Japan.
Ed K

maple flats

Warmed long enough to finish washing tubing today. Forcast for next 10 days looks good. Will tap tomorrow  and should flow everyday next 10. If I can collect enough sap tomorrow will start boiling, if not Friday looks even better, with the weekend forcast as perfect for sap flow. Hope they're right I did this several years with just enough taps to do a gallon or two and this is my 3rd year trying to make enough to sell. Never seen the sap start so late around here. 8) 8)
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.

maple flats

I've got a problem. Need you other maplers help. After washing my pipeline with air/water and then tapping I get a stale type oder in my tanks (such as when you clean out an ice chest and close it up without completely drying and it sets for a long time.)  Dumped the sap. Can I rewash with a little clorox and then again with fresh water to get it clean? I will pull the taps to do this and after cleaning re install them. ???
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.

Ernie

To get the smell out of a fridge or freezer thats been left off for too long, we give it a wipe out with a baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and water mix.

Works a treat.  Should work on your lines.

Ernie
A very wise man once told me . Grand children are great, we should have had them first

Furby

Over on the maple trader site I belive they suggest you use something other then water alone, but I'm not sure,

Here's a link:
www.mapletrader.com

isawlogs

  I just got off the phone with my dad , he has the lines all cleaned up and ready for tapping ... He also sugested that there where 400 to 500 trees that need be drilled ...
  I know what I'll be doing tomorow ....


   Then there is the old wood stove that needs to be fired up and a batch of pancakes made up ready for the syrup on Sunday ....    Yes ...   I can smell Spring
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

Stump Jumper

another 10 inches of snow expeced by tomarow  :( spring is taking its time :-X
Jeff
May God Bless.
WM LT 40 SuperHDD42 HP Kubota walk & ride, WM Edger, JD Skidsteer 250, Farmi winch, Bri-Mar Dump Box Trailer, Black Powder

Furby

No kidding, we got several inches early this morning with more on the way.
As of Friday we were close to 9" over the average for March and we are way ahead of last years season total.

junkyard

Watch the chlorox. Too much reacts with the plastic. Can't eat the syrup tastes terible, but I got 69 cents a  pound for it. Went in the buyers barrel with the burned and buddy. We just rinced and rinced with water. Ok now.
               Junkyard
If it's free, It's for me. If for pay, leave it lay.

maple flats

I think I've gotten it fixed. After checking mapletrader.com forum I pulled my taps, washed with 1% clorox solution, rinsed with fresh water and re-tapped. After this all smells right. Now I've lost some production time but hopefully the quality will be up where it was last year. Still have some more tapping to do, plan on doing about 150-160 this year. So far I only have a little over 100. Should finish tomorrow if nothing disrupts my plans. Will most likely have a good boil tomorrow. I collected 40 gal today from my first 42 taps. The rest of the taps weren't in until late in the day. Flow should start mid-morning tomorrow and go until the middle of the night according to the temperatures forcast. I'll be boiling late into the night and again the next day around my real job (I've got so many I sometimes can't tell which is real)  8) 8) 8) maple season is here in Oneida,  NY  8) 8) 8)
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.

bighoss550

got all 7 of mine in this year:) haha    not goin to bother this year. ill just boil it on the stove.

good luck to all u

Furby

Don't plan to tap this year, but did pick up some cheap spiles at an auction today. Passed on a two burner stove with stainless pan for $50. Kinda kicking myself now.

SwampDonkey

Well it has looked good here for the last couple of weeks now. But, I don't see it boiling at my cousins shack yet, no steam.  opefully things will get rolling this week for him. I know he has been tending his lines for some time now. We have about 14 inches of snow in the woods. Has been getting up to about 40 F during the daytime and low-mid 20's in the evening.
"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)))

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