Maple Syrup Season

[Nytracker]

 What's the going rate on a quart of maple syrup.   I usually buy  a gallon in quart bottles  one for us and one each for the kids .

[landtracdeerhunter]

On 2/8/2020 at 9:13 AM, Nytracker said:

 What's the going rate on a quart of maple syrup.   I usually buy  a gallon in quart bottles  one for us and one each for the kids .

$18 dollars at a local market for light golden amber syrup.

[landtracdeerhunter]

Maple Season 2020 is upon us. This years going to be a tough call because of the milder Winter. Hope for sap to run into April, or it's going to be a quick season.

[Crazed98Camaro]

Tapped my first trees ever on Sunday. Didn't want to go crazy when I'm not prepared to handle a bunch of sap so I only went with 5 taps. Will probably be slugging it out on a turkey fryer this year just to get an idea of how much sap we get and if all goes well then step it up next year to either a barrel or cinder block arch. Tapped Sunday at 2 pm and by Monday 4pm we already have 4.5 gallons...not sure what I've got myself into!

[mowin]

Sap should of run rather well overnight.   Buddy has 175 taps.  Might have to stop by and see how he's doing. 

[DDT]

Saw an old Amish fellow that lives near our camp, he said they had made 2 runs in January as the weather was warm so much.

[landtracdeerhunter]

My trees all shut down Monday the 24th around 5 pm. with low pressure moving in. Looks like the next run here might start on Leap year day. 

I  don't tap trees in January anymore because of low sugar content. My boil rate was 62 and 57 to 1 , two different years. Light syrup though.

Edited February 26, 2020 by landtracdeerhunter

[landtracdeerhunter]

I see where NYS. Maple Weekend has been cancelled as a result of the many Caronaviruses spreading throughout the state. Always a great time to visit some of your area Sugar Houses. Sure will miss the maple donuts; one of my favorites. 

Bang up year here with  9 gallons of syrup off  396 gallon of sap. Expect the last run into next Wednesday.

[mowin]

Sap I'm my area is starting to run cloudy.  Just about over.   Friend has made just over 40 gal so far. 

[mowin]

How did everyone do this season?  It's definitely slowing down. 

[landtracdeerhunter]

Boiling right now! Down to about 21 gallons of sap every couple days. Nice to have a dryer day for a change that speeds up my boiling rate. Haven't figure harvest totals yet but, it's going to be real good on 61 taps. Really good maple flavor, which I didn't expect. 

 

Saps still coming out clear here, from my deep woods trees.

Edited March 25, 2020 by landtracdeerhunter

[mowin]

11 minutes ago, landtracdeerhunter said:

Boiling right now! Down to about 21 gallons of sap every couple days. Nice to have a dryer day for a change that speeds up my boiling rate. Haven't figure harvest totals yet but, it's going to be real good on 61 taps. Really good maple flavor, which I didn't expect. 

 

Saps still coming out clear here, from my deep woods trees.

Sounds like you're having a great yr.   

Another buddy of mine wants to start up next yr. He asked me if I was willing to help out.  Which I most definitely will. Said he'll buy the evaporator and build a saphouse.  Well see if it happens, but we're thinking a 2x6 raised flue for the evaporator. 

 

[Dinsdale]

5 hours ago, mowin said:

How did everyone do this season?  It's definitely slowing down. 

Good to hear some folks doing good.

Worst season ever. Not even close.

Too warm and aweful sap runs for both volume and sugar, pulled the plug a month ago. Took longer to clean up then it was worth even for just my own use.

Up side, I'm burning the wood meant for the evaporator in the stove for heat.

[Lawdwaz]

12 minutes ago, Dinsdale said:

 

 

Took longer to clean up then it was worth even for just my own use.

 

So I'm going to need to source some Aunt Jemima this year?

 

[Dinsdale]

48 minutes ago, Lawdwaz said:

So I'm going to need to source some Aunt Jemima this year?

 

LOL.....perish the thought

Always have a bottle or two to pass along.

 

Just weird year here, never cold really. No frost in ground, dug some post holes mid January in a t shirt. 

Forsythia already starting to flower. 

[landtracdeerhunter]

  Taps coming out today.  Time to build a higher boil rate evaporator. 

[mowin]

44 minutes ago, landtracdeerhunter said:

  Taps coming out today.  Time to build a higher boil rate evaporator. 

I was looking at the new evaporators yesterday. Technology has definitely improved since my last evaporator in the mid 90's.  

The price has definitely gone up also.  My Small brothers lightning 2x6 raised flue with automatic float boxes was around 2k back in '95.  Base model 2x6 now is over 5k... 

[landtracdeerhunter]

On 3/26/2020 at 12:51 PM, mowin said:

I was looking at the new evaporators yesterday. Technology has definitely improved since my last evaporator in the mid 90's.  

The price has definitely gone up also.  My Small brothers lightning 2x6 raised flue with automatic float boxes was around 2k back in '95.  Base model 2x6 now is over 5k... 

I was looking at the raised flue models that have one half, raised flue; the other half divided flat pan. 2 x 3 or 4. Manufactures really hyping these up. Not sure and more research, on my part is needed. If I was a better welder of stainless. I'd weld one up my self.  I will build the firebox myself, to try to keep the price down. Keep my smaller unit for small runs. I  so need to upgrade though; as maple is in my blood now.

Edited March 27, 2020 by landtracdeerhunter

[mowin]

3 hours ago, landtracdeerhunter said:

I was looking at the raised flue models that have one half, raised flue; the other half divided flat pan. 2 x 3 or 4. Manufactures really hyping these up. Not sure and more research, on my part is needed. If I was a better welder of stainless. I'd weld one up my self.  I will build the firebox myself, to try to keep the price down. Keep my smaller unit for small runs. I  so need to upgrade though; as maple is in my blood now.

Looked at those one pan divided 2x4 units online.  Looks like a nice hobby unit. 

Seen a few 2x4 with two separate pans like the 2x6 raised flue I had.  But only rated for 10-12 gal a hr.  

We're planning on 100-125 taps. Not unheard of 100+ gal of sap a day on good runs.  Don't want to boil down for 10+ hrs on a unit that only does 10-12 a hr. 

My 2x6 was well insulated and I could boil down 25-35 gal a hr.