Almost Tapping time!

[WisDoo]

Well,

Since I have to sleds down for the season (bent crank on 11 summit in idaho) and a bad exhaust sensor I think in the 08 renegade) I am getting our maple syrup stuff ready. We decided to build a new Arch evaporator this year and hope to have to new pans for next season a sap and syrup pan.

How about the rest of you anyone light the fire yet?

 

[900kingcat162]

nope. ready and waiting though. cut some maple trees last weekend for firewood and the sawdust was bone dry. i dont think the sap will be running for another 2 weeks. but when it comes, its gonna come fast and strong. i used up 2/3 of my firewood supply for cooking syrup to heat my house cuz I ran out of firewood, so I bought some slab wood for cooking. getting excited! cant wait to smell that sap boiling and sample the first batch. first batch is always the best.

 

[dab102999]

Buckets starting to hang around my area.

 

[onlypolar4me]

Any of you ride the trail between Baraga and Chassel see the place where there is a bunch of blue tubing and black plastic pipe,
running through the trees?

I assume this is a sap collection set up??

 

[rp7x]

got most of my taps out this last weekend , going out tonight to get the first sap before the snow comes

 

[snocrazy]

Hard maples around here started flowing Mon - Tues. Soft maples are still dry.
Its not going to be long before it really gets going.

 

[rp7x]

collected enuff today to start the boiler up , now the fun begins , up all night drinkin cold beer

 

[rp7x]

sap has been runnin' and I have the boil going now. looking forward to the first taste of the year! Who else has an update?

Sorry the pics are sideways!

 

[chevyman]

heading up to my buddies place friday to help out for the weekend.ill try and take some pics of there operation. last weekend they collected 1800 gallons.

 

[rp7x]

last year about 1100 gallons , this year won't be near as much I think ?

 

[Deleted member 10829]

heading up to my buddies place friday to help out for the weekend.ill try and take some pics of there operation. last weekend they collected 1800 gallons.

1800 gallons in one weekend, that will be neat to see some pics of that operation!

 

[WisDoo]

we have only collected about 80 gallons so far. Fifty last sunday and 30 yesterday. not running real good here right now. Suprised I thought yesterday would have been really good. On another note our new custom arch is almost completed. A few more nights in the garage and it will be ready for a boil!

 

[rp7x]

w/d how many taps are you using? I run 75 and only got 8 g last night but seems to be running better today

 

[WisDoo]

we run 100 taps. Didn't collect yesterday bags only about 2" full so maybe 20 gallons in the woods or so. Finished almost all the welding on the new arch. My pans are almost done. I hope that we have a couple hundred gallons by mid next week so we can get started boiling.

 

[rp7x]

think the push is still on it's way ?

 

[Woodtic]

I think this is the coolest thing,please post more pics. If you guys could give more specifics on how it's done also. Thanks. I'm thinking about planting a bunch of maple trees,to give me something fun to do when I retire. I already have the sitting around drinking beer mastered.

 

[rp7x]

I started this to help me out of the snow season , now it's in the way of it , it is amaseing anyones welcome to drop in , just bring more beer !

 

[chevyman]

Up at my buddies place. Between Thursday and Friday we collected 2200 gallons out of there woods and there brother got about 6000 gallons. His woods is all on pipeline. So far on the season they have over 60000 gallons of sap and about 1500 gallons of syrup. I'll post some pics when I get home.

 

[chevyman]

Here are some pics.

 

[Deleted member 10829]

Very cool, thanks for sharing. Looks like quite the serious operation!