It is sugaring time

Coastie- Where did you source those stackable open barrels? Seems like a great idea.

Update- put out 6 taps yesterday before the Super Bowl. Maybe a little early but we should have some warm weather this week- maybe 50 on Wednesday, then cold again. 3 or 4 starting to flow a tiny amount already. Interesting that on the one big maple I tapped twice, the tap facing more to the south and over a bigger root has not started to run much, while the other was flowing a little.

I may just put out a couple more if my local hardware store still has taps. Damn, that sounds like an addiction forming...

How long is it usually ok to leave the sap in the tap buckets while collecting?
 
Mountain said:
Coastie- Where did you source those stackable open barrels? Seems like a great idea.

Update- put out 6 taps yesterday before the Super Bowl. Maybe a little early but we should have some warm weather this week- maybe 50 on Wednesday, then cold again. 3 or 4 starting to flow a tiny amount already. Interesting that on the one big maple I tapped twice, the tap facing more to the south and over a bigger root has not started to run much, while the other was flowing a little.

I may just put out a couple more if my local hardware store still has taps. Damn, that sounds like an addiction forming...

How long is it usually ok to leave the sap in the tap buckets while collecting?
Click to expand...

Got them from a guy in Loudon NH on CL.

It is addicting.

As for how long to leave it in the buckets it depends on the flow. At the height of the flow I collect everyday. When it is slower and cold I will go a couple days if I am confident they aren't overflowing.
 
I was out in the woods in Tyngsboro two weekends ago cutting some firewood on a guys land. There was smallish maple that had another small 4" tree growing right next to the base of it. A tree fell and broke the small one in half. When I cut it at the base, I was surprised how much sap I saw start coming up out of the stump.

I have countless red maples around my house in the woods out back, I intended to tap some this year for the first time, but I just havent had time to prep for it this year. Maybe next year!
 
Glad I didn't do the rest of mine now that it's got cold again. I think I collected 4 gallons the first couple days and pretty much nothing sense. The tractor supply in Leominster had tons of stainless bucket taps last weekend.
 
Let us know how they are running. I hope to do mine this weekend if the weather cooperates. I have 10 out right now but they are in a spot that seems to stay cold.
 
1/4 bucket or less per each bucket right after tapping then everything froze solid. Warming up again, so I'll need to start checking.
 
I'm starting this year as well. I went with the plastic taps, 5/16" hose, and some 5g buckets. I have a lead of some 30g barrels.

Does anyone boil in a turkey fryer or something similar? I know more surface area releases more water vapor, but it's what I have for now.
 
Beeffajitas said:
I'm starting this year as well. I went with the plastic taps, 5/16" hose, and some 5g buckets. I have a lead of some 30g barrels.

Does anyone boil in a turkey fryer or something similar? I know more surface area releases more water vapor, but it's what I have for now.
Click to expand...

How many taps do you have? A turkey fryer is probably only good for a half dozen taps. Beyond that the amount of sap will overwhelm you unless you are boiling constantly. You just cant boil it off fast enough.
 
A $30 steam table pan or 2 and some cinder blocks to make a fire box out of will work a lot faster than the turkey fryer but if that's not an option work with what you have. The worst thing that's going to happen is you have to dump some sap or give it away cause you can't boil it all.
 
I'll be running something like this with steam table pans this year:
https://www.amazon.com/Sportsman-DB...=1487178334&sr=8-27&keywords=cast+iron+burner

I have 20 taps in so we'll see how it keeps up, I also have 120 gallons worth of extra storage to dump buckets if I don't have time to boil it down immediately.

I checked my 8 taps last night, 5 were active, 3 still dry, we got a bit over a quart yesterday from the 5 taps but it just barely got over freezing.
 
I've been laid up with the flu for the past 48 hours- nasty one with respiratory, fever, fatigue, and aching problems. I'm guessing mine ran some today- all had run a little before freezing up. Temps this week should get them going & I should be up to checking them tomorrow.
 
It looks like we will have great weather the next couple weeks. I got 15 more taps to get in tonight and I am expecting to start boiling on Monday.
 
coastie said:
It looks like we will have great weather the next couple weeks. I got 15 more taps to get in tonight and I am expecting to start boiling on Monday.
Click to expand...

I reset 8 of my taps, the holes were full of woody slushy mess, probably would have cleared if I was patient :-D. They are running good now.
 
Mine really started taking off today. Emptied all my buckets since I'll be out of town a couple days. I'm guessing 7 gallons.
 
Got 50 gallons from the 28 taps I put in on Fri. 15 on Sat and 35 today. Put 12 more taps in this morning. Going to boil tomorrow.
 
I put in about 24 yesterday morning for a total of 34. Not running as well as I expected it to be, it's running but for as warm as it is I expected more. Going to try to put in another 20-30 this week and will probably quit then. Too many projects going on this year.
 

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