2007 Official Maple Syrup Thread.

ripcat-ranch · #**221** 03/28/07, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michiganfarmer

Has anyone kept track of how much wood it takes to make a gallon of syrup? I never have in the past. Ive made 17 gallons and used just short of 2 face cord. I think I can get another gallon form this 2 cord stack.

Now I understand Im using a different boiler than most hobbyists. I just thoguht it was an interesting bit of info.

I'm not sure how much wood we've used all I can say is it's been ALOT!! Maybe because we're using mostly cedar, white pine, and spruce. Not much for dead hardwood standing on the property. Found a dead maple the other day and could really tell a difference with the wood usage.

ripcat-ranch · #**222** 03/28/07, 07:45 PM

Ended up with 21 gallons to boil today..............got a quart and a pint. It's supposed get down to 26 tonight with a high of 46 tomorrow!! Looks like the next 3 days are gonna be good ones.

RedneckPete · #**223** 03/28/07, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ripcat-ranch

Looks like the next 3 days are gonna be good ones.

Where are you? We haven't had any temperatures below freezing for over a week. I pulled the taps about a week ago, and the maples are almost in flower!

Pete

michiganfarmer · #**224** 03/29/07, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ripcat-ranch

Here is our new evaporator set up. I took it from ZealYouthGuy. (post #154) We made a few adjustments today. Added handles to the pans and to the door. Will add some ceramic tiles to build the fire on. Much better than our old system, less firewood and easier to work around, not so hot!! (post #180)

Collected 18 gallons of sap today and hoping it freezes tonight!

Now, if you put raw sap in the back pan, transfer it forward as the front pans need it, you can keep your boil going, and just pull finished syrup from your front pan. You wont have to stop the fire, and/or cool everyting down. You can keep boiling without stopping. WHen you think you have syrup in your front pan, Use some welding goves to keep the heat off your hands and pull the front pan, dump it into whatever, fill it with raw sap, pull all your other pans forward, put the pan you just emptied in the back, fill THAT ONE with raw sap, and carry on.

I think you have a pretty good setup. Mutiple pans, at leat 2, are the way to go. You dont have to loose your boil when you pul your syrup off.

It was suppose to freeze last night, but it didnt. It isnt suppose to freeze now till tuesday. I might be up a creek this year, but Im not pulling my taps untill the trees bud.

ripcat-ranch · #**225** 03/29/07, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedneckPete

Where are you? We haven't had any temperatures below freezing for over a week. I pulled the taps about a week ago, and the maples are almost in flower!

Pete

Along the coast of Maine near Bar Harbor. I Just looked at the temps on the weather channel and it looks real good thru Sunday.

ripcat-ranch · #**226** 03/29/07, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michiganfarmer

Now, if you put raw sap in the back pan, transfer it forward as the front pans need it, you can keep your boil going, and just pull finished syrup from your front pan. You wont have to stop the fire, and/or cool everyting down. You can keep boiling without stopping. WHen you think you have syrup in your front pan, Use some welding goves to keep the heat off your hands and pull the front pan, dump it into whatever, fill it with raw sap, pull all your other pans forward, put the pan you just emptied in the back, fill THAT ONE with raw sap, and carry on.

I think you have a pretty good setup. Mutiple pans, at leat 2, are the way to go. You dont have to loose your boil when you pul your syrup off.

It was suppose to freeze last night, but it didnt. It isnt suppose to freeze now till tuesday. I might be up a creek this year, but Im not pulling my taps untill the trees bud.

Yes it does work well and I say that because I'm not working nealy as much trying to keep up with firewood and it's not nearly as hot to work around as the way we were doing it. Yesterday it was really windy when we boiled so I think the cold wind blowing across the pans kept us from reaching our boiling potential. The handles I put on the pans really helped and I fashioned a new door for the front. The broiler pan I used for the front door had to much space around it. I took a piece of sheet metal to seal the front completely and it drastically increased the boil in all the pans especially the front one.

That is a good idea on transferring the pans around. If we ever boil enough at one time I will do it that way.

michiganfarmer · #**227** 03/30/07, 12:13 PM

I bought 100 regular spiles. Im ging to tap 100 trees in my dad's woods saturday. It suppose to freeze next week. With wholesale syrup prices near $30, I hope to get at least one good run before the buds break.

stanb999 · #**228** 03/30/07, 01:06 PM

The trees are running like mad again. I got about 8 gallons already and only a 5 gallon pail.

A boiling I go.

I have had the taps out for 1 week and have boiled down 1.75 gallons of syrup.
That is from 8 taps. I love my sugar maples................ I get on average 10 gal. of sap, boil it down to 1 quart (per day). This year is going great.

Oh yeah, the snow is finally gone.

ripcat-ranch · #**229** 03/30/07, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stanb999

The trees are running like mad again. I got about 8 gallons already and only a 5 gallon pail.

A boiling I go.

I have had the taps out for 1 week and have boiled down 1.75 gallons of syrup.
That is from 8 taps. I love my sugar maples................ I get on average 10 gal. of sap, boil it down to 1 quart. This year is going great.

Oh yeah, the snow is finally gone.

I'm happy for all of you that have sugar maples!! We are averaging 16 gallons to get a quart from our red maples. Boiled 42 gallons today, still waiting to see the end amount.

End Result for the day: half gallon and a little more than a pint.

seedspreader · #**230** 03/30/07, 02:33 PM

All my taps are pulled and the holes are dried and the trees are budding. But it sure is a nice spring day!

bill not in oh · #**231** 03/30/07, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZealYouthGuy

But it sure is a nice spring day!

Heard ThAT!

ripcat-ranch · #**232** 03/31/07, 09:49 PM

Collected 14 gallons of sap last night and 10 today........I thought today would be better but maybe tomorrow. Probably boil the 24 tomorrow afternoon along with whatever more we get.

Total so far for the year: 4 1/2 gallons!!

ripcat-ranch · #**233** 04/01/07, 07:30 PM

We collected another 9 and boiled a total of 33 gallons and got 1/2 gallon of syrup today. We did get another 15 gallons to boil tomorrow, hopefully we will get another 15 or so to go along with it. I think we are nearing the end which really doesn't matter since we have sold the land and we are supposed to close on Friday. I probably should get all the taps and things off the land by Thursday.

michiganfarmer · #**234** 04/02/07, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ripcat-ranch

Total so far for the year: 4 1/2 gallons!!

thats fantastic!

I put 100 taps in dad's woods saturday. I got about 30 gallons sunday. Ive been checking buds closely. They are still tightly closed. The waether is suppose to feeze tuesday, and stay frozen till saturday,LOL. Strange weather. Anyway We should get a good run next weekend, then Im pulling my spiles. Im sure the bds will break as soon as the weather warms back up.

ripcat-ranch · #**235** 04/02/07, 02:59 PM

Not much running today........so my wife made some maple cream....yum-O !!

Hoping it runs a little tomorrow so I can boil what I have.

ripcat-ranch · #**236** 04/03/07, 05:16 PM

Boiled today and got just over a quart. It might be the last time this year but still hoping for more.

ripcat-ranch · #**237** 04/06/07, 08:36 PM

Looks like we are getting one last hurrah!! Collected and boiled 32 gallons yesterday and got a little over a half gallon of syrup and it still tastes great. Collected 37 more gallons of sap tonight just before dark and looks like tomorrow is going to be another stellar day!!!

We sold our land and were supposed to close on it today. If we would have I would have missed these last big runs. We've been waiting all year for it to run like this so I'm thankful we had the opportunity to get another gallon or so of syrup before we take off for Kentucky.

MELOC · #**238** 04/06/07, 08:55 PM

i am working on maple candy as i type this. i just boiled the syrup to 233 F and am waiting for it to cool to 110 F. i will whip it until it gets stiff and try my luck at molding. i have no worries about messing this up...i can eat all of the mistakes, lol.

MELOC · #**239** 04/06/07, 09:58 PM

lol, the good news is i remembered to put in the vanilla...the bad news is i made maple sugar. oh my goodness, it was so funny. one minute i was stirring thick syrup, the next minute it was sugar! it actually took just a few seconds to turn from viscous to solid.

i think i am trying maple fudge next, lol.

ripcat-ranch · #**240** 04/07/07, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MELOC

lol, the good news is i remembered to put in the vanilla...the bad news is i made maple sugar. oh my goodness, it was so funny. one minute i was stirring thick syrup, the next minute it was sugar! it actually took just a few seconds to turn from viscous to solid.

i think i am trying maple fudge next, lol.

Have you tried making maple cream? It's awesome!