The Official 2008 Maple Syrup Thread.

michiganfarmer · #**181** 02/19/08, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by legendaryliving

Michiganfarmer - when does the syrup for sale start - (((drooling)))
We are SOOOOO looking forward to it!!

as soon as we start boiling...probably the third week of march

Happy7Farm · #**182** 02/19/08, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michiganfarmer

woohoo! Sounds like you got the bug! lol

I might be selling my 2x6 evaporator. Keep me in mind before you make one. Mine is made for up to 450 taps.

Thanks, Michigan but I don't know that I will need something that big, I just want to be able to boil more than 6 gallons an hour. Besides, I'm probably not that rich!!

Happy7Farm · #**183** 02/19/08, 04:33 PM

We boiled 25 gallons yesterday morning and another 25 this morning..........ended up with a good gallon of syrup. That ties us with what we did last year in Maine. We still have about 25 gallons to boil and the sap did run some today which made my eyes pop out of my head when I got home from work!! Maybe we will have a little to sell after all.

sugarbush · #**184** 02/19/08, 04:46 PM

How many taps do you have set? Looking like they will run all week, hope you don't have plans for next weekend

I think that 3x6 is too small, but if you did buy it I will sell you the wood to build a sugarhouse for it. Might even help erect it

Happy7Farm · #**185** 02/19/08, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugarbush

How many taps do you have set? Looking like they will run all week, hope you don't have plans for next weekend

I think that 3x6 is too small, but if you did buy it I will sell you the wood to build a sugarhouse for it. Might even help erect it

We have 60 taps at the moment. It didn't run as much as I thought it did today.......we collected only 13 gallons of sap.......but that doesn't include the ones on our neighbors land. He has about 20 of the 60 taps. I don't think that I could come up with enough trees close by to warrant buying a real evaporator but I keep looking for maples!!!

No plans for the weekend but if it runs that good I will be throwing together another little set up like I have now.

Thanks for the offer on the wood but we already have a building that isn't really being used that I think I could tranform!!

Happy7Farm · #**186** 02/20/08, 08:05 PM

We've been at it for 31 days now....somehow it seems much longer! Boiled 25 gallons again this morning and got 1/2 gallon of syrup. The sap ran some today as we collected about 16 more gallons.

MELOC · #**187** 02/20/08, 09:11 PM

i just can't get the weather to cooperate. it warmed up enough for two days to start a run. i got 15-20 gallons of sap out of @60-70 taps. now it is frozen in my barrel again.

i had just emptied the same amount on sunday...mostly all a chunk of ice. that was a waste, but i needed to get the old sap out as it had about a weeks worth of dribble before that short run that eventually froze. now it looks like it will be days before the next real thaw...and to think i had about two good weeks of run weather in january and early february. i guess it is tough where i live. i think the weather here is just too erratic to count on. it just seems we get both warm and frigid days all mixed together, where in the north they may get fewer warm days early and down south maybe yall get fewer frigid days this time of year. if i wait too long, the trees will break bud. last march it got down to single digits during a late cold snap that lasted for days. then it warmed into the sixties and the trees broke bud. i am thinking i need to be ready at the end of january and try to jump when the weather seems right. i would have had at least two good weeks if i had done so. i would also be encouraged to tap the silvers that are nearly breaking bud right now. i actually saw open buds a few weeks ago on my sister's silvers.

Happy7Farm · #**188** 02/21/08, 02:18 PM

Meloc, sorry to hear of your troubles. Hopefully things will turn around for you. We finally got caught up with our sap. We boiled 28 more gallons today and got a little over 1/2 gallon or sryup. We also got caught up on putting the syrup in jugs today. The weather is nasty, freezing rain, so no run at all today. Which is a relief as it gives us time to catch our breath and relax for a day or two.

If someone could tell me how to put pictures on here I would. I can't remember how I did it last year. Thanks.

seedspreader · #**189** 02/21/08, 02:20 PM

REmove the "*" below.

[*img]Picture address goes here[/img*]

Happy7Farm · #**190** 02/21/08, 03:18 PM

Here is are take so far this year!

The Official 2008 Maple Syrup Thread. - Homesteading Questions

MELOC · #**191** 02/21/08, 04:15 PM

boy, that sure looks purdy!

nice!

sugarbush · #**192** 02/21/08, 04:24 PM

Are you mail ordering in the cans? I know you are not buying them at the local hardware store around here

Happy7Farm · #**193** 02/23/08, 04:55 PM

Yes!! It is beautiful to look at.....it's nice to set back and look at it as only you know how much hard work you put into it. It is certainly a labor of love when you do it on a small scale but what fun we have as a family doing it.

Not much going on the past two days as far as boiling goes. We have collected another 60 gallons of sap though so tomorrow afternoon will start the next marathon for us. This sap should put us close to 10 gallons of syrup for the year.

Happy7Farm · #**194** 02/24/08, 06:21 PM

We boiled all afternoon today. We got rid of 40 gallons of sap and it turned into 3/4 of a gallon of syrup. After we were done we went around and collected about 14 more gallons of sap. Could have probably gotten more as the 15 taps that we collected from were overflowing. We will collect the rest of the taps in the morning as its not supposed to freeze hard tonight. To tired to get the rest tonight.

sammyd · #**195** 02/25/08, 03:44 AM

Wow, up here my buddy is just started on opening some trails through the snow back to the woods.
Did see taps, bags and holders on sale at Fleet Farm last week.

michiganfarmer · #**196** 02/25/08, 06:37 AM

well, I officially have a 2 foot by 6 foot raised flue Waterloo evaporator for sale. $3500.

I just bought a 3 foot by 12 foot drop flue Leader evaporator. I'll get pictures once I get it set up.

Its a monster compared to that littel 2x6,lol

michiganfarmer · #**197** 02/25/08, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy7Farm

This sap should put us close to 10 gallons of syrup for the year.

would you sell a pint? Id like to see what kentucky syrup tastes like.

Happy7Farm · #**198** 02/25/08, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michiganfarmer

would you sell a pint? Id like to see what kentucky syrup tastes like.

Sure, or maybe swap... I have never tasted Michigan syrup before!

michiganfarmer · #**199** 02/25/08, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy7Farm

Sure, or maybe swap... I have never tasted Michigan syrup before!

sure! Ill let you know when I have some. I am out right now

Happy7Farm · #**200** 02/25/08, 07:04 PM

Michigan, I'm glad you went for the swap!! I would really hate to ask someone to pay $20. for a pint of syrup but you know Kentucky syrup is quite rare! I really hope this just isn't a fluke year here as we have been making syrup for almost 5 weeks now.

I boiled 25 gallons this morning and got another 1/2 gallon of syrup. Two different neighbors each gave me 10 gallons of sap a piece tonight and we collected 23 gallons so we are boiling right now and hoping to get another 3/4 of a gallon tonight.