The Official 2024 Maple Season Thread

I totally am on the same page !

 

Nice run. Collected 175 gallons today. We couldn't collect yesterday because of rain storms...so some were over flowing. Not too impressed with the runs so far here. Some trees just aren't getting with it this year. But can't complain. Off and running !

 

This is quite the interesting thread for me. We don't have maple syrup or any tree syrup harvesting out here in our area.

 

Coming off at a different temp than the other day. Gotta love it !

 

Glad to have you along for our journeys !
Speaking abt when I post..it may be a " how not to" ..rather than a "how to" lol

 

Still amazed at all the science involved. Always amazes me that each channel is different in these continuous flow pans ! It just does what it needs to do !

 

She's a hot one !

 

That’s always fascinated me as well. We evaporate outside and then finish the last gallon or so inside. Boil it to 217 and then bottle it. Sap going in at the top of the evaporator and then meeting the requirements for sap as it flows out the other end is nuts! How much fine tuning do you have to do to get it there or is the evaporator designed to essentially manage itself?

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one !
Not much fine tuning on this pan. Just mostly maintaining my 1.5" sap depth..which I do with a manual valve....with RO concentrate gravity flowing in. And make it flow at a higher rate as I draw off. That's abt it. Just kind of waiting for a problem...filling the fire box every 9 minutes...and catching up on Walker Texas Ranger !


The pan just flows amd does its thing. 1st season..I was on edge ..now..id have to pass out for awile to even begin to have a problem lol !
Im able to draw off finished syrup on this rig....but I usually make it come out alil on the high sugar side..then fine tune/dilute it to the right amount on my finisher/bottler. Easier to control things.


Most of the work..as you know...is all the prep work before..and after season

 

HoneyFuzz Is the AUF (air under fire) always running when you're not stoking the fire?

 

The minute the fire gets roaring good on first fire..the blower goes on..and I don't shut it off till I'm winding down for the day .
I've got it on a variable switch from Harbor Freight. 6 years..no problems ! Running it all the way up .... ends up blowing ashes out of the gaps in the door. This switch cured that.
The blower by itself...significantly changed our boil rate for the better. Made a big difference.

 

Sometimes..on a good day..(today).I fill up the filter/bottler. Them I have relieve some into a random clean pot lol !

 

What a good day. Had to make even more room lol
And a beautiful sunset to boot !

 

One of my favorite times of year! Cold without the snow and foliage. Getting back out there more. Things starting to turn! Sounds like you had a good day.

 

Got some bottling done today..about 5 gallons or so. Trying out some new glass bottles..along with the usual plastic.
Also used the permeate water to rinse out all buckets..tanks..and pan.
Pan also got a light scrub down..and rotated around. Cleaned firebox..swept floors. Had to find a way to hang up auto draw off out of the way to rotate pans. Some scrap electric wire does the trick lol ! Brought bottler...hydrometer and murphy cup...orlon filters etc..home to wash with hot water. Ready for hopefully another week or 2. These warm days need to slow down


All came off Amber Rich color. I've actually never made light. Not by choice either. Just never happens

 

Ended up with a little over 32 oz of syrup after our boil today. Couple cold days in a row, so it’s slowed down to about nothing again. This week is looking warmer during the day so hopefully a couple more good runs coming up.

 

We collected 755g of sap for the week. We are having a hard time with filtering. This syrup plugs a filter set up with just one gallon going through them. I’ve never experienced this. Hopefully we get it all filtered today. 15-17 gallons of syrup made.

 

We’ve been on ice, but that is about to change. I resplit some wood and hauled it to the sugarhouse today.

 

Momma Nature is about to go bipolar on us again here in central WI..

 

Collected another 115 gallons today..to boil tomorrow. Also collecting again tomorrow. Finally getting a decent run !