Maple Syrup

[MIKE R]

As the 2013 Maple Syrup season is just around the corner, I thought I would start a thread to see how everyone is getting ready for the season and how everyone is doing once boiling gets underway.
I have upgraded all my equipment, I went to a continuous flow evaporator, a vacuum system with 150 taps on line and 25 on buckets. I just need to weld my arch up and I am good to go.Maybe a new filter press if money allows.

This setup will be far better then my old barrel evaporator with 30 taps on buckets. I hope to make about 200litres of syrup this year giving me the chance to sell some.

 

[kootch88]

Very nice. We have a sugar shak next door to us. Love maple syrup!!

 

[Piston]

I'd love to try my hand at maple syruping (that's a word right?)
What would a newbie syruper need for equipment to start? I have a large sugar maple right next to the house and would like to get a small amount of syrup out of it.

I know it is somewhere around a 40-1 ratio right? What time of year does "normal" sugaring start for central MA?

 

[Avondale]

I admire the vac system and hope it pulls for you as expected. Please keep us up to date with your production levels as I am "thinking" of a vac system.

I cleared my main trails today with a snow blower as we just had a bit of a snow dump last day or so. I use my Polaris Ranger to pull a wagon that holds my collection tank so need to be able to get about to collect my 300 pails. Still have alot to do but is suppose to be sunny tomorrow as well.

 

[MIKE R]

I'd love to try my hand at maple syruping (that's a word right?)
What would a newbie syruper need for equipment to start? I have a large sugar maple right next to the house and would like to get a small amount of syrup out of it.

I know it is somewhere around a 40-1 ratio right? What time of year does "normal" sugaring start for central MA?

You will need something to boil the sap on. A pot over a fire a steam table tray on a bbq, a turkey fryer are all good methods for small production. You will need some spiles and buckets that are available from TSC as well as a few buckets to store the sap. The ratio of sap to syrup is about 40-1.

I would recommend the book from Tap my Trees called MAPLE SUGARING AT HOME.

The sap starts to run when nighttime temperatures drop below freezing and daytime temps go above freezing. Mid 20 F during the night and low 40 F during the day are the best conditions.

The size of tree dictates on how many taps you can put on it. Always tap on the south side for the best amount of sap flow.

Tree Diameter Number of Taps
12-20 inch 1
21-27 inch 2
27 + inch 3

 

[Piston]

Thanks Mike.
I'll look for some sort of "beginner kit". I would only be doing one or two trees for the first time. One may be a bit over the 27" DBH and the other is certainly between 21-27".

 

[Loren49]

Mike,
What was the cost of your vacuum system and what is used to run the pump?

Loren

 

[kiotiken]

As the 2013 Maple Syrup season is just around the corner, I thought I would start a thread to see how everyone is getting ready for the season...

I'm making pancakes

 

[mjarrels]

I went to the Highland County Va. maple syrup fest a few years ago. Deep fried pork skins were the best. Bought a tin of maple syrup to take home and once home, looked at the bottom of the tin... made in china!

mark

 

[Avondale]

Bought a tin of maple syrup to take home and once home, looked at the bottom of the tin... made in china!

mark[/QUOTE]

I am guessing they meant the tin, hopefully not the syrup ??

 

[wawajake]

Well so far I have been just packing the trails to the back forty where my sugar bush area is located.
Last year I could get back there all year with ATV and bring sap back in a large CTC cooler strapped to front of ATV and bring it to my 45 gallon plastic drum on shady side of garage, but this year it looks like I will be using the snowmachine. (tractor cannot get up ridge behind me in winter so can't use the Kubota !)
This year hope to get 45 gallons of raw sap and like before, boil it down on my fire pit using a large truck rim to support the mesh grill and I use two of the biggest size canning pots to boil it down in.
I use maple wood to keep fire hot , but eventually will need to get better system to boil down. It takes me 8 hrs to boil down 22 gallons of raw into a few pints of syrup. (so two days if I get 45 gallons to do) Might need to make me a shallow tray to expose more surface area and design a wider fire pit.

Yep I am doing it the poor mans way, I will purchase a few more plastic buckets and covers from TSC , bringing total to 14 buckets .....small operation eh !! Filter system is a tea towel . just give away to family and my pancakes !

 

[rmorey]

Well so far I have been just packing the trails to the back forty where my sugar bush area is located.
Last year I could get back there all year with ATV and bring sap back in a large CTC cooler strapped to front of ATV and bring it to my 45 gallon plastic drum on shady side of garage, but this year it looks like I will be using the snowmachine. (tractor cannot get up ridge behind me in winter so can't use the Kubota !)
This year hope to get 45 gallons of raw sap and like before, boil it down on my fire pit using a large truck rim to support the mesh grill and I use two of the biggest size canning pots to boil it down in.
I use maple wood to keep fire hot , but eventually will need to get better system to boil down. It takes me 8 hrs to boil down 22 gallons of raw into a few pints of syrup. (so two days if I get 45 gallons to do) Might need to make me a shallow tray to expose more surface area and design a wider fire pit.

Yep I am doing it the poor mans way, I will purchase a few more plastic buckets and covers from TSC , bringing total to 14 buckets .....small operation eh !! Filter system is a tea towel . just give away to family and my pancakes !

There's nothing wrong with "the poor man's way". This will be our 3rd sugar season. We will have about 40 taps out. Last year, the season ended quickly. 80 degrees in March will do that to a maple tree. We still managed to get about 5 gallons, although the last gallon was a "little buddy".

I use 2 - 20 gallon black garbage pails with lids (new from the store) to hold the sap we collect. We collect for as many days as it takes to fill both, then boil all day, end up with about a gallon of syrup. Then do it all over again.

It's great fun, sitting in the lawnchair, nice sunny day, feeding the fire and sap. Maybe a cool one sitting in the snow bank beside you...productive day!

 

[MIKE R]

Mike,
What was the cost of your vacuum system and what is used to run the pump?

Loren

I have a Gast 1023 vacuum pump, $150 from ebay, probably $600 in tubing and fittings and $650 on the releaser and $150 on a tank. I expect to pull about 15-20inches of mercury with the pump. This is my first year doing it this way so I am still learning.

 

[wawajake]

yes Rmorey "It's great fun, sitting in the lawnchair, nice sunny day, feeding the fire and sap. Maybe a cool one sitting in the snow bank beside you...productive day! "'' that is exactly my modis operendi !

My wife comes out by afternoon and joins us and keeps asking "whats the temperature now" !!! my reply ......"Not yet dear ! a little longer ! can you get me another beer "

 

[Avondale]

I am a very lucky guy, my Mrs "likes" doing this so I usually leave it to her. I spell her off for breaks and such, collect the sap (300 pails) mid-way through a boil to make it worthwhile and fetch the beer.

 

[forgeblast]

What type of pan do you use to boil it down, store bought or something you made?

 

[MIKE R]

What type of pan do you use to boil it down, store bought or something you made?

I bought my new pan from Smokey Lake Maple, my old set up was 2 steam table pans. Most anything that you can boil water in works, just as long as it is not aluminum.

 

[forgeblast]

Appreciate it why not aluminum though?

 

[MIKE R]

Aluminum reacts with something in the syrup. Stainless is the way to go.

 

[vtsnowedin]

Newbees to "Sugaring" might like this site.
MapleTrader.com
They have a whole section for do it yourself backyarders and go all the way up to major producers.
I haven't spent any time there lately as I've been into getting my tractor and getting ready for this season but you might find me under some old threads.