Maple 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.