End to the 2013 Maple Syrup Year.

Well all good things come to an end. Yesterday we pulled the last batch of syrup off the big evaporator, and tore down about 750 buckets. It started raining hard about 4:00pm, and continued into the night. This morning we went up and lit a small fire in the big evaporator, which was flooded with water yesterday, to push the last of the syrup through. Spent most of the morning washing down the pans in it. We transfered the half boiled sap from the big evaporator,to the small one while flooding it. we made another 21 gals., of surup, from the residual sap in both evaporators. Flooded the small evaporator this afternoon, when we couldn't get temp in pans up over the boiling point. ( water will only get up to 212D. you don't have syrup until temp gets up to 219D. tomarrow we will start a small ire in the small evaporator to heat the water we put in it this afternoon and wash it down, plus get a start on washing the 1500 buckets we hung this year. Each one gets hand washed and rinsed, and the spiles get boiled in a pot to steralize them. the school kids will be up to help, take down the last 750 bkts. and wash them. We should be all done Sunday aternoon. The SS 40gal. drumbs will go to a down state processor, for $1600 plus $225, the price of the SS barrels,(refundable on return, undamaged, and clean).
The woods look a lot different now. The Maylowers are starting to blossum and the leaks are coming on, and the sugarbush has taken on a new look since the snow melt.
E-mail open for ordering info. last call.
Loren, the Acg

With the weather you had it was a pretty short season.Thanks for the pics and update.

Vito

What was the final tally?

I pulled all 25 of our taps on Tuesday night. It was a big job.
Zach

Vito,
The season lasted a lot longer than last year, but the days that sap actually ran was few and fare between. It sort of worked out for us in the slow spells, as both uncles and I spent some of the down time in the hospital.
We're all ready to get going now, just don't know what gear we're going to plow and plant in, this year. It used to be the 5mph gear, might be the 4mph one this year.
Loren

Steve,
354 gals.
Loren

Enjoyed your Maple Syrup post and pics. Thanx

I declared victory and pulled out yesterday. If I had wood to spare I would just let the vacuum pump run for the next three days and see if it produced anything, but I will be scrounging wood just to heat water for clean up.


I made just short of 300 gallons on about a thousand taps. That is twice as much as last year, so I am happy with it. I was fighting for wood from the very beginning, as I lost over two months work last fall when my wife was injured. That was right when I would have been cutting wood, both for my house and for the sugar house. Most days I was cutting wood in the morning and burning it in the afternoon. It made for a few looong days. I used almost seventeen cords, of which only six was dry wood cut last year. I managed to keep mixing the dry wood in, but ran out of it toward the end. If I had all dry wood it would have used much less.

I took today off, just dubbed around with my truck and did some paperwork. Tomorrow I will start cleanup, I still need to can up all the syrup I am keeping for retail sales, about half of it, than the rest will go to a packer.

And we're getting freezing rain here right now! Lol, the up and down weather continues!

Thanks for all the pics of the syrup season, I really enjoyed them. It made me want to do it again, I used to boil sap when I was in FFA, maybe next year! John

Loren, your email doesn't show as open for me. Please email me at [email protected]. Thanks, Erik

Thanks for the pictures. You're a week or two ahead of where we are here. We've only gathered 3 times from the 400 taps my uncle has out in my parents' woods. Nothing green showing out there yet, and tonight is adding more white to what was left (maybe 1/4 snow cover yesterday). Hasn't been a great year here either, but way ahead of last year.

Loren AGC,
Great photos. I have enjoyed them all. The most covered rocks amongst the brown leaves are really nice shots.

Loren, I"ve followed your progress from the very beginning with your photos and reports. I can say that I have truly enjoyed watching and reading how you did this. I did not know anything about how this was done and it has certainly be a educational experience for me. I guess I was amazed at how much sap it took for the final product. Thanks for taking the time to show us "flatlanders" how "Maple Syrup" is done! It was nice seeing your photo amongst your uncles and nephews. I got a kick out of the young man "seemingly" hiding a beer can in his jacket pocket! I thought "Aha........those guys DO have a few beers along the way"! Thanks again.
Randall

Sweetfeet,
I took them with you in mind.
Loren, the Acg.