2019

New additions to the operation: 210 gallon pickup truck tank (no more climbing up to pump sap into a tote), 9" vacuum filter press (CDL) on back order should be in by early March. Vacuum Filter was picked up and used from March 15 until the end of the season. Syrup comes out crystal clear with little to no waste.

Tapped out February 19th - 90 on 3/16" tubing, 5 on 5/16" tubing and 9 on traditional metal taps and bags.

New tubing was installed in December 2018- 3/16" with 5/16" drops and clear check valve spouts. Drops had a plug ring installed to keep clean. There are 4 lines each with between 20 and 25 tap. I kept the drop lines longer than in the past most are 36-40".

Used a 19/16" tapping bit instead of 5/16" as in the past. Plug rings cut off and spouts installed day of tapping. The new bit worked great in frozen wood but was too aggressive after the trees started to thaw.

Strange season most tapped out early February with a good week of warm weather temps hit 60s twice. Then cold and a small warm up the week of the 19th. Then 7-10 of well below average temps mostly upper 20s and low 30s for high temps.

First two runs I had a lot of fine sugar sand. Filtered coming off the evaporator through 3 pre-filters then after bring to correct density filtered through 3 pre-filters and a orlon cone filter. Came out crystal clear but the amount of niter was unusual.

What started as a slow season ended very strong. Made Golden grade syrup for the first time on March 12 -76 on the meter. Then on March 31st made the darkest syrup I have ever made 16 on the meter.

Season ended on April 3. I did collect an additional 300 gallons of sap on April 2 and 3 but the syrup that was produced was off flavored!

Overall just under 2700 gallons of sap and produced 40.25 gallons - best year ever.