Yooper906
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Was running here last week. Cold temps moved in and shut them down. Early March (March 10) is usually go time around here.
Maple Syrup
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Gellar
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We are a few weeks ahead for sure but it’s been 40 during the day and freezing at night so the temps have been perfect. I’m thinking the sugar content is not going to be very high because we never had the prolonged cold snap this year. Silver maples are already budding out along the river.
Yooper906
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Dang! You’re way ahead of us.
seeth07
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My family has been doing syrup for almost 100 years now. My grandpa said it was a fools mistake to have mother nature make you think you can tap before March 1st. Normally he is right - those people that tap early based on a late January or February warm up end up tapping too early, the cold returns and completely locks up your taps resulting in you have to retap and end up further damaging the tree.
Perhaps this year may be an exception. I listened to my late grandfather's advice and I did not put my taps in this year two weeks ago at the start of this unseasonably warm up. Based on the forecast for the next 14 days, I don't see the cold weather ever returning this winter around here. My maples that I tap I have noticed the starting of early bud formation even. A friend at work who taps a small amount (100 taps) normally makes around 10 gallons of syrup a year and I was just talking to him this morning and he is at 7 gallons already having tapped two weeks ago.
Looks like by March 1st the run will be all but over and it won't even be worth my time? I may have to skip. I typically do about 450 taps.
SaskHunter
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One of the things I miss about living out East is sugar shack season and hunting spring turkeys in tapped sugar bushes.
Whiskey Freak
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I helped my FIL tap a bunch of walnut trees. We did about 80. That is some of the finest dark syrup I’ve had. Holy smokes does it clean me out tho.
It was a lot of work. We were rookies and used deep pots and propane in the garage. It took so much propane to cook it down. Then it was putting so much moisture into the shed that it started molding the drywall. We made a contraption using reverse osmosis to pull a lot of water out and then used cookie sheets to cook the rest out.
It was a lot of work. We were rookies and used deep pots and propane in the garage. It took so much propane to cook it down. Then it was putting so much moisture into the shed that it started molding the drywall. We made a contraption using reverse osmosis to pull a lot of water out and then used cookie sheets to cook the rest out.
Yooper906
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Yeah, I started out with turkey fryer. Never again.
My wife and I were just talking last night about earlier preparation for next year. RO is something I want to invest in/learn, seems like it’s a no brainer to save fuel/time. The only problem is the sugar bush does not have electricity, so that is going to complicate things. We could do solar, but that will make things pricey.
Whiskey Freak
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I can see power being an issue. I know we were able to cut propane use by about 75%
Yooper906
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Did you make your own RO or buy one?
Whiskey Freak
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We had a plumber who worked a trade with us for some oak lumber we cut down. I know he built most of it.
My mother has thirty acres maple grove on the back side of her property. A neighbor taps it for sap that they sell to a local producer. He brings a few gallons over every year. It has a partly south facing exposure so with the weather change we have had over the last 15 years or so it often gets early February runs, they have told me that’s the best sap/ to syrup ratio.
Gellar
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I wonder if you could get enough solar panels from goal zero or a similar company to just run the RO. That probably would not take that much juice or break the bank.
Yooper906
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Yeah, I’d have to look more into that. I know a generator would work, but I don’t really want to have that going all the time.
Eric.MN
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This year is my first year at it and I’m really enjoying the process! I only have 10 taps out on my 2.5 acres so I don’t quite have the volume id like to boil. Next year looking to expand so if anyone in the Minnesota Brainerd lakes area has any maple tree stands a would be okay with letting me tap them shoot me a Pm.
Otherwise I’ll be scouting some public land in the area and get a permit for it.
Otherwise I’ll be scouting some public land in the area and get a permit for it.
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Dougfirtree
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My dad used to make a few gallons each spring. I've done it a bit on my own and at a farm I worked for. Fun, social process and you've never had a real hard-boiled egg until you've had one that was boiled in boiled-down sap!
Eric.MN
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My set up this year, but mostly likely building the steel drum setup for next year. 
Eric.MN
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That’s sounds awesome! I’ll have to give that a try
Dougfirtree
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Excellent snack when you're hanging out with the evaporator for hours!
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