Some vids of my simple, redneck sugaring process. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_WjIvowPCA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_WjIvowPCA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
Here's the redneck evaporator.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT4DMiDoytg&feature=youtube_gdata_player
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT4DMiDoytg&feature=youtube_gdata_player
stejus
Minister of Fire
I'd love to be right there with you with a bottle to fill up and bring home! The neighboors must love the smell of maple sugar blowing through the air too! Enjoy
JustWood
Minister of Fire
How come no hot dogs or eggs in ????
I help the neighbors collect and boil. Been boiling since the 6th of Jan. One has over a thousand gallons of syrup under his belt already.
I help the neighbors collect and boil. Been boiling since the 6th of Jan. One has over a thousand gallons of syrup under his belt already.
That's awesome Lee ....we'll be doing the hot dog cook on Presidents day. Boiling off on Monday too. I'm hoping for 20 gallons of syrup this season. I should've started in January too.......its been mild enough I could've ended up with a hundred gallons had I started earlier!!luckilLEE said:
Stejus I'd be glad to have ya! The more the merrier. Its gonna be a busy day here on Monday, lots of people coming to check it out, eat, drink, and have a good time.....stejus said:
Scotty Overkill said:
You should get a show in discovery like those guys that do moonshine! Would have to spice it up a bit but i'm sure you could get input from people! Would be great! I expect some syrup delivered to my house if the idea takes off! Good luck and have fun!
yooperdave
Minister of Fire
Scotty O, I was just thinking about this recently. I'm wondering if the mild winter/temps has lead to an early sapping season?? What say you?
Scotty Overkill said:
No doubt...Larry would have nothing on you! Honestly I would love to see how the whole process takes place so any videos you have would be great.
yooperdave, yes it absolutely has lead to an early season...did you read Lee's post in this thread? He said his neighbors started in January! ! That's unheard of in New England....I kinda wish I had started earlier. But I'll be happy if I get a couple good weeks. According to the weatherman, next week ain't looking so good for sugaring here in PA.yooperdave said:
RORY, we'll have more vids as the season goes on. We're tapping more trees tomorrow I'll do a short video on that as well as a video on how I finish it off.
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
Scott, that is a great way to make syrup. I remember boiling on a rig similar to yours but we always had our evaporator under a roof for sure. I talked to a friend who makes syrup every year. He got all the buckets washed two days ago. Figures on tapping next week if all goes well. I sort of chidded him for not being on the ball and tapping earlier. He says he will be happy if he gets 150 gallons this year. The weather will have to cooperate a whole lot better if he gets that much. There wouldn't be much of a run today but we expect somewhat of a warmup next week.
btw, that is a great run you have there. I was surprised to see it dripping that much and this is only February! Enjoy.
btw, that is a great run you have there. I was surprised to see it dripping that much and this is only February! Enjoy.
Thanks Dennis. My system isn't perfect, but it has come a long way from the old kettle over the open fire that I used to use. Believe it or not, I still have a jar of that syrup from the kettle, I made it around 6 years ago. It's kinda sentimental (and still useable) but I think I will hold onto it. I built this evaporator over a year ago and it is working great. It was VERY windy here today, and it never skipped a beat. I plan on utilizing my yet-to-be-built woodshed as the shelter for the evaporator next season. Boiled off around 125 gallons of sap today, going to do at least 60 to 80 tomorrow and hoping to get the remaining (I'm predicting around 150) done on Monday. We should get a couple of days off then, as it's supposed to get really mild here next week for most of the week. Hoping I get at least 4 weeks of sugaring but it isn't looking like that is going to happen, unless something drastic happens to the weather pattern. I think your friend should be fine, you guys will get another cool-down before spring. BTW that sap ran like that since Tuesday!!Backwoods Savage said:
thewoodlands
Minister of Fire
Scotty Overkill said:
Looks great Scotty Overkill, I can taste the pancakes already. Is that the hemlock your burning?
zap
Zap, I burnt a mix of ash, oak maple and that blue spruce I cut down around a month ago......that spruce, although not totally seasoned, gave me some great temps......I will definately be saving my pine tops and anything I don't use for milling this coming year. I'm a new believer in the pine......zapny said:
bogydave
Minister of Fire
Awesome Scott.
Folks will be tapping the birch here 1st of April.
Not as good as maple but still good syrup.
http://www.alaskabirchsyrup.com/abbisy.html
Folks will be tapping the birch here 1st of April.
Not as good as maple but still good syrup.
http://www.alaskabirchsyrup.com/abbisy.html
Day number two, we boiled around 125 gallons off yesterday in 7 hrs. Starting to really look and smell like syrup!! :cheese:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYh8jbtQoD4&feature=youtube_gdata_player
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYh8jbtQoD4&feature=youtube_gdata_player
I wanna try that someday, trouble is I don't have many birch. Plus I pick up one more hobby and the wife will kill me!! :bug:bogydave said:
wishlist
Minister of Fire
Haven't been on hearth recently, been busy. Lol... collected 275 gallons so far, boiling as I type this. This is the second batch, have 4 1/2 gallons of syrup so far. Tapping 25 more trees this evening. Should be around 260 taps. 
Edit....tried posting pics but having trouble? Gotta run, more wood is needed.....
Edit....tried posting pics but having trouble? Gotta run, more wood is needed.....
we've ran around 225 gallons through as of right now, and tomorrow we'll have around another 100 or so. Hoping to get it "close" by around 4:00PM....next several days are supposed to be really mild (no freezing temps at night until Friday) so I will be getting a break. I plan on putting out another 40 or 50 taps on Friday, we'll see if the cold nights come back then......
muncybob
Minister of Fire
Dang, if I had read this earlier we would have made the drive out to see ya!! Looks like a blast! On a related note regarding mild temps, saw my 1st flock of geese Saturday heading north....don't recall ever seeing them this early!
Stax
Minister of Fire
Thanks, Stax......I guestimated that we boiled off around 250-275 gallons of sap since Saturday around 11AM......finished off this evening and we ended up with 8 GALLONS of syrup, which would put me in the 275 to 300 range....not bad! Considering we were out cutting wood fer 5 hours on Sunday, and I had to bank it down and didn't cook it at full bore. I ran out of sap (could have done another 80 to 100 gallons easily) so I am putting at least 50 more taps out later this week. Hope it cools off before Friday but it ain't lookin good...Stax said:
- Status
