If the sap runs today it's no guarantee it runs tomorrow! I was so excited after my first go at it last year that during the off season I built an RO rig and upped my tap count from 3 to 9 for this year. What a disappointment though. Overall production was even less volume than last year. ☹
Also use more of the DE filter media, when done processing 15 to 20 ltrs there should easily be at around 1/2 inch layer of DE when done. It filters really well, and should work really good with your setup!!!!!
Never trust those totes! Whenever I buy one, I spend an hour and a half on the round trip, and waiting for a forklift to load it into my truck. Before I leave, I crank the thermostat on my hot water tank to the max, then pressure wash with dawn soap forever to clear the bin of any possible contaminants, then the final rinse goes to the sugarhouse, and then gets pumped back into the tote at a heavy boil to make sure the bin is sterilized
Yes a hard lesson learned! We have a few mods to make to the shack before next season, but for the most part we had another great run, here’s hoping you did as well!
Not a great season, but I lost a good run when a branch fell and broke my mainline. I made a total of 25 gallons, so just under my average. Enough for my regular clients for the year, and I still have plenty on reserve from 2 years ago for myself.
We all learn new things every year when doing this maple adventure myself made a maple vacuum press and love it .
Yes, always learning! Thanks for tuning in. The filter press has helped speed things up for sure.
If the sap runs today it's no guarantee it runs tomorrow! I was so excited after my first go at it last year that during the off season I built an RO rig and upped my tap count from 3 to 9 for this year. What a disappointment though. Overall production was even less volume than last year. ☹
It was certainly a challenging. Becoming the hobbyist has allowed us to view this stuff as the sweet gold it is. Chin up and 🤞next season is better.
Also use more of the DE filter media, when done processing 15 to 20 ltrs there should easily be at around 1/2 inch layer of DE when done. It filters really well, and should work really good with your setup!!!!!
Put the DE in the syrup and mix it in then filter it, easy peasy!!
I will try this next time, my method was a disaster 😅
Never trust those totes! Whenever I buy one, I spend an hour and a half on the round trip, and waiting for a forklift to load it into my truck. Before I leave, I crank the thermostat on my hot water tank to the max, then pressure wash with dawn soap forever to clear the bin of any possible contaminants, then the final rinse goes to the sugarhouse, and then gets pumped back into the tote at a heavy boil to make sure the bin is sterilized
Yes a hard lesson learned! We have a few mods to make to the shack before next season, but for the most part we had another great run, here’s hoping you did as well!
Not a great season, but I lost a good run when a branch fell and broke my mainline. I made a total of 25 gallons, so just under my average. Enough for my regular clients for the year, and I still have plenty on reserve from 2 years ago for myself.