The End of Syrup Season

[@marydyer281]

I'm following all your videos from this newest homestead which I greatly enjoy. I'm 80, retired and live in Oklahoma,. May I recommend you watch the youtube of Do and Be Different. This young married couple are building a homestead in Latvia I think. They are funny and have the most beautiful goats, ducks, chickens, and aweful farm equipment. Peace and grace. Hold Fast.

[@mattgillooly]

Cool to see your daughter's goals and questions. Both show she's on a track to learn quite a bit about whatever she puts her mind to.

[@hoosierpioneer]

You should paint that hammer safety orange.

[@SSLFamilyDad]

If I ever find it I will!

[@lvlndco]

@@SSLFamilyDad Break out the leaf blower! Though the neighbors might think you lost it if they see you leaf blowing the forest...lol

[@coyotehill2772]

This was my first year taping. I tapped 2 weeks before your video came out of you tapping. I pulled mine the last Sunday in March. I used all buckets had 21 of them I got last fall at a garage sale. I liked the line you used I was going to try to get some but where my trees are in mostly flat. All and all my first season went well I think. Ended up with 15 gallons of finished syrup. Next year I’m going to get a better filter for when I bottle. I had some floaters that are now at the bottom in some of my jars. Ash would fly up when I opened the door I put on my evaporator to put wood in. I too lost a hammer darn things blend in real well.

[@judymckerrow6720]

A gallon of finished syrup I think is a great success ! I don’t know what you’ve gotten in previous years on your other property’s but I think this was a very good start on your new property! 🌷💚🙃

[@ryanoneil3698]

Some tips for running line, start at the top of your system and use the end hook to secure the line, DO NOT leave a air hole in the line, you want the vacuum it helps you get more sap. In the future don’t wrap line around the trees, no more than 90 degree turn around a tree. As you run the line, pull tension and zig zag between the trees you tap. Look into 3/16 line with leader check valve taps and put 15-20 taps per run. This should generate good natural vacuum which helps get a lot more sap. Keep a 3 degree a larger slope. At the bottom of the run use a line connector and hook it onto some wire, this is where you can keep the tension on the line. Hope this helps, good luck next year!!

[@SSLFamilyDad]

Great tips!!

[@chrisinwood9041]

Natural vacuum works best using 3/16 tubing with check valve spouts. Change spouts yearly, drop lines 3 years. 30’ vertical drop from the nearest tap to your collection point. Min of probably 10 taps up to 30 ish per run. Run should be snaking between trees for support roughly in as straight a line as possible. 5/16 tubing requires even more taps in order to pull vacuum similarly. If it’s moving slowly it’s meant to. Bubbles are carbon dioxide from the tree. If they’re moving fast then there’s a leak. Don’t put a vent to air at the top. It’s meant to be closed. A small diaphragm pump set up will also work. Also trees are 12” min diameter for 1 tap. The smaller the tree you tap the more quickly you’ll run into compartmentalized / stained wood. A.K.A dead wood. Every time you tap you create this column of dead wood inside the tree which varies according to the size of tap hole. Tap more than 12”-15” below or at least 3”-4” beside your last tap.

[@andrewvanada52]

Actually from all the reading that I have done, you want to leave the tubing closed. As the trees produce liquid / gas, it pushes the existing stuff in the tubing down & into the collection barrel.

[@Linda-td8hj]

Need to paint or wrap orange or red tape around your hammer or maybe purple love the snake 🐍 💜

[@lvlndco]

I remember putting a hose in some time back for something and to keep the high end open, but not let water or dirt in, I used an old stype automotive pvc filter. I was able to plug the hose into the plastic holder and just placed it with the open end down to keep the water out. At the time I think it was a $2 part.

[@adamboone6864]

Like a vent on a plumbing stack?

[@TheSmagzilla]

5\16 tubing doesn't make vacuum without like 80 taps and good slope. You had slope there but I wouldn't call it good. A shurflo vacuum system would be ideal if you can do central collection point. I got 27 gal per tap with a guzzler diaphram pump mid range cheap vac around 25-27" of vac. Set up properly you can do 23 with a shurflo. Run lines straight as possible and don't wrap trees. Keep wrap of tree less than 90*

[@mjmmusser]

Maple quit, birch is still flowing here.

[@veulmet]

So they are all tapped out lol?

[@dwightminor5792]

What was the fate of that tree you put a million taps in at the last homestead?

[@SSLFamilyDad]

It survived!

[@terryjohnson3100]

It is a proven fact that if you wear UofM clothes, you get more sap production.

[@SSLFamilyDad]

lol, maybe that is my problem.....

[@sonofsalt]

Not this year my friends…should have worn a Jayhawk!! RCJH, GO KU!!!