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Offline LazyBkpr

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SAPZILLA
« on: February 24, 2018, 10:57:15 pm »

   So last year, we cut a 55 gallon barrel up and used it to boil our sap on to make Maple syrup.. It was kind of a pain, but it worked!
   However....  Someone whos name I will not mention (CoughTedHCough) Bought a FANCY shmancy evaporator, so we had to step up our game...
   Now, unlike SOMEONE, were just hicks, and don't have LOTS of money to buy commercial evaporators, or even a TOQUE.. what is a toque you might ask?

   toque
tōk/
noun
noun: toque; plural noun: toques

    a woman's small hat, typically having a narrow, closely turned-up brim.
        historical
        a small cap or bonnet having a narrow brim or no brim.
        Canadian
        a close-fitting knitted hat, often with a tassel or pom-pom on the crown.

   Yep, that's a toque...   Moving on....
   Stepping up our game... so we graduated from a 55-gallon barrel to a fuel oil barrel!   Pictures to follow as SAPZILLA comes to life!

   


   Yep, thats me welding the arch into the old fuel oil barrel....   I won't go into excruciating details, but it took a good two days of welding and work to get this thing put together...










   And below you will see SAPZILLA being delivered to the back of my shop to begin a new life!




   SAPZILLA installed in her new home, and the first fire lit!





   The sap is poured in, the fire is roaring, Beer in hand! YES! Making maple syrup at it's finest!





   Now, to my buddy TedH... JUST to make you feel better, I took a picture of that Orange Crested Sapsucker AFTER He molted!!!   You will NEVER Guess what happens to big male Orange Crested Sapsuckers after they molt??
   


    THEY GROW BUNNY EARS!


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Offline neillsayers

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Re: SAPZILLA
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2018, 11:51:19 pm »
Looks like you boys are having a lot of fun! :)
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Offline tedh

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Re: SAPZILLA
« Reply #2 on: February 25, 2018, 05:45:58 pm »
SapZilla meet The Beast:



In action!









It got pretty steamy there for a bit.


Let me just say that that'll make your toque limp.  It hit 86°F in the shack.  One heck of a workout but MAN! what a rush!
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Offline riverbee

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Re: SAPZILLA
« Reply #3 on: February 25, 2018, 06:41:24 pm »
hey you two, pretty cool!  thanks for the pix! maple syrup is a great deal of work!

advance orders for syrup?! i would buy from you guys!  loved the bunny ears......... :D
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: SAPZILLA
« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2018, 08:22:06 pm »
The beast!! Wait, how come it looks all messy? Kind of like someone boiled it over? I mean, i tlooks like there is stuff stuck all over the beast, don't you own a towel to wipe the beast down?     :laugh:
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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: SAPZILLA
« Reply #5 on: February 26, 2018, 06:08:21 am »
Glad it's not me trying to clean that beast!  That thing is beautiful.
Reminds me of when I had the bottom fall out of a half gallon on honey...all over the kitchen floor!   :-[
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Offline tedh

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Re: SAPZILLA
« Reply #6 on: February 26, 2018, 06:17:34 am »
Ever had a pot of potatoes boil over?  You wouldn't believe how much stuff comes climbs out on a 5' pan! Man that was freaky.  As I said, what a rush!
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: SAPZILLA
« Reply #7 on: February 26, 2018, 02:43:24 pm »
Yah buddy! That there was your heart check for the year. One good shot of adrenaline to give you a stress test. If it didn't fail and kill you your good till next year!
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Offline Perry

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Re: SAPZILLA
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2018, 09:19:56 pm »
We are having major sap flows weeks ahead of normal up here. Kinda freaky. :o
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Offline neillsayers

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Re: SAPZILLA
« Reply #9 on: March 01, 2018, 11:53:02 pm »
I'm hoping to get into this activity next year. Been cataloging the best maples on the property. Hopefully I'll learn enough this year to attempt it next year.
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Offline tedh

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Re: SAPZILLA
« Reply #10 on: March 17, 2018, 02:21:00 pm »


Maple sugar factory by Grampa Ted and Hunter
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Offline Jen

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Re: SAPZILLA
« Reply #11 on: March 17, 2018, 02:48:51 pm »
I'll be this maple syrup project makes the house smell sooo good!
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Offline Les

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Re: SAPZILLA
« Reply #12 on: March 17, 2018, 03:55:41 pm »
My neighbor used to tap trees for maple syrup.  It was not the best tasting syrup and we used tease him and tell him he must be tapping telephone poles.  It’s alot of work, good for you.
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Offline tedh

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Re: SAPZILLA
« Reply #13 on: March 17, 2018, 04:46:03 pm »
I sent some syrup to a guy in Vermont, he's a buyer for a large maple company and judges syrup at different contests.  He said our syrup would probably do well in a competition, quickly adding, in our area!  Its probably not the best but we enjoy making it and people can't seem to get enough of it. We'll be sold out in a couple weeks.  Ted
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Offline tedh

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Re: SAPZILLA
« Reply #14 on: March 17, 2018, 04:51:26 pm »


I like this shot and couldn't resist posting.  Ted
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Offline riverbee

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Re: SAPZILLA
« Reply #15 on: March 17, 2018, 08:13:44 pm »
nice pic ted loved it!!!

also, i would be interested in purchasing a jar of maple syrup from you! let me know!
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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: SAPZILLA
« Reply #16 on: March 18, 2018, 09:46:48 am »
Quote from: tedh on March 17, 2018, 02:21:00 pm


Maple sugar factory by Grampa Ted and Hunter

Tedh, what are we seeing here?  We don't do anything like this in my neck of the plains.   :D
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Offline tedh

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Re: SAPZILLA
« Reply #17 on: March 18, 2018, 10:05:48 am »
The process for making maple sugar:
1) get your wifes permission ;D
2) heat pure maple syrup to 260°F (hard ball stage) - that's the pot on the stove
3) pour into mixer and stir - on the counter in the corner
4) at this point the sugar, yeah, molten liquid to sugar, poof! just like that!, is moist like brown sugar- in the pans on the table
5) we dry the sugar in the oven for long term storage, run it through a sieve to seperate the larger pieces and bag it up

On a side note: you can take the sugar backpacking, get up before the others and add 1# sugar to 16 oz. warm water, make pancakes and coffee and wake the others.  They'll love you for it!  Ted
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Offline neillsayers

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Re: SAPZILLA
« Reply #18 on: March 18, 2018, 10:34:41 am »
My sweetie tells me that the old timers in these hills used to cook the maple syrup down into cakes for long term storage. Then it was available as needed.
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Offline tedh

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Re: SAPZILLA
« Reply #19 on: March 18, 2018, 10:45:26 am »
That's right Neil, usually in a cone shape, then they'd shave it off as needed, or so I've heard.  It's easier for me to use dried.  I made a pumkin pie with it a while back, absolutly delicious.  Ted
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