As I’ve mentioned before this past maple syrup season held a big learning curve for us. We learned that we need to: hang ALL the buckets in one fell swoop, prepare for getting stuck in the mud, etc.. At the end of our maple syrup season this year one improvement needed that stood out was a more efficient way to filter the hot syrup. What we did this year was use two wooden poles to hang the felt filter from that someone had to hold aloft for the syrup to strain through while it was being poured from the evaporator. I don’t know how many of you have made maple syrup before but these filters are thick, and having thick maple syrup being poured through a thick felt filter takes a long time. To save someone from having to stand there using both hands to balance poles on the side of the evaporator (or above the finishing unit) I’m having a filter stand/mount made. Not nearly as complex as it sounds it is simply a metal frame with two feet and two arms that will easily hold the weight of the syrup being strained.

Next year we will use a more efficient method than this to filter the sap.

The two human hands freed up in place of two metal feet and arms will prove invaluable for when the pan needs to be flooded because the syrup level is getting to low, or the fire needs to be stoked because the temperature is hovering just below where it needs to be, or even for when the foam is building too high and needs to be skimmed off in order for it not to boil over (which I’ve heard can be quite the mess to clean up but luckily have not experienced yet).  Bit by bit we will amend our process.