6
Finishing on the
Sapling
requires practice and skill. You will get better at this every year!
11.
At the end of your boiling day, draw off about a gallon of the sap closest to being syrup. You can finish
it as described above, or use it the next time you boil for a faster startup.
12.
Monitor your evaporator until the boiling stops and the fire has died out.
Some Tips:
Don’t add too much new sap at one time, and try to maintain a constant boil. This will result in a more efficient
process and lighter syrup.
To obtain high, even heat, use dry, mixed (hardwoods and softwoods) wood that is thinly split.
Load often with small amounts of wood to maintain a consistent level of heat.
Think you need more air flow to sustain optimal temperatures? Open the bung on the bottom of the back of the
unit before you fire up next time – that might just help.
Maintaining your
Sapling
During Sugaring Season
Clean out some, but not all, of the ashes when the unit has cooled after each boil.
After the Season is Over
Your pan will likely have some deposits/scaling. To clean, use as much of the baking soda-water solution
described above as you need to so that the coating to be removed is covered with water. Simmer the solution for
a minimum of one hour and ideally until you see the deposits dissolve. Let the fire die out and leave the pan
overnight. Brush off the loose scale and rinse the pan. If deposits remain, you may want to repeat the process.
Store your pan in an indoor location (a garage, shed or barn is fine).
The best practice is to clean out the ash and oil the inside of your barrel with vegetable or olive oil when not in
use for extended periods of time, and, unless your
Sapling
can be stored in a garage or barn, you should cover it
when not in use. Consider purchasing the
Sapling Grill Cover
for this purpose. If water gets in your barrel, be
sure to dump it out, dry it out, and apply another layer of oil to discourage rust.
Expansion and contraction caused by heating, cooling and exposure to the elements may eventually cause some
cracking and/or flaking in the paint on your
Sapling
. If you notice this, after the barrel has cooled, sand the area
with 100 grit sandpaper and repaint with
Sapling Flat Black Paint
, or the equivalent. Or consider purchasing the
Sapling Care Kit,
which includes everything you need for maintaining the
Sapling
!
