At first I was planning on a minimal effort of Sap collecting as I had other things on the go, and couldn't give it my all, but now I'm thinking might as well go for as many buckets as possible.
Does anybody have any ideas for cheap, if not possibly free buckets?? Someone recommended food grade buckets from fast food restaurants. I guess I'd call around. 40-50 buckets or pails from home-hardware might add up. Any ideas?
Here's a food grade bucket, considerably bigger than the ones designed for maple sap. But 40-50 buckets could ad up like i said.
I got mine for free from a coffee shop.
They are cream Cheese buckets...1 1/2 gallon.
Try putting a wanted add on Kijiji or Craigs list.
So I'm sitting here thinking it's hopeless, I'll never be able to find a ton of buckets, when my brother happens to mention that it's garbage night and the fine chinese cuisine downstairs brought out thirty recently used oil jugs. I just spent the last half hour scrambling dragging them up the back gate and onto the rooftop. I shoulda figured id find something like this in this neighbourhood. I don't even know why I'm writing this on here, I should be out looking for more!
Then again, maybe you guys can critique, are these good for colecting sap, you think, once properly scrubbed out? There was no rancid smell, all these drums were recently used, I believe it this place is busy as hell.
Yay for garbage night. The preppers alround super store.
I have a Tactical Harness and I have a Tool Belt. The Tool Belt is more Useful.
I would check back next garbage night...I have a feeling this is a regular thing for that restaurant.
If properly cleaned, I see no reason why these wouldn't work.
Just make sure they are completely oil free.
All of a sudden a ton of possibilities pop up. These could be used as pots for growing stuff, as well as a ton of other things. Godamn... I'm a lucky bastard.
I will be checking back. In truth it's the whole of china town. I'll say this it's the right time of the year for it, come summer time, the stink in chinatown is absolutely horrendous. Jogging the following morning is a feat in itself, I usually gag for two blocks. It's the sun, it gets too hot, and the city stinks. But in winter it ain't so bad.
Denob, I'll buy a whole bottle of dish soap and let em soak for a few hours, then scrub em out. Should be good. Five a night I guess.
I use gallon Spring water jugs that people recycle. I just hook them on the tap and the sap drips right into the jug - the opening is so small there is little 'debris' in it........
Ah crap. I guess I'm too late then. Is it any use tapping the maples this weekend on the 15th and 16th?? It's been like 7 degrees the last two days. I feel I've missed my opportunity.
Sure, there is still lots of time.
So long as daytime temps are above zero and nighttime temps are below zero, the sap should run.
You can collect until the tree starts to bud.
We still haven't had more than 2 days in a row go above zero yet...still waiting.
Sure, there is still lots of time.
So long as daytime temps are above zero and nighttime temps are below zero, the sap should run.
You can collect until the tree starts to bud.
We still haven't had more than 2 days in a row go above zero yet...still waiting.
Ah thank god! I didn't want to waste all the work. And by the way thanks a lot for the chiming in Denob, it is much appreciated man. For a new hobby it's a lot of effort and it's good to have experienced opinion on hand.
Well I'm bailing. Couldn't find any more buckets. The ones I used were so slick with oil, steel wool drenched with soap couldn't take it off. Not to mention that upon cutting part of it wide enough to put my arm in to scrub destabilized the bucket, making it very weak.
Well, I tried, next year I'll just invest like 300 bucks or something, as it stands I'm paying off bills and saving my cash to move to Edmonton. At the very least, I have a ton of buckets to modify and use for an urban apartment+fire escape rigged garden.