still waiting

[ringer]

Funny to hear people talking about the season winding down, my first year suggaring and I'm waiting for it to start up here. 75 tapped,drops to buckets,no SAP for the last week ,looks like Tuesday fingers crossed

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Not sure if you in RI or VT but I just collected 100gal on 125 taps yesterday and today. Was running good at 3:30

[802maple]

Not sure if you in RI or VT but I just collected 100gal on 125 taps yesterday and today. Was running good at 3:30

I wished I lived in the banana belt like you, never got above 26 here. LOL

[ringer]

I'm in the NEK, Lowell, hasent been above freezing in 5 or 6 days but I guess it will happen next week

[Homestead Maple]

We haven't had a run since Sunday the 20th and it looks as though it will be Tues. 3/29, or so before things wake up again.

[sugaringcrazy]

Yeah I am jonesing for another run, but it looks like when it comes it's coming with a vengeance! I do have a question as a newbie with 50 buckets. So I was anxious around February 20th when we had a warm spell and tapped. Should I be worried about the holes closing up? The season will probably end soon, right?

[Homestead Maple]

From my experience (and I certainly could be wrong) open taps, like for buckets, the tap holes can dry out some over a period of time affecting the tap hole if the sap doesn't run. Tubing systems are a closed system for the most part and the tap hole is not exposed to the air and don't dry out as easily. Most taps are good for a month - 6 weeks with bacteria in the tap hole working to close the wound any way. Different tap adapters help to keep the tap hole fresh. Some people rebore their tap holes late in the season to freshen the tap hole and help extend their season.

[KenWP]

I have had such little sap here I havn't gotton the evaporator together yet even.I have 4 great big ice cubes in containers waiting to be boiled off someday soon. I am hoping tomorrow I get things put right as it looks like this next week is go time finally.

[MontyVT]

Same here Ken - have 100 gallons of frozen solid sap and 9 inches of new snow (to go with the 4 feet that was already there).

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Last thursday weather called for cloudy snow showers, I gathered 80 or so gallons. Friday was cloudy n cool didn't expect any sap never went and looked. Yesterday was cold and windy didnt expect any sap, talk to a buddy he said he gathered more than expected so I went and loked and really surprised. My one set of taps face east other west and like I said it was running pretty decent at 3pm. My bro-inlaw has an Island out in middle of field he said his sap wasn't even running.
The only diff. I think is I did all new taps and drops he didn't.

[802maple]

Or the cold wind out in that field.

[steve J]

I am sitting on 100 gallons in tanks frozen solid and 50 buckets full and frozen look s like it will be mid week before it unthaws

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

collected 110 gal 2.7% stoking the AAOTFP

[802maple]

You must have brought that Arizona heat to Poultney with you, we got a quarter cup of sap.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

I would like to know what I did to keep collecting sap. My bro-inlaw is froze solid in fair haven just 7 miles away. Half my taps face east the other half west. I put in all new drops and taps this year

[802maple]

So didn't we, you must be holding your mouth right, as everything is froze hard still, it is still going down to single digits to near zero every night here and it just doesn't get warm enough. The warmest day this week appears to be only 38 on friday this week for us. Oh well it will come sometime, I am not worried yet, still a lot of time.

[Randy Brutkoski]

It ran pretty hard for me today. 4500 gallons of sap today.

[maplwrks]

I heard that Randy finally became a sugarmaker last night.......

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

I heard that Randy finally became a sugarmaker last night.......

He burned his pan? hehehehe

[Randy Brutkoski]

Yes, stupid mistake. One f the cross flow pans is pretty warped. The other one is a little warped. Good thing i have a backup. Should i put the 1 that is a little warped next to the flue pan and use the good 1 for the draw off ? They did clean up good.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

that sucks dude I don't wish that on any one except for a guy down in south P town.
Well my "fancy" last night isn't fancy today guess I poured a labatts in the specimen jar and graded that. It is so light but just a touch over fancy but it is still syrup

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

105 gal today and running like a faucet baby YEAAAAAAAAA:D

[802maple]

Going to move our trees to Poultney, just starting getting the lines thawed out at 5 o'clock, froze again now. Randy you will be alright moving that pan to the back.

[wdchuck]

Same situation here, 802- maybe tomorrow, eh?

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Am I STUPID! Just bought 110 gal(dont ask why) 2 day old sap that was clear tested 2.8 but gonna pay him on 2.0 sap. And tomorrow supposed to run like a momma, and my wood pile is way down so I'm eyeing the cord of hard wood for the house.
poor kid is learning, he has 229 taps out and all he gathered for 2 days was 110 gal. taps are yeaaaaars old, lats old.

[Randy Brutkoski]

Well that pan couldnt have been that bad because i made 120 gallons of the lightest stuff yet. I called it quits at 3 a.m. I still have about 1700 gallons of sap left but the R.O. needed a wash pretty bad. Big run starts in about 6 hours, I better get some sleep i guess.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Well that pan couldnt have been that bad because i made 120 gallons of the lightest stuff yet. I called it quits at 3 a.m. I still have about 1700 gallons of sap left but the R.O. needed a wash pretty bad. Big run starts in about 6 hours, I better get some sleep i guess.

Hammer down Randy make that syrup. Run the concentrate to save on wood:D

[maplwrks]

Randy---Did you get all of your gremlins out yesterday? The fix that had to do must have worked?

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

collected 130gal left 20 in woods
balls out at 3:30

[802maple]

East Middlebury bush is running pretty good this afternoon, but the Lincoln bush just started to thaw out at about 5 and it is freezing back up now.

[Thad Blaisdell]

Had to Run my Arse off today... had over 100 drops popped out.... Did my milage today. Started with vacuum of 7 ended at 25. Will have it to 27.5 tomorrow.

[wdchuck]

I had the same problem- I put a post up about it- exactly what causes that? Frozen lines? I've never seen that before...

[Thad Blaisdell]

The sap in the lines freeze and expand....POP

[802maple]

Should have a good day in the low bush today,but not expecting to much in the mountain bush with a high of 38 expected today and then right back into the deep freeze for the next 5 days up here

[ringer]

Trees started to thaw a little yesterday,maybe have a decent run today no sun but around 40 deg. Hopefully the big snows stay a little to the south

[802maple]

I have to agree with Ringer, I to hope the snow stays to the south, as I pop these keys and drink my coffee I am looking out the window at the bump in the snow that will one day thaw and our Mustang convertible will magically appear. I don't need to see anymore snow. I haven't seen that car since late December, I have been afraid that one day my neighbor will drive his Polaris right over it. Maybe it will thaw off it by May.

[driske]

802,
It's been a jamboree. My guys are getting called back to work . the southern half of the state is bare ground. North of 29 we're in the deep freeze. Trees are trying their best to run, despite over night lows in the 0 to 5 F range. This popping off the fitting routine is getting old.:mad:
Right now it's a heavy dose of" all dressed up and nowhere to go".
April 1st tomorow and we're at 10% of a crop. Last year we were done by now.
They say good things come to those who wait. We are definitely waiting.
No Mustang or Polaris stories though.:lol:

[PerryW]

802,

April 1st tomorow and we're at 10% of a crop. Last year we were done by now.


I'm at about 25% crop , but our last boil last year was also April 1.

[802maple]

The latest my father ever boiled at this elevation here in Lincoln, was May 4th in the late 60's and I boiled May 1st sometime in middle 80's but most of the time it was around April 20th to the 25th. I hope this year is like our average years, If so, we will make a good crop.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

collected another 130 left 20+ in woods again. collected 90 gal from 65 trees
running out of wood, getting burned out every nigh till 12

[smokeyamber]

Running nice in Middlesex... 30 gallons from 31 taps yesterday...best I have had yet... boiling all weekend starting tonight.