Will CV's extend tbe season enough

[backyardsugarer]

Here is where I am at. 780 taps on 3 year old tubing and CV's on Vac (20" - 25"
150 on new tubing and CV's on Vac 23" - 27"

The weather on the long range forecast looks to get cold next week in NY and then warm back up between the 10th and 12th of February. The season is always over (at least of making decent syrup) by April 1. Do you think these check valves will buy me the extra couple of weeks needed to tap a little early. Usually I tap the end of February but this weather may prove too tempting.

Maybe I will hedge my bets and only tap 300 early. Let me know what you think. Thanks.

Chris

[maplwrks]

Heres the scoop Chris. The CVs will not get you the 2 weeks early in the season. Anything new, including CVs will do that. Some say that CVs will extend the season another couple of weeks. I think anything new will get you another 2 weeks of season if the weathers right. So if you are getting an itchy drill finger, and you are using new spouts, go for it!! There will be those of us on here that will call you foolish, but with syrup in the jugs, who's the fool???

[sjdoyon]

Chris,

Review the research data compiled by Proctor Research, they designed the check valve.

http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc/leader.pdf


3x10 Inferno Arch
4,000+ Taps
7,5 HP Vacuum pump
Lapierre 600gph RO
3 SS 1500 gallon tanks
24x32 Sugarhouse

[Greenwich Maple Man]

Heres the scoop Chris. The CVs will not get you the 2 weeks early in the season. Anything new, including CVs will do that. Some say that CVs will extend the season another couple of weeks. I think anything new will get you another 2 weeks of season if the weathers right. So if you are getting an itchy drill finger, and you are using new spouts, go for it!! There will be those of us on here that will call you foolish, but with syrup in the jugs, who's the fool???

I agree with "mapleworks". I'm trying 500 of the CV's this year just to say I did. All the rest of my old tubing and all of the new tubing is hooked up with brand new CDL Smart Spouts. I think a new spout is the key know matter what the brand is. My thought is the CV's are doing well because they have a new adapter each year. However, to each his own.

[sugaringman85]

last year was the first year with CVs, i had to put new stubby spouts on everything so i put new drop lines and tees in as well. I had the best year ever in 60 years...with the least amount of taps ever - 1350, it beat our old record with 4000 taps. granted last year was amazing around here, perfect snow base and perfect weather. we broke all kinds of records. I can't say that CVs were the reason or the new drops were or not but I'm planning on using the CVs from now on and hoping for good things

[DrTimPerkins]

I agree with "mapleworks". I'm trying 500 of the CV's this year just to say I did. All the rest of my old tubing and all of the new tubing is hooked up with brand new CDL Smart Spouts. I think a new spout is the key know matter what the brand is. My thought is the CV's are doing well because they have a new adapter each year. However, to each his own.

Considerable research has show that new plastic spouts will produce about a 10-20% increase regardless of the type of spout. CV spout adapters can result in sap yields considerably higher than that, approaching the results you'd get by replacing droplines (tees, dropline, and spouts), but at a far lower cost than replacing droplines. What you will actually get depends on how old your tubing system is, vacuum management strategies, and lots of other variables.

[adk1]

I am using them, even this year when everything is new.

[GeneralStark]

Considerable research has show that new plastic spouts will produce about a 10-20% increase regardless of the type of spout. CV spout adapters can result in sap yields considerably higher than that, approaching the results you'd get by replacing droplines (tees, dropline, and spouts), but at a far lower cost than replacing droplines. What you will actually get depends on how old your tubing system is, vacuum management strategies, and lots of other variables.

Just because you are collecting sap later in the season doesn't mean it is good sap. Not everyone wants to make buddy syrup. I'm not convinced CV adapters are a better choice than a good seasonal spout.

[DrTimPerkins]

Just because you are collecting sap later in the season doesn't mean it is good sap. Not everyone wants to make buddy syrup. I'm not convinced CV adapters are a better choice than a good seasonal spout.

The increase in sap yield actually starts about 1/2 way into the season. It is not all in the last week or two, but that is when you can clearly see the difference. In all our experiments, we STOP collecting if the sap turns buddy, even if it is running well. So none of the "buddy" syrup is included in any of our calculations of sap yield increase, although the sap will keep running to that point typically.

[maple connection]

We are not sold on the cv adaptors. Last year there was a week of cold weather and 90% of the cv adaptors were pushed out of the tap hole. Then alot of the check valve balls came out and were getting lodged in the lateral lines and mainlines. By the time the taps got reset from the freeze out. It was a few day of good runs with low vacuum and not much sap to show for. Its pretty hard to gain that back. This was on a larger sugarbush. Alot of people need to realize that just because the sap is still running does not mean you should still be cooking.

[danno]

chris, although CV's or new spouts/drops may get u there, I think the weather between mid Feb and April 1 will have a larger impact whether you can get 6 weeks of sap run. Your weather is probably similar to mine - low elevation thruway corridor? I don't generally get good conditions for long sap seasons. When we warm here, we really warm. Too many of those high 50's-60's days kill our season premature far too often. Guys 15 miles south of me, but 1500' higher elevation generally stay 10-15 degrees colder and don't get those real warm days. I don't think they get as many 2 gallon/tap days that I get, but they sure seem to have a longer season. I've heard the same in the mountains of Vt., starting the season late Feb/early March and going to the 3rd week of April and quitting with snow still on the ground. That just does not happenin the low elevations of CNY.

[wiam]

Alot of people need to realize that just because the sap is still running does not mean you should still be cooking.

I am one of those people. As long as the packers will buy it I am going to make it. I am already set up and the wood is there. I can't see putting $ on the ground.

[Greenwich Maple Man]

I am one of those people. As long as the packers will buy it I am going to make it. I am already set up and the wood is there. I can't see putting $ on the ground.

That makes two of us. When nothing comes out of the taphole, thats when I quit. Those few barrels of Comercial are a nice chunk of change to have on top of your good syrup. You go that far why not go till the sap quits?

[backyardsugarer]

Danno,

I am right off the Thruway so I am the same exact climate as you. I actually grew up by you just North of Rome in the foothills of the Adirondacks and made syrup there on a small scale. March 10th used to be the target date in that area because it was usually a good 5 to 10 degrees colder than Syracuse and the snow could be over your head there in Feb. I am going to tap after the cold weather we are expecting the 5th and beyond. If it warms the 10th - 12th of Feb I am tapping. I looked at my records from last year. I tapped with cv's on the 12th of Feb., made great syrup until April 5th. I know the weather was great but I am going to go for it again. This is exactly why I spent the extra money on the CV's

I am with Greenwich maple. I am producing until I get nothing but air out of my vacuum pump. $2.00 a pound is hard to pass up for pan scraps.

Chris

[Thad Blaisdell]

I am one of those people. As long as the packers will buy it I am going to make it. I am already set up and the wood is there. I can't see putting $ on the ground.

I am with you wiam. All the costs are covered. might as well finish the season strong.

[DrTimPerkins]

I am with you wiam. All the costs are covered. might as well finish the season strong.

I personally don't have a problem with people doing this, as long as it is sold as commercial. My point was that when doing our calculations on sap yield from CV (or other taphole sanitation practices), we do not include any yield or income from syrup AFTER it turns buddy. So if you do this, and make a little more $, then all the more power to you.

[twofer]

So two pages later................what's verdict on tapping early with the CV? Is it going to hurt production if the season ends up running long?

The weather here has been unseasonably warm (52°F yesterday) and the 10 day is showing high 30's to low 40's during the day and down into the 20's at night. I know 10 day forecasts are about as believable as a used car salesman but we've seen tapping temperatures for the past week and I'm starting to get twitchy.

[markcasper]

I understand that one producer in my area has started in earnest. This producer also doesn't care if they re-tap trees 3 times to make the season last into April. I cannot bring myself down to this level.

I am on board with the mersch thinkers, but if we all came back home with a full barrel, it would change everyones perspective really fast.

[backyardsugarer]

If the forecast holds (upper 30's for highs with sun and upper 20's at night) I am going to start tapping Super bowl Sunday. I will work sun up to sun down and get back just in time for kick off. I don't care when I make my syrup and the 15 day looks outstanding around Victor NY. I guess I may have to boil water on maple weekend but at least I will have lots of product to sell.

Chris