Sleepless in Sunapee!

[SandMan]

Well, the lesson here is "you should have waited". Tapped out on the 12th of February! All North & NorthEast lines on gravity and only 1-2 days of a light run! Barely enough to "sweeten" the pans. Looks like real sugarin weather won't happen here at my place in Sunapee until the middle of next week (hmm, thats when it started last year!). If I had waited and tapped out THIS week it would have been perfect.

This will be the real test for those leader CV's! Four weeks old before the first real run.....we will see! The nice thing is that ALL my lateral lines are full of Sap/Ice....

[Greyfox]

I hear you brother. I too panic-tapped based on the "oh-my-God-I-don't-wanna-miss-the-run" weather in early February.....and nothing much happened. I just had my first really decent day today and the high here was only 34. I'm really encouraged with the weather forecast for the weekend; here's wishing you luck.

[Mark-NH]

Look at it this way Mike; isn't nice to be completely ready rather than running around like a chicken with your head cut off at the last minute?

[Redmaple]

Reem out your tap holes another 1/16th and get a few weeks without them closing up.

[oneoldsap]

Well, the lesson here is "you should have waited". Tapped out on the 12th of February! All North & NorthEast lines on gravity and only 1-2 days of a light run! Barely enough to "sweeten" the pans. Looks like real sugarin weather won't happen here at my place in Sunapee until the middle of next week (hmm, thats when it started last year!). If I had waited and tapped out THIS week it would have been perfect.

This will be the real test for those leader CV's! Four weeks old before the first real run.....we will see! The nice thing is that ALL my lateral lines are full of Sap/Ice....

What is the function of C.V. spouts on a gravity system ? I need someone to explain to me why that ball , restricting sap flow is a good thing !

[PerryW]

the theory is: the ball does not restrict sap flow, but is restricts sap backflow when the lines freeze up and the ice expands. This expansion pushes the sap (and it's bacteria from the plastic in the dropline) back up into the hole and accelerates the taphole closure.

You probably wouldn't need the ball is you have all new plastic (especially in the dropline)

[Mark-NH]

This morning we are all happy we tapped early.

[mtcrumpit]

I tapped jan 29 had syrup on Feb 2 have made around 80 gals on 500-600 gravity taps thus far. I am glad I tapped when I did. No big blow out days yet but enough to keep me in the sugar house most nights later than I usually get to bed. that 4am alarm is a killer after hearing the clock chime 11-12 times THere was a lot of figuring before the decision was made to tap.

[Mark-NH]

Wow 80 gallons on 500-600 gravity taps already. Why would you ever install vacuum?