Northern Vermont and Quebec

[spud]

Was wondering how things are going for all the northern folks. I have been tapped in for a while and have gotten some sap but still waiting for the real sugaring to start. The 10 day forecast really does not look great. Every time I look at the forecast they change it. The only good sugaring weather I see is in April. I have 18-24 inches of snow in my woods and wish I had tracks on my 4-wheeler. I have not been in the woods for a week to check on lines due to all the snow. Is everyone tapped? Good luck to all.

Spud

[maplecrest]

Looks like it might be the old st Patrick's day start. We always make syrup that weekend.

[Flat Rock Farmers]

Hi Spud,

We're up north! We put up 10 buckets throughout our trees on Friday. Three out of the ten ran some, they were the smaller ones. Yesterday a couple started to drip then shut down at dark.
We were gonna tap yesterday but decided to hold off as that stubborn forecast won't seem to cooperate. We too have a lot of snow still in the woods and wish to have tracks for our atv as well!

Jay & Tonya

[spud]

Lets hope some of this snow melts tomorrow. It is now supposed to hit 40 degrees tomorrow with a little sun. It's very foggy today at my house and only hit 34 with no sun.

Spud

[gentlemanfarmervt]

i am sharing the same discomforts where i am. sap is coming out of spouts but freezing in the lines. also 14-20 inches of heavy stuff changed everything. had about 500 tapped since friday but nothing in the tank. hope to get to 1000 but we will see.

[Scribner's Mountain Maple]

My test tap hasn't let out a drop. Everyday they predict 39, and it barley breaks 32 here.

I am feeling like this is a blessing really. I am anxious to get started, but am enjoying the extra time to fine tune things in the woods and the sugarhouse. It's giving me a chance to add more taps everyday. Plan on tapping next week for fresh holes. Good luck to everyone.

[sjdoyon]

Spud,

We tapped in mid-Jan. We haven't had any runs of consequence since late last month when we made 80 gallons. We had a few runs of several hundred gallons come down the line on gravity in the past couple weeks but we tossed it over the bank. Next ten days doesn't look favorable. The other sugarmakers in the area are mostly done tapping and waiting. We have two feet of snow in the woods but the fields are hurting but looks like more snow on the way. Good luck to all.

[chevypower]

We finished tapping everything last week.. Sap was running some today, hoping to have enough to boil soon.





Two Brothers Maple LLC
Around 3450 taps on vaccum and 850 more on buckets
D&G 5x14 with Lapierre pans
1200 gallon H2O RO

[dabamvt]

We finished tapping our 4000 in Johnson on the 14th. Have had nothing but snow since then. Hoping it starts soon.

[spud]

Sap started running about 2:00 pm yesterday. It was not a lot but I did get 1700 gallons and it tested at 2%. This morning the wind is blowing and I shut down the pump. Tomorrow should be back in the 40s so maybe a little more sap will run.

Spud

[spud]

Well I was wrong about sap not running today. I never thought it would but I turned the pump back on at 11:00 and it's been trickling in all day. So far today I have gotten 1000 gallons.

Spud

[sjdoyon]

Ran for us yesterday, we boiled today and got a barrel out of it. Didn't run much today.

[spud]

I was able to get 3000 gallons today and it is still coming in at 120GPH at 9:30 PM. Had some early morning vacuum issues but everything is running good now.

Spud

[spud]

Looks like it's back to winter for me. Cold today and no sugaring weather till middle of next week. I was hoping for one more run before the kids go back to school. The other day we found several leaks (thanks to the kids) and I know there are a few more to find. Vacuum is 26-27 in the woods. Until I get 28 inches I will keep searching.:)

Spud

[Sunday Rock Maple]

I agree, my kids can hear leaks that I would walk right by w/o even a clue to anything being wrong.

[maple2]

had our first boil, sat. made 35gal. of light syrup. saved 1000gals.of sap to boil today.need to make steam for our costomers. may have to boil raw sap. [ ugg ]

[spud]

I was able to get 600 gallons of sap today. Only a small section of the woods ran. The wind was a bit cool today causing trees to shut down. All my leaks are fixed and running very high vacuum. I am ready for the next 5 days in hope's of getting a lot of sap.

Spud

[spud]

Anyone else up north getting sap? I think today should be real good for me. Of all times my 4-wheeler belt light came on and now it won't start. There is a video on You Tube showing how to fix that problem (I have done it before) but it's real annoying. Good luck everyone.

Spud

[spud]

The season is going well here for me. I am at 1200 gallons for the season so far. I hope to get 3000 gallons this year. There should be another 4 weeks to go. What's going on in Quebec?

Spud

[Dill]

I'm headed up to Derby sunday for easter, anyone in the area boiling and don't mind a visitor?

[spud]

My season is done and I pulled the plug last night. I have not heard much from Quebec this season and was wondering how they are doing. Seems like they should be going good in spots.

Spud

[sjdoyon]

Spud,

Most of the sugarhouses across the border from us pulled their taps the first few weeks of April. The geography changes dramatically to flat/farm land across the border from us so they usually are done weeks before us since we are in the mountains. Congrats on a good year. We hopefully can continue for another week since we are still making Med/Dark Amber with no buddy flavor yet.