Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[PATheron]

My last electric bill was 3400$ and I don't mind paying it. I can only Imagine what it would cost to run everything on a big diesel generator. Cost of doing business. I can see if your hobbying and you get a big bill it would suck. Theron

[Buffalo Creek Sugar Camp]

I can't believe how much money you guys are paying for electric. I have one pump shed that has a 10HP pump, a 7.5 hp pump and a 1000GPH RO with an electric heater to keep it from freezing. The pumps run 24/7. The electric bill last month for that shed was $550.00. Maybe it is because we are closer to the coal fired power plants?

[bstewar]

Mike, I believe there are pics floating around of you sporting your best polyester too. Talk about scary!

[DoubleBrookMaple]

Boiled last night never boiled ropy syrup. Never will again pan has black burn spots all over the bottom, not worth it to me. Made 10 gal of mersh.
Collected 120 gal today on 400 taps, we are going to gather tomorrow finishboff at night call it a season. GMP is really putting the screws to us so going to cut our losses for the year and try to figure out for next year.

I will dump all my sap and pull the taps tomorrow.

Test boil on the stove was bad. Never bad odor from boiling, but syrup had no maple flavor whatsoever, and was a bit unpleasant, even for me. Second opinion conformed. After cooling, the syrup poured like it was a bit ropey as well.

[Amber Gold]

Jeremy, energy prices in the NE are expensive in general.

Had a thought this morning as a friend was sending me pics of his tour of Goodrich's operation: VT is kind of like Texas, everything's bigger. Cool pics...quite the operation.

[Randy Brutkoski]

Boiled crystal clear sap today and it was garbage. Made 2 barrels . Tomorow morning i will boil up the last 3000 gallons and call it a year. The sap is still running real hard. At 1 bush i got 2 gallons per tap yesterday and the same today,

[chevypower]

The sap came in hard starting yesterday afternoon and was still coming in strong (although at around 1.2% or so) when we finished up tonight so we could head to work. We gathered the buckets for the last time and the sap was testing around 2.6% although there definitely is some budding going on. We decided to dump the nasty sap in one of our storage tanks yesterday before the sap started running again and this morning we dumped and cleaned out everything in our evaporator as it had become quite nasty. We only had time to re-sweeten the pans tonight and draw off around 20 gallons of commercial grade syrup. We didn't run it through the press since we knew we wouldn't have much and wouldn't have the time to clean it up before having to leave. We should have around 5500 gallons of sap in the morning which we'll try to boil and hopefully get through the press, tomorrow might be it for us...

[spud]

I shipped 7500 gallons today. Sap should run all night and then freeze tomorrow night again. The sap is clearing up but still cloudy and testing 1.2%. I was told the syrup boiled ok and filtered ok but the taste is nothing to write home about. I hope for another few days.

Spud

[wiam]

My sap cleared up yesterday. Commercial at first then came back to B. Flavor was off at first and then got better.

[wdchuck]

Looks like we're all in the same boat in these parts. putting 2500 gallons through the RO as I type, boiling in a few hours. Yesterday's syrup was B flavor, lighter color. Blend it with something to give it some color and it's OK!

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

As business owners and people who sells products, when they know a GMP employee walks through the door charge them double what you would charge a normal customer and see if they like it! Especially the CEO,cfo, etc
Donuts should be tripled in price!

[Scribner's Mountain Maple]

I would be pretty happy with GMP. I'll trade you my WEC (Washington Electric) for your GMP anyday. WEC has some of the highest rates in the state, and they want an arm and a leg to install new service. they want 4K for 300 ' over head. It's 1950 for 1 pole, and 200 per guide wire. ASk GMP what they charge. Like 1300 a pole and they are negotiable on new service installs.

WEC Charges me a "member ship" fee. GMP doesn't charge a member fee. That's right, WEC charges a fee to be apart of their over priced club. Again, I'd take GMP anyday. WEC has motivated me to seek renewable energy. Paying them makes my skin crawl.

If you can tell I really like WEC.

Ben

The sap unloaded yesterday. I'd guess I collected near 6-7,000 gal since 10 AM yesterday on 2300 taps.

[PerryW]

had probably best 24 hours sap run of the season from noon yesterday to noon today. got 500 gallons of sap and made 11 gallons. 10% had dried up but one bucket ran 4.75 gallons in 22 hours.

Went from commercial yesterday to Grade B, then Grade A Dark Amber today. Tomorrow looks good. up to 72% crop w/ 87 gallons .

[wsugar]

Boiled crystal clear sap today and it was garbage. Made 2 barrels . Tomorow morning i will boil up the last 3000 gallons and call it a year. The sap is still running real hard. At 1 bush i got 2 gallons per tap yesterday and the same today,

Nobody likes a quitter😄😄

[Paul VT]

I would be pretty happy with GMP. I'll trade you my WEC (Washington Electric) for your GMP anyday. WEC has some of the highest rates in the state, and they want an arm and a leg to install new service. they want 4K for 300 ' over head. It's 1950 for 1 pole, and 200 per guide wire. ASk GMP what they charge. Like 1300 a pole and they are negotiable on new service installs.

WEC Charges me a "member ship" fee. GMP doesn't charge a member fee. That's right, WEC charges a fee to be apart of their over priced club. Again, I'd take GMP anyday. WEC has motivated me to seek renewable energy. Paying them makes my skin crawl.

If you can tell I really like WEC.

Ben

The sap unloaded yesterday. I'd guess I collected near 6-7,000 gal since 10 AM yesterday on 2300 taps.
I would like to second that!

[chevypower]

We made an additional 110 gallons today. Nice medium color but the flavor is off. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

[sugartree310]

We are all done here in williston , sap ran good and hard after the freeze , we boiled today and it would not filter at all so we pulled the plug and shut down . We made 700 gallons this year after 900 last year , a lot of that syrup came in a short time , 600 gallons from 3/30 -4/14 and that's all Mother Nature could give us. Till next year !!

[wiam]

Our biggest day ever. 40 gallons. But some was catch up from yesterday. Dark Amber but flavor was starting to turn. Not sure how much longer.

[Randy Brutkoski]

Well ,i tried to boil down the rest i had at my sugarhouse but it didnt go so well. Syrup hit temperature but wouldnt even get close to density and it spiked to 226 degrees and it wasnt even close. So i pulled the plug. Sap is still cranking and the sugar was still around 1.6%. Just a wierd year in all. Very bad year with finishing up at 1920 gallons. Made 3100 last year with 900 less taps.

[wdchuck]

Pulled the plug- plenty of nice clear sap.....that tested at under 1%. RO'd all day to make 30 gallons........that wouldn't filter and didn't taste top shelf. I don't sell in bulk, so don't have much of a market to keep making commercial unfiltered. Not a terrible year- within 100 gals of last year. I'll just buy 100 gallons more than last year.

[Apple Hill Sugarworks]

My last good boil was Sunday 4-13. After Monday with temps 70+ I dumped all the sap, with a nice freeze Wed. and Thur. I tried boiling Friday afternoon with 750 gals, ran it through the RO to 18%. When I stated the evap. that's when it all went to #*^! I don't think all the de-foamer in the world would knock down the crap in the back pan. The plus was I had all the water I needed to clean for the end of the season! First boil was 3-30 and the last should have ben 4-13. We are at 80% only down 20% from last year, It was a hell of a ride for two weeks.

[sapmaple]

I had almost the same thing as Apple Hill. Last boil on the 19th April before that it was the 12th I wash out all my tanks and let the lines flush before I started collecting sap It look like very good sap. but when i started to boil found that flue pan was full of ropey man it took some two half drums to clear it through (should have dump it ) but then it boiled real nice and made three more drum of filtered good tasting buddy lol Well finished up the season with 3035 gals. Given the year I'll take that and be happy!!

[sjdoyon]

After two solid weeks of 200 plus gallons of syrup a day, this past Wednesday and Thursday 20 degree days and six inches of snow resulted in over 20,000 gallons of sap on Friday, best day ever. Making nice medium amber all weekend. Still have snow in the sugarbush and sap is clear. Weather looks good for the week. Just might make it to the first week of May.

[spud]

Another 4000 gallons of sap today and still going. Not supposed to freeze tonight so tomorrow might be the end for me. A few cold nights mid week but I don't think we can make it that long. Time will tell. Happy Easter Everyone. ( He died for us).

sjdoyon- I hope you get another week. Please keep us posted.

Spud

[PerryW]

Still running in Lyman NH and Littleton NH, but looks like everybody else quit in my area. Made 11 gal yesterday from 500 gal of sap and another 6 today from 250 Gal. All Dark Amber. Looks like i'll be done after tomorrow.

[chevypower]

Another 55 gallons made Sunday.. The syrup was still filtering fine yesterday and the flavor actually improved a little but depending on how it goes today we might call it quits.

[Randy Brutkoski]

If it is still filtering, you should keep going.

[Scribner's Mountain Maple]

I think it's time to give up, I just am having a hard time letting go. I have 1000 gal of concentrate, but last night when I tried to boil the foam was crazy.

Is there a market for syrup that won't filter? Should I even bother boiling out what's in my arch?

Thanks for any advice. I plan to try again today unless someone talks me out of it. I hate the idea of dumping what could be 100+ gal of syrup on the ground if it's worth anything.

Ben

[GeneralStark]

I think it's time to give up, I just am having a hard time letting go. I have 1000 gal of concentrate, but last night when I tried to boil the foam was crazy.

Is there a market for syrup that won't filter? Should I even bother boiling out what's in my arch?

Thanks for any advice. I plan to try again today unless someone talks me out of it. I hate the idea of dumping what could be 100+ gal of syrup on the ground if it's worth anything.

Ben

If you typically sell your syrup bulk who do you sell it to? I would ask them if they would buy unfiltered C. I have sold some of this type of syrup to Pete Purinton, but he doesn't always want it. Unfiltered always means less value.

In 2012 there was quite a bit of it out there and people were buying it.

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

I think it's time to give up, I just am having a hard time letting go. I have 1000 gal of concentrate, but last night when I tried to boil the foam was crazy.

Is there a market for syrup that won't filter? Should I even bother boiling out what's in my arch?

Thanks for any advice. I plan to try again today unless someone talks me out of it. I hate the idea of dumping what could be 100+ gal of syrup on the ground if it's worth anything.

Ben1.50/lb. for anything unfiltered(16.50 a gallon)
Neil

[Scribner's Mountain Maple]

Thanks for the info, I just went to "try again" but no go. The FAT LADY has sung.

[DrTimPerkins]

We are DONE! A quick 3 week season. Turned out alright, although Mother Nature had us worried much of the time. In the end it turned out OK.

Finished with 0.53 gal/tap. We feel pretty fortunate to get that, since we were never able to get one of our pumps to get more than about 12" Hg vacuum when the sap was running (we added several new mainlines and studies to that pump, and apparently exceeded the CFM limits....guess we'll be looking for another pump). If we'd had decent vacuum we would have hit 0.65 gallons/tap or better. Much of it was dark syrup but with good flavor. That total doesn't include another 68 gallons of stuff that wouldn't go through the filter press this afternoon (which is why we stopped). We didn't even bother boiling out the sweet in the pans as we would have gotten the same results. Our sugar content started out fairly high and stayed that way through much of the season. Was 1.8 and 1.6 Brix in our two sections this morning.

So on to the next step....trying to quickly pull together and make sense of all the data for the Leader Evaporator Co. Open House this Friday/Saturday and the Bascom Open House the next weekend. Hope to see many of you there.

[spud]

Tomorrow morning the last of my sap will be going. It looks like I will wind up getting a .4GPT average. My average sugar content was low but I still had fun. If I had a 2% average I would have gotten .5+ I plan to make some mainline changes for next year. I am being told Canada is not having a good year. Time will tell on what bulk price will be.

Spud

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

We are DONE! A quick 3 week season. Turned out alright, although Mother Nature had us worried much of the time. In the end it turned out OK.

Finished with 0.53 gal/tap. We feel pretty fortunate to get that, since we were never able to get one of our pumps to get more than about 12" Hg vacuum when the sap was running (we added several new mainlines and studies to that pump, and apparently exceeded the CFM limits....guess we'll be looking for another pump). If we'd had decent vacuum we would have hit 0.65 gallons/tap or better. Much of it was dark syrup but with good flavor. That total doesn't include another 68 gallons of stuff that wouldn't go through the filter press this afternoon (which is why we stopped). We didn't even bother boiling out the sweet in the pans as we would have gotten the same results. Our sugar content started out fairly high and stayed that way through much of the season. Was 1.8 and 1.6 Brix in our two sections this morning.

So on to the next step....trying to quickly pull together and make sense of all the data for the Leader Evaporator Co. Open House this Friday/Saturday and the Bascom Open House the next weekend. Hope to see many of you there.

So doc you said your selling the pump cheap because it's to small for your study?:-D

[DrTimPerkins]

So doc you said your selling the pump cheap because it's to small for your study?:-D

Good try Flats....but no. We're probably going to purchase a duplicate pump (Busch 1142-3 phase) and put it right next to the first one and split the two sections of the woods....half on one pump and half on the other. That way it's also a backup in case one goes down. We'll plumb them together with a pipe that is normally closed, but could be opened if need be.

Here's why we need a second (or bigger) pump. Had 24 of these mini-releasers last year. We added 4 new releasers this year, plus several new miles of mainline and 30 large (40 gal) vacuum chambers to collect sap from individual trees over the entire season. When the sap is running well, these things are really popping, which takes a lot of vacuum to recover from. Nothing wrong with our pump, but this was just enough to push us over the edge in terms of CFM requirements.

9693 9692

The nice thing is that I've already gotten one quote for another Busch pump (still need to get a couple more).....and they've come down in price some since we bought our original two.

[sjdoyon]

Started to make some Dark Amber today, still making over 200 gallons of syrup each day. Cold temps in the 20s next few nights and no sun so hopefully we'll be good going into the weekend.

[Brokermike]

Has anyone made syrup in May?

[chevypower]

We pulled the plug the other day since we were having trouble getting it through the press. Ended up with 1868 gallons on the year, not bad considering how the season started out.

[spud]

Sent the kids out in the woods yesterday to pull spouts. They should be done today for sure. Sunday we are planting apple trees. The kids are home all week for school vacation and it seems to be working out well for me.:lol: This year I tapped a few less trees (5950) but still got 2400 gallons of syrup for a total. The CV2 spouts worked great. I never had a single spout plug up all season. We are not completely done pulling spouts (but over half way) and only had 4-5 tips break off. My sap runs this year were larger then they have ever been but just not as many because March was a poor month with only 3 runs. I don't see myself using anything but the CV2s in the future. Another great thing about using them was the kids were able to put the new CVs on the drops during Christmas vacation (6 weeks before tapping). This made tapping faster for me. We are hoping to set the new woods up for next season and have 2-3000 more taps. Only time will tell on that.

Spud

[opiejudd]

We made 82 gallons this year. Not nearly as much as we should have made. But we are up from our 25 gallons last year. And we learned a lot this year with the new arch and a correctly setup vacuum system. Thanks to maple trader. Next year we are shooting for 300 gallons on a 2.5x8 with up coming improvements.

[sjdoyon]

Started to get some cloudy sap yesterday, shut down our mainlines at 1600 - 1800ft elevation, about 2,500 taps. Sap cleared up nicely today, made over 200 gallons of medium amber, slight off taste but still no buddy flavor. Just lost snow cover at 2400ft elevation. Cold rain tomorrow so should be at it into next week since our sugar maples are not showing signs of budding. Turning into a pretty good season for us, even with no real production in March.

[Homestead Maple]

I called it quits Tuesday the 22nd. I was still making a good tasting B grade but the trees just were't running much. I made 80% of what I made last year. You may get some snow tomorrow!

[spud]

Started to get some cloudy sap yesterday, shut down our mainlines at 1600 - 1800ft elevation, about 2,500 taps. Sap cleared up nicely today, made over 200 gallons of medium amber, slight off taste but still no buddy flavor. Just lost snow cover at 2400ft elevation. Cold rain tomorrow so should be at it into next week since our sugar maples are not showing signs of budding. Turning into a pretty good season for us, even with no real production in March.

Will you make it till May 1st? What are you up to in gallons? Sounds like things are going good for you. Good luck to you.

Spud

[madmapler]

should be at it into next week since our sugar maples are not showing signs of budding. Turning into a pretty good season for us, even with no real production in March.

I am soooo envious that you guys are still going. We had such a short go of it down here. Glad you're having a good year.

[sjdoyon]

We shut down our mainlines up to about 2,000ft level of the sugarbush. Still have about 4,500 taps online. Getting about 4,000 gallons but down to 1.8 percent. We are supposed to get cold nights all week, probably call it quits end of the week.

Will you make it till May 1st? What are you up to in gallons? Sounds like things are going good for you. Good luck to you.

Spud

[802maple]

If it is off taste, it isn't medium amber, just saying.

[Randy Brutkoski]

Beanie, I heard you moved to a different state or died or something. Good to hear you are still kicking.

[Randy Brutkoski]

just sayin

[802maple]

Died and came back, sir Randy

[sjdoyon]

correct, i meant to say in color. A little tired after boiling for the past month. Few more days and calling it quits.


If it is off taste, it isn't medium amber, just saying.

[PerryW]

correct, i meant to say in color. A little tired after boiling for the past month. Few more days and calling it quits.

There's a lot of syrup I would consider off-flavor, but when I let people taste it, they want to buy some.

[sjdoyon]

Completed our last boil today. Turned out to be a fairly good year.

[chevypower]

Good deal, what did you end up with?

[sjdoyon]

we are shipping out 3,800 gallons and have a few dozen gallons in containers.


Good deal, what did you end up with?

[spud]

Sounds like you had a good year. Now its time to pull spouts.

Spud

[sjdoyon]

9706

Our wet/dry lines dug out from four feet of snow.

[vtmapleman]

Was not fun digging mine out at three feet - would hate to think of four feet.

[spud]

Had the Organic Inspector walking my woods yesterday. They are now cracking down on a few things starting this year. All went well but still not happy with $2.70 LB.

Spud

[GeneralStark]

Hey Spud - What are they cracking down on? I am considering going that route.

[spud]

You will no longer be able to call undersized trees cull trees. A nine inch tree is minimum and no exceptions.

Spud

[Maplewalnut]

You will no longer be able to call undersized trees cull trees. A nine inch tree is minimum and no exceptions.

Spud

What the hell does that have to do with being organic?

Unbelieveable

[wiam]

What the hell does that have to do with being organic?

Unbelieveable

If you think that is bad then you should dig deep into "organic" guidelines. One would think it means producing without chemicals but some of the practice guidelines are crazy.

[DrTimPerkins]

What the hell does that have to do with being organic?

Organic does not mean simply that the product was done without using certain types of chemicals or substances. It also includes best practices for sustainability and land management.

In the case of NOFA, they are a membership organization. Typically members get a chance to vote on such changes (or at least voice their opinions) at the annual meeting.

I had heard that they were going to start enforcing the 9" minimum rule. Previously if you had trees that were less that that, but you intended to thin (cull) them in your next forest thinning, you could mark them as cull trees and tap them in the interim. Apparently they found that too difficult to enforce.

[sjdoyon]

video of our two releasers working with a moderate flow of sap.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk-o_R6w8LI&feature=youtu.be

[CharlieVT]

video of our two releasers working with a moderate flow of sap.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk-o_R6w8LI&feature=youtu.be

I got: " This video is private, Sorry about that."

[sjdoyon]

Let me try one more time:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk-o_R6w8LI&feature=youtu.be

[PARKER MAPLE]

looks like it worked that time. thanks for sharing it,, nice sap run there fore sure.

[PARKER MAPLE]

Well dug this old thread out, seamed to be an appropriate time for it. What's going on in the vt woods? With an abundance of help Sunday I felt like we made head way in the woods. Finally thanks to good friends and family it's coming together. Still got to wire the sugarhouse and plumb the RO. Then clean tanks and finish up the last section of woods. I think it's shaping up to be a good year, Im planing on tapping end of this month.

When's everyone else thinking they will tap in?
PM

[PARKER MAPLE]

???????
..........
???????

[spud]

I was able to tap 700 today. The snow was up to my knees (22-24 inches) and it was hard going. Things are going very good for me though and I hope to be all tapped in by the 15th of this month. Once I am all tapped in I am going to run another mainline on a lower section in hopes to getting about 200 more taps. The chains on my 4-wheeler have been a life saver for me this year. I think it's setting up to be a very good sugaring season.

Spud

[GeneralStark]

???????
..........
???????

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?24379-The-2015-Season

[PARKER MAPLE]

Sounds like your off and running spud. Good luck this year, I'm sure you will do well. This are getting going for me know. 10 day still showing cold so probably be the end of the month for us before we start tapping..

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

few more parts for ro showed up, garage all insulated starting sugar house portion and putting ceiling in so we dont have to wear long johns and insulated coveralls while boiling. hopefully drill holes in frost and run lines across fields.

[spud]

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?24379-The-2015-Season

GeneralStark,

This Thread was started by Parker Maple ( over a year ago ) for all Vermont Sugar Maker's to give each other updates. Once the sap starts running this is the Thread i click on daily to see how everyone is doing. Why are you trying to end it and start a new thread? It's fun to read what each state is doing throughout the season. It would be better if we did not have more then one thread for Vermont Producers. I'm sticking with Parker Maple. Just my 2 cents.

Spud

[opiejudd]

We are way behind this year. We are still putting our arch back together. The plumbing for the pan is being welded this week. I have to build a float this weekend so hopefully next week we can start our woods work. We will be pushing it.

[GeneralStark]

GeneralStark,

This Thread was started by Parker Maple ( over a year ago ) for all Vermont Sugar Maker's to give each other updates. Once the sap starts running this is the Thread i click on daily to see how everyone is doing. Why are you trying to end it and start a new thread? It's fun to read what each state is doing throughout the season. It would be better if we did not have more then one thread for Vermont Producers. I'm sticking with Parker Maple. Just my 2 cents.

Spud

Spud - I'm not trying to end anything. I responded to Parker's inquiry to give him a heads up that people were posting what they were up to in a different thread in case he was interested. After going back and reading my thread I actually see that you and Parker both posted in it.....A thread I had started to see what people are up to in VT in the 2015 season.

It seems like each state has their own way of setting up their season's tapping updates. I think Pennsylvania has a good model with one general season thread and then more specific threads. I don't frankly care how we do it, but please don't accuse me of staring a pissing match. I posted a thread to a public forum and people starting posting to it (including you and Parker). Parker revived his thread which you seem to think is the one VT producers should use. That's fine with me and I am ok letting my thread die.

Just having some fun and trying to see what others are up to...

[steve J]

Personally I think each year should be its own thread this one is currently 58 pages and most of it non relevant to what is going on this year! just my opinion.

[spud]

As the season gets closer I have always looked for the Thread title ( Checking what Vermont sugar maker's are doing ). I kinda got used of that and when I saw Parker Maple post something my thought was ok here we go for season 2015. Parker's post was the first one of the season. General I am not upset with you starting another Thread I was just wondering why it was needed. I think had your Thread title said (Vermont 2015 Season) it would have been better. Either Thread we go with is fine but having two is silly. We all look forward to seeing how each other is doing throughout the season. I think steve j makes a very good point as long as the Thread title list the State and year.

Spud

[GeneralStark]

I would gladly change the title of the thread if I knew how but I don't have the time to figure that out. Perhaps a moderator has to do it?

Anyway, I figured that "The 2015 Season" in the "Tapping Vermont" section would be descriptive enough to let others know that the thread would be about the 2015 season in VT. It works for other states, and clearly it was pretty clear for a number of people whom already posted.

I don't personally think there are two threads on the subject. "The 2015 Season"a is pretty clearly about the 2015 season. This thread is not really about any specific season, but it just happens that we used it last season for posting updates.

If someone can let me know how to change the title I will gladly do so. For now let's just see where people post, but given that there are quite a few more posts in the 2015 season about the 2015 season, it seems clear to me what makes the most sense.:)

[spud]

Broke some trails today in hopes that I will be tapping this weekend. Would like to have 5000 tapped by the end of the weekend. Time will tell.

Spud

[PARKER MAPLE]

Picked up more mainline and wire for tomorrow this afternoon. Man froze my you no what this morning -18. I think all my help is coming back in morning seems that we are making progress. Checked out the RO room this morning all the insulation and heater is keeping it nice and warm. Still need to do the plumbing in there but shouldn't take to long. Sounds like more snow for the weekend could accumulate up to another 12". My plowing customers are going to start hating me soon. Oh we'll pay up or get out there shovel.

[spud]

Looks like another foot of snow for me in the next few days. The race is on to try to beat the deep snow.

Spud

[PARKER MAPLE]

Breaking trails in morning and strapping on the snowshoes

[northwoods_forestry]

Finished up the winter logging in the sugarbush just before the big snows came. Now looking to extend the mainlines and redo laterals for vacuum (Waterhouse sap puller) and set up the new collection tank. Don't plan on adding too many new taps this season, but hoping the vacuum will up production significantly

[PARKER MAPLE]

Finished up the winter logging in the sugarbush just before the big snows came. Now looking to extend the mainlines and redo laterals for vacuum (Waterhouse sap puller) and set up the new collection tank. Don't plan on adding too many new taps this season, but hoping the vacuum will up production significantly

Ian you will absolutely wonder why you didn't do vacuum before now. I don't think I will ever set up a bush now whit out it. It's just like money in the bank. But it's really sap in the tank.... Sorry had to do it lol

Parker

[spud]

Was able to tap 500 more today. Snow is really deep was things went well. Looking to do 500 more tomorrow.

Spud

[PARKER MAPLE]

Man I love being able to read back on the old posts and see what was going on this time last year.

I wonder if Randy has tweaked the helium injection system he was working on?...
Spud how many taps will you have this year?

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Man I love being able to read back on the old posts and see what was going on this time last year.

I wonder if Randy has tweaked the helium injection system he was working on?...
Spud how many taps will you have this year?

randy is in high gear i hear cleaning up his big sugar woods because of the Dec. storm, guess he lost a lot of trees

yes he is tweaking the HE injection on his system hoping to get as much sap with less trees

[spud]

Hey Flats what is Thad up to? I have not seen him on Trader for a while. I hope when the sap starts running we will hear from Thad, Randy and yourself more often.

Parker Maple it looks like I will have 9000 this year. Once the tapping is done I am adding a mainline in hopes of getting a few hundred more. The snow is very deep 20-24 inches so everything takes longer to do. I too like to look back a year ago to see what we all were doing. I just hope I did not upset General. I have always enjoyed reading his post. He is a great asset to the Trader.

Spud

[sapmaple]

I was wondering how Randy was making out I know his Hubbardton bush got hit real hard. We took a pretty good slap in our Orwell bush Had 60 man hours in just getting stuff off the lines still broken beeach hanging here and there but work around them. Maple trees survived well (thank God) they are a tuff tree! I've been trying to get another 1000 new taps in this year but the weather and lack of help have been a challenge getting close now. I wanted to start tapping next weekend Feb. 14 but temps even here in the banana belt of VT don't look to be far from 0 Sure hope this March is not as cold as last March was!! I always say though every year is different no two seasons are the same that's what make's sugaring interesting

[wiam]

Hey Flats what is Thad up to? I have not seen him on Trader for a while. I hope when the sap starts running we will hear from Thad, Randy and yourself more often.

Parker Maple it looks like I will have 9000 this year. Once the tapping is done I am adding a mainline in hopes of getting a few hundred more. The snow is very deep 20-24 inches so everything takes longer to do. I too like to look back a year ago to see what we all were doing. I just hope I did not upset General. I have always enjoyed reading his post. He is a great asset to the Trader.

Spud

Talked to Thad. I think Sunday. He was going to start tapping Monday.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

iv been doing a little stuff but dont want to turn this into a FB posting:today i woke up started the coffee had to go to bathroom to drop a duece, wiped , went back out coffee was done opened computer sat down, had to get back up to let dogs out. went back to sit down, GF said she couldnt move blue containers out of bath tub::lol:
I put up the ceiling joists in sugar house yesterday, going to insulate today then plywood for now. I insulted the arch to good have to wear insulated coveralls and long johns to boil.
randys bush in Benson got hit really hard I heard he lost a lot of tops of his trees. I havent talked to him since deer season, texted a couple times

[spud]

Hey Flats if you add a little Sarah Lee Pound cake to your day then your day would be a lot like mine. Plan on tapping today once it hits 15 degrees. I think the wife wants me out of the house because she is outside the window blowing on the thermometer stem. If it was really 70 outside there would be no snow :confused: We only got one inch of snow last night so that's good. Got to go for now.

Spud

[wsugar]

All tapped now. Install a high brix expansion for the RO. Put in a new vacuum pump with twice the CFM as the old one. Just adding a few more taps and waiting for the sap to run. It's going to be a while by the forecast. Snow continues to get deeper I had to retire the four wheeler and use the snowmobile.

[Scribner's Mountain Maple]

Starting to get everything together for the season. It's been a long off season with some big changes happening here in Duxbury. Not really adding any taps this yr. Just trying to get all the equipment installed so I can add more next year. Last year I was at the max of my re-leaser, tanks, filter press and RO. Now I will have a new re-leaser, RO and filter press I still need to pick up. I'm cutting it close. I still need to set everything up, insulate a room, and install a few tanks. What is that saying, I may have bit off more than I can chew. There is a reason for the madness. I hope to add many more taps in the years to come and the equipment I am installing now will allow that to happen.

For this year, I think we are a month or more away before things really start happening on my dark corner of the humpy mountain. The snow is DEEP. It is no fun to blaze trail with snow shoes in 3-4 ft of fluffy snow, not at all. Even worse is when it fills back in the next day and you do it all over again. I know tracks for the wheeler are in my future.

Ben

[spud]

Good luck to you Ben. Lets hope we all have a great season.

Spud

[syrup2nv]

Still working on my new Sugarwoods. The lot will have about 7000ish taps when all done. Trying to get 1750 for this season. Started installing the second week of November. 2 men, afternoons and weekends. Started cutting in drops last weekend. I have about 900 left to go. Still need to install whips (30) and 3 boosters. 500' of double 2" to where the tank will be. Set tank when it arrives (5000gal). Build a enclosure for my new vac pump and electric releaser. Went with a AtlasCompCo GV150 w/106CFM's. Running with a VFD. Purchased from MES. New RO is about 2 weeks out. D&G Prestige 8post fully automatic with auto tank valves and concentrate high limit shut-off. Its a beast! When it arrives, it will need to be plumbed. It has a 3" intake!! All of the old plumbing is only 2". Figures. Set tank and pump in my other bush. Put up some aerial wet/dry. Then....Tap! Just over 5000. Going to be a busy couple of weeks, despite the cold temps. Waist deep snow is making it a slow process this week. Guess I will order some new snowshoes.

[PARKER MAPLE]

Still working on my new Sugarwoods. The lot will have about 7000ish taps when all done. Trying to get 1750 for this season. Started installing the second week of November. 2 men, afternoons and weekends. Started cutting in drops last weekend. I have about 900 left to go. Still need to install whips (30) and 3 boosters. 500' of double 2" to where the tank will be. Set tank when it arrives (5000gal). Build a enclosure for my new vac pump and electric releaser. Went with a AtlasCompCo GV150 w/106CFM's. Running with a VFD. Purchased from MES. New RO is about 2 weeks out. D&G Prestige 8post fully automatic with auto tank valves and concentrate high limit shut-off. Its a beast! When it arrives, it will need to be plumbed. It has a 3" intake!! All of the old plumbing is only 2". Figures. Set tank and pump in my other bush. Put up some aerial wet/dry. Then....Tap! Just over 5000. Going to be a busy couple of weeks, despite the cold temps. Waist deep snow is making it a slow process this week. Guess I will order some new snowshoes.

Syrup2nv sounds like you will be scrambling. Are you the operation at the sugar shack, on old rte 7?

[Scribner's Mountain Maple]

Thanks Spud, I hope we all have another good crop.

syrup2nv, good luck to you as well. It sounds like we are in the same boat. All the hard work will be worth it when the sap is running and you get that beast RO working. You will miss boiling.

Ben

[spud]

Syrupn2v- Wow sounds like you have some big money tied up in your operation. In time you might want to be the sap buyer of the South. Put that 8 post to work. Best of luck on your season.

Spud

[spud]

I was hoping to be able to tap today but it looks like it is not going to get warm enough. We are now in for a week of cold. Looks like the last week of February the race will be on to get all tapping done. I have not tapped any South/East facing trees yet so these taps are going to be as fresh as can be. Instead of a run here and there I hope the season will just start about the second week of March and go till the 20th of April. Once the pumps get turned on they stay on for the season. I think we are going to have a good season.

Spud

[Tucker08]

Picked up the new Deer Run RO. It will be my first season with one of those. I ended up with the 125 expandable and will make it a 250 next season. I will be plumbing it in this weekend. I have added about 200 taps and have to cut in another 50 or so this weekend, which will bring me to about 650 total. Will be brisk out there, but I will be moving so it shouldn't be too bad. I still have to put the pans back together, but that shouldn't take more than a night. Have to travel for my real job next week, which considering the forcast is ok. I will start tapping as soon as I get back. Good luck in the woods everyone.

[spud]

I did not think I was going to tap today but then it warmed up enough. Got 500 in today so it turned out to be a good day.

Spud

[wsugar]

Added another 20 taps today after work. I'm getting closer to 4000 taps. Still have time with the forecast.

[wsugar]

Added another 32 taps today. Getting closer to my goal. I think this weekend I may spend sometime in the garage. Has anyone used air injectors for sap ladders?? I bought some this year on the trader I'm going to try them. If anyone has any tips let me know

[PARKER MAPLE]

Added another 32 taps today. Getting closer to my goal. I think this weekend I may spend sometime in the garage. Has anyone used air injectors for sap ladders?? I bought some this year on the trader I'm going to try them. If anyone has any tips let me know

Air injectors? Hmmm, never herd of them. It's going to be cold today they say, looks like cold for a couple more days after as well. Not getting to excited yet, I think March we will all be flooded.

[northwoods_forestry]

Air injectors for sap ladders? Never heard of that either, can you describe? Putting in my first sap ladder next week to clear the driveway and link 2 of my pipelines for vacuum.

[wsugar]

Air injectors allow you to adjust the amount of air you put into your sap ladder. My sap ladder is built by using 5/16 lines and stars top and bottom. By letting in some air it improves the lift system. Defeats the vacuum but I had to do it to get the sap moving. I will try to get some pics this weekend and post what I'm doing. I'm not sure if this works on a two pipe sap ladder. Time will tell. 😄😄

[PARKER MAPLE]

Air injectors allow you to adjust the amount of air you put into your sap ladder. My sap ladder is built by using 5/16 lines and stars top and bottom. By letting in some air it improves the lift system. Defeats the vacuum but I had to do it to get the sap moving. I will try to get some pics this weekend and post what I'm doing. I'm not sure if this works on a two pipe sap ladder. Time will tell. 😄😄

Oh ok, I just did my first ladder. 5/16 with 2 6way stars. Lifting apprx 10'. I wonder if I should or will need one. Time will tell. I'm only lifting apprx 50taps.

[syrup2nv]

Syrupn2v- Wow sounds like you have some big money tied up in your operation. In time you might want to be the sap buyer of the South. Put that 8 post to work. Best of luck on your season.

Spud

Spud,
I bought 45,000gal, and produced 70,000gal of my own last year. Processed on a 2 post machine. This year should be a "little" less RO'ing time! Always buying good clean sap!

[BreezyHill]

Air injectors allow you to adjust the amount of air you put into your sap ladder. My sap ladder is built by using 5/16 lines and stars top and bottom. By letting in some air it improves the lift system. Defeats the vacuum but I had to do it to get the sap moving. I will try to get some pics this weekend and post what I'm doing. I'm not sure if this works on a two pipe sap ladder. Time will tell. 

Adjust the injector to the reading of a vac gauge. When the ladder is flooded the vac will drop off, if you open the injector too much the vac drops off. When you reach your highest vac level during peak flow you have the injector set perfectly and will have the best vac transfer you can possible achieve.

Injectors actually increase vac levels. On my system with 8 injectors and 8 ladders I have less than 0.15 CFM of injected air. Simple to install and cost under $10 at the local hardware store. In 2013 half our taps were laddered and we did .47 g/tap of syrup. This season 800+ of 1100 will be thru at least one ladder and most thru at least two ladders.
Our system has had ladders since the late 1970's to bring those Vermont trees the the NY sugar house.... amazing how 185 feet makes syrup sell differently!

[wsugar]

Thank you breezy. Can you send me a private message with a phone number. I would love to talk with you or see your set up

[wsugar]

1063410635

This is a pic of one of my lifts

[PARKER MAPLE]

In the woods this afternoon for awhile. Wasn't as cold as I thought it would be. But kept moving and was fine. Probably got another 50 taps hooked to the mainline. Then hooked the whip to the wet dry. I think tomorrow after I get done plowing I will extend the last mainline. This will allow me to pick up another 200-250 taps. Don't know if I will get them all on this year but going to try like hell for the next week to get as much as poss. .looking at the long range for my area I think I will start tapping end of the month, unless something changes. I do no we don't need any more snow. Snowshoes on and still making it hard to get around on. I think we are up to somewhere around 70 or so new dsD saddles. Seem to really like the way they install, really like the Ss hose clamp. Time will tell if there as good as they seem they are.

Got to plumb the RO, and work on washing tanks soon. Rebuild one vac pump then should be done.
PM

[spud]

There is nothing going on here at the Border town. It is way too cold to tap. Kids are going to have the last week of the month off from school so the tapping will get done then. I hope we don't get sap till the third week of March so some of this snow has time to melt.

Spud

[PARKER MAPLE]

There is nothing going on here at the Border town. It is way too cold to tap. Kids are going to have the last week of the month off from school so the tapping will get done then. I hope we don't get sap till the third week of March so some of this snow has time to melt.

Spud

What do you think is this freeze going to hurt the production this year? I think for me we will have another wicked short season. But might be wrong. Just need to get out of this deep freeze so the sun can start warming things up. I think the last day we had above 32 was back in December so it's going to take awhile. I'm not going to start tapping this year until it's running. I want wet steaming drill bits. Long range forecast on accuweather keeps changing so they do have a clue what's going on.

[spud]

It's a guessing game for sure. I do think the last two weeks of March will get us some sap and then the first three weeks of April the big runs will come. Last year I only had 3 runs in March. The extended forecast in my area is saying April will be sugaring weather. Back 6-7 years ago when the price of syrup went to $4.00 lb I was told that it was because Canada had so much snow and frost in the ground that their sugaring season ended before the ground thawed. Can anyone confirm that? I am wondering if Dr. Tim could tell us. I still think we are going to have a very good season. My wife say's I better be right or else.:D

Spud

[sapmaple]

My temp here this morning just as sun was coming up -25 I have not seen any temps that cold in a long time around here
With the full moon in the first week of march I don't see any real sugaring weather til at least 2nd week of march
just my two cents which I dare say is as good as any weather person!

[spud]

Looks like I might be able to tap some tomorrow. This weekend is also looking good with temps around 25-30. Big sap on the way.

Spud

[PARKER MAPLE]

Finished up the repairs to our east sugarbush this am. It had been a number of years since this lot was used by my grandfather. So it was in rough shape. But finally today I cut in the last drop line and capped the ladt main. Going to clean up all tanks this weekend, set the vac pumps and plumb the RO. Should b smooth sailing from here. I'm thinking of starting tapping next weekend. 2weeks later then I usually do but what's usuall know?

Let the sap gods bring on the warm weather 😉
Parker Maple

[VT_K9]

My Father and I plumbed the vacuum today. We have to finish tying up the 1 1/2" vac line and plumb the releaser. We also have to finish extending the 1" mainline to the releaser and wire the vacuum. Hopefully we can get a good jump on the 1" mainline and some work on the releaser done on Sunday. As much as I would like to see warmer and great suger weather NOW, I am happy to have the extra time to get ready.

Mike

[GeneralStark]

Almost done with my new tubing installation. Some saddles and a few mainline fittings left to install. Finished modifying my releaser with a 1 hp 3 phase well pump and vfd. It should work real well. 27.5" 24/7

Waiting on tapping until it warms up a bit. Spending the cold days finishing plumbing for the new ro in the heated room.

Looks like we won't be sugaring until march.

[PARKER MAPLE]

Almost done with my new tubing installation. Some saddles and a few mainline fittings left to install. Finished modifying my releaser with a 1 hp 3 phase well pump and vfd. It should work real well. 27.5" 24/7

Waiting on tapping until it warms up a bit. Spending the cold days finishing plumbing for the new ro in the heated room.

Looks like we won't be sugaring until march.

Couldn't agree more general, hopefully March brings better weather. This below zero stuff is getting old

[spud]

Was able to get 400 tapped today but then my back started giving me problems. Taking tomorrow off and then hope to be back at it for the weekend. I have close to 5000 tapped so far.

Spud

[northwoods_forestry]

Finally got into the woods on Wednesday. Replaced all the old 1/2" mainline with 3/4". Still need to extend the mainlines and tie into the lower bush with a sap ladder over the driveway. Hoping to make some headway on that this weekend.

[wsugar]

Looks like the first of March it's going to start warming up. I'm all set to go if it warms up enough Sunday im going to wash the RO. Made up a few more drops so I got to find a place for those. Thank you breezy for the great conversation the other night.

[Scribner's Mountain Maple]

-10 to -20 today with the wind. Sure makes it hard to work in the woods. My friend was telling me this morning that the frost is deeper in Winooski this year than anyone can remember or is on record (3 water main breaks this past week alone). I am sure the extra deep frost applies to the whole state. What will the deep frost do to the trees I wonder? maybe make it hard for them to run until it warms up a lot? Does anyone remember a season with real deep frost and how it affected production?

My guess is it will take the season a while to get going and will extend it well into April.

Ben

[Amber Gold]

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that only applies to frost in the streets. Frost gets a lot deeper there because the roads are kept plowed. Just before we got all this snow, I was driving fence posts in the woods and didn't hit much frost. We've gotten a ton of snow since, so it's kept the ground insulated from all this cold weather, and if anything, some of the frost should've come out. Please correct me if I'm wrong because this is my understanding.

What I don't know is how this deep snowpack affects how well the trees run. If there isn't much frost in the ground, and we have the right temps, but there's 3' of snow the ground, will the trees run???

[n8hutch]

I have to say where I live in the Conway Nh- Fryeburg ME area there is frost in the ground where people have not traveled , I.E. the woods & meadows. I think that it will take 3-4 days above 40 to get the sap to run.

[Paul VT]

The frost in Burlington (in the roads) is 3-4 ft deep. 3 water breaks today in Burlington. Water department has been putting a lot of long hours. Where there is snow about a foot of frost.

[DrTimPerkins]

What I don't know is how this deep snowpack affects how well the trees run. If there isn't much frost in the ground, and we have the right temps, but there's 3' of snow the ground, will the trees run???

You are correct. In the woods, frost is not real common. The leaves insulate the ground pretty well, and then later, the snow provides insulation. There might be a little freezing in the upper inch or two, but not much beyond that unless we have a long cold winter with no snow cover.

As far as snow goes there usually isn't a huge problem UNLESS the snow is packed tightly around the trunk of the tree, which causes it to stay frozen at that level, preventing recharge of moisture in the tree during a freeze cycle. Usually a few warm days causes the snow to melt away from the trunk a little bit, forming a depression (or in Inuit/Eskimo -- a qumaniq), allowing the sap to be pulled upward (during a freeze) so the sap can run when it gets warm again.

[Marc Duclos]

Hear in Deerfield NH the town had to and has winged the snow up on the road side trees four and even six feet deep. Most of these trees had a snow pack of three feet until they got winged. Are these trees shut down to a point.

[DrTimPerkins]

Are these trees shut down to a point.

It'll be late when they run. Packed snow around the trunk will keep them from running for a while until the snow melts and loosens up some.

[PARKER MAPLE]

It'll be late when they run. Packed snow around the trunk will keep them from running for a while until the snow melts and loosens up some.

So what's umv up to for tapping and sugaring this time of year.

[spud]

The wind was bad today in the woods so I never tapped. I hope tomorrow will be a good tapping day. I sure hope I will be done tapping by next weekend. My dream of being a coffee farmer in Kona is sounding more desirable for my wife. She hates winter and hates snow. Talked to a few of my friends from Alaska today and they both said they have no snow on their lawns. It's been in the 40s there.

Spud

[Rand]

The wind was bad today in the woods so I never tapped. I hope tomorrow will be a good tapping day. I sure hope I will be done tapping by next weekend. My dream of being a coffee farmer in Kona is sounding more desirable for my wife. She hates winter and hates snow. Talked to a few of my friends from Alaska today and they both said they have no snow on their lawns. It's been in the 40s there.

Spud

Mid 30s and raining in Anchorage today, Spud. We had 2 weeks of seasonably cold (lows about 0F and highs about 10F). Otherwise the whole winter has been much too warm. Iditarod start was just shifted to Fairbanks. If I liked winter on the coast of Connecticut, I woulda friggin moved there! So almost sugaring temps here, except no maples (yet).

Rand

[northwoods_forestry]

Put in 500' of new mainlines yesterday and built a little pump house atop the 500 gallon collection tank. Still need to bring in the laterals, build the sap ladder and get the sugarhouse in order. Another 10 days of Alaska weather and we may just get it all done!

[DrTimPerkins]

So what's umv up to for tapping and sugaring this time of year.

Last month has been getting lines cleared, new pumps and releasers squared away, and some research studies set up. We plan to start tapping the middle of this week unless the weather is too bad.

[spud]

Was able to get 850 tapped today with my son and a friend. The snow is about three feet deep. If weather permits I would like to get another 500+ done tomorrow.

Spud

[PARKER MAPLE]

Got some of the tanks out today for cleaning, man I hate washing poly tanks. Wicked nice today trigger finger was getting itchy. Will get these tanks washed and set this week. Then set the vac pumps and releasers this weekend, hopefully weather permitting start tapping Sunday

[sapmaple]

We got started tapping this weekend about 800 done 7200 to go, feeling really behind this year still got some drops to put in too and all the sugar house set-up
too cold today but it appears to be shaping up to a late start again this year. its been a battle with the weather this year but is guess its a battle every year getting going and that's what I like the challenge of it We'll win the "war " in the end

[spud]

We are all going to need spout pullers with 6 foot handles.:)

Spud

[spud]

-17 outside right now. I doubt I will be tapping tomorrow.

Spud

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

-10 P town -19.3 lk st catnherine so my house -14.456744444? half way between them:lol:

[wiam]

-34 here. .

[spud]

I just check the 30 day forecast again and now they are saying I will have 10 good sap days in March. Two days ago they said I would have one or two. What happened in two days? Did the earth shift? :rolleyes: Last year while waiting for the sap to run I would find myself drinking gallons of coffee and eating Sarah Lee pound cake. Yesterday I was introduced to Thomas Maple French Toast Bagels. These things smell up the whole isle of our grocery store. If you have not tried them yet you need to stop everything you're doing and get to the store.

Spud

[wiam]

Spud, get extras and I'll be over.

[spud]

Spud, get extras and I'll be over.

I have 7 kids there's no extras when it comes to good tasting food.:)

Spud

[Sunday Rock Maple]

I have 7 kids there's no extras when it comes to good tasting food.:)

Spud

We had 9 (but only have 3 still at home). An old timer once said a long time ago "The secret to raising a large family? Why it's to find out what they don't like to eat, and give them plenty of it".

[spud]

Now thats funny and so true.

Spud

[wiam]

One way to find out if they are hungry or just eating. lol

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

picked up snow shoes yesterday, both sets are 12' wide x 46" long. going to try them out tonight when i get home.

who would have thunk that 1/2" 3 way ball valves are sold out all on back order, are there that many people building their own Ro's?

[spud]

Hope those snow shoes work for you Flat Lander. I was able to get 500 tapped yesterday with my son. I know of a couple good size operations in my area that have not even started tapping yet due to snow depth. I think it's setting up to be a very good season.

Spud

[PARKER MAPLE]

Hope those snow shoes work for you Flat Lander. I was able to get 500 tapped yesterday with my son. I know of a couple good size operations in my area that have not even started tapping yet due to snow depth. I think it's setting up to be a very good season.

Spud

I certainly hope your right. I'm very nervouse tho. I don't like it when it's still cold and dosnt look to be budging in the next weeks. I hope the weather men are wrong and we get a surprise warm up that they can't predict like the snow. My worries generate from this. Closer and closer we get to late March or April the easier it is for it to spike in temp and make for a short season.i hope we can make syrup for a few weeks and start soon

[spud]

Was able to get 400 tapped today. It was borderline too cold to tap but I wanted to finish the steep hill section of my woods. My 30 day forecast is showing favorable sugaring weather for the last two weeks of March. Hang in there Parker Maple because we are going to be flooded with sap in a few weeks.

Spud

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Hope those snow shoes work for you Flat Lander. I was able to get 500 tapped yesterday with my son. I know of a couple good size operations in my area that have not even started tapping yet due to snow depth. I think it's setting up to be a very good season.

Spud
still havent got home in time (before dark) tomorrow. Talked to thad the snow is killing him only 350 taps a day he told me ther other day. plowing fields this weekend, start getting evaporator together. almost all parts for RO have landed ordering new motor today, thinking going three phase with a VFD any way of keeping more money in pocket than giving it to the Green Mountain Socialist Power Monopoly Company.

[maplwrks]

Most of you kids that have just started sugaring thimk it's been too cold, or too much snow and that the season should have started by now. Historically, the 3rd week of March is when the bulk of the syrup is made in Vt. Yes, there is syrup made before and after this week, but that week is when all hell breaks loose. I've made syrup in Feb. and usually freezes up for the first 2 weeks of March. Keep working on stuff and get your taps in, the sap will run soon.

[spud]

Very well said maplwrks. Although April brings me the most sap the last two weeks of March are when things really start to happen. I really think it is going to be a great year.

Spud

[wsugar]

still havent got home in time (before dark) tomorrow. Talked to thad the snow is killing him only 350 taps a day he told me ther other day. plowing fields this weekend, start getting evaporator together. almost all parts for RO have landed ordering new motor today, thinking going three phase with a VFD any way of keeping more money in pocket than giving it to the Green Mountain Socialist Power Monopoly Company.

We can turn the power off and save you even more money:lol::lol:

[spud]

Well I did not tap yesterday because of the wind. I am hoping this weekend will be better. I would like to finish up by mid week if I could. Wednesday is going to be 41 so if the sun pops out I might just turn the pumps on.

Spud

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

We can turn the power off and save you even more money:lol::lol:need to do some math but almost positive as is cheaper per KW than GMP right now .
Five o clock somehwrr 3 shots in no lunch and working in sugar house feeling pretty good, need driver for lumber yard

[sjdoyon]

Had another cold week with one morning hitting (-37). Looks like middle of March we might get a few good days to kick things off.

Weather news……..

While most Vermonters slept Monday night, the temperature kept getting colder and colder. Bone-chilling records were set in Burlington and Montpelier on Tuesday morning, as teeth-chattering cold blanketed the state.

Burlington broke a century-old record when the temperature plummeted to minus 19 degrees at 4:09 a.m., said meteorologist Jessica Neiles of the National Weather Service office at Burlington International Airport in South Burlington. The previous low for this date was 18 below zero back in 1914.

Montpelier also fell to minus 19 on Tuesday morning, dropping past the record of 12 below set in 1968.

And if you think negative 19 sounds rough, how must the residents of Canaan and East Berkshire felt? The mercury dropped to minus 37 in both of those northern towns during the overnight hours.

[spud]

Got 800 tapped today. Hoping for another 800 tomorrow. Great day in my new woods I just set up. I am finding some lateral lines with no drops. I also missed some trees here and there so when time permits I will add on. Good tapping weather all week so I should have no problem getting done. The sun is starting to throw off some heat. The season is very close.

Spud

[PARKER MAPLE]

We got most of the RO plumbed in, tanks are off going to be washed. New wire in sugar house is done. Everything is coming together. Headed off to help a buddy tomorrow, then have to be back at it finishing up to odds and ends. Set vac up next weekend then tap.
It's coming time, I think........😳👍

[spud]

Today my son and I were able to get 1000 tapped in 6.5 hours. It was another great day in the woods. We should be done tapping on Tuesday. The sap may run a little on Wednesday if it hits 40.

Spud

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

The sap may run a little on Wednesday if it hits 40.

Spud
wishful thinking spud not going to happen to cold night before

[maplwrks]

Sorry Spud, I think Flats may be right on this one! It's gonna take a few warm days to get things going.

[spud]

Sorry Spud, I think Flats may be right on this one! It's gonna take a few warm days to get things going.

Yea I know, but it does not hurt to dream a little.:)

[spud]

Another good day of tapping with my son. Tomorrow we will be done tapping with just 500 more to go. This tapping season sure was a challenge but if we have a great season it will all be worth it.

Spud

[PARKER MAPLE]

Another good day of tapping with my son. Tomorrow we will be done tapping with just 500 more to go. This tapping season sure was a challenge but if we have a great season it will all be worth it.

Spud

Good luck spud, your sure right about challenging. 3-4' snow depths isn't easy at all. We have been digging out lines and fixing as I go, wicked tired when I get home. Next weeks weather is looking good, hope there right this time. Washing my pans this week, installing the membranes, rinsing to RO. Setting the pumps and releasers, stil lots to do but this stuff is not to bad.. It will all be worth it in the end if the season turns out well.
PM

[Geroldn]

Town meeting day today. The sun is shining and it is supposed to hit 28 here in Northfield. The sugar house and everything else is ready to go. Vote and then today is my day to tap!

[SandMan]

Perfect! That is the way it should be....

[spud]

I am done tapping. I just looked at the new 30 forecast and VERMONT BIG SAP will start next week.:)

Spud

[northwoods_forestry]

Going to start tapping on Thursday.

[sjdoyon]

Looks like the season should kick off next week. Might take an extra day or so to thaw out our trees.
Best of luck to everyone.


I am done tapping. I just looked at the new 30 forecast and VERMONT BIG SAP will start next week.:)

Spud

[woodchuck]

Town meeting day today. The sun is shining and it is supposed to hit 28 here in Northfield. The sugar house and everything else is ready to go. Vote and then today is my day to tap!

The old adage seems to be right this year! Ill triple check the extended forecast but, will likely tap this weekend. Good Luck all!

[DoubleBrookMaple]

In the last week I have single handedly run 3500 ft of laterals, installed 62 saddles on 1100 ft of mainline on snowshoes on the side of Dutch Hill. Tomorrow I hook up a few more laterals to saddles, and start putting in drops and tapping on somewhere around 200-225 taps I think. Easy walking in my tracks now after trail blazing.....
No problem to be ready for what the forecast shows. Sunny and 40ish on Tues, Wed, Thur after mid 30's on Monday.
Will my new electric releaser/vacuum system in a box work in practice after a good test in the basement? Will I get my extended evaporator completed in one day as I plan?
Will the forecast be true?

[wiam]

K
In the last week I have single handedly run 3500 ft of laterals, installed 62 saddles on 1100 ft of mainline on snowshoes on the side of Dutch Hill. Tomorrow I hook up a few more laterals to saddles, and start putting in drops and tapping on somewhere around 200-225 taps I think. Easy walking in my tracks now after trail blazing.....
No problem to be ready for what the forecast shows. Sunny and 40ish on Tues, Wed, Thur after mid 30's on Monday.
Will my new electric releaser/vacuum system in a box work in practice after a good test in the basement? Will I get my extended evaporator completed in one day as I plan?
Will the forecast be true?

Don't worry. No pressure.

[GeneralStark]

Turned the vac on yesterday to test the new releaser and make sure all is well and the 150 or so I have plugged in barely ran. Some of the smaller trees were giving up a little sap, but nothing too impressive. But, the new releaser is working well and I was able to leak check one section and get the vac. to 26.5 with a couple leaks still to fix.

Now it is really go time! Looks like next week we are in for a major weather pattern change and we are going to get blasted with some warm air. Let's hope not too warm, but it is time to get ready!

[Brokermike]

big sap coming

[wsugar]

Sap ran a little yesterday. The warm weather felt good. I guess I will end up with a ice block in the tank to keep the new sap cool.I got some vacuum leaks fixed and did some Tuning on the system. Looking for the big one next week :lol:

[VT_K9]

We are slowly cathing up. We plumbed the 1" mainline into the releaser. Ran 2 wires for lateral mains to catch a few extra trees this year. Also to put the Y in before tying up the pump and vaccuum lines to the mainline wire. We are going to wire the vaccuum on Sunday and start tapping. Next week is looking pretty good.

Mike

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

think sap ran in Ryans head when he was dreaming HHEHEHEHE,
buying a new vac pump today, tap out. Ordered my new motor and pump for new ro. Went with a 3 phase 2HP with VFD and 600 GPH pump, hope to be here mid week. also ordered new steam hood for syrup pan the hoping the fab company put a rush on it. get arch together this weekend.

[wsugar]

think sap ran in Ryans head when he was dreaming HHEHEHEHE,
buying a new vac pump today, tap out. Ordered my new motor and pump for new ro. Went with a 3 phase 2HP with VFD and 600 GPH pump, hope to be here mid week. also ordered new steam hood for syrup pan the hoping the fab company put a rush on it. get arch together this weekend.



Your not to far away come look in the tank!!!!
What are you doing with the old vacuum pump???

[GeneralStark]

Flats - You're gonna like using the VFD. I have two in my operation now and am very impressed with their usefulness. And, you won't have as large of an electric bill...

Got caught up on some homestead chores yesterday, built a new tank cover for a new stainless tank and plumbed in a meter for buying sap. I have a little more plumbing to do inside on ro, and then it is just a few connections at the tanks outside. Hoping to rinse the ro the next time it goes above freezing. Going to get back on tapping today and will likely be done some time this weekend. Still have some more laterals to re-install, and some repairs, so the tapping is going slow.

[sapmaple]

Hey do you think if I replace my 5hp flood with a VFD 7.5hp that I would save on Kw use or would it just be a wash Thinking I need more cfm on the amout of taps on this pump

It looks like the whole country is going to start the season together from west VA to MI to Vt and maybe even north of the border
not sure that's ever happened before , should be interesting

[maplwrks]

Hey Kevin!
I would ask Mike L in Orwell. He went from a 10 hp pump to a 10hp with a VFD. He might be able to give you more insight as to his savings.

I think you may well be correct with the entire maple world starting at the same time.

[GeneralStark]

Hard to say of you would use less kw with a larger pump and vfd. Generally the major savings with a vfd comes with the fact you can turn the pump down and not run wide open 24/7. You can either manually turn the pump down or couple the vfd with a transducer to automatically control the pump speed. If you are maxed out for cfms, there probably wont be much savings but if your pump is over-sized a bit and system is tight there is no need to run the pump full speed, so the vfd can tune it. I'm generally running my pump at 45-50 hz, so there is a pretty good savings.

If anyone is shopping for a new pump and vfd, or some new lighting it is worth looking at Efficiency VT's rebates:

https://www.efficiencyvermont.com/For-My-Business/Ways-To-Save-and-Rebates/Agricultural-Lighting-Equipment/Rebates

I believe you have to have a pump at 5hp or higher to get the rebate.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

We are close to starting our season in WV as you are, the only problem is that it was 0 last, 16 tonight and no more freezing for next 10 days on Weather.com or rest of the month on Accuweather. We normally start here around Feb 1st to 10th and we made little in February, but only about 12% of crop. Normally best 2 weeks here are last week of February and 1st week of March or first 2 weeks of March. We went from February 11th until into March without any sap. Hope you guys don't endure same thing looks like we are going to get. Not sure we will get over 50 to 60 percent of crop if it is right. Look at forecast several times @ day and every time it gets worse. Coldest February I think on record here. Season usually over here around March 21st and we are at about 24% of full crop.

[sapmaple]

I feel your pain WestVirginiamapler Last year we had the coldest March I can ever remember Our biggest production weeks are usually 3rd and 4th week of March but we made very little But the first 12 days of April were Awesome and we made up a lot of ground Wish you the best for similar results!
Its those extended periods of no freezing nights when I REALLY LOVE vacuum pumps The flow slows down at night almost stopping then when sun comes up temps go up the flow picks back up Not sure 3/16 tubing will do that for you but I don't have any to compare

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

ok picked up new Vac pump from MES, Clayton was awesome. He even called one of his customers that bought same unit last year the guy said he went six weeks 24/7 his electric bill was 300 approx. better than 279.52 for 4 weeks of a flogging by a unnamed electrical company saying we are commercial but everybody else says we are AG. Clayton was 1000 less than another company for same type of pump with a moisture trap included. No VFD on this pump Clayton said this pump doesnt need one, he explained it to me it made sense. This pump has a 1.2 HP motor at 5.2A the old milker was 9A 1HP.
All plumbed and already on went right to 28+(with all the valves closed) hahah lines will be up and running today.

Ryan, Going to upgrade motor that will take a VFD and have Breezy do his magic on the 75 so we can get more vac out of it move that unit up to quarry hole with a VFD on a generator.

Clayton Ro's are very impressive, like an old saying we had when street racing, if it dont go chrome it, well Claytons units arent "chromed"

big bush all tapped out turning pump on this today

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

10902
not the best picture light in back ground to much. no water to mess with no oil reclaimer

[spud]

Hey Flat Lander how high of vacuum do you get with that pump? How many CFMs? I hope you have a great season.

Spud

[PARKER MAPLE]

Set vac pumps this morning and electric releasers. The started tapping. Got -300 in today. Probably could of had more but cut in new drops and slow going threw the snow. Hope for another 400 tapped tomorrow then that lot will be done. My father got the RO wire this morning. And cousin got it plumbed. I love it, big family affair lol.
Not if Mother Nature will cooperate like the rest of use we will be in good shape.
PM

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Hey Flat Lander how high of vacuum do you get with that pump? How many CFMs? I hope you have a great season.

Spud
re plumbed unit turned it on and at releaser went to 27.5/28. 1000' up in woods 26.5 on one, 25, 24. now were going to start chasing leaks.
17cfm unit good for 1000 taps were at 450/500 adding another 75 to 100 next few days.
will post pics
10931
10932
10933


all tapped in except for a a few that have a tree on them. head tank moved, arch together new valves on cage tank. putting ro together tomorrow and hooking up pellet stove. little welding.

does any one have prints on a oil reclaimer home build?

[VT_K9]

We made some head way on getting the vac. and the pump lines tie up a little more. I will have those finished tomorrow. I'll probably start tapping afterwards. We'll wire the pump and turn it on Tuesday. Then we prep. the R/O and evaporator. Game on this week.

Mike

[northwoods_forestry]

Finished tapping all the pipelines yesterday. Plumbing in all the tanks this morning and getting the sugarhouse ready. Buckets will go out tomorrow.

Here we go!

[spud]

Turning both pumps on today preparing for tomorrow. I had the pumps on the other day just to check for leaks. I am not running super high vacuum yet but it will have to do for now. I am tired of hiking through 30 inches of snow looking for leaks. Based on the 10 day forecast we are going to have several days in the 40s and that should melt a bunch of snow making it easier to get around the woods. At that time I will chase down more leaks. It is snowing hard at my house this morning but the sun is supposed to come out by 1:00pm.

Spud

[GeneralStark]

Pump is on at 26.5". Still have about 200 taps to put in but it is supposed to hit 40 here with some sun this afternoon so I figure I will run the pump while I am off at my other job and see what I get. Could be a decent week!

[billyinvt]

Bright sun and 34 degrees should loosen things up a bit. The wind is out of the NW though so I doubt there'll be much of a run. Nice little stretch of weather coming up though if it gets cold enough tuesday night.

[wsugar]

ok picked up new Vac pump from MES, Clayton was awesome. He even called one of his customers that bought same unit last year the guy said he went six weeks 24/7 his electric bill was 300 approx. better than 279.52 for 4 weeks of a flogging by a unnamed electrical company saying we are commercial but everybody else says we are AG. Clayton was 1000 less than another company for same type of pump with a moisture trap included. No VFD on this pump Clayton said this pump doesnt need one, he explained it to me it made sense. This pump has a 1.2 HP motor at 5.2A the old milker was 9A 1HP.
All plumbed and already on went right to 28+(with all the valves closed) hahah lines will be up and running today.

Ryan, Going to upgrade motor that will take a VFD and have Breezy do his magic on the 75 so we can get more vac out of it move that unit up to quarry hole with a VFD on a generator.

Clayton Ro's are very impressive, like an old saying we had when street racing, if it dont go chrome it, well Claytons units arent "chromed"

big bush all tapped out turning pump on this today
Rusty I was going to recommend breezy

[PARKER MAPLE]

Got some leaks fixed today and more tapped in. Not pulling super good vac, but I'm sure the other section of woods on the other side of the farm has leaks. Dam main line is under the snow in spots. Keep plugging away tomorrow and making everything better.

[spud]

Late yesterday afternoon I was able to get a couple hundred gallons of snot sap that I will be dumping this morning. The pumps have been on all night and my new woods is running 27.5 inches of vacuum. My other section of woods is only running 16 inches as of last night. I fixed some leaks yesterday and have a bunch more to do. It's hard getting around in the woods with all the snow. My son is staying home from school today to help me get all systems up to 27+. Good luck everyone. We are all living the dream.:)

Spud

[maplwrks]

Yesterday was one of those days that sugarmakers dream about. Weather was perfect, 45 degrees, west wind, warm sun, cold beer.....too bad everythinjg is still frozen.

[northwoods_forestry]

Wow, what a day yesterday. Trees just started to open up in the evening, but not enough came in to boil. Temps this morning are a bit disappointing. Forecast was for 18, but only dropped to 29. Hilltop living, I guess. Still, hoping for lots of sap in the days to come.

Started up the waterhouse sap puller on just the lower 85 taps and only managed an 8 on the gauge despite going over everything closely before tapping. Guess I'll be looking for leaks and hanging buckets today.

[GeneralStark]

I pulled in about 100 gallons yesterday from about 550 taps and the sap ran til about midnight. It should be another decent day but as Mike says things are still pretty frozen up. But, if it doesn't freeze tonight we could get a decent run the next couple days, and hopefully enough to boil. Today I need to finish plumbing a new sap tank and the 500 gallon poly permeate tank so I can be ready to run the ro. Off to it!

[Tucker08]

Same story for me down here in south western VT. Just before dusk, as the winds died down we had some drips. I got home from work and checked my main tank where which covers 270 taps and it was flowing pretty good, but there was only about 5 gallons in there, so it was just starting. Didn't even bother to look at the rest.

This is my first year with an RO, so i actually need a little bit more to start than I once did. Feels kinda wierd.

[billyinvt]

Not looking like it's going to drop below 32 tonight. Maybe it will run all night? One can always hope.

[PARKER MAPLE]

Awesome day to be in the woods here on the Mtn. Sap was dripping with every hole I drilled. I got apprx 800 on vac now and still fixing leaked. Left the pump house with the pump pulling 18". Sap was coming in very well apprx 7pm. Leaving the pump on all night. Might be surprised in morning what's in the tank. Fingers crooked that I might get to run the RO for the first time. Can't wait.
Weather looks like it's going to be good for the next 4-5 days here.
Have fun

[VT_K9]

We have the vacuum hooked up and turned it on to give a test. We had not put any taps in yet. Then we managed to put in a little over 150 taps before calling it a day. I went back out after dinner and put in another 50 taps before my headlamp died. I hope to finish tapping tomorrow.

Mike

[spud]

I got 3000 gallons today on my south/east section of the woods. I have a leak problem on the back section of my woods that was bringing my vacuum down to 20 inches. As soon as I closed the valves to that section my vacuum in the rest of the woods went to 26. Tomorrow I have to hike to the back section and fix the problem. As of 9:00pm the sap was still running 125 GPH.

Spud

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

vac still running at 9:30 4" sap in twp 300 gal tanks. RO hooked up membranes rinsed now going to send some sap through today see if they are good. Get sap suckers running today on small bush.
well going to Bennington gotta go FA upgrade hope be back by 2

[spud]

Woke up to 1500 more gallons of sap. I will be checking for leaks all day.

Spud

[GeneralStark]

I have pulled in about 300 gallons since yesterday am and still running a bit. Spent yesterday plumbing tanks and troubleshooting a micro leak on my releaser. Still haven't found it but at least it is now pumping at full speed. Going to rinse the ro today. Not sure I will get enough sap today to fire it up, but either way I will boil what I have collected and whatever comes in today, tomorrow.

[wsugar]

Ro is running and so is the sap. The sugar content is 1.1%. Off to the woods to check lines and our first boil tonight😄😄😄

[GeneralStark]

Looks like the VFD for my vac. pump may have crapped the bed...GMP checked their end of things and I am getting good power. The symptoms suggest power outage but the power is on... Sap was running ok with vac. Not so much without:mad:

[Amber Gold]

Stark. VFD's can be the coolest thing going or frustrating as h*ll. I had one crap out on me that was two weeks old. Just died in the middle of the day. Somehow I managed to be in the sugarhouse when it happened. It took three days to get a replacement. Somehow the bus got fried and of course it was my fault and not covered under warranty...

[GeneralStark]

Frustrating for sure...spent a good chunk of the day on the phone with a tech from the vendor troubleshooting when I could have been doing other things to get ready to boil. The Vfd is definitely done but fortunately they are shipping me a new one overnight...under warranty. It was only a year old.

Fortunately it was not during a real sap run, but I did miss some sap today.

[DrTimPerkins]

VFDs can definitely be a pain in the butt. We had one get fried by lightning in the summer of 2013....of course we didn't know until just before the 2014 season. We now have them all wired up so they can be completely unplugged during the off season. We're now up to 4 Busch Pumps, all with the same VFD, so I bought a spare VFD just to have around in case one of them crapped out again.

I've heard that it is a good idea to turn on the VFD and let the electronics warm up for 15-30 min before actually turning on the pump.

[spud]

Today I was able to find and fix several leaks in the woods. I am now up to about 26 so still need to find more but things are much better. Today I got 2500 gallons of nice clear sap. Looks like the sap will not run again till weekend.

Spud

[PARKER MAPLE]

What to do hmmm,. Not enough sap to start the RO, do I just boil the raw sap. Hmmmm did that last year. I got a run of apprx 450 last night and today. If I could get another 200 tomorrow I would be good. What to do...

[GeneralStark]

VFDs can definitely be a pain in the butt. We had one get fried by lightning in the summer of 2013....of course we didn't know until just before the 2014 season. We now have them all wired up so they can be completely unplugged during the off season. We're now up to 4 Busch Pumps, all with the same VFD, so I bought a spare VFD just to have around in case one of them crapped out again.

I've heard that it is a good idea to turn on the VFD and let the electronics warm up for 15-30 min before actually turning on the pump.

I'm contemplating a spare vfd as well for situations like this. I too have heard that it is a good idea to let them warm up, but I have two electrical engineer friends that work with these things lots and they say it isn't necessary. The tech I have worked with on my issues today says the same thing. He had me turning the thing on and off about 15 times, and once it was on he had me turning on the pump. The problem with this one had him and the manufacturer completely stumped....

[GeneralStark]

What to do hmmm,. Not enough sap to start the RO, do I just boil the raw sap. Hmmmm did that last year. I got a run of apprx 450 last night and today. If I could get another 200 tomorrow I would be good. What to do...

In the same situation here...sitting on about 500 gallons of 1.5% and I would much rather run it through the ro. Two days of mechanical issues have me behind on other tasks...fortunately I have water in the sugarhouse so I will likely run it through tomorrow am and use drinking water for extra rinse water.

[Sweetleaf]

Not to change the subject Gang... but I work for a man who is always day late and dollar short... (age thing) and cheap.... didn't wash the lines last year and lots of scuzz in the lines. boiled for seven hours to the 219.2 point and drew off. filter press with minimum D.E. by previous year standard and the filter press just Jammed up... could not manage to filter syrup!!!! Ran steam away water through and came out alright! anybody else out there had this experience past or present? Niter seemed very thick! every paper in the press seemed just caked with gunk. do we need to put MORE D.E. In. syrup blowing out through the sections of the press! HELP!

[PARKER MAPLE]

I would try more DE first. I had to use 1-1/2-2 cup per 5-6 gallon draws at end of last season.

[northwoods_forestry]

700+ tapped. Vacuum running well yesterday on lower bush (22") but no so great in upper bush (15"). Gathered 550 gallons of sap in the evening and drew the first syrup off at 10 PM.

Putting out the last of the buckets along the Lost Mile Road this morning then chasing leaks in the upper bush. Wonder if temps will get above freezing today?

[sapmaple]

I have a 2 inch vac line that goes across a swamp 1000 feet to get vac to my other woods discovered that the pipe had broke at a tee and pulled apart a couple of feet Went out into swamp and found that the heavy wet snow from dec must have flatted the pipe into the water thus now its in the ice I replaced the tee and built an extension to connect the pipe turned on the valve and I have ice cooled vacuum
its amazing what vacuum will do for you I got about a gal of sap per tap on the side with vac and maybe a pint per tap on side without
Can't wait to solve the next problem :o

[wsugar]

First boil yesterday. All well. Made 25 gallons only 1475 gallons to go.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I don't think your problem is nitre, but a lot of dead bacteria that is all the gunk you are seeing from all the junk in the lines.


Not to change the subject Gang... but I work for a man who is always day late and dollar short... (age thing) and cheap.... didn't wash the lines last year and lots of scuzz in the lines. boiled for seven hours to the 219.2 point and drew off. filter press with minimum D.E. by previous year standard and the filter press just Jammed up... could not manage to filter syrup!!!! Ran steam away water through and came out alright! anybody else out there had this experience past or present? Niter seemed very thick! every paper in the press seemed just caked with gunk. do we need to put MORE D.E. In. syrup blowing out through the sections of the press! HELP!

[sjdoyon]

Had a little over 6,000 gallons come in yesterday, boiling today.

[GeneralStark]

Spent the morning rinsing, washing and benchmarking the new to me ro. Looks like my 500 gph is actually a 450 gph machine which is ok by me considering the age of the membrane. Ran the 500 gallons of 1.5% sap thru to make almost 200 gal. of approx. 4% that I will boil off this afternoon after I finish putting the rig back together. Looking forward to testing out the new auto-draw.

New vfd should be coming today so tomorrow I will install and tune and be ready to collect sap again. Still need to put in about 200 taps which I am hoping to finish tomorrow and saturday.

[Amber Gold]

Stark, after the VFD failed, I found an A5 single phase pump that I bought as backup. If the A10 fails, I just plug the A5 in and back in commission. It was cheaper than buying a backup VFD.

Good luck with the new vfd.

[DoubleBrookMaple]

My self made electric releaser worked flawlessly operating on 22-25 inches for two days on 260 new taps. Yielded 325 gallons of What????? 1% sap ! The last two years I consistently got 1.7. on gravity tubing and buckets. My big time producer neighbor just told me he gets 1.4.
I stuck to my guns and boiled it off today, and what a long day for 3.5 gallons. I should have got about 6. Not worth the the 14 hour day, but I do have something to show for it. A back ache. Hope things get back to normal. At least I have a break for a while.
For the record.. I was not aggressive enough in burning i think, but 13 hours of boil time for 325 gallons = 25 gph. Best I have ever had, but i had hoped for a couple more. Another stat. I burned 48 cu ft of wood! Not Good.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Spent the morning rinsing, washing and benchmarking the new to me ro. Looks like my 500 gph is actually a 450 gph machine which is ok by me considering the age of the membrane. Ran the 500 gallons of 1.5% sap thru to make almost 200 gal. of approx. 4% that I will boil off this afternoon after I finish putting the rig back together. Looking forward to testing out the new auto-draw.

New vfd should be coming today so tomorrow I will install and tune and be ready to collect sap again. Still need to put in about 200 taps which I am hoping to finish tomorrow and saturday.
What are you guys paying for vfd's? I picked up a 3hp single to three phase for like 254.00 and Clayton programmed it for me. I watched him program it seemed pretty simple just never have done one.

[spud]

My self made electric releaser worked flawlessly operating on 22-25 inches for two days on 260 new taps. Yielded 325 gallons of What????? 1% sap ! The last two years I consistently got 1.7. on gravity tubing and buckets. My big time producer neighbor just told me he gets 1.4.
I stuck to my guns and boiled it off today, and what a long day for 3.5 gallons. I should have got about 6. Not worth the the 14 hour day, but I do have something to show for it. A back ache. Hope things get back to normal. At least I have a break for a while.
For the record.. I was not aggressive enough in burning i think, but 13 hours of boil time for 325 gallons = 25 gph. Best I have ever had, but i had hoped for a couple more. Another stat. I burned 48 cu ft of wood! Not Good.

Looks like you are going to need an RO. After the third of fourth run your sap should have more sugar. Good luck.

Spud

[GeneralStark]

What are you guys paying for vfd's? I picked up a 3hp single to three phase for like 254.00 and Clayton programmed it for me. I watched him program it seemed pretty simple just never have done one.

The Hitachi model I am using for my 3hp vac. pump was right about $225 + shipping. They are pretty straight forward to program. Some are more complex than others. The one I got from Clayton for the deep-well submersible in my releaser has fewer bells and whistles so is a little more straight forward. Next time I need one I will likely go with Clayton once again.

[sjdoyon]

Looks like we might get ten inches of snow on Sunday. At least Monday looks good.

[spud]

Today is supposed to go to 42 and rain. Not sure if that will get the trees going or not. Today I plan to add another 200 taps on just to kill some time. My Busch pump is generating to much heat for my new sap shack. I plan to frame in for a future window but for now stick a fan in the hole.

Spud

[sapmaple]

Spud
If you get too bored you could build a sugarhouse and process and boil your sap I guarantee you won't have any kill time:lol:

[spud]

Spud
If you get too bored you could build a sugarhouse and process and boil your sap I guarantee you won't have any kill time:lol:

Your right on that sapmaple. The only problem is I would have no money in the bank if I set up to boil.:lol:

Spud

[GeneralStark]

Vac pump has been on since 7am and it has been running steadily. Have pulled in about 200 gal. So far. Brix is up to 2.5 from 1.5 during last run. Pretty happy about that. Boiled on Thursday and sweetened pans and made about 1 gal.

Almost done tapping. Hooked up a bunch more today and no leaking cvs yet.

Preheater is leaking so taking it off to be welded on Monday. Seems like it could run the next few days. I hope so as I need to make some syrup. People are placing orders and I need products for open house weekend. I hope things are smooth for everyone else.

[northwoods_forestry]

Barely touched 32 here today and everything stayed frozen. If it gets a bit warmer tomorrow I could at least switch on the vacuum.

[spud]

I got 2500 gallons today. Sap started running at about !:00pm and stopped about 10:00pm. I was not expecting any sap today. Monday looks like we may get a bigger run. Vacuum pumps have been on for day's and will stay on till April 20th or so.

Spud

[sapmaple]

Your right on that sapmaple. The only problem is I would have no money in the bank if I set up to boil.:lol:

Spud
You got that right my friend :lol:I can attest to that, But I wouldn't have it any other way I just love the challenge of it all!
Worked til 9:30pm last night hooking my new main lines into the wet -dry lines my son was tapping them and when we turn on the valve they were ripping pretty good nice flow well into the night going up to check tanks now (don't have any of the fancy tap track or tank monitor yet got to wait til there is some money in the bank:lol:

[GeneralStark]

Sap ran overnight as we didn't go below freezing until about 11 am this morning. Now, everything is froze up tight. I did pull in about 600 gallons from approx. 675 taps in the last 24 hours. Going to see what I get tomorrow and then will likely ro and boil on Tuesday.

[spud]

Hey General it sounds like your runs are almost a gallon per tap. I have only been getting about a third of a gallon. Yesterday my sugar started to go up to 1.6-1.7% so thats good. To cold today for any sap to run but tomorrow it is going to be 40 and sun so I might get a little.

SapMaple- I do miss boiling and the whole sugar house thing. We thought about setting up our sugar house to boil a few years ago but then the 60 acres that borders us came up for sale. We decided to buy that so we could tap the 3000 trees on it. It also has some real nice home sites on it for the kids someday. Now we are in the process of planting an apple orchard for the future. I know there is an orchard in your town (do you know them). Someday if one or more of the kids want to really commit to helping with the sugaring we may set up to boil. As of right now none of the kids are interested in sugaring at all. The person I sell my sap to is very nice and treats me well. I don't see me walking away from a good deal anytime soon.

Spud

[adironmaple]

Spud , if we could get what you are being paid we would have never
r built a new setup this year. We built to handle expansion and at last count with all new equipment we are around $10 per tap at e
xpanded tap count.. Not to mention the time and expense to process and boil. You can utilize your time to dial in your leak checking for max sap.
You must be selling to M St P ? Is that a delivered price or does he pick
it up? Reason I ask is we will be buying 5K taps next year and want to be fair on compensation. Its got to be good for both parties to continue long term.

[spud]

Spud , if we could get what you are being paid we would have never
r built a new setup this year. We built to handle expansion and at last count with all new equipment we are around $10 per tap at e
xpanded tap count.. Not to mention the time and expense to process and boil. You can utilize your time to dial in your leak checking for max sap.
You must be selling to M St P ? Is that a delivered price or does he pick
it up? Reason I ask is we will be buying 5K taps next year and want to be fair on compensation. Its got to be good for both parties to continue long term.

I sell my sap to a large producer in Bakersfield. They come and pick up all my sap. I have had three other large operations call and ask to buy my sap (one will pay 70%) but I like the people I am selling to and have no desire to change. I enjoy spending my day in the woods looking for leaks and just walking with the dog. If I boiled then that would take time away from the woods and my production would most likely be affected. I look at going into the woods as my Therapy.:)

Spud

[n8hutch]

I hear you loud & clear spud, as I was tapping today & going up to my private area every once in awhile when I stepped in a soft drift, A little light snow occasionally I really couldn't have been happier or more clear headed. Most people probably think that's Nutts

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

made another 7 gal, collected 310 of 2.3%