spouts and tubing cleaning and replacement

[dogwood farm]

I'm new to all this, so please understand. this is my second year so my spouts and tubing are one year old. they were left in the woods and not cleaned. now I don't know what is the best way to clean the tubing and spouts. I've heard spouts should be cut off and replaced every year. is this true and if yes why? thanks

[BreezyHill]

Annual spouts is a way of increasing production by limiting the amount of bacteria into the new tap hole. The contamination will cause premature closure of the hole by the tree.
I clean the lines as soon as the season ends with a solution of 20% Clorox:80% water. This solution is sucked thru the lines followed by the spout being brushed and another shot of cleaner. This is followed by a rinsing application of about 8 oz water.
There is a concern about squirrels being drawn to the salts of the Clorox but I have three sons that enjoy target practice. I did this as a kid and we have only had a problem one time, when I was 8 or 9 and was not throwing down lead yet.
It is easiest to wash at the end of the season using vacuum to wash away the sugar and kill the contaminates and seal the lines for a year.

Cleaning is some what time consuming but it helps us to produce more gallons of syrup.

We Change spouts annually with clear CDL spouts and drops every three years; BUT we run a releaser that does not allow the back flow of sap in the lines that mechanical releasers do. This may be a portion of our past success.

If you are using gravity then washing is much more difficult and usually requires pumping backwards thru the line. Our old system was a pressure pump and an air compressor that would mix air with the solution to pulsate the lines. Then a rinse and seal up the spouts. This really sucked and got solutions every where. Don't use Clorox in this scenario. You will also attract deer to chew the lines.

Last year we produced .47 gallons / tap. The goal this season is .5 g/t

We all started as newbies. My dad started when I was 5 in '71 home made copper pans. It has been a fun journey! You will like the ride.

Good Luck!

Ben

[wiam]

A lot of producers do not "wash". I pull taps with vacuum on. New plastic in the tree every year.

[dogwood farm]

just wanted to say thanks for responding to Ben and William keith

[lpakiz]

There is research underway right now to determine how effective, if at all, washing is. I know I feel better when I do it. I also use vacuum and pull solution into the tank, then pump it out thru my transfer line to clean that.

[tuckermtn]

lpakiz - just tried to send you a PM but it says your inbox is full...

-Eric

[lpakiz]

Eric,
How are you doing? Sorry about the inbox. I cleared some out, so please try again

[BreezyHill]

Cant wait to see the data on a line washing study. Not washing seems like working hard for a week and not showering. It will dry.

We change out lines that are ten years old and they look like new; while a guy that just let the lines open after the season with vac on for a day and they are...well not to nice looking after a couple of seasons.

I don't care what a study is said to conclude, I am going to spend that time to wash and rinse the lines; if for nothing else it is a good practice and for customers to feel good about our level of care for the equipment and public safety.

Besides why wash up the tanks, the RO, the pumps, the evaporator, the preheater, the scoops and screeners and leave the lines dirty?

[Bentley Wood Maple]

If anyone else saw what the inside of some 1" white pvc I took apart this summer looked like they would not question washing lines. Brown scummy mess, and this was only a 20 ft run w/ 5% slope going into our bulk tank. Was going to start washing lines this after noon but temp has dropped back under 20 so guess we will wait for warmer afternoon

[BAP]

In today's disposable society, people are used to just throwing stuff away and buying new, instead of putting a little work in. I too agree with the statement of why bother cleaning everything else if you are not going to clean your tubing. After all we are making a food product. Also, if we are supposed to change all the spouts and drops each year and tubing every few years, why isn't the manufacturers coming up with a good recycling program to keep all this plastic out of the trash? A good quality food product starts with cleanliness.

[DrTimPerkins]

why isn't the manufacturers coming up with a good recycling program to keep all this plastic out of the trash?

There are recycling programs in some areas. Generally these were arranged by the Associations and Extension.

[BreezyHill]

It is actually kind of funny the place where maple tubing started in Argyle is now accepting plastic for recycling. There is a new business in the old factory.

I will have to swing in a see if they will accept maple tubing. I have a lot of different types and brands from over the years. I go by it every two weeks.

[DrTimPerkins]

I will have to swing in a see if they will accept maple tubing. I have a lot of different types and brands from over the years.

In most places that are recycling maple tubing, polyethylene tubing is accepted, but PVC tubing is not (if you're not sure cut a small piece and put it in a tub of water....poly will float, PVC will sink). Many (but not all) places will accept it with fittings still attached, but it needs to be relatively clean -- not covered in mud, manure, grease, etc.

[BreezyHill]

Dr Tim, You must have seen some really...interesting bushes over your life to have seen tubing with manure and grease on them. LOL

Best Wishes this season for success thru out the bushes.

Ben

[DrTimPerkins]

Dr Tim, You must have seen some really...interesting bushes over your life to have seen tubing with manure and grease on them.

Often discarded tubing ends up in junk piles -- who knows what else is gets tossed in there. I have seen on a handful of occasions sugarbushes where producers drive manure spreaders through them to fertilize their trees......fortunately not common, but also not pretty.

[DrTimPerkins]

Casella Resource Solutions is offering free Agricultural Plastic Product Recycling to all Vermont producers from February 1-April 30, 2014, at the five locations listed below.

Producers must follow these steps for items to be accepted.
Best Management Practices for preparing maple tubing for recycling:
● Only polyethylene (PE) tubing will be accepted: no PVC. (PVC plastic sinks in water, PE does not),
● Plastic fittings (spouts and connectors) can be left in place,
● Remove all metal from tubing,
● Coil tubing into loops or cut in lengths 4’ long. (Keep large coils light enough to lift),
● Tie coils with a piece of drop line.

GRIT AND GRAVEL DESTROY RECYCLING EQUIPMENT - AVOID OR REMOVE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!

Contact Annie Macmillan anne.macmillan@state.vt.us, (802) 828-3479 with questions.

COLLECTION LOCATIONS AND CONTACT INFORMATION:
• Middlebury, VT Hauling
533 Exchange St., Middlebury
(802) 417-4197
• Montpelier, VT Hauling
408 E Montpelier Rd Montpelier
(802) 236-4513
• Highgate, VT
2 Transfer Station, Highgate
(802) 353-5821
• Bennington, VT
904 Houghton Lane, Bennington
(802) 733-1311
• Hyde Park, VT
1855 Rt. 100, Hyde Park
(802) 236-4513

This Ag Plastics Recycling Pilot Program is an effort between Casella Resource Solutions, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture and Agri-Mark/Cabot Creamery Cooperative. Special thanks to the RAPP Program at Cornell for use of their technical information regarding agricultural plastic BMPs, see www.facebook.com/Recycling.Agricultural.Plastics