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View Full Version : Upcoming Seminar on 3/16, Vacuum and Woods Setup June 4th & June 6th with Tim Wilmont



WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER
05-11-2015, 09:04 PM
Maple Workshop & Seminar
Maple syrup producers here’s a chance to increase your output. The West Virginia Maple Syrup Producers Association is sponsoring two, 1-day workshops focusing on natural vacuum and the 3/16th advantage.
Not every day during the maple season is great for sap flow. However, Timothy Wilmot, a research scientist with the University of Vermont Proctor Maple Research Center has discovered a way to use a sap collection system with small diameter tubing and natural gravity to produce sap that rivals that of the best sap pumps.
Wilmot will present his theory and then demonstrate it in the field installing a 3/16th inch tubing system.
West Virginia maple syrup producer Brandon Daniels, who owns Daniels Maple Products in Dawson, WV installed over 400 taps on 3/16th before this past season and it out produced traditional gravity 5/16th tubing more than 5 to 1.
Seminar will also focus on advantages of mechanical vacuum, setting up woods properly, proper tapping guidelines and time and energy saving in the processing of sap and possibly other subjects as time permits.
The workshops will take place on Thursday June 4, 2015 at Mark Bower’s Sugar Camp in Petersburg, WV and again on Saturday, June 6, 2015 at Brandon Daniels’ Camp in Dawson, WV. Both run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is free but pre-registration is required. Contact Maple Syrup Producers Association Secretary Cathy Hervey at (304)737-1889 or email wvmaplesyrupproducers@gmail.com.

Directions:
Participants for the June 4th event will meet at the Landes Ruritan Building, 5 miles south of Petersburg on US Route 220 and travel to Mark Bower’s Sugar Camp from there.
To Brandon Daniels camp from Lewisburg, take I-64 West 19 miles to exit 150. At top of ramp, take right and sugarhouse is 1.5 miles on the right and address is 1747 Morris Branch Road. Just past sugarhouse on the left is additional parking at Morris Fork Baptist Church.
From Beckley, take I-64 east for 25 miles to exit 150 Dawson. At top of ramp, take left and sugarhouse is 1.6 miles on right and address is 1747 Morris Branch Road and additional parking just past sugarhouse on left at Morris Fork Baptist Church.
Owner Brandon Daniels can be reached on his cell at (304) 575-7266, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Daniels-Maple-Syrup/247074462098604?fref=ts, or email address: wvmapler@suddenlink.net


Natural Vacuum and the 3/16th Advantage
A Workshop Presented by Timothy Wilmot and Sponsored by the West Virginia Maple Syrup Producers Association

One of the biggest advances in maple sap collection efficiency came when 5/16th inch diameter plastic tubing was introduced to the sugarbush. One of the biggest advances in maple sap production came when a vacuum was applied to those tubes.
Artificial vacuum, initially achieved by repurposing dairy milking machines, and later through specialized vacuum pumps and sap releasers, increases the quantity and duration of sap flow, especially on those days when weather conditions would dictate only a marginal run.

That increased production, however, comes at a cost. Vacuum pumps and releasers are not cheap, and need a power source. Enter the 3/16th advantage. Research conducted by Tim Wilmot at the University of Vermont’s Proctor Maple Research Center has shown a correctly set up sap collection system, using small diameter tubing on a slope and relying on only natural, gravity vacuum can often produce sap yields that rival those of the best sap pumps.

Enter the West Virginia advantage. We got slope.

On Thursday June 4th at Mark Bowers Sugar Camp, Petersburg WV, and again on Saturday June 6th Brandon Daniels Camp, Dawson WV, Tim Wilmot will be conducting a workshop that includes the theoretical and practical applications of natural vacuum tubing systems.

For close to three decades, Tim has been a research scientist at the University of Vermont Proctor Maple Research Center. During that time he has made significant contributions to our understanding of maple tree nutrition, spring sap flow mechanisms, maple product food safety and tapping intensity. Recently his research agenda has focused on natural vacuum sap collection systems. Seminar will also focus on advantages of mechanical vacuum, setting up woods properly, proper tapping guidelines and time and energy saving in the processing of sap.

Workshop agenda: (repeated at both locations)

8:30 Sign in and Coffee hour
10:00 – 10:30 Introductions and Welcome
10:30 – 12:00 Presentation on the theory and practicality of natural vacuum systems
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch - presentation on financing the expanding industry by the Farm Credit Bureau
1:00 - 4:00 Field demonstration on installing a 3/16th inch tubing system

The event is free but pre-registration is required. Contact Association Secretary Cathy Hervey at (304) 737-1889 or email wvmaplesyrupproducers@gmail.com.

pdr
05-12-2015, 12:03 PM
Wow, Brandon and Mark, exciting times for maple producers in the Mountain State! As I mentioned to y'all at the State Fair in August, my initial toe-in-the-water "3/16 experience" last year convinced me to dive in the deep end this year. Results were such that I plan to convert the entire sugarbush to 3/16 over the next couple of years. So, I'm glad you guys are jumping on the bandwagon. As Brandon already knows, you won't regret it. This year I added 275 taps on 21 laterals which dump into my existing, full vacuum mainlines (thus, mine is a hybrid setup). I used D&G seasonal spouts and 5/16 stubbies (should I decide to use cv's). The drops are a few inches of 5/16 reduced to 3/16 D&G tubing. I have 4-18 taps per lateral and guess that 25-30 might be a maximum. The lats range from 250' to 1150'. Vacuum and flow rates were great - even the 15 taps on the 1150' run. Running the 3/16 into the vac system worked beautifully - and had some advantages over a gravity-only system. Lots of nuances and tricks to setting-up a 3/16 system. Would be glad to share some of them with you if I can make it June 4 and/or June 6. A family health issue may preclude travel in that time-frame. Regardless, I look forward to seeing both of you in Fairlea in August!

Paul

Biz
05-12-2015, 12:35 PM
I went to Tim's seminar on 3/16" tubing at Bascoms a couple weeks ago and it was great, you will enjoy it. Well worth taking the time to attend. He backs up everything with testing and actual flow amounts.

Dave

WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER
05-12-2015, 05:08 PM
Paul,

Come on down if you get a chance. My sugarhouse is about 20 minutes from Lewisburg, so look forward to seeing you if you can. If not, I should be at the fair several days working the state association educational booth and will see you then. I am hoping to have nearly everything converted to 3/16 by next season. Working on burying mainlines now to help everything out with sap pickup. Using schedule 40 and this should keep sap cooler and not have to worry about repairs.

220 maple
05-20-2015, 12:48 PM
Paul,
We are making things happen in WV, last fall we had a tubing Seminar with Jason Callen and Tim Combs from Leader Evaporator, and also another workshop with Dr. Mike Farrell.
Now with Mr. Wilmot coming in June, exciting times for sure!

Mark 220 Maple

WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER
05-30-2015, 10:04 PM
Looking forward to the upcoming seminars this coming week. My apologies to Tim Wilmot for mis-spelling his name in the post title. Lunch is provided and both days should be enjoyable and look forward to meeting other producers there.

WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER
06-03-2015, 08:10 AM
Just a reminder if you are planning on coming to one or both of these seminars, please register or contact me and I will register you. Lunch is provided at No Charge and we need accurate count to make sure we have enough food and chairs set up for everyone in attendance. We have had a good response so far and are very grateful to Tim Wilmot for being willing to drive this far.

WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER
06-04-2015, 07:28 PM
Phenomenal seminar today with Tim Wilmot hosted by the WV Maple Syrup producers association in Petersburg, WV. We had producers from 4 states there today and very good attendance and Tim did an incredible job. Also had some hands on time on the woods and it was very informative and very beneficial to all in attendance due to so many different tops discussed. The maple world is losing a huge asset with Tim retiring this fall.

I look forward to seeing another good group on Saturday at my sugarcamp and I will once again be doing a tubing install demonstration like I did today and Tim will be presenting his information again. It is not too late to register and I encourage everything can possibly, please attend. If it is anything like today, you won't regret it. Tim brings such technical information down on a level that everyone can understand.

220 maple
06-07-2015, 07:11 AM
Recovering from a four day Sugar High.
June 3rd, Met Tim Wilmot for evening meal, also present Dr. Mike Rechlin, Evan Harman WVU Maple Syrup Class Student. lots of Maple Syrup discussion
June 4th, 3/16 Tubing Work Shop, 32 attendees, from 5 states counting Tim from Vermont, Pa. NY. Va. Md. and several from WV
June 5th, Took Mr. Wilmot to Seneca Rocks, Spruce Knob. Then to Dry Fork Sugarworks, largest in the State of WV
June 6th, 3/16 Tubing Work Shop at Daniel's Maple Syrup in Greenbrier County, WV. over 30 attendees again mainly all West Virginians.

Mark 220 Maple