CRM - Wilton 2025

[UB29]

Finished walking my lines yesterday.
Disaster..........tons of squirrel chews, drops chewed and many laterals chewed in half (deer I think). Lots of work to do over the next month.
Seriously thinking about moving my tapping up to Jan. 15. Last two years tapped on Feb. 9th and Feb. 2nd, and got burned by all the warm stretches. Promised myself last year I would move tapping up to January.
How are our fellow NH sugarmakers looking at the season?

Thanks, Bill

[UB29]

Weather looking better. Finally went for it last Saturday, and tapped my mainline (128 taps). Dumped the first 50 on Monday to clear the lines, and was rewarded with a nice crystal clear 175 gals. yesterday.
Began tapping my mountain lines yesterday, but still frozen up solid. Never saw a drop.
Trying out Dr. Tim's new arc spouts this year; formerly used Zap-Bacs. Tough to get used to putting them on. Found out the semi-rigid yellow tubing worked the best for the drops. Still takes a knack though. Seems like if they made the spout a bit thicker, they wouldn't be so prone to collapsing when you go for the final squeeze.
Hope everyone has a great season.

Bill

[UB29]

Slow start. 175 + 135 gallons this week on about 150 taps. First boil yesterday, but no draw, just sweetened the pan. Sap running 1.6%.
Finished tapping the mountain (another 160 taps). Knee deep snow, no fun. Couldn't use the snowshoes, as I'm fighting a hip issue and afraid if I tip over I'll never get up. Mountain is still frozen up solid. Snow right up to the trunks, no wells yet.
Hope everyone is getting underway. Going to be a lightning fast season, I think.

Bill

[NhShaun]

The snow is definitely tough to get around in. I am still stringing up mainline and adding more laterals. I may have a hip problem too by the end of this.
Hoping to get my taps in this week, really wish the season would get thru march at least.

[UB29]

Had a pretty good week. Tracking about 1,000 gal. sap so far, with this late season start.
And do I love that 2% !! Processed 310 gal yesterday, and a nice 8+ gal. in the draw off tank. Haven't seen 2% in this area for years. Usually running 1.0-1.4 ish.
This upcoming week looks too warm. Hoping for a few 20F nights in there.
Bill

[UB29]

Called it for the season last Saturday. Boiled out the pan yesterday, resulting in some great tasting Dark.
What started out very shaky, with the Jan/Feb deep freeze; turned out to be our best season ever. March was crazy, making just about every drop during the month. Ended up with 72 gals. (24 Amber, 48 Dark). Huge help this season was higher sap % (1.5-2.0); which is high for us. Most years, we see mostly 1.0-1.3 range.
Now the fun part starts........maple clean-up. Ugg
Hope everyone had a good season.

Thanks, Bill

[BAP]

Sounds like you had a good year.