Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

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04-05-2017, 08:39 AM
madmapler

Still collecting clear sap on the south border. Making about a drum per day of AR. No light, no dark all season so far. Sugar is getting low, about 1.3% but the best I get around here is 2% anyway. We had 34 deg. this morning. Cool daytime temps are keeping things going. A guy north of me near Springfield called it quits. Said he stopped getting sap. We've made about 1500 gallons with what's sitting on the truck right now.
04-05-2017, 09:03 AM
VTmaplehobby

2 Attachment(s)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJPJ Sugars

Looking for a little advice, if anybody is kindly inclined.

I'm at 30 taps now -- running a mid 80's half-pint/2x4 arch -- an old converted barrel arch with a 4-chamber pan. Certainly a nice step-up from the turkey frier we used our first year (this is our 2nd year with the arch).

If I'm burning my arm hairs and eyebrows, I can evaporate 6 gallons an hour. But on average from striking the match until we draw-off the last 2 gallons (to finish in the house), we're maxed at 5 gallons an hour. So a few decent runs, 50-60 gallons of sap, and I'm 12 hours in the shack and and hour or two on the stove.

AND WE LOVE EVERY MINUTE!

But I think we'd like it more if I can get to 10 gallons an hour.

I see the new Leader Half-Pints with a Pan & Warmer for like $1200... cheap. Nice thing about the new stuff is that it comes pre-made to strap-on a blower. I spent $400 for a fantastic under-sink RO for our drinking water.... sure conjures thoughts for another in the garage for a few hundred gallons of sap per year.

How do I get to processing 10 gallons per hour on a Half-Pint/2x4 size allocation?

Thanks!!!!

JQ

I completely understand where you are coming from. We keep up (barely) with almost 200 taps with a 2x4 Mason. Flat pan and no RO make for long nights. We added a 550 cfm blower and burn hardwood splits. The blower is the single biggest thing that helped our operation. We went from an "honest" 8 gph with a natural draft on 20 feet of pipe to a solid 15 gph with the blower. Hardwood split wrist size, firing on a tight schedule helps a lot too. Often have to dial the blower back to keep the stack under 1000. Also, insulating the arch really well with brick and 1" blanket helped some. The warming pans that are offered with these small arches don't amount to much IMHO. The one on the mason might add 25 degrees when the stack is pushing 1000.

As others have said a hybrid pan and a small RO are your best "bang for the buck" investments to cut down on time and wood. Even if you only go the RO route if you can RO one pass at a fast pace from, say, 1.5% to 3% you are removing half the water and therefore cutting your boiling time in half.

Attachment 16328 Attachment 16329
04-05-2017, 09:19 AM
MJPJ Sugars

Thanks for the tips & advice -- fantastic!! Really appreciate it!

Methinks the hybrid approach it will be -- a small RO (that bucket job looked really neat!) and at least a blower if not modifications to my flat pan as well.

Thanks again!!

JQ
04-05-2017, 01:42 PM
smokeyamber

Looking like I am done this weekend... boiling the stockpile of frozen stuff. Sugar content is really low this year:(, I can only guess, but at only 3 gallons done so far I am boiling way too long...

Compared to 11 gallons last year I am calling this a middling season. I will run out of wood before I finish everything up, but I am happy with how the rig ran and will just start planning for an small R/O next year to deal with the low sugar issue...

Hope everyone else had a good year ! :lol:
04-05-2017, 04:34 PM
spud

Sap ran all day but not great. I got a half gallon per tap today. Sugar is dropping to 1.7%. Dr. Tim do you think we will make it through the three day warm up starting Sunday? If so we could get another week or better.

Spud
04-05-2017, 07:53 PM
DrTimPerkins

Quote:

Originally Posted by spud

Sap ran all day but not great. I got a half gallon per tap today. Sugar is dropping to 1.7%. Dr. Tim do you think we will make it through the three day warm up starting Sunday? If so we could get another week or better.

Our sap sugar dropped to 1.9 Brix today also and ran about the same as you. It may continue to run after the warm-up if we get another freeze, but there is a good chance it'll be somewhat buddy if it does.
04-05-2017, 10:10 PM
GeneralStark

Sap has been running well here. Into that no freeze, pure vacuum induced, steady flow into the releaser at 27+ inches kind of situation. Maybe a freeze Saturday night but either way going to ride this out until the syrup flavor goes off. New spouts on new drops on south side of tree that were tapped in January have slime, but are still producing, though nowhere near the spouts on the north side. Same with CV spouts on 2 or 3 year old drops.

Sugar still dropping but made about 35 gal. of DR with classic Dark Amber flavor tonight from sap that came in since Sunday afternoon. Finally seeing slime in tanks and a bit more niter. Boiling smells more earthy as well (love that smell). No peepers yet so still have at least a few more days...
04-06-2017, 04:44 AM
Flat Lander Sugaring

Sap still running in Poultney, hi vac pulled in 300 yesteday sugar 1.2, little home made ro working hard. Making Awesome flavor B.
04-06-2017, 04:59 AM
wiam

Pulled in about 1 gpt since yesterday am. We hit 1/3 gallons/tap on syrup last night. Sugar going down.
04-06-2017, 06:08 AM
tcross

I've been getting good sap the past few days... sugar has dropped to 1.8-1.9. first time this year it's been below 2.25, guess that's not bad. I'm definitely getting some slime, however the sap seems pretty clear besides the film on the bottom of my tank from the last couple days. gotta polish that out this afternoon! starting to get a bit more niter as well. I'm gonna boil what comes in tonight, clean up and hope for one last good run come Sunday/Monday!. good luck in the final stretch all!