Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

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Originally Posted by Flat Lander Sugaring

We went out sugar house hopping. first stopped at Little Hogback, awesome set up sugar house was awesome very nicely done. they had a table set up all their products out on it and they were starting the Maple hot dogs but I left before they were cooked. I have a few pics will get them posted. on way back to P town stopped at Sapmaple in cornwall he was motoring right along, had lots of people there. Kitchen smelled good they were cooking things and had their little retail store all set up very nice. Nice sugar house also, very well set up.
Then stopped at the BIG B's house in Hubbardton, Randy always has a good show going, his wife had a table set up maple hot dogs and other munchies, boy by the time we got there was starving almost ate all her dogs, few cups of coffee. must be a dry count no boiling sodas to find any where. Randy had people stopping by think it was a good day for all who had their sugar houses opened up.

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Hey Flat thanks for dropping in on Sunday I appreciate it We had quite a few flat landers stop on Sunday (no pun intended) folks from NJ,PA NY IN VA and even an older gal from Germany who we treated with "sugar on snow" that she really enjoyed!
Had to save sap all week in order to boil on the weekend (good thing its been cold) Had about 5000 gallons for each day which we concentrated to 10-11 % There is NO Way I'm boiling raw sap even for open house weekend!! We are about at 900 gallons 25% of a crop Sure hope April is good like last year

Maybe I should know this but What's a Boiling Soda??

A boiling soda is a carbonated adult beverage. Some prefer PBR, while others may like a local brew. I generally like to wait until I am wrapping up boiling as with many thousands of dollars worth of equipment under my supervision, I don't need to alter my judgement too much.:)

Sap has been coming in slow but sure all day. Nothing too impressive but we haven't gone much over 36 here all day. Or maybe it's the **** south wind. Some sun tomorrow should help.

I am slightly disappointed in today's haul. When is it going to give? Where I am, I have yet to have one good run. Not even a 1/2 gal per tap in one day yet. The temps today were up and down depending on the wind. Snowing most of the day, with temps in the mid 30's. When I was working above 1500', it seemed like things were froze up, and it was running a little below that. I hope Thursday and Friday brings the flood I have worked so hard for...

Ben

Made another 8 gal OE so had 540 gal still have some more but going Ro bed. Just over 50 now and 60 gal of 10.4% plus more in holding tank

What the heck...tanks are full this morning!

Scribner's don't feel bad I am over in Middlesex and its not breaking loose there either. Yesterday my buckets barely dripped what few taps I had on 5/16th also barely dripped 3 of my 5 3/16th lines were flowing but at a slow pace while other two were not flowing. I am at 950 feet facing North East.

Down a bit lower here in Waterbury and the trees that ran good yesterday were the ones around the house and out on the edges of the woods. Deeper in the woods, it's still pretty froze up. I'm afraid when it finally lets loose it'll be short lived.

It's running pretty well here today. Over 1 gpt collected since Sunday about 3pm. Going to ro and boil this afternoon.

I have been chasing quite a few leaks this season mainly due to wildlife, especially squirrels. I don't know if they are having a hard time finding food so they are going for the tubing, or if their population is up this year but I have never had this many leaks during the season. Vac. is back up to 27" for now...

We have a very healthy fox population. On the rare occasions when I do see a squirrel, I never seem to see him again.

I've been loosely following this thread and saw a few producers having with issues with the CV2 spouts. Is this issue widespread, or is it more of a bad batch that was missed by QA/QC and a few producers happened to get them? I've only had a couple break and a few that have had the tips come off. I currently have 1/3 of my taps on CV2's, but was going to replace all my drops next year to convert everything to CV2's, but hesitant to do it now.

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Originally Posted by billyinvt

We have a very healthy fox population. On the rare occasions when I do see a squirrel, I never seem to see him again.

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Our land borders 7000 acres of wilderness so there is every possible critter around and plenty that would eat squirrels. The coyotes are barking tonight as usual and the barred owls are hooting...I would think they would love squirrel for dinner. I watched 5 chipmunks chase each other around this morning while I was chasing leaks.

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Originally Posted by Amber Gold

I've been loosely following this thread and saw a few producers having with issues with the CV2 spouts. Is this issue widespread, or is it more of a bad batch that was missed by QA/QC and a few producers happened to get them? I've only had a couple break and a few that have had the tips come off. I currently have 1/3 of my taps on CV2's, but was going to replace all my drops next year to convert everything to CV2's, but hesitant to do it now.

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I personally haven't given up on the CV2 yet as they seem to be doing their thing in the tree, but I have seen several tips come off which doesn't seem quite right. I'm sure it won't hurt the tree but a spout is meant to come out and it just seems like the manufacturer could easily sort that out.

If you are thinking of changing drops, why not just do them all and use a seasonal spout like a smart spout for a season and hopefully within a year or two Leader will get their **** together and make a proper spout.

I ended up making almost 20 gal. this evening from sap collected the last few days after concentrating to about 10%. It started off on the dark side of Amber rich, which I assume is due to boiling raw sap all weekend, and I ended up at golden delicate. I'm hoping to stay there for a while now that the season seems to be picking up a bit. The flavor is awesome.

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Originally Posted by GeneralStark

I have been chasing quite a few leaks this season mainly due to wildlife, especially squirrels. I don't know if they are having a hard time finding food so they are going for the tubing, or if their population is up this year but I have never had this many leaks during the season..

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Just curious as to how you wash (Dry, water only, water with bleach, Etc.)? We had an awful problem years ago and think they learned to go after the bleach (salty) but we're not sure.

collected 630 gal of 2.3% approx today, concentrate was from 5 to 10%. but all thjat counts is some boiling sodas were drank couple shots of Sapling and made 21.5 gal tonight. We canned every thing we made today. RO washed ready for tomorrow.were at 65% of what we made last year and just under 50% two years ago.

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Originally Posted by Sunday Rock Maple

Just curious as to how you wash (Dry, water only, water with bleach, Etc.)? We had an awful problem years ago and think they learned to go after the bleach (salty) but we're not sure.

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I don't really "wash" the tubing. When pulling taps I do rinse the tubing on vacuum with a 50/50 water/vinegar solution and then plug the drop.

The issues with wildlife I am referring to a purely during the season, after tapping and doing repairs from the off season and getting the vacuum up to 27". I generally check the system every other day, more frequently if the vac. drops, and I have been doing repairs in areas I have already repaired...

Record day yesterday. Brought in 800 gallons of sap. Add another zero and I could be Spud!

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Originally Posted by GeneralStark

I don't really "wash" the tubing. When pulling taps I do rinse the tubing on vacuum with a 50/50 water/vinegar solution and then plug the drop.

The issues with wildlife I am referring to a purely during the season, after tapping and doing repairs from the off season and getting the vacuum up to 27". I generally check the system every other day, more frequently if the vac. drops, and I have been doing repairs in areas I have already repaired...

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I think the chewing varmints have they own neighborhoods because they chew on certain mainlines and don't touch the next one up go figure

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Originally Posted by northwoods_forestry

Record day yesterday. Brought in 800 gallons of sap. Add another zero and I could be Spud!

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I only got 3000 gallons yesterday so you kicked my butt on GPT. Sap is just starting to run today. There is a light wind and still cool in the woods. I hope to get a good amount of sap Thursday and Friday when the temps hit 55 degrees.

Spud

Finally got a decent run yesterday, close to 30 gallons from 60 taps, still not really running, but slowly filling up for boiling this weekend. Hoping for a nice stretch here, but it being this late this year I will be happy to get something... today it should run nicely, will be collecting in the dark again... always fun :o

Anyone have hints for preventing splitting ? I am using small 5/16 alluminum taps and am very careful setting them, but still see some splits this year. Seems to be on the smooth barked trees... I do hang buckets directly on the taps, but don't see how that would affect them more than hanging from a hook. I may transition some to a ground setup next year as a test ( using short tubing to a bucket ).

Things are looking promising for tomorrow and next week. It's 3 PM and it's 29 degrees. Still waiting for that high of 34 they predicted. I think I am finally realizing that a "high" of 34 doesn't mean much. I am learning it means that if everything is perfect, the wind, the sun and the snow cover, that it might reach 34 in some places for a few minutes of the day. The pump is on with anticipation.

tomorrow is the day I think. Tomorrow.

Ben

Got to 34 deg here (just across the river from Waterford VT) now has dropped back to 32.

Thermometer at the house got to 60 in the sun :) one by my releaser in the shade I saw at 37. Got about 200 gallons today.

Only to 37 yesterday, but walked the trees this morning and they had run yesterday... of course now they are frozen buckets...looks like they will fill today...

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Originally Posted by wiam

Thermometer at the house got to 60 in the sun :)

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Temperature readings in the sun don't mean much and certainly aren't good indicators of the air temperature. While the sun will warm things up, how much is difficult to predict. If you point an IR thermometer or thermal camera at the sun or even at an incandescent light source (not recommended), it can give extremely high reading (hundreds or thousands of degrees). But yes....the sun sure does feel nice this time of year.

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Originally Posted by DrTimPerkins

Temperature readings in the sun don't mean much and certainly aren't good indicators of the air temperature. r.

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Yup, a dark colored thermometer will read much higher than a light-colored thermometer sitting right next to it.

Good day of sugaring. Spent part of the morning walking the woods and fixing some micro leaks. There are usually a couple days every season when I am really glad I set up dry lines and today was one. After a hard freeze last night it took a bit for things to thaw, especially without the sun, even though the temp. rose pretty quickly. For over an hour the sap was running hard down the dry lines until the ice let loose and the wet lines took over.

The sap ran very hard, probably hardest yet this season, early this afternoon. Fired up the ro about 2 once I had 800 gal. (@ 2.5 % by my refractometer but 2.2% by my hydrometer; which is more accurate?) which accumulated since Tuesday afternoon. Ran the concentrate to an empty 400 gal. tank and then ran that to the head tank, and then ran all the the sap that had come in so everything collected by 5 pm was processed. Ended up with approx. 225 gal. of about 10%. Boiled for about 2.5 hours and made just over 20 gal. of Golden Delicate with great flavor.

Sap is still running pretty well and likely will all night. I may not have tome to boil tomorrow due to other work commitments so we'll see what happens....

Sap never really got going till late afternoon for me. I did get 3000 gallons by 7 tonight. Sap still running 225 GPH and should continue all night. My sugar is 2.4% and that is very high for me. Raining now and that might get things rolling tomorrow. Going to spend tomorrow in the woods finding more bad CV2 spouts. Need to get vacuum up to 27-28 inches. Right now I am running 23 inches in my old woods.

Spud

Well sap was rolling in yesterday for me around 10am. I gathered apprx 925g by 4 in the afternoon of 2.2%. Fired up the RO and started boiling. Finished up washing and cleaning by 830 and made another 22g. Things should be full again today. Probably won't boil, I will wash out my holding tanks and then start the RO. Getting ready for Saturday.

Hit 80% of expected production last night and passed my 2014 production total. Gathered again this morning. Looks like gravity lines and buckets have stopped running. Vacuum lines are still flowing.

Helpers collected a bunch yesterday and I checked this am and ... oh man.:o.. buckets were overflowing for the first time this season ! I ran out of time to collect it all, but most were full or close to full. Figure around 70 gallons at least. Most were still runnning so likely they will be full today when I get home. Not sure if they will stop tomorrow or not, but looks like another recharge period coming up Sunday and next week looks pretty good. I should be able to fire up this weekend if the arch is ready.

Ran all night and still running though it has slowed down considerably from yesterday. Probably pulled in approx. 500 gal since 5pm yesterday so just over 1/2gpt. I'll let it accumulate and then boil tomorrow. It will be interesting to wee what this weekend's weather brings...

Had over 10,000 gallons so far today, still running good. Supposed to get 5 to 7 inches of snow tonight.

I got 6000 gallons from yesterday and tonight so far. Still running but temp is down to 36 degrees. Spent hours yesterday pulling 100 more defected CV2 spouts. I think I should have all the defected CV2 spouts replaced by May 1st.:mad: Sugar yesterday was 2.5% I am right around where I was last year for gallons per tap.

Spud

made another 20+ gal. finally will have new ro online today. still have 600 gal to process. think total is just over 100 gal right now

Made 47 gallons yesterday. Total is 108 so far.

The sap has stopped running. 660 gals from Fri. am until Sat. am. Not a great run but we will take it. After I boil today I should be at about 60 gals. of syrup.

hi vac still running!!

ok all who care say a prayer for me going to start new ro with new HP pump, vfd, 3 phase and vfd all new hope i dont burn down the sugar house, all folks in NY look east for large black plume of smoke in about 15 minutes

I hope it went well Flat Lander! Another good day here. Ran about 900 gal. thru the RO that was collected from 5pm Thursday thru some time overnight. It did freeze here last night and awoke to 1" of fresh snow and brisk north winds. Ended up with about 200 gal. at 10.5% and boiled for just over two hours and made 26 gallons of Golden Delicate. I kind of expected to go back to Amber Rich due to the warm temps yesterday, but it stayed light. Up to about 110 gal. for the season so far.

The sap has been running pretty well this afternoon and it looks like tomorrow could be decent as well. It seems like the thaw loosened things up and we should really be into the season now. Hopefully this will be a busy week...

Filled 2 more barrels today from the 3,000 gallons that came in between 5:00 pm yesterday until this morning when the temperature dropped from 35 to 26 degrees between 6:30 and 8:30. As of today we have bade 15 barrels. Last year we had 16 on the same date, so hopefully we will equal or exceed last year's production.
I guess we are official nowAttachment 11557Attachment 11557

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Originally Posted by GeneralStark

I hope it went well Flat Lander! Another good day here. Ran about 900 gal. thru the RO that was collected from 5pm Thursday thru some time overnight. It did freeze here last night and awoke to 1" of fresh snow and brisk north winds. Ended up with about 200 gal. at 10.5% and boiled for just over two hours and made 26 gallons of Golden Delicate. I kind of expected to go back to Amber Rich due to the warm temps yesterday, but it stayed light. Up to about 110 gal. for the season so far.

The sap has been running pretty well this afternoon and it looks like tomorrow could be decent as well. It seems like the thaw loosened things up and we should really be into the season now. Hopefully this will be a busy week...

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well went good for a while, but something happened to new hp pump, but when it was working I was doing 240GPH at 30 Hertz. 60 Hertz didnt work to well, it blew the top right off good thing I had another one. made another 15 gal.