Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

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Originally Posted by Flat Lander Sugaring

ok picked up new Vac pump from MES, Clayton was awesome. He even called one of his customers that bought same unit last year the guy said he went six weeks 24/7 his electric bill was 300 approx. better than 279.52 for 4 weeks of a flogging by a unnamed electrical company saying we are commercial but everybody else says we are AG. Clayton was 1000 less than another company for same type of pump with a moisture trap included. No VFD on this pump Clayton said this pump doesnt need one, he explained it to me it made sense. This pump has a 1.2 HP motor at 5.2A the old milker was 9A 1HP.
All plumbed and already on went right to 28+(with all the valves closed) hahah lines will be up and running today.

Ryan, Going to upgrade motor that will take a VFD and have Breezy do his magic on the 75 so we can get more vac out of it move that unit up to quarry hole with a VFD on a generator.

Clayton Ro's are very impressive, like an old saying we had when street racing, if it dont go chrome it, well Claytons units arent "chromed"

big bush all tapped out turning pump on this today

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Rusty I was going to recommend breezy

Got some leaks fixed today and more tapped in. Not pulling super good vac, but I'm sure the other section of woods on the other side of the farm has leaks. Dam main line is under the snow in spots. Keep plugging away tomorrow and making everything better.

Late yesterday afternoon I was able to get a couple hundred gallons of snot sap that I will be dumping this morning. The pumps have been on all night and my new woods is running 27.5 inches of vacuum. My other section of woods is only running 16 inches as of last night. I fixed some leaks yesterday and have a bunch more to do. It's hard getting around in the woods with all the snow. My son is staying home from school today to help me get all systems up to 27+. Good luck everyone. We are all living the dream.:)

Spud

Yesterday was one of those days that sugarmakers dream about. Weather was perfect, 45 degrees, west wind, warm sun, cold beer.....too bad everythinjg is still frozen.

Wow, what a day yesterday. Trees just started to open up in the evening, but not enough came in to boil. Temps this morning are a bit disappointing. Forecast was for 18, but only dropped to 29. Hilltop living, I guess. Still, hoping for lots of sap in the days to come.

Started up the waterhouse sap puller on just the lower 85 taps and only managed an 8 on the gauge despite going over everything closely before tapping. Guess I'll be looking for leaks and hanging buckets today.

I pulled in about 100 gallons yesterday from about 550 taps and the sap ran til about midnight. It should be another decent day but as Mike says things are still pretty frozen up. But, if it doesn't freeze tonight we could get a decent run the next couple days, and hopefully enough to boil. Today I need to finish plumbing a new sap tank and the 500 gallon poly permeate tank so I can be ready to run the ro. Off to it!

Same story for me down here in south western VT. Just before dusk, as the winds died down we had some drips. I got home from work and checked my main tank where which covers 270 taps and it was flowing pretty good, but there was only about 5 gallons in there, so it was just starting. Didn't even bother to look at the rest.

This is my first year with an RO, so i actually need a little bit more to start than I once did. Feels kinda wierd.

Not looking like it's going to drop below 32 tonight. Maybe it will run all night? One can always hope.

Awesome day to be in the woods here on the Mtn. Sap was dripping with every hole I drilled. I got apprx 800 on vac now and still fixing leaked. Left the pump house with the pump pulling 18". Sap was coming in very well apprx 7pm. Leaving the pump on all night. Might be surprised in morning what's in the tank. Fingers crooked that I might get to run the RO for the first time. Can't wait.
Weather looks like it's going to be good for the next 4-5 days here.
Have fun

We have the vacuum hooked up and turned it on to give a test. We had not put any taps in yet. Then we managed to put in a little over 150 taps before calling it a day. I went back out after dinner and put in another 50 taps before my headlamp died. I hope to finish tapping tomorrow.

Mike