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Got gravity lines done fixed and tapped. Walked though and put in the extra drops and replacements that I had to fix. So If the counts in the CV's are correct we are at 517 on vacuum this year. 26 on Gravity and 69 buckets or uh sap sacks (there might be a few more we'll see tomorrow) that would make it 612 for this year.
I am glad I washed all the sap sack holders a nice little mouse made a nest in the box and covered them all in sticky mouse pee. AWESOME.... so gotta clean them again!!! just gonna run them through the dishwasher.
just need to add bags to the holders and away we go.
should be fun getting over the HUGE snow banks to get to the road side trees.
Still dumping sap its pretty stinky but getting better, didn't run much today anyway releaser dumped a couple of time this afternoon. I don't think the back woods ever really thawed, no sun back there yet. the smaller trees were dripping a little but the bigger ones need more sun.
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Good luck and have a great season Brad!
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It was the same here the small trees in the sun ran enough to flush the lines but the ones in the shade and the big ones didn't give a drop. The vacuum is up to 23" now but we need a good run to find the small leaks.
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yep same here. not quite enough sap in the line to see the small leaks.
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Got most of the sacks up lost a few picked up a few. Folks gonna do it themselves its only 10 taps, well we'll see how long that lasts. They said give us a week we'll probably be bring the sap down to you!!!
I have one more house to tap trees on but I have a bee hive there that I wanna check on that too so I will hit those tomorrow about 7 trees there. lost some big maples to tree trimming and remove from the electric company. but picked up a few more. I think I might get 10 more and put them up I still have more road side trees I can tap.
Finally found the big leak, and wouldn;t you know it, last tree farthest corner squirrel chew about 1.5 inches long 1/2 way through the lateral tubing. a few other little squirrel chew some saddle tightening, tapped in a few taps, and now we are a solid 23" still about 175 taps to walk but its getting up there now I feel a little better probably a few taps need reseated and a few little squirrelk nicks here and there and we should be right back up to where we should be.
Not much happening today AGAIN road sides are always good runners and they had their initial dripping and slowed up too. but with the low vac pressure and trees just not ready to break yet not much sap to speak of. BUT ITS COMING!!! I am almost ready I can start to concentrate ( not sap ) but start working in the sugarhouse more that things in the woods are just about done.
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I think I have some leaks at the releaser possibly the lid not sealing everytime after it dumps. the vac pressure kinda bounces around 21" then 24" then 22" then back up to 24" I will have to put a little food grade grease on the gasket and make sure everything seals properly. Guess I will have to play around with it tomorrow.
checking things off the list. Trees in the woods are gettiing better but the snow is deep and the wells are growing but not quick enough sap was coming a little better today I only got about 60 + gallons today I dumped the first 25 or gallons because it was still a little nasty but I got about 30+ gallons I guess its still a little cloudy but getting better. tomorrow will be better and wednesday should be the day things break loose I hope!!! counting the days to maple weekend and I need syrup as we all do.
The good news is I was able to start feeding bees today they were flying around and all 5 of my hives are alive and well and very strong.
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It looks like the sap is running a little better for you than it is for me. I think that when I shut off the vacuum tonight that I will probably have about 50 gallons for today. Like you I dumped the sap from the first 3 days flushing the lines and will be keeping today's sap and what I get from now on. The sap coming into the releaser today is nice and clear.
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ha I just asked that question on your post but you just answered it. yeah its getting better every day and the no teens tonight so hopefully that helps things along. at this point I think the big road sides are giving more sap but 1) they are sugars and most are pretty big 2) they are all in the sun and 3) the snow is really begining to melt away from them. my woods are always last to go. I really wish I had the time I think I would go shovel out all the stumps so they run finally. hoping tomorrow I will break 100 gallons on sap that would be nice.
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HAAAA HHAAAAA!!!! Finally got Vac back up to 26.5 tonight!!! found another big squirrel chew!!! fixed a few little pin hole chews here and there re fixed the big squirrel chew I found the other day and replaced 2 drops that were in pretty bad shape. and found a stubby that I must have missed putting on up to the second barb and was leaking pretty bad.
very excited I am at 100 gallons for the day and with no freeze tonight pump will be on for the night. see what we have by morning. sap is still coming in OK good. it was almost running pretty hard until the clouds really thickened up.
Got sap pump all squared away, worked on Evap and had to level that out a little bit. so thats all rinsed put together and ready to go. list is getting down there. Sugarhouse is still a mess but getting there.
have to take may daughter to children's hospital for a new back brace (sculliosis) sp? she won;t have the brace all her life just until she is done growing she had one for a few years now. then once I get home its back at it.
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Got 250 gallons and counting here. It was still running good at 7:00 when we pumped out the tank. We've got the vacuum up to 25".
