Starting in Victor NY

[Mapleridge]

We are much smaller and do it the old fashion way with metal buckets, but have had a good start. Have packaged over 8 gallons all light with great maple flavor. We have had an unusually heavy amount of the brown minerals that we filter out when we draw off. Any one else notice this? Really cold here last night,14*, so all trees should really run this week.

[backyardsugarer]

Mapleridge,

I too have been getting a ton of sugar sand. I had to drain and clean up my syrup pan today to get rid of some of it. Going through a ton of filters but there are worse problems to have...................

Chris

[sapman]

Sugar sand bad here, too. Recirced permeate in the front pan a few hours the other night. Press plugs up pretty fast, too. Need a double bank, I guess.

[danno]

Yup, sand is bad. First season using a press - getting about 15 gallons through a short bank - I guess that's about normal? The by-pass really helps the press keep pressing.

I did the heated permeate bath in the front pan today - worked well. I think the trick is not letting the syrup pan get out of control with niter - cleaning it every 2 or 3 boils. I know in past cleaning it once the niter is really baked on is brutal.

[sapman]

My thoughts on the front pan, exactly. Flooding it, and recircing cleans it right up. Flooding the Steamaway also, and leaving the bubbler on a couple hours. 15 gallons is good on a short bank, I'd say. I've been struggling with 30-40 gal. on my full bank.

[backyardsugarer]

Solid day Tuesday. Got over 600 gallons with the brief thaw.

[backyardsugarer]

Made another 14 gallons of medium last night. Up to 150 light and medium so far. Sap flow has stopped after 3 nights without a freeze. Could be good next Tuesday and Wedensday but looks to warm up too much. I fear we may only have a couple big runs left if the temps get into the 60's like is forecast.

Chris

[sapman]

Yeah, my flow got real slow today, too. Man I would hate for the season to end soon! We should be able to withstand a couple warm days. Hopefully they will keep taking the warmer temps away as it get nearer. Figure I'm at a half crop right now, being conservative.

[danno]

3000 gal 1.5% sap on 600 taps in the last 2.5 days, sap slowed down last night, still running, but slower. Up to 80 gal syrup with 1000 gal of sap for tomorrow. Sap also went cloudy today.

Temps mid week don't look good, but looks like after a 2 day warm up, days time highs are supposed to drop back into the 30's with 6 out of the next 7 nights forecasted to be several degrees or more below freezing.

[danno]

Temps mid week don't look good, but looks like after a 2 day warm up, days time highs are supposed to drop back into the 30's with 6 out of the next 7 nights forecasted to be several degrees or more below freezing.

I take it back - make all the syrup you can over the next 7-10 days, cause the long range is just butt ugly - not happy. Up to 100 gal and wanted to break 200 and was hoping for 250...