+ Reply to Thread

Thread: Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

  1. #3221
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    poultney vermont
    Posts
    870

    Default

    I too have been worried about this. Although the first emergence on our sugars were pollen nodes, leaves were behind those just a little and open only about 10% of the way, so I'm hoping they weren't far enough along to hurt much. They do seem to be continuing to grow so that must be a good sign.

    So I've noticed about 80-90% of trees started off early with pollen nodes, this started around first of April while finishing up boiling. We had all thought they were leaf buds but those came after the pollen nodes. Will these pollen nodes affect flavor as the leaf buds will. Also noticed the other 10 to 20% did not start off with the pollen nodes. I questioned if these trees we're not as healthy so they budded later, or as I understand maple trees have a sex to them and perhaps this is what that represents. I've noticed that these slower trees are now breaking bud and going right to Leaf no pollen nodes. I can only assume that these are the other gender and do not contain pollen- just things that catch my eye and make me wonder why.
    18x30 sugarshack
    5100 taps high vac
    3x10 inferno with steampan
    7'' wes fab filter press
    10'' cdl air filter press
    D&G 3 post reverse osmosis w/recirculation

  2. #3222
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    poultney vermont
    Posts
    870

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by PCFarms View Post
    The flowers of the Red Maples in our area all died off. the sugars seem to be fine.
    That's what has happened with our reds, and is typical. Sugar maples should be doing same with all their pollen glands, and of course making seed.

    Seems like a seed year always follows a high sugar year for us.
    18x30 sugarshack
    5100 taps high vac
    3x10 inferno with steampan
    7'' wes fab filter press
    10'' cdl air filter press
    D&G 3 post reverse osmosis w/recirculation

  3. #3223
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Georgia, VT
    Posts
    73

    Default

    Sugar maple emerging leaves sure have a funny color to them.... uh oh...

  4. #3224
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, Underhill Ctr, VT
    Posts
    6,393

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by MJPJ Sugars View Post
    Sugar maple emerging leaves sure have a funny color to them.... uh oh...
    Care to post a photo? If frost-damaged, they'd be brown or black (almost scorched looking). If they are red...that is normal for newly emerging leaves.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

  5. #3225
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Georgia, VT
    Posts
    73

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by DrTimPerkins View Post
    Care to post a photo? If frost-damaged, they'd be brown or black (almost scorched looking). If they are red...that is normal for newly emerging leaves.
    Not a great picture, but def a brown-olive color. Certainly not that vibrant VT Green we're used to seeing in May. The buds popped before we had that mid-20's night or three and a few inches of snow around Thursday April 22nd. And I don't think they've grown since.

    [Hmmm... can't seem to get the pic attached...OK... 3rd time's a charm]Maple PNG.jpg
    Last edited by MJPJ Sugars; 05-03-2021 at 10:50 AM.

  6. #3226
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, Underhill Ctr, VT
    Posts
    6,393

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by MJPJ Sugars View Post
    The buds popped before we had that mid-20's night or three and a few inches of snow around Thursday April 22nd. And I don't think they've grown since.
    Not much has greened up since then....been too cold and dry until quite recently. Red maple flowers at our place are still right where they were 3 weeks ago. Give it a few more weeks and then let us know how things look. The resolution of the photo is too low to see much of anything.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

  7. #3227
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    315

    Default

    What's up with other Vermont sugar makers this year? Any big upgrades or installations? My big news is I finally bit the bullet for monitoring, super excited to put my smartrek system to work. Otherwise doing a small 400 tap install by extending some mains no more than 400ft each. Adding about 100 taps each. Makes for a fast install when you aren't working with 1.25 to 2 inch conductors.
    Remember to keep on ticking while the sap is dripping.
    2016- 50 buckets. Made 4 gallons.
    2022- 3900? taps + Smartrek! Made 1300 gallons.

  8. #3228
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, Underhill Ctr, VT
    Posts
    6,393

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Ultimatetreehugger View Post
    What's up with other Vermont sugar makers this year?
    Lots of preparations this year and last.

    - Heavy tree thinning in a couple of areas in preparation for tubing.
    - 1,000+ tap expansion (Dr. Abby's research project on red vs sugar maple).
    - 2 new ~10,000 gal CDL sap silos
    - new CDL RO in the MPRF (Maple Processing Research Facility)
    - 2nd 500 gal refrigerated bulk tank
    - sap pumping for our lower area directly to the sugarhouse
    - testing a new Becker high-vacuum pump
    - moved a sap shed to accommodate the pump and tanks above
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

  9. #3229
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Walpole, NH
    Posts
    1,364

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by DrTimPerkins View Post
    Lots of preparations this year and last.

    - Heavy tree thinning in a couple of areas in preparation for tubing.
    - 1,000+ tap expansion (Dr. Abby's research project on red vs sugar maple).
    - 2 new ~10,000 gal CDL sap silos
    - new CDL RO in the MPRF (Maple Processing Research Facility)
    - 2nd 500 gal refrigerated bulk tank
    - sap pumping for our lower area directly to the sugarhouse
    - testing a new Becker high-vacuum pump
    - moved a sap shed to accommodate the pump and tanks above
    Sounds like an expensive off season!!
    Sugaring for 45+ years
    New Sugarhouse 14'x32'
    New to Me Algier 2'x8' wood fired evaporator
    2022 added a used RB25 RO Bucket
    250 mostly Sugar Maples, 15% Soft Maples. Currently,(110on 3/16" and 125 on Shurflo 4008 vacuum, 15 gravity), (16,000 before being disabled)
    1947 Farmall H and Wagon with gathering tank
    2012 Kubota with forks to move wood around

  10. #3230
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, Underhill Ctr, VT
    Posts
    6,393

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by BAP View Post
    Sounds like an expensive off season!!
    And a busy one...some things still being completed. Has delayed tapping a little.

    A lot of this has been in the plans for a few yrs now, and some of it (the mainlines) was done a year ago. Some is more research, some is more production oriented, but overall it should make our operation a bit easier. The goal was to not have to truck sap after this.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

+ Reply to Thread
Page 323 of 368 FirstFirst ... 223273303313314315316317318319320321322323324325326327328329330331332333343 ... LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts