Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[GeneralStark]

Working on final details in the sugarhouse. Got the VFD for the vacuum pump wired up running today and will be finishing up making all the connections to the cooling water and electric releaser tomorrow. Waiting for sap flow to get the transducer dialed in. Likely going to get some taps in on thursday and friday to test things out and get the vacuum system dialed in for when the sap really gets going. Forecast is not looking too favorable for any serious flow but could get enough to test the new rig. Bricking is done and now I just need to get the syrup pans back on and hook up the head tank. Had some friends over last week for beer and chili and talked them into helping lift the head tank to the second floor.

Woods are almost ready. Some more saddles to install and will install drops as I tap. Looking like the tap total will be about 550-600 this year. The new land has more maple that I had anticipated.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Flat Lander,

Go out and buy some liquid calcium for your cramps. I get them at times because I'm fat, old and out of shape. If you're cramping up bad just take one or two teaspoons of calcium and the cramps will be gone in less then 60 seconds. A mid wife in Alaska taught me this trick several years ago and I was amazed.

Spud

Thanks Spud will pick some up tomorrow

[chevypower]

Taps are all in here, with the exception of the 900 plus buckets which will come later. The ice storm put us behind and we are still scrambling to get things ready, getting closer though.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

pans washed make new pan gaskets tonight get rig together work on transfer pipe from driveway to bulk tank, wash tank for ro.

[GeneralStark]

I'm thinking I'm going to hold off tapping and not try to get sap this thaw. I would rather focus on getting the final details sorted out and really be ready for sap weather the first week of March. Looks like it is going to get real cold again next week so I would rather not have to deal with freezing sap in tanks and so forth. I will likely tap within the next week on days when it is above 20.

I will put out a couple test buckets just to see what happens the next couple days.

[white mt]

I was thinking the same on tapping. In the past it was a hard lesson to sit for weeks with blocks of sap in tanks and lines of all sort and the ro sitting that long with no permeate to flush out again

[PARKER MAPLE]

Me as well, Im going to hold off until end of next week. I did tap normally on the week between the super bowl and Valentines day. But this year seams to be a little later. I really don't like it having frozen sap in anything, tanks, pans, lines.....ect..... It really sucks when the temp get right and you have blocks of ices instead of fluid.

I will hold off this weekend and go for it next. Looks like 3days of warm temps this week and back to 20s next week

Parker Maple

[MikeVT]

Tapped all my trees a few days ago, sugarbush in Westford with 250 taps and 50 in Jericho. no sap yet. hoping tomorrow brings me some sap to my new sugarhouse. I'll let you know. it's calling for high 30s tomorrow

[PARKER MAPLE]

Any sap today fellas??????

[GeneralStark]

I hung two test buckets today at about 1pm and as of now I have collected about 1 pint of sap total. Nothing too exciting but the trees are thawing a bit.