We had a decent freeze here in the lower sections, another surprise.
Sugar content seems steady and sap is crystal clear. Not looking too red when i look out over the hills, though the rains will likely change that... Im still behind where I'd like to be but all said I'm starting to share some of Spud's optimism for the remainder of the season!
4700 hundred taps
7.5 hp Airtech Liquid
2- 1.5 hp CDL electric releasers
Made it to a full crop with last nights boil. It boiled beautifully and made a nice amber but the smell and taste was metabolism, looked at roadside trees this morning and a definite bud swelling The hand writings on the tree!!!
10,600 taps on vacuum
5x16 CDL Master / with steam pan
3600 GPH CDL RO
Congrats on getting to a full crop. We're hoping for at least another week here.Originally Posted by sapmaple
It is possible, even likely the off-flavor is pre-bud or a light-buddy flavor. Metabolism is typical in early season syrup.
Dr. Tim Perkins
UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
https://mapleresearch.org
Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu
Another 6,600 gal of sap this morning (~24 hrs), so 1.3 gal sap per tap. Sugar at 2.0 Brix. Vacuum dropping a little (27.5" Hg) as it warms up today. RO is running now, so about another 150 gal of syrup equivalent headed into the bulk tank, which puts us at 0.46 gal syrup/tap once we boil. Will probably boil mid-week. It'll be a little cooler Monday/Tuesday, and a good freeze coming Wed night, so we should be alright for a bit longer...thru the end of the week probably. Still a little snow on the ground in the woods.
Dr. Tim Perkins
UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
https://mapleresearch.org
Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu
Sap ran all night. I got .75 gpt in the last 18 hours. It's slowing down a lot now but should run all day. Supposed to freeze late tonight for 4-5 hours. I hope that's enough to recharge the trees.
Spud
Been chugging along here.. Boiling every other day and cleaning on the off day. Was even able to take most of a day off Saturday to spend with the family and friends. Had some very strong sap runs wednesday -> friday with with over 1 gpt wednesday between thaw and freeze-up and then well over 2 gpt thursday am to friday am. Made over 40 gal. Friday and then another 35 Sunday. Either dark amber or DR. Sap has slowed but still running well. Sc down to 1.5 or lower. I'm hoping to get to the next freeze and see what happens...
About 750 taps on High Vac.
2.5 x 8 Intens-O-Fire
Airtech 3 hp LR Pump
Springtech Elite 500 RO
14 x 24 Timber Frame SugarHouse
16 x 22 Sap Shed w/ 1500 gal. + 700 gal. tanks
www.littlehogbackfarm.com
4,800 gal of sap (0.93 gal sap/tap) here in the last 24 hrs (Sun 10am-Mon 10am). Sap sugar holding at 2.0 Brix (barely). Moderate flow today -- cool, wet, windy. Running thru the RO into the bulk tank. Will probably boil on Wednesday...maybe Thurs. Calculated total so far (until we boil) puts us at 0.48 gal syrup/tap. Everything has been GD or AR so far. Niter has been increasing, but still manageable.
Chance of a light freeze Mon and Tues nights, and a good freeze (26 deg F) Wed nights. Assuming we make it that far, it should set us up for another good run. Actually, the whole week looks like pretty decent sugaring weather here...a little bit warm on Fri night (55 deg F), but rain too, so that'll keep things a bit cooled off.
Last edited by DrTimPerkins; 04-08-2019 at 12:14 PM.
Dr. Tim Perkins
UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
https://mapleresearch.org
Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu
Forecast says low of 34° tonight. 31° at my releaser right now. Sap slowing down, but ran all last night.
William
950 taps
3 X 12 Thor pans on a Brian Arch
CDL 600 expandable
Weird one here last night. It sort of froze but not completely. Some puddles froze over some not at all. I am sure it was colder out in the woods and must of froze. We will see when it warms up. Fingers crossed
Sap slowed down running around midnite (we have a webcam that records each time the sap is pumped into the sap tank), then stopped completely around 2am, so must have frozen in our woods. Sap yield was fairly low also given the cool weather yesterday afternoon, only 4,132 gal (0.8 gpt) of sap averaging 1.95 Brix. In any case, once we boil, we will be just over the 0.5 gal syrup per tap mark. With the freeze (least partially) we should be set up for a decent, although short run if it warms up enough today. It'll freeze up again tonite and be on the cold side tomorrow, so probably not a lot of sap until Thurs-Friday. Concentrated and stored the sap until we boil, either Thurs or Friday.
Last edited by DrTimPerkins; 04-09-2019 at 01:00 PM.
Dr. Tim Perkins
UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
https://mapleresearch.org
Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu
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