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Thread: Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

  1. #3071
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Williston VT
    Posts
    50

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    It finally opened up here yesterday going to be over 2gpt in 24 hrs , sugar is 2% today and going to boil today also.

  2. #3072
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    VT
    Posts
    1

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    Anyone else getting a little concerned with the weather forecast? Next few days look great, and I got just under 2gpt yesterday. But past this weekend looks sorta concerning.

    I'm in Orange County, and it looks like we're going to stay above freezing indefinitely starting on Monday and the long term trend is for above normal temps in the 10-20 day period (https://www.weather.gov/btv/winter#tab-10). I hope this current run is a good once, because I'm afraid could be our last for the season. Before yesterday, my season total was 2.5 gpt (on 3/16 vacuum)

  3. #3073
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Northeast Vermont
    Posts
    649

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    i hope the forecast will change... usually it's only good for a couple days this time of the year anyways. i'm not even at 1/16th of a crop! had our second boil a week ago tomorrow!
    Awfully thankful for an understanding wife!

    “The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.”
    - Vincent “Vince” Lombardi

    Good luck to all!

  4. #3074
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    vermont
    Posts
    94

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    I am a bit concerned about the forcast as well. But I agree things can change day to day. Luckily the weatherman is usually wrong

  5. #3075
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    poultney vermont
    Posts
    870

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    Another mirror image boil of previous, around 8500 gallons from wensday and Thursday, testing 1.9 ish turned out 167 gallons of some nice light amber. I'm at right about a third of my minimum goal of 2250 gallons.

    Yes the weather is concerning, with the way the last 8 weeks has gone I did not expect this. It is going to cool down after but very slowly, not sure if sap will keep.
    It will be interesting to see what happens, I am not super worried about trees budding because there is still Frost in the ground and until the ground warms and dries up a bit shouldn't have to worry about that. If it was April that's probably all of would take to end it. However it's really going to take a toll on sap quality, I think the warmer Bush's will really be hurting. This is where good sanitation really comes into play, new drops etc.
    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

  6. #3076
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Castleton VT
    Posts
    68

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    1gpt in the last 48hr testing 2.3%, over half crop (full crop for my gravity bush is .25gpt) making nice light dark robust, bush is cold but frost is coming out fast in the fields, sap still nice and clear and no moths, geese are moving though and next week has me a bit concerned(sandy soil and good sun) hope forecast is wrong , would like 2 more weeks

  7. #3077
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    Middlesex, Vermont
    Posts
    320

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    Well the sap ran great here in Middlesex. Unfortunately that came at the cost of 1.1% SSC. One of my small bushes located about 5 miles from the house test right at 2%.

    Good news is I was able to try out my new to me RO and figured out that it would take 1.1% sap and bring it to just over 6. The second pass brought it up to 15% which has cut my boiling time to no more than two hours. Time to up the tap count!
    Mead Maple "It's for the kids..."
    Paul Cerminara
    2019 - First season ever
    -Goal: 3 gallons
    -Season Total: 7.5 gallons - pulled taps after running out of firewood and time
    2020
    Built 2'x8' Oil Fired with Thor drop flue pans
    -Goal: 20 gallons
    -Season Total: 55 gallons

  8. #3078
    Join Date
    Feb 2021
    Location
    vermont
    Posts
    73

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    Randolph VT let loose yesterday. I couldn't keep up with it. RO froze overnight. So it will be another awesome day here. Got 5gal per tap yesterday. It was nutz. 7 3gal buckets overflowed twice. Had to collect in the morning and at night. Lines running awesome too. 5 gal buckets were filling for me every 4 hrs. My shoulders hurt from carrying them over 1/4 mile. Good workout.

  9. #3079
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Castleton VT
    Posts
    68

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    2gpt in the last 48hrs testing right at 2%, swamped trying to keep up boiled 12hr today doors cherry and stack blowing like a locomotive, all coming at once here at the end, dont think we will get past thurs 70+ but we will see, sap still pretty clear made all med last 2 boils

  10. #3080
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Bristol, VT
    Posts
    1,978

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    Boiled today about 2700 gal. from this weekend and a little bit left from Thursday that I held over to freeze in the tank knowing that it was gonna get warm. SSC at about 1.6 and made about 50 gal. of amber from the dark side of the range to the light.

    It did marginally freeze here last night so that helped restore the flow today but no more freezes until perhaps Saturday unless the forecast changes. I'm having flashbacks to the summer in March 2012 season.

    Planning to boil every day for the next few days and see what happens. Sap quality has been good but started to get a bit cloudy today so I don't want it sitting around for too long.

    I have been looking for a working dairy bulk tank for a while and an opportunity that was too good to turn down fell into my lap so I spent Sunday getting it ready to be hooked up and serviced. The DeLaval service tech came by today to take a look and will be back later this week to plumb it up and hopefully get it running. He seemed to think it should be no problem given its condition and the fact that it was working before it was removed from the milk house. Not sure it will help this season but I'm glad to have made this addition to my operation.
    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

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