Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[sapman]

We are obviously small time compared to most of you. But we use organic safflower oil with great success on our 3x8. 1 drop in the front pan is amazingly effective. And usually 1 or 2 drops in the back per firing keeps the foam down
I dont know anyone else who uses it? But I believe it is within organic guidelines (we are not certified, but not interested in commercial defoamers)

I used some safflower oil this year. Boiling good sap at around 15%, it kept the foam down in the steamaway pretty well, but still left a fair amount along the sides.. Worked in my old dripper well, too. Took more than Atmos as expected. But if I added a little trans o every couple minutes, it did a more complete job of eliminating the foam.

A large organic producer friend has used safflower for years successfully.

[Mead Maple]

So after the hard freeze Friday night into yesterday, sap jumped up to 1.75% at my place and then a remote site I collect from had bumped up to 2%. Sap a pinch of cloud to it but still excellent tasting dark syrup. Hoping to get a few more days in to salvage the season!

[sugartree310]

We called it a season today ! the the sap has run pretty good the last two days after the freezes but it was just two late . The sap was a hard two filter I call it cheesy , sugar was still at 1.5% but when I did a test boil this morning it stunk bad . I want no part of that not going to make garbage. Time to clean up and pull taps. Them 8 days with out a freeze and all them 60 degree days kind of killed it anyway.

[Ultimatetreehugger]

Still running strong and clear here. Saps between 1 anand. 1.3%. 3000 gallons so far today. Probably got 1500 in the tank.

[DrTimPerkins]

Decent couple of runs over the weekend totaling over 2 gal/tap. Sugar bumped up a little in one bush to 1.7, but still 1.4 Brix in the other. Only a slight chance for a freeze tonite, so the end is likely close. Not likely to hit our minimum target this year.

[tcross]

real solid run yesterday starting about 1 in the afternoon through the evening. still running a bit now. no freeze in the future here either. my red maples are really swollen up. some in town have budded. sap is still crystal clear, but testing 1.5. syrup is really hard to filter and have to switch pans every other hour to avoid a disaster. syrup is coming off in batches rather than continuous. Frogs are singing in the ponds... the end is really close!

[blissville maples]

Hardest run of the year yesterday, guess you'll have that when the frost is finally gone and get freezing nights all roots can pump water!!

One 1900 tap bush was flowing 260-300 gph. Sap averaging 1.3%. boiled off 4-5000 gallons yesterday and made about 65 gallons of dark amber.

Overall it's been a battle cleaning tanks and collecting nonstop to ensure good sap quality.
No off flavors yet which is hard to believe given the swelling of the buds. Back to near amber color yesterday
Tomorrow likely turn the pumps off. Should top out at about 1900 gallons - nothing special but I guess have to pay the Piper at some point!

[smokeyamber]

Running hard here today, sap at 2%, but guessing that today will be it... Plan to boil what I have and call it good. Not the best year, but if this batch is not stinky I will possibly get close to normal. New R/O has been an incredible time saver this season.

[Mead Maple]

Sap is hammering into the tanks today/tonight. Really wish I had vac to capitalize, was about 1.75GPT on 3/16” and by far the hardest run of the year. RO doing the heavy lifting this year and thankful I added that. I do t see us lasting past Wednesday. Good luck everyone!

[TapTapTap]

We threw in the towel yesterday after the flavor went off. I probably could have managed it better towards the end but I had my covid vaccine last week and it knocked the crap out of me for a couple of days. My doctor friend that helps me boils tells me that's what happens to people with great immune systems - go figure.

Pulled taps in our upper bush today. Lot's of sap dripping but I can see the cloudiness in the clear taps.

Time to start planning for 2022!

ken