West Virginia Mapler 2016

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Put in 470 taps Thursday 02/04 before dark and another 235 Friday evening. Sap started running a little on Friday and little more saturday and then increased some on Sunday 02/07. Fixed about all the leaks on saturday and collected 825 gallons today and RO'd down to 120 gallons and boiled it off. Not start was hoping for but able to get all the bugs worked out of everything today and drew off 3 or 4 gallons of light syrup.

No sap weather for next 10 days and praying hard we don't have a repeat of last February. Below zero this weekend but we are getting some snow and hopefully enough to insulate the ground and keep it from freezing as the last couple of weeks had gotten it mostly thawed out on the south side. We have 300+ to put in on the north side probably first of next week.

[Russell Lampron]

I was wondering when you were going to start your 2016 thread and if you had tapped yet. Good luck with the new season.

[Sugarmaker]

Brandon,
Good to hear you are right at it.
Some days the RO sounds like it would be a good thing to have? After two back to back 7 hour boils, Makes you wonder why I don't have one of those too? When I did start up after the second boil the concentrated sap in the pans was 14 %. Made about 7-8 gallons of syrup and it was very consistent during the draw off.
Regards,
Chris

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Been in a sit and wait holding pattern here since February 8th. Finished up the 300 taps on the north side this week and are fully tapped with just over 1,000 taps. Supposed to get up in mid 30's today, 48 tomorrow and in 50's until Monday and then cool back down. Hoping to get a good run this weekend as we are well behind where we should be normally. If it opens up and runs good, it will be hard to keep up with working full time. Been cold last 10 days and -8 saturday morning but the ground isn't froze. We got enough snow on it to keep it from freezing other than a small frozen crust on top. About 6 to 8 inches of dense snow and sleet in woods now with rain coming this weekend. Hoping to get above 100 gallons in February and get about 4 weeks in March.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Boiled 550 late Friday night(02/19) and another 1,050 yesterday afternoon(02/20) and 660 more last night. Ground isn't frozen but trees still haven't woken up good yet it seems. Sap still running some last night and today as it hasn't frozen since Thursday night. Not really any sap weather in sight for next couple weeks according to the forecast. Sugar is low but syrup is great. Kinda of the same temperature pattern we have seen the last 3 season, goes from very cold to very warm in 24 to 48 hours. Can't seem to get the good 20s and 40s temps like we have in years past.

1,710 is most we have processed in a day and we boiled for probably 4 hours total on a 2x8, so that was nice.

[Russell Lampron]

Looks like you are off to a pretty good start. Gotta love that RO! It's a real energy and time saver. Boiling concentrated sap is fun too. The weather here has been finicky too. We didn't get a freeze last night and the vacuum has been pulling in sap since yesterday morning. The next 3 days look to be at or just above freezing with rain and 50* on Thursday. Then it's supposed to get cold again for the weekend. Like you no real sap weather in sight.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Yes, RO is a huge time saver. I spent about 6 to 7 hours on Thursday and Friday evening chasing leaks on all of the 3/16 and got it nice and tight just in time for the sap to flow. Little slower finding leaks on it vs regular vacuum, just have to have a little different mindset. Longer you do it easier it gets and I like to have everything perfect.

[Russell Lampron]

I like to have everything perfect too. I spent the weekend in the woods fixing every leak I could find. I started out with 21" of vacuum and ended with 25 1/2" Lapierre fittings suck and I'm trying to get them out of my woods. CDL and Leader fittings are much higher quality and I don't get the micro leaks that I do with the Lapierre's.

[Rockport]

Brandon, have been pondering the 3/16 tubing ,I have all 5/16 now and thought about putting in a new section on 3/16 . What kind of adapter do i need to use the cv clear spouts on 3/16 . Also I have a 350ft run at a steep slope (not good on figuring ) but it drops almost 100 ft can I run 3/16 all the way and how many taps could it do ? Thanks for any info

[Super Sapper]

If you run 3/16 run it the whole way. If it is new tubing you do not need the check valve spouts. The second year you can to with a 3/16 by 5/16 fitting added to your drop to use the check valve spouts. You will be glad you went with the 3/16.