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Thread: 2020 season

  1. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Peru, Maine
    Posts
    1,044

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    While I’ve been away on a fishing trip, my buddy got things ready to go. He said he’ll start tapping this afternoon. I’ll join him when I get home or finish it tomorrow. Good luck everyone, hopefully get a run this week.

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Mount Vernon, Maine
    Posts
    5

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    Going to deploy my buckes today -- about 100 of them. The weather looks good for 3 days, and then a question mark about next weekend. I just read a science-based article that suggests there is less of a gamble going early than late. Alwasy a tough call for us bucket-types.

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Sumner, ME
    Posts
    499

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    Quote Originally Posted by twitch View Post
    So how did the sap run today? I decided last week to change 400 taps over to 3/16 in my spare time so I'm not ready yet but curious what I am missing. Took down the 5/16 and added about 30 feet in elevation drop so I hope it is all worth it.
    Nothing to speak of yesterday. I finished tapping by 1pm, fired up the vacuum pump around 2 to look for leaks. Some taps were running, but nothing on the shady side of the tree for sure. Today it started around 10 am. I ran sap on the ground until 11:30 to flush the lines, then rinsed the tank and closed the valve. It's looking like I'll get about 1/2 gallon sap/tap. Tomorrow should be a solid run... and first boil of the season!

    Interested to hear how the 3/16 do.

  4. #24
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    West Sumner, ME
    Posts
    250

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    Buttoned up a few items at the sugarhouse this morning. Checked the 3/16 lines around noon and they were flowing, not hard but sap was moving. We had a issue with the new snow on top of our tanks holding ice in the lines entering them. Once we cleaned the snow and thawed the lines things were going nice.
    About 80 taps in Lewiston on 5/16 hooked to a Shurflo produced about 40 gallons as of dark and the pump was still going. We will have out first boil this weekend coming up.
    West Sumner Sugar House
    West Sumner, ME
    500 +/- Taps - 2 x 8 CDL Venturi - 3 Shurflo Solar Systems - MES Dolly 300
    https://www.facebook.com/WestSumnerSugarHouse

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Mount Vernon Maine
    Posts
    217

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    Quote Originally Posted by Danthemapleman View Post
    Going to deploy my buckes today -- about 100 of them. The weather looks good for 3 days, and then a question mark about next weekend. I just read a science-based article that suggests there is less of a gamble going early than late. Alwasy a tough call for us bucket-types.
    I agree. I'd rather be early than late. I can keep sap cold/frozen if need be in the event a run turns out not enough to boil, but you get sap on the front end of things. I tapped barely a week ago and have 26 gallons in the snowbank. Couple more days like today and it will be boil time. I'm planning on Saturday if all goes as planned.
    Two 2x4 concrete block arches with three steam trays each
    Tapping in Mount Vernon since 2016, 30 to 70 taps, 5/16" tube to 1.5 to 3.5 gallon buckets, some trees on collective gravity tubing to 5 gallon buckets.

    Mostly sugar maples, a few reds on 200 year old homestead

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Sumner, ME
    Posts
    499

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    Really good run yesterday. Cranked through 1000 gallons of sap today and made 24 gallons of syrup. I had sweetened the pans yesterday, but not drawn off. No freeze last night, so not a lot of sap today. Should be just a short boil tomorrow.

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    maine
    Posts
    376

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    I told myself I would replace all the lines before tapping but I couldn't stand it needed to see some sap. I got 225 in on Monday between 10:00 and 5:00. It was running pretty good no freeze Monday night , Tuesday morning sap still running and lines still pulling vacuum and 140 gallons in the tank. Got another 100 in Tuesday and hope to finish line replacement and tapping today. Got a couple vacuum gauges to install to see what they are pulling.
    2 1/2 x 10 with steam away leader drop flue inferno arch.
    550 in gravity

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Peru, Maine
    Posts
    1,044

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    Not much of a run in Peru on gravity. Lines dried up pretty quickly with no freeze and some trees definitely still not running. Got enough to clean the lines out. We'll be all plugged in and collecting for the next run which may not be until next week.

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Skowhegan, Maine
    Posts
    1,299

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    We're all tapped, and the lines are cleaned out, so it's going to be a little while before good sap flow. Looks like next Tuesday is good. We'll see...
    325 taps
    2x6 Phaneuf
    Illegitimati non carborundum

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISbkO-NKA9o

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Skowhegan, Maine
    Posts
    1,299

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    Checked it out and even with the nice slush storm, still nothing to speak of. Maybe next week. Ok by me.
    325 taps
    2x6 Phaneuf
    Illegitimati non carborundum

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISbkO-NKA9o

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