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Thread: 2021 Season

  1. #11
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Cabot Vermont
    Posts
    584

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    The way my family figured it with buckets was take the average end time and back up 6 weeks. Others start the week of town meeting getting their stuff together to start. Some wait until the snow melts back away from the tree.
    Blaisdell's Maple Farm
    started on a 2x2 pan in 2000 and now
    custom built oil fired 4x12 arch by me
    Thor pans Desinged by Thad Blaisdell
    4600 taps

  2. #12
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Cabot Vermont
    Posts
    584

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    Well things got in the way this week and was hoping to beat the snow and finish tapping. That didn't happen, but did get another 1500 holes drilled this week. I think there is about 6-8 hundred to go. I found a few squirrel chews but nothing to bad. I hope all the woods have atleast 20inch of vacuum on start up. Half of the vac sensors are installed still have a box full to put out. I pick them up in the spring and bring them home. A little cold to be out tapping this weekend, so back at it next week. Still have alot of time but its been nice not to be on snowshoes.
    Blaisdell's Maple Farm
    started on a 2x2 pan in 2000 and now
    custom built oil fired 4x12 arch by me
    Thor pans Desinged by Thad Blaisdell
    4600 taps

  3. #13
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Cabot Vermont
    Posts
    584

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    Things keep moving along. I finished tapping last thursday feb 4. now back to the garage to catch up on work, this is my slow time usually but the phone keeps ringing. I have a few things to fix in the woods but not much, A small tree is on a line, pull a couple drops from trees that have died ect. I have two woods that I have to get water running to when the season starts because they are water cooled. The ro needs to be put back together, but am waiting for the weather to get warmer. I think I might put in new membrains this year. I bought a CF 8000 truck and put a 3250 gallon tank on it. I hope this helps save some time.
    Blaisdell's Maple Farm
    started on a 2x2 pan in 2000 and now
    custom built oil fired 4x12 arch by me
    Thor pans Desinged by Thad Blaisdell
    4600 taps

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    315

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    Brian, how many taps are you running again? I just put a grand into the front end of my 1-ton. I figured it had earned some love and care. What did you use as a sap hauler before? What are you doing with it now?
    Remember to keep on ticking while the sap is dripping.
    2016- 50 buckets. Made 4 gallons.
    2022- 3900? taps + Smartrek! Made 1300 gallons.

  5. #15
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Cabot Vermont
    Posts
    584

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    I am up to about 4500 taps. We have been running 2 f250's with 500 gallon poly tanks. I would haul the sap and my wife would unload them so that way we could keep hauling. I also have a 1000 gallon poly tank that goes behind my jd 4020. I would have put 725 gallon tanks in the back of the 250's but in the spring, sometimes the mud is so deep the front ends and rear ends drag most of the way. Sometimes we haul the sap in in the night or early morning when the roads are still froze up. We average about a 1000 gallons an hour trucking in sap, so some days it takes 8 hours to truck in the sap. That don't include walking lines or boiling. Some nights are long and days are short. My dad got old on me and can't do it any more. He did alot of the trucking. He will by 80 this fall, so that leaves me and my wife.
    Blaisdell's Maple Farm
    started on a 2x2 pan in 2000 and now
    custom built oil fired 4x12 arch by me
    Thor pans Desinged by Thad Blaisdell
    4600 taps

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Walpole, NH
    Posts
    1,363

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    Going from 2 trucks with 500 gallon tanks to one with a 3250 gallon tank should make a huge difference in your sap hauling time. Plus it will give you some extra sap storage if you need it.
    Sugaring for 45+ years
    New Sugarhouse 14'x32'
    New to Me Algier 2'x8' wood fired evaporator
    2022 added a used RB25 RO Bucket
    250 mostly Sugar Maples, 15% Soft Maples. Currently,(110on 3/16" and 125 on Shurflo 4008 vacuum, 15 gravity), (16,000 before being disabled)
    1947 Farmall H and Wagon with gathering tank
    2012 Kubota with forks to move wood around

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    315

    Default

    I couldn't imagine using 500s. I use a 1000 gallon tank but last there were days I made 6 trips and left a load on the back for morning.
    Remember to keep on ticking while the sap is dripping.
    2016- 50 buckets. Made 4 gallons.
    2022- 3900? taps + Smartrek! Made 1300 gallons.

  8. #18
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Cabot Vermont
    Posts
    584

    Default

    I turned the heat on in the ro room yesterday. It will take a few days to get things warmed up. I hope to get the ro together this week and do some leak checking. I think I am going to put in new membrains this year. Last year I was down to about about 1000 gallons an hour with 3 towers, hoping to gain a little there. It looks like March this year before things start but hoping to get things buttoned up before the season starts.
    Blaisdell's Maple Farm
    started on a 2x2 pan in 2000 and now
    custom built oil fired 4x12 arch by me
    Thor pans Desinged by Thad Blaisdell
    4600 taps

  9. #19
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Cabot Vermont
    Posts
    584

    Default

    I got the vacuum turned on at the home woods and tightened up that system, Hauled water to the other 2 sites and filled the tanks and primed the vacuum pumps got them running and turned the heat on. I found the seals on a releaser pump is leaking air into the releaser. I guess that will get a rebuild kit. I am planing to fill the permeate tanks with water tomarrow and getting the ro ready to go. I am hoping to get the rest of my lines walked this weekend. I hope this cold snap makes it easer to get around in the woods. I hope this crust will holds up snow shoes.
    Blaisdell's Maple Farm
    started on a 2x2 pan in 2000 and now
    custom built oil fired 4x12 arch by me
    Thor pans Desinged by Thad Blaisdell
    4600 taps

  10. #20
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Cabot Vermont
    Posts
    584

    Default

    I had Chris Goodrich put in a seal kit in a releaser pump and picked up new membrains for the ro. I hope to get that ready to roll this weekend. I fixed every thing I knew of at my dads woods,now see what happens when the sap starts. The other woods is my cold woods, so that needs the sensors put back in and a walk through when the sap starts to run.
    Blaisdell's Maple Farm
    started on a 2x2 pan in 2000 and now
    custom built oil fired 4x12 arch by me
    Thor pans Desinged by Thad Blaisdell
    4600 taps

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