Hop Kiln Road 2022

[Marc Duclos]

You couldn't have said that any better. I make tons and don't use AOC #'s

[M&M Maple Grove]

You couldn't have said that any better. I make tons and don't use AOC #'s

I was impressed with him being at tourist level. I only have customers. Let’s keep in mind this is the Internet and most things are taken out of context so we shouldn’t take each other so seriously.

[Hop Kiln Road]

"the weather and environment that is the biggest driving factor for sap production in the springtime"

BAP - I think vacuum is actually the biggest driving factor. Regardless, it is more complex than that and the only way to make informed decisions is to keep accurate records. My competition is year to year with myself which I share on this blog, don't take it personally. I like reading MT to find innovators. Bruce

[Old County Road]

Bruce - if you have a few minutes this week would you mind posting about your procedures for tubing sanitation? I have 200 taps on 3/16 laterals running into a 1” mainline that I would like to sanitize. The mainline and laterals are 3 years old now so I am thinking it is a good idea to do it but I’m interested in learning from someone who has experience having done it.

[Hop Kiln Road]

Pumped 110 gal of 1.5% Sunday morning and raw boiled to flush the sugar out of the flue pan for the visitors. LT 29, but was selling it right out of the canner. Going to flush and clean the pans and wait and see what happens with the mid week freezes. Sap is going to run but the quality might be an issue.

Old County Road - Pretty simple. The Art Kruger method. I cut off my spouts when I pull my taps and let the drop hang. Then I load my lines, laterals and drops with a calcium hypochlorite solution. Mostly I load the top of the system from a truck tank with a shurflo pump and walk down the line capping each drop after it fills. I let it sit for a couple days or until I get back to it. Then I drain the line and rinse, drain and cap the drop lines. In December I do line repairs and attached the new spouts. The trick is figuring out the easiest way to load your systems. With a 1” line you may be able to pump from the bottom and fill the laterals, I don’t know. The key is beach solution having complete contact with the tubing walls for at least a day which means you have to get all the air out of the system as you load the lines.

[Old County Road]

Thank you Bruce - I appreciate the sanitizing information. I'll try to pump from the bottom, that will be easier for me as long as I can get the necessary pressure.

[Hop Kiln Road]

28F on top of the hill this morning and probably a little colder at the bushes. Forecast is wind this afternoon and colder tonight too. Everything is cleaned and ready to go.

[M&M Maple Grove]

“The Art Krueger method”. BTW.. that is the correct spelling of his name. I only mention this because you won’t find anything when you search “Kruger”. I was just pointing out in another thread that Art attained all his information from UVM. Let’s give credit where credit is due. This probably gets lost in the video because of all the clucking chickens and roosters in the background. He should however, be praised for spreading the information.

[Hop Kiln Road]

Pumped .8 gpt during the afternoon and half-filled the canner. Boiled well with no foam ups. Didn't grade yet but looks lower end of DR. Probably another .5 gpt out there before it stopped last night. A big freeze coming.

[Hop Kiln Road]

Pumped .8 gpt of 1.5% this morning. My SC is low this year for some reason. Sap has cleared up a lot and now only slightly cloudy. 33F this morning. I expect the grade to go up a little. Line are barely running but a major freeze is coming.