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Thread: 2023 Season

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

    Default 2023 Season

    I guess A friend of mine and are going to start tapping tomarrow. I am going to start tapping on the cold side of the woods before the snow gets to deep. I heard butternut farm told or sent a letter to a bunch of sugar makers that were holding there syrup for them,saying that they would not be picking it up this year. I guess there not many packers buying syrup right now. Some sugarmakers are stuck with alot of last years syrup. This could be a problem for sugarmakers going into this season with there barrels already full. This is not going to help the bulk price. The retail market has held the same for us over all. A little slow this summer but picked up this last fall. We added a new pump shack with a electric releaser and did away with the last manual releaser. 2023 HERE WE GO!!
    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. #2
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Cabot Vermont
    Posts
    584

    Default

    I have 1 woods all taped, Wow this is diffrent not trugging through snow or using snow shoes.Hoping to have the next woods 1/2 done by the end of the day.
    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. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Thetford, VT
    Posts
    450

    Default

    We planned an expansion last year using CDL's heated hut. It arrived after the season started and we didn't have the time to finish that area. In the meantime we moved that area's collection point to a lower loction to aid in the lift height needed. With any luck we will have the hut plumbed in this week. Dad is putting new taps on the drops as the weather permits. A quick clean at each releaser and we are ready to tap. Good luck to everyone.

    Mike
    Tapping since 1985 (four generations back to early to mid 1900s). 200-250 taps on buckets and then tubing in the mid 90s. 2013- 275 taps w/sap puller 25 gal. 2014-295 taps w/sap puller 55 ga. (re-tapped to vacuum theory) 2015-330 taps full vac. 65 gal, 2016-400 taps 105 gal, 2017-400 taps 95 gal. 2018-additional 800' mainline and maybe 400 new taps for a total near 800 taps. 2x6 Leader WSE (last year on it) supported by a 250 gph RO.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Cabot Vermont
    Posts
    584

    Default

    We got about 3900 tapped so far. This has been the easiest tapping season I have ever had.Usually I start and we get a dumping of snow and slows the tapping down. We have about 800 more to go and that will be done. I have a section of tubing that needs to be replaced this next summer. The drops are getting short and the brush is getting thick and it is the last section to get stubbys installed. I still need to wash the releasers and the tanks but I have a little time still for that. I looked at the CDL dog house those are cool units.
    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

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    VT
    Posts
    29

    Default

    Anyone getting any sap this week? Im considering hanging my buckets this weekend (really small operation) I usually wait until closer to March but the forecast has me considering an early season this year. PS Im just north of Burlington close to the lake.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Williston, VT
    Posts
    615

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by VT_K9 View Post
    We planned an expansion last year using CDL's heated hut. It arrived after the season started and we didn't have the time to finish that area. In the meantime we moved that area's collection point to a lower loction to aid in the lift height needed. With any luck we will have the hut plumbed in this week. Dad is putting new taps on the drops as the weather permits. A quick clean at each releaser and we are ready to tap. Good luck to everyone.

    Mike
    Mike,
    We installed the high vacuum sap lifter in February of last year. We were generally vey happy with it. I bought a pair of the seafloor pumps as spares and didn't need them. At $40 each it was a was worth it. I also reconfigured the 2 pump in parallel as purchased to the pumps working in series to pump it up about 22 ft. And it performed well.
    Ken
    Ken & Sherry
    Williston, VT
    16x34 Sugarhouse
    1,500 taps on high vacuum, Electric Releaser & CDL Sap Lifter
    Wood-Fired Leader 30"x10' Vortex Arch & Max Raised Flue with Rev Syrup Pan & CDL1200 RO
    https://www.facebook.com/pumpkinhillmaple/

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Thetford, VT
    Posts
    450

    Default

    Hi Ken,

    We have the solar version. No hope for power at this sight. It would also be interesting to turn it into a releaser type pump and not need to pump back to the collection point (create a second pump location). We have a challenge with things freezing up and not thawing in a timely manner to take advantage of a good run. We are located on the west side of a hill. Not much sun until 0930-1000. That is why the heated hut was attractive. It would be nice to get the temps in the spaces where our releasers are located up another 10 degrees to take the edge off. We are setup to run a Dewalt 20v propane heater in each of the 2 collection points should we need to thaw the releaser to help with an early morning run.

    Mike
    Tapping since 1985 (four generations back to early to mid 1900s). 200-250 taps on buckets and then tubing in the mid 90s. 2013- 275 taps w/sap puller 25 gal. 2014-295 taps w/sap puller 55 ga. (re-tapped to vacuum theory) 2015-330 taps full vac. 65 gal, 2016-400 taps 105 gal, 2017-400 taps 95 gal. 2018-additional 800' mainline and maybe 400 new taps for a total near 800 taps. 2x6 Leader WSE (last year on it) supported by a 250 gph RO.

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

    Default

    The sap ran a little, got two pump stations up and running. one station is at 22inches the other is only at 16 inches. The ro room is warmed up and water in the tanks. I hope to get that ready to go tomarrow. The vac sensors are tuuner on in one woods and 1/2 on in the other. the woods by the house I am going to tap today. Then next week run some leaks and be boiling. I have the 500 gallon tank bolted to my pickup and got the sap truck started and ready.
    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. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Williston, VT
    Posts
    615

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by VT_K9 View Post
    Hi Ken,

    We have the solar version. No hope for power at this sight. It would also be interesting to turn it into a releaser type pump and not need to pump back to the collection point (create a second pump location).
    Mike,
    I'm not sure what you're thinking about but it would be next to impossible to use that system to pump out of the vacuum and release the sap into atmospheric pressure. At least at any reasonable quantity on a low powered system. Plus I can't imagine finding such a high output pump fitting in the canister.
    Ken
    Ken & Sherry
    Williston, VT
    16x34 Sugarhouse
    1,500 taps on high vacuum, Electric Releaser & CDL Sap Lifter
    Wood-Fired Leader 30"x10' Vortex Arch & Max Raised Flue with Rev Syrup Pan & CDL1200 RO
    https://www.facebook.com/pumpkinhillmaple/

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

    Default

    The RO is together and ready to go one woods is at 26 inches another is at 25 inches and the other is at 20 inches I hauled in about 3400 gallons of sap tonight going to start the RO in the morning and haul in the sap from the last woods. I then hope to walk some lines while the ro runs. It takes afew days to get the vac. up to 27 inches. I hope to sweeten the pans tomarrow night. I tried to tighten up the vacuum in the woods that had 20 inches but the leaks kept freezing up on me so that was a bust. I did manage to find two big leaks that were to big to freeze so that bring it up alittle.
    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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