Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[BreezyHill]

Air injectors allow you to adjust the amount of air you put into your sap ladder. My sap ladder is built by using 5/16 lines and stars top and bottom. By letting in some air it improves the lift system. Defeats the vacuum but I had to do it to get the sap moving. I will try to get some pics this weekend and post what I'm doing. I'm not sure if this works on a two pipe sap ladder. Time will tell. 

Adjust the injector to the reading of a vac gauge. When the ladder is flooded the vac will drop off, if you open the injector too much the vac drops off. When you reach your highest vac level during peak flow you have the injector set perfectly and will have the best vac transfer you can possible achieve.

Injectors actually increase vac levels. On my system with 8 injectors and 8 ladders I have less than 0.15 CFM of injected air. Simple to install and cost under $10 at the local hardware store. In 2013 half our taps were laddered and we did .47 g/tap of syrup. This season 800+ of 1100 will be thru at least one ladder and most thru at least two ladders.
Our system has had ladders since the late 1970's to bring those Vermont trees the the NY sugar house.... amazing how 185 feet makes syrup sell differently!

[wsugar]

Thank you breezy. Can you send me a private message with a phone number. I would love to talk with you or see your set up

[wsugar]

image.jpgimage.jpg

This is a pic of one of my lifts

[PARKER MAPLE]

In the woods this afternoon for awhile. Wasn't as cold as I thought it would be. But kept moving and was fine. Probably got another 50 taps hooked to the mainline. Then hooked the whip to the wet dry. I think tomorrow after I get done plowing I will extend the last mainline. This will allow me to pick up another 200-250 taps. Don't know if I will get them all on this year but going to try like hell for the next week to get as much as poss. .looking at the long range for my area I think I will start tapping end of the month, unless something changes. I do no we don't need any more snow. Snowshoes on and still making it hard to get around on. I think we are up to somewhere around 70 or so new dsD saddles. Seem to really like the way they install, really like the Ss hose clamp. Time will tell if there as good as they seem they are.

Got to plumb the RO, and work on washing tanks soon. Rebuild one vac pump then should be done.
PM

[spud]

There is nothing going on here at the Border town. It is way too cold to tap. Kids are going to have the last week of the month off from school so the tapping will get done then. I hope we don't get sap till the third week of March so some of this snow has time to melt.

Spud

[PARKER MAPLE]

There is nothing going on here at the Border town. It is way too cold to tap. Kids are going to have the last week of the month off from school so the tapping will get done then. I hope we don't get sap till the third week of March so some of this snow has time to melt.

Spud

What do you think is this freeze going to hurt the production this year? I think for me we will have another wicked short season. But might be wrong. Just need to get out of this deep freeze so the sun can start warming things up. I think the last day we had above 32 was back in December so it's going to take awhile. I'm not going to start tapping this year until it's running. I want wet steaming drill bits. Long range forecast on accuweather keeps changing so they do have a clue what's going on.

[spud]

It's a guessing game for sure. I do think the last two weeks of March will get us some sap and then the first three weeks of April the big runs will come. Last year I only had 3 runs in March. The extended forecast in my area is saying April will be sugaring weather. Back 6-7 years ago when the price of syrup went to $4.00 lb I was told that it was because Canada had so much snow and frost in the ground that their sugaring season ended before the ground thawed. Can anyone confirm that? I am wondering if Dr. Tim could tell us. I still think we are going to have a very good season. My wife say's I better be right or else.

Spud

[sapmaple]

My temp here this morning just as sun was coming up -25 I have not seen any temps that cold in a long time around here
With the full moon in the first week of march I don't see any real sugaring weather til at least 2nd week of march
just my two cents which I dare say is as good as any weather person!

[spud]

Looks like I might be able to tap some tomorrow. This weekend is also looking good with temps around 25-30. Big sap on the way.

Spud

[PARKER MAPLE]

Finished up the repairs to our east sugarbush this am. It had been a number of years since this lot was used by my grandfather. So it was in rough shape. But finally today I cut in the last drop line and capped the ladt main. Going to clean up all tanks this weekend, set the vac pumps and plumb the RO. Should b smooth sailing from here. I'm thinking of starting tapping next weekend. 2weeks later then I usually do but what's usuall know?

Let the sap gods bring on the warm weather 😉
Parker Maple