Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[northwoods_forestry]

Gathered in everything last night as the latest freeze blew in. Another cold windy night in the sugarhouse. The rig wasn't as well behaved, syrup was coming in fits & starts & surges. Finished, filtered and packed 13 gallons off 500 gallons of sap. Looks like we'll be frozen in until Saturday.

[VTmaplehobby]

Just want to boil some sap!!! Got 50 gallons still frozen in the tanks... Buckets haven't yielded a drop. Can't believe how great this 3/16 line pulls but we need some warmer weather up here on top of the mountain...

[Randy Brutkoski]

Very expensive to rewind. better off just buying a new one. Rods electric was going to charge me $1500 to rewind my 3 horse motor. I can buy the same identicle baldor for $800 direct from company. Look around. I am glad i did. Finally did my first boil yesterday. Made 160 gallons. Very light. Sugar was anywhere from 1.8 To 2.3. Alot of work left to do. To many problems to list.

[wsugar]

Made 3 barrels yesterday almost a light delicate. Sugar content is going up. So glad I added the other membrane to the ro it works awsome. Going to make some candy and cream while it's cold. Looked at last years calendar and we are ahead on production this year compared to last year. Maybe April is going to be the big runs for us again.

[Rabbit Run Sugar Works]

Today was the first boil for us today.475 gallons of sap 1.75 sugar. Fired up at 10:30 a.m. all done by 1:30 p.m. boiled off 375 gallons, only enough to sweeten the pans, but it was a nice day in the sugar house.


500 taps 5/16 drops 1/2 inch main lines gravity
100 taps on buckets
Leader 2013 2x8 revolution max raised flue
Inferno arch
enhanced steam away
2x2 front pan
12x40 Timber frame sugar house Off grid ( solar )
Dk 50 Kioti 4wd

[GeneralStark]

On tuesday I ran approx 1100 gal. at 2.4% through the ro to approx. 250 at about 10.5%. Boiled for less than 3 hours and made over 20 gal. Started at Dark robust with good flavor (likely from first sap from previous run cleaning the lines; I don't dump sap) and ended just on the edge of AR and GD. All good flavor syrup. A good start to the season and it seems the equipment is finally all dialed in, including the new auto draw which is sweet!!

I am trying to sort out a batching issue after I first start boiling. When I shut down I will often flood the pans a bit just to be sure the level doesn't drop too much as the rig cools. There is a lot of thermal mass in the fire brick. When I start boiling the next time I often get a big batch as the syrup pan levels drop and start to pull sap from the flue pan. It's not a huge deal but the level in the pan drops pretty quick as I fully open the draw off valve (or the auto draw does) and I worry about burning the pan. Any thoughts on how to get a more even first draw?

[Geroldn]

Just want to boil some sap!!! Got 50 gallons still frozen in the tanks... Buckets haven't yielded a drop. Can't believe how great this 3/16 line pulls but we need some warmer weather up here on top of the mountain...

40 gallons of ice in my sap tank from 180 taps on gravity. No boiling yet, no warm ups in the forecast.

[sapmaple]

First do not flood your pan you should have about half of the level when its cooled down compared to your running level at full song. I pull off two pails of sweet as I'm shutting down and close the valve coming from flue pan Then at start up keep valve closed and when you get a boil in the front pan add in your pails of sweet to the tray you will be drawing from When that is boiling open valve from flue pan and everything should move along You may still get a larger batch that first draw but it should be a little smoother Hope this helps!

On tuesday I ran approx 1100 gal. at 2.4% through the ro to approx. 250 at about 10.5%. Boiled for less than 3 hours and made over 20 gal. Started at Dark robust with good flavor (likely from first sap from previous run cleaning the lines; I don't dump sap) and ended just on the edge of AR and GD. All good flavor syrup. A good start to the season and it seems the equipment is finally all dialed in, including the new auto draw which is sweet!!

I am trying to sort out a batching issue after I first start boiling. When I shut down I will often flood the pans a bit just to be sure the level doesn't drop too much as the rig cools. There is a lot of thermal mass in the fire brick. When I start boiling the next time I often get a big batch as the syrup pan levels drop and start to pull sap from the flue pan. It's not a huge deal but the level in the pan drops pretty quick as I fully open the draw off valve (or the auto draw does) and I worry about burning the pan. Any thoughts on how to get a more even first draw?

[sugartree310]

I also would say don,t flood the pans either , I have a 3 X 10 intens-O-fire and have never flooded the pans , cool down with levels at your normal operating level, I run the blower fan for fire till no more hot coals are left in fire box and the boil is gone in the pans , I shut the feed valve to front off when boil is gone or if level gets to top of pipe in float box .

[woodchuck]

40 gallons of ice in my sap tank from 180 taps on gravity. No boiling yet, no warm ups in the forecast.

We pulled out buckets for the first time dumped the ice as we went. We took a pretty good iceberg out of the collection tank. The good news is that the SC was pretty high (over 3) but the volume was only 225. Shut everything down until Saturday......maybe.