Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[sjdoyon]

We decided to try another spout this year to see if there was a production difference. We'll see at the end of season. Sorry to hear others are having issues.

Did have over 4,000 gallons come in by noon. Starting to get more trees thawed each day and come online.

[spud]

Got about 3000 gallons today. Still have parts of the woods froze up. Maybe next week things will start rolling.

Spud

[maplwrks]

I'm happy to see it's not just my woods having poor sap runs. On the other side, it allows you to get things real tight before the real run hits!

[DrTimPerkins]

Still have parts of the woods froze up. Maybe next week things will start rolling.

Yes, although late in the year, the trees are still acting like it is early in the season. Not real great flows here in the hills either -- yet!

[BreezyHill]

Funny part of the bush is nearly clear of snow after the ran; other parts still a foot, and I wont even talk about the area that had drifted with over 10' along the state line and 150' into the bush. Ok I will its only waist deep now but not going to bother putting in a new main there until next seek when the younger two are off from school. Smaller trees are flowing ok but anything over 24" is weeping at best and the 36-60" trees are still rocking on the porch sipping spring water.

Looks like last season all over again right now. So I am getting another 500 G bulk tank in for storage.

Dr Tim, Why is my sugar content high 3.4 on these slow runs when the trees are still so frozen and cant get to the good stores of energy? Yet when they are able to convert the storage they drop to the lower 2% in in the past at least...or are we possible going to see a higher sugar year? Or is it just a matter of the outside diameter is just larger area and has more storage capacity?

Thanks

ben

[sapmaple]

averaged about a gallon per tap over a 24-36 hr. period my south facing woods all but stopped running Really looking forward to some west and north winds

[GeneralStark]

I'm at a little over 1 gpt collected from Tuesday til this am. I'm glad we have been able to collect this much as we'll be able to boil this weekend for open house weekend. Looks like we will pull in some more today, but not much this weekend. I'll likely be boiling raw sap so we can keep boiling for visitors.

I spent the day in the commercial kitchen yesterday making candy and sugar for the weekend. I'm well stocked now so if we do get good visitation we'll have plenty to sell. I don't have tons of syrup jugged, but plenty of variety of products.

Went to the sugarhouse early this am to check on tanks and found the vac. at 23". Headed to the woods to find a fallen snag had knocked off two spouts. One cv had pulled out and left the tip and ball in the tree. I knocked it back in and it seemed to go back together. I was quite impressed with the amount of ice on the mainline downstream of and around the two saddles in the vicinity of the leak.

IcyMainline.jpg

[GeneralStark]

Great. Power is out...

[vtgaryw]

I've seen several references to folks who say that a strong south wind is bad for sap flow. What's the basis behind that?

-gary

[mellondome]

Drier air usually... which will make the trees stop running..