Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[Paul VT]

27 here in east Montpelier this am. Sap still 2.1%

[spud]

I got a little freeze last night and it looks like I will get about 7000 gallons for the day. Me. Weather man is now saying freeze for the next two nights. Sap testing 1.2% but would like to keep going through the weekend.

Spud

[sjdoyon]

20150410.jpg

Hard freeze this morning. Getting over a thousand gallons an hour, cold temps next few nights. Things are going well.

[GeneralStark]

Wow. It looks very wintry up there in the NEK. No winter here but I am still 100% a sugarmaker. The sap ran steady all day despite no freeze since saturday night. I actually think that if I left the vac. pump on I could make syrup until the leaves come out. That is how well the sap has been running here. It slows down overnight, and then picks back up in the morning and more than 1 gpt accumulates in the tanks in 24 hours. The sugar is at about 1.5% and despite the fact that the red maples have visually budded, I made over 10 gal. of dark robust with surprisingly good flavor. My wife said it tastes like smores. No bud flavor. We'll take it. It is challenging to boil however due to the foam and after closer inspection this morning I realized that last night I scorched one syrup pan due to foam while drawing off. It cleaned up fine and no harm done. I also realized that last night's syrup was ever so slightly ropey as when I took apart the filter press this afternoon the plates were "strung" together. The syrup I packed up seems fine though. Go figure.

Tonight's syrup was better, I think due to less yeast and fermentation in the sap. I assume the extreme foam is due to alcohols in the sap from the yeast. I have used fermented syrup to make sugar and it foams like heck when boiling. It can be hard to keep in the pan. I learned that I have to keep a very close eye on the flue pan, especially right after firing up the blower. Soon after, I have to shut the blower down, add a good dose of defoamer and then it will be ok assuming I continually add defoamer through the boil.

There was a certain aroma making its presence in the sugarhouse tonight, the one that suggests the end is near and I am pretty certain that a freeze tonight won't stop the inevitable. The peepers are quiet tonight so I will be a sugarmaker for at least one more day. One day at a time from here on in. I'm up to 275 gal. and it seems like at least 300 is likely. I'm feeling good about that.

[spud]

I got 6000 gallons yesterday and woke up today with 29 degrees. I hope things pick up today and tomorrow with the freeze.

Spud

[tcross]

had 24 degrees here in Derby this morning! got 190 gallons yesterday outta my 210 taps... good day! should be more of the same today! sugar content has been right at 2%. should surpass last year's #'s this afternoon! didn't think that was possible a week ago!

[Randy Brutkoski]

Last boil today.Couldnt filter yesterday. Only boiled on 5800 taps this year and i am at 2280 gallons before todays boil. not bad with all the problems i had.

[DrTimPerkins]

No freeze for us last night, although a few of the colder areas might have gotten a light touch of frost. Won't do anything for us production-wise. I suspect we'll get another few days out of it and that'll be the end. Syrup yesterday was dark, but very good tasting with no hint of any late-season off-flavor, so we'll keep boiling for a while yet.

[DrTimPerkins]

NEW Efficiency Vermont Program starts today for Vermont Maple Syrup Producers

Sugaring season is currently winding down, but it’s a great time to start thinking about next year!

Never had a maple reverse osmosis (RO) system before?
Did you know it could cut your boiling time by 50-75%, using less fuel/wood and freeing up your time?

If you had more than 250 taps or 60 gallons of syrup produced in 2014 a RO might be right for you.
Get a quote from a vendor and fill out our Maple RO Pre-Qualification Form.
The Form can also be found on our website here:
https://www.efficiencyvermont.com/do...-qual-form.pdf

Rebate Levels for Maple RO
Gallon per Hour (GPH) Rating Rebate per System
50-149 $1,000
150-299 $1,500
300-599 $2,000
600-999 $2,500
1000+ $3,000

Please keep in mind:
• Must be a first-time RO purchase for an existing sugaring operation.
• RO system must be purchased between 1/1/15 and 11/30/15.
• Funds for this program are limited. Preapprovals are required and rebates will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. If necessary, a waiting list will be developed.
• Maximize your chances and submit a pre-qualification form for approval as soon as possible.
• This rebate can be used in conjunction with other grant/loan programs; for example the USDA Rural Energy for America Program.

We will be out-and-about the weekend of the VT Maple Festival spreading the word. Hope to see you there!

If you have any questions about this program or other Efficiency Vermont services do not hesitate to reach out.
Thanks, Jenn

Jennifer Osgood
Program Manager – Agriculture
Efficiency Vermont
128 Lakeside Ave, Suite 401
Burlington, VT 05401
Toll Free: 888-921-5990 x7814
Direct Dial: 802-540-7814
Fax: 802-658-1643

[GiddingsHill]

Good freeze here, dry lines were hammering so I know the upper woods froze too. Sap went to 1.5 yesterday but tested 2.0 this morning, I have a feeling this increase is because a section heavy to soft maple either hasn't started to run today or is nearly done for the season, we'll see.
I have a CDL vertical releaser with a manifold and 1.5hp submersible pump. I had heard that these can be easily overwhelmed when lines thaw and have witnessed this a couple times, the worst was today when I actually had to almost close the valve on a 2000 tap wet line or I would have set off the moisture trap, it just couldn't pump fast enough.
This releaser is rated for 8000 taps but if it needs to be babysat on 3050 that seems unlikely. I've also had issues with the lines to the tanks freezing and backing up the releaser and closing the moisture trap...but that's more to do with my setup.
Anyone tried dropping a second pump in one of these? I guess CDL is telling people that is the solution, from what I've heard.