Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[ryebrye]

Now it's time to sit down and collate all the data, analyze the results, and figure out what to say at the Leader Evaporator Co. Open House next Friday/Saturday.

Do you know if there will be any discussion about results comparing 3/16 on a combination of natural + mechanical vacuum vs 3/16 on gravity alone there?

I did 3/16 onto a mainline under 27.5" of vacuum this year and had what I consider to be very good results for this weather - 23 gallons of sap per tap on 107 taps - but I didn't do it in a scientific way (I didn't do any 3/16 only lines). Last year I got close to that in gallons of sap per tap using just 3/16 on gravity - but the season was much different last year.

I was achieving at least 27" on all the taps I measured throughout the season, and had vacuum readings at the top of my lines that were higher than 28" or 29" - the Leader catalog has a little chart that makes it sound like >27" should yield around 30 gallons of sap per tap - but I suspect that this year that would not be the case.

Since I trade/sell the sap, the gallons of syrup per tap is really just the upper limit assuming there was no processing waste - in that I hit 0.62 gallons per tap (calculating the syrup value using the "new jones rule of 88.2" in http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc/jones.pdf ).

[n8hutch]

I got a flyer from Bascom & Tim Wilmot is going to be at their open house discussing 3/16 tubing with & without Vac Pumps, first weekend of May.

[sjdoyon]

Approaching 2,500 gallons made. All our trees on the north facing slope and above 2,000ft are running hard. Still have over a foot of snow in this section.

[chevypower]

Well we're done here, sugared off this morning and ended up with a little over 2400 gallons for the season. Pulled a few spouts this afternoon and will be back at it tomorrow.

[spud]

Well we're done here, sugared off this morning and ended up with a little over 2400 gallons for the season. Pulled a few spouts this afternoon and will be back at it tomorrow.

I am glad you had a very good year. Is it safe to say you're changing your name to DodgePower?

Spud

[DrTimPerkins]

Do you know if there will be any discussion about results comparing 3/16 on a combination of natural + mechanical vacuum vs 3/16 on gravity alone there?

That is primarily the work of Tim Wilmot. He won't be speaking at Leader Evaporator this year. I may have some results to discuss on using 3/16" in a vacuum setting, but given that the analysis is just starting, I can't say for sure yet exactly what will be presented. If anything is presented, it'll be fairly minimal.

[maplecherry]

20150418_160634.jpg
yesterday and again today shortly

[sjdoyon]

Late night boiling, sap has been coming in hard all day. Temps going down to 25 tonight, should be a good day tomorrow.

[spud]

Late night boiling, sap has been coming in hard all day. Temps going down to 25 tonight, should be a good day tomorrow.

How many gallons are you up to.

Spud

[chevypower]

Spud, you are behind the times.... I traded the Ram in for a Chevy about a month and a half ago, I couldn't continue driving around feeling like a trader . Took me awhile to come to my senses but the grass isn't always greener on the other side . Sorry you had the troubles you did this season, I thought you would have been able to go another couple days after we were done. Anyway, have fun with the kids this week and good luck to those still going.