Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[spud]

I hope you have a great season General. I have 7500 tapped as of now and plan to tap the last 1500 next week sometime. I need a break from tapping. I have been doing 600 taps a day and I am starting to feel it (getting old). All my CV2 spouts are in and half the Max Flow spouts are in. Looks like we are in for some real cold weather for the next week or better. I will be ready when the sap starts flowing.

Spud

[WestfordSugarworks]

Spud,

When you tap, do you use a holster for your drill or do you fix it to a rope that you hang around your neck? Also, do you use a tapping mallet or hammer? Just curious on how you do things when tapping, because doing 600 taps a day is pretty good in terms of efficiency. Last year I had the drill tied on a rope around my neck but this year I used a holster and like it better because the bit doesn't rip up my clothes. Haven't done quite as many taps as you this season, maybe closer to 6K so far with maybe another 1k to do before I'm finished. We got lucky and had a lot of help tapping from family and friends. I know that my wrist was killing me after the first couple days of tapping, and can only imagine how you must feel doing that all yourself day after day. Hope you feel better. Looks like you can take a few days off, only warm day in the next week is Tuesday according to the site I use, but it will only warm up to 40 as of their current forecast for Richford and maybe that won't do much after the hard cold we will have experienced.

[spud]

Spud,

When you tap, do you use a holster for your drill or do you fix it to a rope that you hang around your neck? Also, do you use a tapping mallet or hammer? Just curious on how you do things when tapping, because doing 600 taps a day is pretty good in terms of efficiency. Last year I had the drill tied on a rope around my neck but this year I used a holster and like it better because the bit doesn't rip up my clothes. Haven't done quite as many taps as you this season, maybe closer to 6K so far with maybe another 1k to do before I'm finished. We got lucky and had a lot of help tapping from family and friends. I know that my wrist was killing me after the first couple days of tapping, and can only imagine how you must feel doing that all yourself day after day. Hope you feel better. Looks like you can take a few days off, only warm day in the next week is Tuesday according to the site I use, but it will only warm up to 40 as of their current forecast for Richford and maybe that won't do much after the hard cold we will have experienced.

I do have a holster for my drill. I use a framing hammer to knock the spouts in. This is the same hammer I used to frame many homes with in Alaska. I did break about 20 spouts this year so far and it's all my fault. If I bought one of those little white CDL mallets my wife would call me a sissy. I tapped 700 one day and now my wife is wondering why I cannot keep the pace. I think she is trying to wear me out so I will not be a nuisance to her later in the day.

Spud

[wiam]

Picked up hoods from Thor on Sunday. Look really nice. Local weldor finished my stainless preheater yesterday. I think I have all the pieces for my new evaporator. Just have o put them all together.

[GeneralStark]

Thanks Spud. I wish the same for you and all other sugarmakers. I have been working at tapping this week and am about half done. An hour here and a couple hours there adds up. This week's snow has made the footing a little tricky on our steep terrain but I got all the hard stuff done. Repairs haven't been too bad, but will see when the pump goes on. Hand warmers were key today, but the sun was nice.

I have to put the releaser back together but the plan is to turn the pump on Tuesday. If the forecast holds true we are in for some warm weather this next week and I'll be ready to make some syrup.

[PARKER MAPLE]

Repairs repairs and more repairs. So I haven't been on here lately do to you guessed it repairs. So two weeks ago I generated apprx 1000 gal of sap and was going to process if. Well first transfer pump from sap tank to truck busted. Finally fixed that and went to run through ro, you guessed it something happened there, then to top it off the vac pump came apart. I'm hoping that I have got all the glitches out of the way now and this week everything starts to run smooth.
Bring on the gradual warm weather now.

[woodfordmark]

Can anyone give me an idea as too how accurate the "Accu weather" is here....I'm strictly on gravity and certainly don't want to tap too early...any input would be appreciated

[PARKER MAPLE]

Can anyone give me an idea as too how accurate the "Accu weather" is here....I'm strictly on gravity and certainly don't want to tap too early...any input would be appreciated

Accu is what I go by. They have been close for me this year

[DoubleBrookMaple]

I am wondering about how well the trees will wake up after -22 just 48 hours ago, and only 15 degrees last night. It is 41 here, and just 33 just four miles down the road... Forecast is for 50+ and won't hit freezing until near midnight. Turned vacuum on at 7am, and going out to tap some.
10:30.. 41.. no flow.., and now 45 down the road!
I always say I live in an ice box up here.

[GeneralStark]

I guess we'll see. I have about 400 taps in and will likely turn on the vac. later today. We are still at just under 32F with a pretty good ice glaze on everything. I'm not expecting much but you never know. We are predicting to see a high of almost 50F. What a weird winter...