Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[GeneralStark]

Made another 20 gal. of GD. Ran pretty well today but not a gusher. We'll see what happens overnight...

[wiam]

Did not start running till late afternoon. Got about 200 gallons from 900 of my own.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

18 gallons tonight shutting down

[WestfordSugarworks]

Got the releaser reading about 28.4" on our big bush in Jericho this afternoon! We are pretty pleased with this Atlas Copco- if anyone is looking into new pumps I would definitely recommend it. I think all our boosters are reading around 28" or better. And that's with a bunch of saddles leaking too, not much but enough that you can hear them if you put your ear right to them.

Walked lines all day and made half a barrel tonight. Hope things are going smooth for everyone.

[DrTimPerkins]

Started running late yesterday afternoon, but a real slow gradual start. Ran some overnight, still no gusher, but OK. I think the ground is still frozen in the woods....real hard when you walk across it. That probably limited uptake during the last freeze cycle. Still running well on 25+" vacuum and I expect it'll keep up for a while like this. Sap running about 2.3%, which is a bit higher than usual, but we'll take it. It's probably going to take a nice freeze to really get us going.

[GeneralStark]

Seems like a pretty similar situation here. It ran all night and I pulled in about 500 gal. since about 6pm yesterday. Sugar still at 2.2%. Vac at 27".

I have not had too much niter as of yet but still going to clean the syrup pans this am...

Hoping for a good freeze Friday night but it is looking pretty marginal at this point. Otherwise it may not be until 3/21 or so that we get another freeze here, unless the forecast dramatically changes.

[Beyondsuspension]

I checked the collection tank at 8 last night, had 150 gallons. The temp was still at 37 and the weather report showed a warm up overnight so I left the pump running. I checked at 6 this morning when I let the dog out, had 220 gallons. 70 gallons over 10 hours on 500 taps running at 18" of vacuum. Nothing to write home about that's for sure.

[DoubleBrookMaple]

I think I will clean my pans as well after today's boil. I have been adding taps trying to offset what I think will be an early/short season. I have been hoping for Friday night also, but it is, like said "marginal". It will be a couple weeks of above normal temps, and I don't want the sweet to sit so long.
I just pulled up the NWS Climate Prediction Center 8-14 day probability graphic (not a forecast), and things have gotten worse. I am, and central and southern Vermont are the very heart of the "above normal" temperature outlook.
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/product...14temp.new.gif
**UPDATE 14:30 **
High temperature 70 (well... 69.9), and dropping now!! Sap flowing quite good, but sugar down to 1.4% from 2.0% yesterday. I am saving my 300 gal from yesterday to process after my current flow and buckets. That tank is 45 degrees, and today's vacuum run tank and the buckets are all 60 degrees plus. I am RO processing right now, will collect remote 55 gal tanks (3) and buckets soon and boil tonight, followed by the 300 gal cold sap tonight or tomorrow AM. I have done this before and it works out well to save the cold sap til last.
Friday night my forecast is for a low 28 degrees.
Forecast improving with below freezing for 6-7 hours...

[Tucker08]

11 gallons tonight. We got lighter and even made some Fancy. 10 last night as well. Up to 76 total. Today was a nice, and unexpected, gusher. Hoping for Friday. I don't want to make commercial.


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[tcross]

temp yesterday got up to 56... never froze the night before. last night got down to 46. got about 275-300 gallons from my 200 taps between yesterday a.m and this a.m! not running as good as I've seen, but i'll take whatever I can get with this funky weather! testing a hair over 2%! made about 5-6 gallons of some delicious amber.