Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[tcross]

I'm done here. we've made more than I can sell so we pulled the plug Wednesday. My lines are still gravity feeding the tank and off my 200 taps I got 90 gallons yesterday. that would of been a great run with the pump on! look like some nasty weather the next couple day here. 5" snow and 2" ice... the season should last a little while longer up in my neck of the woods.

[spud]

I was able to get just shy of a half gallon per tap yesterday. Sap is testing 1.5%. I guess I will leave the pump running just to see what happens next week.

Spud

[drewlamb]

Had a big run here yesterday on our new lines, especially overnight. Around 1.5 gal/tap. Other bush on new spouts but older drops are drying out. Probably only 0.5 per tap there. Pumping now. Should have around 2500 to boil today. Guessing folks further north at 1200' and higher will have sap through next week. Conditions look good and I don't see any bud swell on the sugars. Hoping for darker syrup.

[DrTimPerkins]

Late-morning update
We got about 4,711 gal (off 4,929 taps) of 1.9 Brix sap overnight. 5/16" tubing sections running well. 3/16" sections not so good. Newer tubing running better than older tubing.

Boiling starting around 11am. Should make around 220-230 gal of syrup, which will put us at around 0.52 gal/tap.

[Msboucha]

1.25gpt in 12 hrs overnight, 1.6gpt in the last 24hrs..our single biggest run this season.....go figure. Actually overflowed one 5g bucket with 2 taps..too bad we've had a few taps dry up/pulled due to budding. Right around 0.7gpt syrup wise this far. Keep on keeping on!

[GeneralStark]

Sap flow slowed way down here but still running steady. I'm also seeing a slowing or stopping of older 3/16 tubing, though cv spouts are helping, but new is still chugging along.

I tested sap sugar with my new hydrometer yesterday and still at about 1.5 and sap is still very clear. About to fire up the ro and will boil later today.

Possible marginal freeze tonight, but very likely tomorrow night. If the trees stay dormant, that could extend us into next week...

[DrTimPerkins]

Right around 0.7gpt syrup wise this far. Keep on keeping on!

A good example of "size matters."

https://www.themaplenews.com/story/u...and-yield/187/

[Msboucha]

A good example of "size matters."

https://www.themaplenews.com/story/u...and-yield/187/

Thanks for the article. For sure, these are not "spring chickens"..

[drewlamb]

Made 45 gallons of AR from around 2400 gallons of sap. Sugar at 1.7. Though most of the sap came yesterday, there was trickle all the way back to the 5th, and based on the yeasty scum in the tanks, I figured it would go darker for sure. Nope. Scrubbed the tanks clean and am ready for whatever comes next! Super messy weather coming, but next week looks big.

[WestfordSugarworks]

Spud, that's what I like to hear. Never give up!

We are at 0.45 gal per tap in our small bush and will hit 0.5 gal per tap by mid next week if we can keep going. I think we'll be able to, don't see why not. Red maple buds look fine and it definitely feels like sugaring season still. Flavor has changed a bit but still not at all what I would consider off flavored. Right on the line between AR/DR last night. Sap has been at 1.2. Boils been going so smooth this year, it's been nice. Low niter, easy to filter, low foam, draws very steady. It's almost too easy being the sugarhouse, the most work we have to do is cleaning out barrels before filling. Hope everyone stays good through next week and makes a lot of syrup.