Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[blissville maples]

Started tapping today. Been in the woods for two days pulling lines out of the snow after the last snow storm. Pump house is done, all I have to do now is finish the "old" woods and I'll be ready to go.

Was thinking this myself!! And agree with Westford, I started working for myself an incorporated business at 22 years old- had 5 guys working for me at one point until I smartened up!! now at 36 I have run a second business for the last 7 years of maple sugaring have three kids on a 3500 square foot house on 13 acres.... I will say I grew up different than most do these days I came from a poor family and we only had we work for, I lived with uncles and grandmother to make ends meet. At one point our toilet was 5 gallon buckets because we couldn't afford to fix the backed up sewer system that nobody ever pumped out, my mother went to college got a nursing degree and it all changed from there and that's how I learned if you want something you better start now.... I also grew up around a lot of alcoholics and I don't drink it all, so sometimes hardships build character and wisdom I believe..

On another note as far as using Lake water to rinse the RO out I don't know if that's such a good idea since the amount of bacteria in that water could be substantially higher than groundwater. At least this is what I've heard.

Vacations over everybody starting Sunday Monday spring is here!! Get ready

[blissville maples]

Quoted wrong post and don't know how to change it now, you'll figure it out!

[JoeJ]

Drew,
I was told by a membrane expert that you should use soft water to rinse your membrane. Water should be low in iron and manganese. He also said not to use sap to rinse your membrane. You will just pack the membrane with junk from the sap and reduce the effectiveness of the membrane. The expert also said to do the water rinse with the size of the membrane. 600 gal membrane = a 600 gallon rinse

I have a deep well at my sugar house and had a water test done to check for hardness. Not good water, lots of minerals and very hard. I had my well at home tested and the water was soft with low minerals. So I have to haul my start up rinse water from home. Kind of a pain hauling 1,200 gallons of water 3.5 miles to the sugar house to do the rinse.

Joe

[MJPJ Sugars]

I live in Georgia, VT, above Milton, below St. Albans (for reference). We're at about 300 feet above sea level -- the goldilocks zone last year (we couldn't keep up). Walking the kids to the bus stop this morning, my 8-year old was thrilled to have spotted a downy woodpecker in one of our trees. What struck me most, however, was how swollen were the buds on the Red Maple the woodpecker had chosen. Right as rain, cold or warm, apparently, those buds are swelling at the beginning of March, no matter what.

We haven't tapped yet... I keep pretty good records for the last few years since I've been doing this. I tapped March 6 last year, but only because I had to spend a work-week out West and wouldn't saddle the wife and kids with hauling buckets in my absence (although I would have this year, tehe Hopefully the forecast holds and we'll tap-in Friday or Saturday to catch the start of the season Sunday or Monday.

As far as social media, et al. -- whether 1919 or 2019, most youth -- most people, old & young, period -- follow the path of least attentive resistance. Old timers should no more frown upon Instagram or Facebook than they should Elvis the Pelvis or cruising the strip on Saturday nights -- remember when Rock-n-Roll was evil? The band KISS stood for Knights in Satan's Service? Ozzy Osborne bit the head of a live bat? All ridiculous, no real difference as a pass-time. All had pitfalls and benefits, and it was up to the user/consumer to pass or fail.

Then, as now, enterprising youths are standouts. Most are slackers. Always have been, always will be. Facebook has no influence there. Let the sap flow

[spud]

Looks like next Thursday the weather starts changing for the better. Even on a cold day the sun is throwing off some good heat. There is still a ton of time to have a successful sugaring season.

My hats off to people like Westford and Blissville for being such hard workers in their early adult life. You guys remind me of myself when I was your age. Westford I take special interest in what your doing because your tapping in my old neighborhood. I have walked in your Jericho woods many times as a young man. I'm so excited to read your post on how your doing. My previous post was referring to kids. You are not a kid. You are a young MAN working hard and full of ambition. You should be proud of yourself and your parents should be very proud of you.

Spud

[blissville maples]

Its about time!! looks good after Saturday. Doesn't show any crazy warm ups, let's hope march stays on the cool side like they are projecting so we can get some yield. Will be an interesting year I believe. I'm wondering how the bigger guys that tap in December tap holes will fair out come April- 12 week old taphole can't be too fresh. I think it will be a good year for the bulk price to go up. A repeat of last year just more significant, let's hope.

[GeneralStark]

What struck me most, however, was how swollen were the buds on the Red Maple the woodpecker had chosen. Right as rain, cold or warm, apparently, those buds are swelling at the beginning of March, no matter what.

The flower buds on red maples always appear very "swollen".... I doubt you are seeing signs of bud break especially given the cold weather we have had. Trees are smart...

It seems like every generation looks down on the younger generation in some fashion... I guess it's just part of getting old and bitter...

It does look like we'll get some action this week. That march sun is feeling warm for sure.

[blissville maples]

That is correct, if u look In December they look the same. Red maples actually flower before they bud......

It started to flow a little bit today in the sun, a whopping quart per tap. Better than nothing, it's a cumulative effort!!

[GeneralStark]

Not much sap flow here the last few days, which is ok because the sugarhouse floor drain (ro drain) froze shut so no way to rinse/wash the ro. Fortunately after many gallons of hot water poured into the outlet of the 4" pipe it is flowing again. This is the first time this has ever happened.

Looks like we should all be busy starting tomorrow. Good luck!

[drewlamb]

Yikes! Hope there's not something more major going on. Last year was my first with RO, and I was super nervous the drain field I built wouldn't be able to handle it, or I'd get a similar plugging problem. Good luck.

Still not a trickle here in Calais. Sun felt so strong today, water running everywhere and mud on the roads, but air temp didn't break 30. Looking forward to real sap Thur. No excuses for not being ready this year.

Thanks Joe for recs on RO rinsing. I sent 250 gallons through yesterday. Without the high pressure, thinking this is only really getting the outside of the membrane, so am planning to concentrate a few hundred gallons to get sap to rinse the inside of the membrane and do a wash and rinse with the permeate. And chuck the concentrate. Is this overkill?