Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[blissville maples]

Well here we are again another sugaring season upon us! What's everyone thinking this year? Here we are almost done with storm damage, replacement of drops and taps. Shooting to tap around the 10th of Feb. Looks to be a fairly normal season as far as temps go. No frost so trees should be ready to charge up nicely and release easy. Time tells all...
Cheers to a great season!!

[VT_K9]

We are almost done with tying 1200' (each) of 2" pump line and 1 1/2" vac line to our new sap shack. We have 800' of 1 1/4" mainline tied to the wire. Ready to finish the outside work at the sap shack and prep for the inside work (setting up the trap, releaser, and pump line from the tank). We are also ready to start installing lateral mainlines and finally sap line. Next bad weather day its setting up the new RO.

I think we will be ready to tap in 2-3 weeks, which is normal for our area.

Mike

[Mead Maple]

I am in the process of renovating a new to me sugarhouse. Hoping to have that done in the next few weeks since I still have to build an oil fired arch and run 3/16. This “hobby” is a ton of work. It would scare me to know what I will have into a quart of syrup haha


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[DrTimPerkins]

Close to 3,000 tapped (out of 5,200). Should be nearly done by end of the week hopefully. Membranes are installed and rinsed. Several studies being prepped for the upcoming season.

[spud]

I finished tapping last week. I only have 8-10 inches of snow on the ground so it was very easy. Good luck everyone.

Spud

[Mead Maple]

Quick question; given the low snow totals and the fact that it has been on the mild side, what is a fair assumption for when the sap will be actively flowing. I don’t have enough data of years and tracking for this end of things. But compared to last year a few warm days and the snow would disappear


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[DrTimPerkins]

Quick question; given the low snow totals and the fact that it has been on the mild side, what is a fair assumption for when the sap will be actively flowing.

There is really no knowing until it's all over, but if you're on buckets you should probably wait a bit. It's the folks with a LOT of taps that are out there tapping now.

[Geroldn]

For the past 3 years the weekend after Valentine's Day has been a good tapping time in my sugarbush. This year it looks like skiing will be better. We recently got a got 8-10" of snow in Northfield and have had some cold weather. With only 215 taps I can be done in a day, so I watch the weather forecast.

[tcross]

found a down main line this weekend AFTER the 2' snow fall! had to dig through 30" of snow for 100-150 yards to get it back up and tied up. no clue what took it down. my wire was broke right next to the tightener. perhaps the wind blew the end trees apart at just he right time?? either way, that sure was a good work out and a 3 hours of my time i wasn't ready to waste!

[PARKER MAPLE]

My hopes are starting to tap he weekend after Valentine’s Day as well. I have done one of these 3 weekends for the last 10 years and seems to work. Usually get a few hard freezes and the occasional block of sap ice build up in the tanks. But I wouldn’t change anything. Even a bad day of sugaring is still better then the best day of work.
Good luck to all
I still can’t believe every year this post keeps going. It’s been awesome checking in and fallowing my fellow Vermonters in there quest for the liquid gold. Let’s keep this thing going for many more years

Parker maple