Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[Geroldn]

I’m planning on tapping Valentines Day weekend. Mid-February has worked out well for sap production on a northwest facing hillside. My wife delivers flowers, so Valentines Day is big work day for her. Only 250 taps so that can be done on 1 weekend.

[tcross]

we usually tap the week of the feb 18th... where ever that falls. historically my first boils have all been around feb 20th. i've been working on re tubing 3/4 of my bush and putting it on a wet/dry system and having it all come in on 2 lines... and grabbing another 100 or so taps. should make my life easier with maintenance and better vacuum transfer. other than that, i gotta clean up the sugar house a little and i'm ready to go!

[VT_K9]

We installed 1700' of 1" mainline in a new section of our woods. We replaced about 300' of older mainline with new (stepped up from 3/4" to 1" to help avoid frozen pockets). We finished side tying the new mainline on Monday. Today we ran about 1500' of new sap line, adding about 65 new taps on one mainline run. We have plenty more to go. It would be nice to finish those runs up next week so we can start drilling by the second week in February.

Mike

[sjdoyon]

Started tapping today, thankfully only 14-16 inches of snow in the woods.

[Mead Maple]

Made my way through Bristol yesterday for work and saw some very clean woods and set ups along RT. 116. I did check to see if GeneralStark was close to the main road but it appears he's a bit further off the paved path but nothing saying those lines weren't his given his set up. I'll be curious to see if he replies here!

Wanted to run more lines this weekend but looks like given the temps I'll be checking more items off the wife's to-do list inside in hopes that the next few weeks I'll have her help out in the woods. (We can all dream can't we?!)

[Goatogether]

We finished tapping Thursday after a beautiful two days! It’s our 1st year with 143 on vacuum, 9 on gravity, and 7 on buckets. Really enjoyed being in the woods, quiet and peaceful, the other woodpeckers and me 🍁. Only lost one bit, tore up an old pair of gloves getting used to the one-hand ( um maybe next year&#129315 tubing tool, and took 3 snow dives. Now working on getting the shack organized and watching’, waiting’, hoping’. Good luck everyone!

[Ultimatetreehugger]

Finishing up our expansion this week. Looking at another tank, making a cover for a current tank, and plumbing it into the old tank.

[blissville maples]

Looking like a small bump in temps end of this next week, may see a couple drops of ita a warm 35 vs a cold 35 degree. Funny how there can be a difference must have something to do with inverted temps in the atmosphere.

Looking like it will cool right back down after next weekend for who knows atleast a week though. If you pay attention we happen to get these swings quite often where you'll have 5 6 7 days of cold then moderate for 3 to 4 days sometimes without freezing nights, then right back down again. I presume this year will be pretty similar to last year except hopefully a lot more sugar in the sap!!

At any rate if it takes you a week or two to tap in, it is looking like the time has come, right on cue as the second and third week of February should start seeing some things loosen up. That is for those of us under 1000-1500' elevation

[GeneralStark]

Made my way through Bristol yesterday for work and saw some very clean woods and set ups along RT. 116. I did check to see if GeneralStark was close to the main road but it appears he's a bit further off the paved path but nothing saying those lines weren't his given his set up. I'll be curious to see if he replies here!

I'm up above 116 at the base of the cliffs off a road that parallels 116. Lots of tubing setups in this neighborhood due to the good ground for growing sugar maple.

[DrTimPerkins]

... good ground for growing sugar maple.

And Vermont soils are also great for growing more stones. Many a day spend "picking stones" as a youth.