Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[Ultimatetreehugger]

Any ideas as to when we get out of this ice box temp trend we are in??

Pretty sure a safe answer is "when it gets above freezing" but a more helpful answer is the 23 looks like a warming trend. But, that's to far out to be accurate.

[PARKER MAPLE]

Pretty sure a safe answer is "when it gets above freezing" but a more helpful answer is the 23 looks like a warming trend. But, that's to far out to be accurate.

Glad we are all on the same page.

[Ultimatetreehugger]

Glad we are all on the same page.

I'm not shy about working at 0 degrees but that snowy wind at 10 degrees today was brutal. 🥴

[blissville maples]

Any ideas as to when we get out of this ice box temp trend we are in??

Follow Judah cohens blog, he's probably the best climatologist that's ever been. Has 30+ years at comparing sea ice, Siberian snow cover, Julian Madeleine oscillation.......I've followed for about 4 years now and he's usually pretty accurate at predicting the polar vortex. He predicted the current cold snap we are in since the 3rd week of January. If the Greenland jet stream ridge wasn't so strong we would be in on the -20/-40 the west is getting but that blocking kept it from coming east. Pretty interesting thing to follow, new updates every Monday. These climatologist are generally where the weather man gets his information from for his analysis of a 10 day forecast

Looking like cold for atleast next 2 weeks, then moderating but not to seasonable temps just yet. Cold snap may last Into first part of march...

[DrTimPerkins]

Any ideas as to when we get out of this ice box temp trend we are in??

When it gets warmer.

As far as the long-term forecast goes....I predict there is a high probability that it will eventually get warmer as we progress into spring. I haven't been wrong yet.

[blissville maples]

Well started drilling yesterday, sunny side had some liquid in the hole hard to believe how powerful the sun is this time of year. This is the first time I can remember in some time we haven't had a run during the 2-3rd week of February. With the snow on way and cold temps it seems more like January!!

[Ultimatetreehugger]

Blissville, come to think of it, it's the first time since I started sugaring that we haven't had a mid February thaw.

[blissville maples]

Seems to be a very traditional winter! Friday was supposed to be 34-35, now that's back down to 30. It will come eventually I suppose. Although I will say It's nice not having to rush because all of a sudden the 7 day forecast shows day 6 and 7 in the 40s all of a sudden- haha

[VT_K9]

Trouble jumped up for us late last week. We had a technician come out to tune our oil fire evaporator....when we filled...tried to fill the evaporator from the feed tank we found a seam burst in the preheater due to freezing. We have a CDL Deluxe. I know the last time we ran the evaporator we did not fill it from the feed tank, rather warmed the water to drain and rinse it. So I believe we did not open the drain valves on the preheater when we finished. Seems like condensation developed during the short boil and the water settled in the square box, at the low point.

We are in build mode to put the hood lift mechanism in (it about time as it is old cleaning the back pan through the observation ports). My shift at my full time job changed tomorrow to days so we worked get to work on it (hopefully finish it) until Tuesday. Then the weldor can come at his convenience (within a week) to do his magic. I have a welder which is capable, I am willing to admit I am lacking the experience to do the job myself for something this important.

Other than that I have been putting some drops together inside during the evening. Looks like we are going to hit 700 taps this year before we need to finish a few other projects to be ready for the season in a week and a half.

Good luck everyone.

[Mead Maple]

Sounds like some are waiting and some (like myself) are hoping for one more solid week of working weather before things let go. It’ll be a busy weekend for myself with the workload I’ve yet to do. Although you never know what the long term will do, we’ve got a decent snow pack and have had some very cold temps. Hopefully it’ll take a little for these trees to soften up, always down to the wire!