Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[PARKER MAPLE]

We started taping this past weekend. Really tuff going with all the snow and crust here in south central VT. Should have about 1800 in by tomorrow. Looks like I will turn the vac pump on this week as well and be chasing leaks.
Purchased a new to use Busch 1142, pretty excited to fire it up and watch the sap roll in.
New power service was dropped last week the the new pump house. Both tanks are plumbed in side by side for a total of a like over 2800 gallons. Not sure that will be enough but it’s what we have.
Still have two more lots to get into. Maybe we can get there this weekend. Looks like the warmer weather might start showing here shortly. No syrup for us this year in February, which I can’t remember never making syrup in February. Always had a barrel or two made by now.
Fingers crossed for a good season, I feel we have a little to make up for lost time.
PM

[TapTapTap]

We started taping this past weekend. Really tuff going with all the snow and crust here in south central VT.
PM

We have the same conditions up here. Really tuff and really slowing us down.

[VT_K9]

We had our preheater welded to fix a leak from the ice. While checking to make sure the weld was complete we found a small 3/8" joint which was not welded at the factory. There was a small seep. Just after wiping the water away a very fine well defined line was the point of the leak. That was welded as well. Need to drop some spin seals in and get to tapping.

We have the crust here too. Better bring you snowshoes out the same hole they went in or your going down.

Mike

[DrTimPerkins]

Crew finished tapping at UVM PMRC production/experimental bush on Friday. Experimental site was tapped on Saturday.

[tcross]

we got 95% of our taps in saturday... finished up sunday a.m. Be nice if today and tomorrow we get enough sap to flush the lines. we'll see.

[Mead Maple]

What did everyone see for sap movement yesterday into this morning? The wind blew so hard here in Middlesex I thought the roof was gonna come off

[PARKER MAPLE]

Same up here in Weston
South west wind but not sure how it did over night yet.
I will report back later. Between the hours of 12-3 it was coming in very hard. 150+gmp
We used it to flush out the lines etc and drained. Hoping for full tanks this morning but the wind has me second guessing that it didn’t happen.

[DrTimPerkins]

Just enough sap to tease in Underhill....murky and low sugar (1 Brix).

[VTfarmboy]

.33 gpt in the last 24 hours testing 1.5%

[drewlamb]

We got 100+/- gallons in each of our 4 tanks which we used to wash tanks then dumped. Plugged bungs, closed valves and are ready to rock. Don't expect much from Sat but overnight temp Sat night is supposed to be around 30, then mid to low 40s and sunny Sunday, so hoping for enough to do an RO wash and rinse and a pan sweetening boil.