Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[blissville maples]

I too have been worried about this. Although the first emergence on our sugars were pollen nodes, leaves were behind those just a little and open only about 10% of the way, so I'm hoping they weren't far enough along to hurt much. They do seem to be continuing to grow so that must be a good sign.

So I've noticed about 80-90% of trees started off early with pollen nodes, this started around first of April while finishing up boiling. We had all thought they were leaf buds but those came after the pollen nodes. Will these pollen nodes affect flavor as the leaf buds will. Also noticed the other 10 to 20% did not start off with the pollen nodes. I questioned if these trees we're not as healthy so they budded later, or as I understand maple trees have a sex to them and perhaps this is what that represents. I've noticed that these slower trees are now breaking bud and going right to Leaf no pollen nodes. I can only assume that these are the other gender and do not contain pollen- just things that catch my eye and make me wonder why.

[blissville maples]

The flowers of the Red Maples in our area all died off. the sugars seem to be fine.

That's what has happened with our reds, and is typical. Sugar maples should be doing same with all their pollen glands, and of course making seed.

Seems like a seed year always follows a high sugar year for us.

[MJPJ Sugars]

Sugar maple emerging leaves sure have a funny color to them.... uh oh...

[DrTimPerkins]

Sugar maple emerging leaves sure have a funny color to them.... uh oh...

Care to post a photo? If frost-damaged, they'd be brown or black (almost scorched looking). If they are red...that is normal for newly emerging leaves.

[MJPJ Sugars]

Care to post a photo? If frost-damaged, they'd be brown or black (almost scorched looking). If they are red...that is normal for newly emerging leaves.

Not a great picture, but def a brown-olive color. Certainly not that vibrant VT Green we're used to seeing in May. The buds popped before we had that mid-20's night or three and a few inches of snow around Thursday April 22nd. And I don't think they've grown since.

[Hmmm... can't seem to get the pic attached...OK... 3rd time's a charm]Maple PNG.jpg

[DrTimPerkins]

The buds popped before we had that mid-20's night or three and a few inches of snow around Thursday April 22nd. And I don't think they've grown since.

Not much has greened up since then....been too cold and dry until quite recently. Red maple flowers at our place are still right where they were 3 weeks ago. Give it a few more weeks and then let us know how things look. The resolution of the photo is too low to see much of anything.

[Ultimatetreehugger]

What's up with other Vermont sugar makers this year? Any big upgrades or installations? My big news is I finally bit the bullet for monitoring, super excited to put my smartrek system to work. Otherwise doing a small 400 tap install by extending some mains no more than 400ft each. Adding about 100 taps each. Makes for a fast install when you aren't working with 1.25 to 2 inch conductors.

[DrTimPerkins]

What's up with other Vermont sugar makers this year?

Lots of preparations this year and last.

- Heavy tree thinning in a couple of areas in preparation for tubing.
- 1,000+ tap expansion (Dr. Abby's research project on red vs sugar maple).
- 2 new ~10,000 gal CDL sap silos
- new CDL RO in the MPRF (Maple Processing Research Facility)
- 2nd 500 gal refrigerated bulk tank
- sap pumping for our lower area directly to the sugarhouse
- testing a new Becker high-vacuum pump
- moved a sap shed to accommodate the pump and tanks above

[BAP]

Lots of preparations this year and last.

- Heavy tree thinning in a couple of areas in preparation for tubing.
- 1,000+ tap expansion (Dr. Abby's research project on red vs sugar maple).
- 2 new ~10,000 gal CDL sap silos
- new CDL RO in the MPRF (Maple Processing Research Facility)
- 2nd 500 gal refrigerated bulk tank
- sap pumping for our lower area directly to the sugarhouse
- testing a new Becker high-vacuum pump
- moved a sap shed to accommodate the pump and tanks above

Sounds like an expensive off season!!

[DrTimPerkins]

Sounds like an expensive off season!!

And a busy one...some things still being completed. Has delayed tapping a little.

A lot of this has been in the plans for a few yrs now, and some of it (the mainlines) was done a year ago. Some is more research, some is more production oriented, but overall it should make our operation a bit easier. The goal was to not have to truck sap after this.