Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[VTfarmboy]

picked .25gpt testing 2.25% today at 65%crop now... full crop here is (.25gpt of syrup) no RO...all 3/16 gravity bush

[Andy VT]

Well, I tapped taps 15 through 27 yesterday, and the last 3 today, so I'm now up to the planned 30 taps and oh Lordy!
Is anyone thinking 2023 will beat 2022 for overall production? I am thinking so. Some warmer states had rough seasons but I think Vermont, Canada, New York, New Hampshire are going to be big.

Well, my Essex Junction, VT maple adventure continues with my 5/16 drops to buckets.
Feb 13 I tapped 10 taps... 2 sugar, 8 norway.
Feb 19 I tapped 4 more... 1 sugar, 1 norway, 2 silver (this is a huge tree that could easily do 6, but I'm keeping all trees to 1 or 2 at this time)
So far my total sap yield season-to-date is 12 gallons, 4 of which were from the last 24 hours, which I've been reducing down to quantities that can be kept in the fridge.
My record keeping now includes morning, mid-day, and evening temps.
I think these yields are trying to tell me the floodgates are not yet open, though the norways are a factor on the low yields... they are contributing very little.
The last day above freezing for a bit is tomorrow, so sometime this week I'll make a little syrup in the kitchen from what I have collected so far.
I'll bring it up to 30 taps in late February or maybe even the beginning of March.
Depends on whether we get another day that might run in February... if so, I'll finish the taps then.
The majority of the remaining taps are sugar maple.

[blissville maples]

Is it possible we're going to have a normal march? First time in years the second week of March hasn't spiraled into the seventies! I think it's going to be a really good year for production.

Making some really nice light syrup with these cool temperatures mediocre sap runs and no sun. Turned out 160 gals yesterday of Amber with the last 2 barrels on the line of golden, the last barrel may have made the light transmission minimum.

Puts us at 1020 for the year on 5400 taps. I know we're only at about 35-40% of the way into the season based on snowpack and 10 day forecast. Big runs still to come yee ha!!

Life just got easier, retired the trailer with 800 gal haul capacity to an international 4700 with 2-1500s on it, makes hauling a breeze no more 8 loads a day!!

[MRFNY]

Well, I tapped taps 15 through 27 yesterday, and the last 3 today, so I'm now up to the planned 30 taps and oh Lordy!
Is anyone thinking 2023 will beat 2022 for overall production? I am thinking so. Some warmer states had rough seasons but I think Vermont, Canada, New York, New Hampshire are going to be big.

I'm already at my 2022 total production!! (Charlton, NY). I've only been doing syrup for 5 years but this year has been absolutely crazy!

[VTfarmboy]

picked .25gpt testing 2.2% yesterday

[blissville maples]

Sunshine! Sap ran great yesterday for about 4 hrs with the sun, just over half gal per tap. Looks like today may be even better! God I love this weather....no 50s and freezing nights to boot. Who would have ever thought!

[billyinvt]

Is it possible we're going to have a normal march? First time in years the second week of March hasn't spiraled into the seventies! I think it's going to be a really good year for production.



Life just got easier, retired the trailer with 800 gal haul capacity to an international 4700 with 2-1500s on it, makes hauling a breeze no more 8 loads a day!!

Congrats to that! Solving the hauling problem was key for our small operation too. We're able to save a lot of time when we only have to go out once!

[GrowlingMaple]

Quick question for Dr. Perkins or anyone else who might want to weigh in. Is it possible that sugar maples with lower sugar content produce tastier syrup, that is, if you are boiling 55 gallons to one instead of 35, maybe that means that the other components that add to the maple flavor are more concentrated in the finished product. It's also possible that everything is watered down in such trees, not just the sugar. Just something that's been on my mind... especially two years ago when we were pulling 1% out of the woods!

[Mooneybc]

Looking for a bit of guidance on some issues I’ve been trying to trouble shoot. I have 850 taps on high vacuum. I use stubbys with 1/4 inch reducer adapters. This is the first year where I’ve had this problem. It seems like at least 30% of my tap holes are faulty. I’ve used the same drill and style drill bit (bits are new each year) that I’ve used for several years without a problem. I’ve walked my woods several times and it seems like every 3-5 taps has a micro leak (can see air bubbles coming out of the tree into the tap rapidly and the saddle loops at the beginning of the later line indicate a leak as well. Also walking my woods today there were many taps that had a large freezing of sap under them as if the tap hole was bleeding, but these trees have been tapped for about a month now. I’ve tried tapping the taps in a bit further and even drilled new holes in a few trees but nothing seems to be helping. The odd thing is that I am still keeping great vacuum at the pump at least. What are your thoughts?D45D9E03-A470-4D33-A99B-F2E454B5F179.jpg69D0631C-0AE9-4319-9C29-2747EC989B7C.jpg69D0631C-0AE9-4319-9C29-2747EC989B7C.jpg69D0631C-0AE9-4319-9C29-2747EC989B7C.jpg69D0631C-0AE9-4319-9C29-2747EC989B7C.jpg

[blissville maples]

Looking for a bit of guidance on some issues I’ve been trying to trouble shoot. I have 850 taps on high vacuum. I use stubbys with 1/4 inch reducer adapters. This is the first year where I’ve had this problem. It seems like at least 30% of my tap holes are faulty. I’ve used the same drill and style drill bit (bits are new each year) that I’ve used for several years without a problem. I’ve walked my woods several times and it seems like every 3-5 taps has a micro leak (can see air bubbles coming out of the tree into the tap rapidly and the saddle loops at the beginning of the later line indicate a leak as well. Also walking my woods today there were many taps that had a large freezing of sap under them as if the tap hole was bleeding, but these trees have been tapped for about a month now. I’ve tried tapping the taps in a bit further and even drilled new holes in a few trees but nothing seems to be helping. The odd thing is that I am still keeping great vacuum at the pump at least. What are your thoughts?Attachment 23033Attachment 23034Attachment 23034Attachment 23034Attachment 23034

I find if trees are in "thaw mode" the thawing sap in the tree structure will also release gas bubbles that are frozen. I feel sometimes this happens faster then normal. I've gone back to lines after thawed completely and they slow to normal. But there seems to be a short period where the flow is accelerated and I believe it's due to thawing . I would check them in the afternoon after the trees are completely thawed.

Sometimes they will bleed if pressure develops because trees thaw quickly and the saddle loop is still frozen as is common on a sunny morning, trees will always thaw before lines when they're in the sun, creating pressure in the lines.

I think there can be a fine line between a thawing tree and a micro leak