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Thread: Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

  1. #3561
    Join Date
    Feb 2023
    Location
    Sheldon VT
    Posts
    54

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    Is anyone else anxious after looking at the 10 day forecast that we are looking at a very early budding of the trees?
    825 Taps
    CDL Rotary Vane Vacuum Pump
    H2O Electric Releaser

    2024- 825 taps 17725 gallons of sap
    2023- 825 taps 17325 gallons of sap
    2022- 800 taps 12375 gallons of sap
    2021- 350 taps 3815 gallons of sap

  2. #3562
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    Vermont
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    I’m hoping after the next couple of weeks, we will have winter again for a while. It’s still very early. My sap normally runs till April 20th or close to it. I’m thinking it’s going to be a great year.

    Spud

  3. #3563
    Join Date
    Apr 2022
    Location
    Underhill, VT
    Posts
    13

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    Tapped our ~45 trees in Underhill yesterday. Was running a bit at ~30 deg and sunny.
    45 Taps on natural vacuum and buckets
    2x4 XL Mason with blower

  4. #3564
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    Where in Underhill are you from? I grew up on English Settlement Road, on the valley side.

    Spud

  5. #3565
    Join Date
    Feb 2023
    Location
    Sheldon VT
    Posts
    54

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    Surprised today- no run at all. It hit 43 degrees but the trees didn’t let go. Should be a big run tomorrow and Wednesday.
    825 Taps
    CDL Rotary Vane Vacuum Pump
    H2O Electric Releaser

    2024- 825 taps 17725 gallons of sap
    2023- 825 taps 17325 gallons of sap
    2022- 800 taps 12375 gallons of sap
    2021- 350 taps 3815 gallons of sap

  6. #3566
    Join Date
    Feb 2022
    Location
    Essex Junction, VT
    Posts
    321

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    Yikes, the one big silver maple we tap has buds opening a bit. That's one full month earlier than last year for the same tree. So, we'll skip that tree this year. 5 tapped so far. I was going to tap the norways a week or so after the rest but once I saw buds on a silver, we're going for everything. Tapping the remainder starting in the morning. Hope the coming warm spell is short! It will freeze slightly tonight.
    2024: 28 taps, 7 gallons. RB5 purchased but not opened :-(
    2023: 30 taps, 17 trees, 11 properties, Sugar Maple & Norway. 2x3 flat over propane & kitchen finish. ~11(!) gallons.
    2022: 9 taps, 5 trees, 4 properties. 3 hotel pans on 3 Coleman 2-burner stoves burning gasoline; kitchen finish. ~3 gallons.
    2021: 2 taps, 1 sugar maple. Propane grill then kitchen finish. ~Pint.
    All years: mainly 5/16" drops into free supermarket frosting buckets. Some plastic sap buckets hanging on 5/16 sap-meister.

  7. #3567
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
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    I never turned the pump on yesterday. The wind is blowing this morning but I will be turning the pump on at 6:30. With the kids being off from school this week, we are going to chase leaks later today. Trying to get tight before asap.

    Spud

  8. #3568
    Join Date
    Apr 2022
    Location
    Underhill, VT
    Posts
    13

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    Spud, I'm over on the other side on the Northern end of Rt 15. In the summer I do occasionally take the "shortcut" over to Underhill Center via Poker Hill and English Settlement.

    Didn't have much in the tank yesterday at 5pm, but it was running well at that point and I had full vacuum at the top of my natural vac lines.
    45 Taps on natural vacuum and buckets
    2x4 XL Mason with blower

  9. #3569
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
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    Chasing leaks today. Got vacuum to 26 at the releaser. I have one more section to check but it will have to wait till tomorrow. Sap is running 275 gph.

    Spud

  10. #3570
    Join Date
    Apr 2022
    Location
    Underhill, VT
    Posts
    13

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    We ended up with 1.6 gpt from the past 24 hrs.
    45 Taps on natural vacuum and buckets
    2x4 XL Mason with blower

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