So even the short-term forecasts are imprecise. Wasn't enough mid afternoon Friday to pump but then it ran a little until 1AM so I let 700 gal freeze over the weekend in the field tanks. Then, the weekend was much colder than predicted. Now today it is going to get much warmer much faster. I guess the ice has cut the capacity of the field tanks by 30% for a couple of days, a good thing as now some afternoons in the 50s are predicted. Should be a very busy week.
Bruce Treat
825 Sugar Maple Taps
3/16 w/ DSD .225 Spiles
H2O RO
H2O 2.5 X 8
Bow, New Hampshire
Yup, head to chisel a couple holes to pump the field tanks Monday morning. Sap was fine and boiled out to a 65. Ran okay Monday but 3/4s of the early February speed and even though the temp hit the 50s there was still ice in the tanks. 46F Wednesday morning, so it ran until it stopped. Going to have a hard rain and then a hard freeze. I'm about 60% of an average season and the current forecast isn't very good.
Bruce Treat
825 Sugar Maple Taps
3/16 w/ DSD .225 Spiles
H2O RO
H2O 2.5 X 8
Bow, New Hampshire
Ok, frozen back up for two days. Just over 50% of last year, which was slightly over average volumes. Sugar has been mostly a tad lower and also the grade, steady in the mid 60's instead of low 70's. Forecast says a warmer week before returning to seasonal temperatures. Last year the trees didn't restart in mid March, but the temperature fluctuations were more extreme.
Bruce Treat
825 Sugar Maple Taps
3/16 w/ DSD .225 Spiles
H2O RO
H2O 2.5 X 8
Bow, New Hampshire
13F this morning so things won't get started until after lunch. Put a third solar panel on a remote pump system yesterday. Now have 300w feeding two 100 amp deep cells. It runs a 4008 pulling 120 taps downhill on a temperature switch and a 4048 on tank sensors pumping 500' and up 50' to a road tank. Should handle all night runs after a cloudy day.
Bruce Treat
825 Sugar Maple Taps
3/16 w/ DSD .225 Spiles
H2O RO
H2O 2.5 X 8
Bow, New Hampshire
yeah same way behind of last year. and warm temps coming...
may your sap be at 3%
Brad
www.willowcreeksugarhouse.com
585 or so on Vacuum, about 35 on buckets/sap sacs
Atlas Copco GVS 25A Rotary Vane vacuum pump
MES horizontal electric releaser
2x6 ss phaneuf Drop flue, Leader woodsaver blower, homemade hood
300gph H2O RO
husquvarna 562 XP
Its Here!!! 2025 season is here get busy!!!
Very little sap by yesterday afternoon. Boiled the sap from the day before and the grade was still in the 60s. However, the season is definitely in trouble.
Bruce Treat
825 Sugar Maple Taps
3/16 w/ DSD .225 Spiles
H2O RO
H2O 2.5 X 8
Bow, New Hampshire
Pumped the field tanks dry to sit out the no freeze spell. So far it has been cloudy with drizzle, but warmer weather with heavy rain is forecast for two days before a freeze. I think the trees will start. Had a valve accident. The clip holding the handle on a plastic valve stem had popped off and I guess I didn't replace it correctly, so the handle indicted closed when it wasn't. Unfortunately, it was an anti freeze drain line and some of the sap feeding the RO escaped. Grade slipped into the upper 40s.
Bruce Treat
825 Sugar Maple Taps
3/16 w/ DSD .225 Spiles
H2O RO
H2O 2.5 X 8
Bow, New Hampshire
Got 1 g/tap Thursday and Friday. Should get more sap this weekend and maybe even some next week. Should hit my 20 average for sap production by Sunday night. Pretty surprised. But syrup production is lagging behind due to low sugar.
Bruce Treat
825 Sugar Maple Taps
3/16 w/ DSD .225 Spiles
H2O RO
H2O 2.5 X 8
Bow, New Hampshire
how you doin' Bruce? I have been crazy busy Hope things are still running for you.
may your sap be at 3%
Brad
www.willowcreeksugarhouse.com
585 or so on Vacuum, about 35 on buckets/sap sacs
Atlas Copco GVS 25A Rotary Vane vacuum pump
MES horizontal electric releaser
2x6 ss phaneuf Drop flue, Leader woodsaver blower, homemade hood
300gph H2O RO
husquvarna 562 XP
Its Here!!! 2025 season is here get busy!!!
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