CRM - Wilton 2025
Finished walking my lines yesterday.
Disaster..........tons of squirrel chews, drops chewed and many laterals chewed in half (deer I think). Lots of work to do over the next month.
Seriously thinking about moving my tapping up to Jan. 15. Last two years tapped on Feb. 9th and Feb. 2nd, and got burned by all the warm stretches. Promised myself last year I would move tapping up to January.
How are our fellow NH sugarmakers looking at the season?
Thanks, Bill
2017 - 2019 - Getting my feet wet. 3-80 taps
2020 - Barn / Sugarhouse finished. 125 taps. NextGen 1x40 RO
2021 - 157 taps, 100 on 3/16 tubing w/two Shurflo set-ups, the rest on buckets
2022 - 225 taps. 175 on 3/16 tubing, rest on buckets.
2023 - 300 taps. 261 on tubing, 39 on 5 gal. buckets. Four Shurflo 12V set-ups.
2024 - 340 taps. New SL 2x4 hybrid pan. Added second 1x40 membrane to RO
2025 - 340 taps. 301 on tubing, 39 on 5 gal. buckets. Four Shurflo 12V set-ups.
Weather looking better. Finally went for it last Saturday, and tapped my mainline (128 taps). Dumped the first 50 on Monday to clear the lines, and was rewarded with a nice crystal clear 175 gals. yesterday.
Began tapping my mountain lines yesterday, but still frozen up solid. Never saw a drop.
Trying out Dr. Tim's new arc spouts this year; formerly used Zap-Bacs. Tough to get used to putting them on. Found out the semi-rigid yellow tubing worked the best for the drops. Still takes a knack though. Seems like if they made the spout a bit thicker, they wouldn't be so prone to collapsing when you go for the final squeeze.
Hope everyone has a great season.
Bill
2017 - 2019 - Getting my feet wet. 3-80 taps
2020 - Barn / Sugarhouse finished. 125 taps. NextGen 1x40 RO
2021 - 157 taps, 100 on 3/16 tubing w/two Shurflo set-ups, the rest on buckets
2022 - 225 taps. 175 on 3/16 tubing, rest on buckets.
2023 - 300 taps. 261 on tubing, 39 on 5 gal. buckets. Four Shurflo 12V set-ups.
2024 - 340 taps. New SL 2x4 hybrid pan. Added second 1x40 membrane to RO
2025 - 340 taps. 301 on tubing, 39 on 5 gal. buckets. Four Shurflo 12V set-ups.
Slow start. 175 + 135 gallons this week on about 150 taps. First boil yesterday, but no draw, just sweetened the pan. Sap running 1.6%.
Finished tapping the mountain (another 160 taps). Knee deep snow, no fun. Couldn't use the snowshoes, as I'm fighting a hip issue and afraid if I tip over I'll never get up. Mountain is still frozen up solid. Snow right up to the trunks, no wells yet.
Hope everyone is getting underway. Going to be a lightning fast season, I think.
Bill
2017 - 2019 - Getting my feet wet. 3-80 taps
2020 - Barn / Sugarhouse finished. 125 taps. NextGen 1x40 RO
2021 - 157 taps, 100 on 3/16 tubing w/two Shurflo set-ups, the rest on buckets
2022 - 225 taps. 175 on 3/16 tubing, rest on buckets.
2023 - 300 taps. 261 on tubing, 39 on 5 gal. buckets. Four Shurflo 12V set-ups.
2024 - 340 taps. New SL 2x4 hybrid pan. Added second 1x40 membrane to RO
2025 - 340 taps. 301 on tubing, 39 on 5 gal. buckets. Four Shurflo 12V set-ups.
The snow is definitely tough to get around in. I am still stringing up mainline and adding more laterals. I may have a hip problem too by the end of this.
Hoping to get my taps in this week, really wish the season would get thru march at least.
6th season solo sugar maker in a young sugar bush of mostly red maples
320 taps
2x6 self built arch, Flat pans w/ dividers
New 12x16 sugar house
CDL hobby 250 RO
Had a pretty good week. Tracking about 1,000 gal. sap so far, with this late season start.
And do I love that 2% !! Processed 310 gal yesterday, and a nice 8+ gal. in the draw off tank. Haven't seen 2% in this area for years. Usually running 1.0-1.4 ish.
This upcoming week looks too warm. Hoping for a few 20F nights in there.
Bill
2017 - 2019 - Getting my feet wet. 3-80 taps
2020 - Barn / Sugarhouse finished. 125 taps. NextGen 1x40 RO
2021 - 157 taps, 100 on 3/16 tubing w/two Shurflo set-ups, the rest on buckets
2022 - 225 taps. 175 on 3/16 tubing, rest on buckets.
2023 - 300 taps. 261 on tubing, 39 on 5 gal. buckets. Four Shurflo 12V set-ups.
2024 - 340 taps. New SL 2x4 hybrid pan. Added second 1x40 membrane to RO
2025 - 340 taps. 301 on tubing, 39 on 5 gal. buckets. Four Shurflo 12V set-ups.
Called it for the season last Saturday. Boiled out the pan yesterday, resulting in some great tasting Dark.
What started out very shaky, with the Jan/Feb deep freeze; turned out to be our best season ever. March was crazy, making just about every drop during the month. Ended up with 72 gals. (24 Amber, 48 Dark). Huge help this season was higher sap % (1.5-2.0); which is high for us. Most years, we see mostly 1.0-1.3 range.
Now the fun part starts........maple clean-up. Ugg
Hope everyone had a good season.
Thanks, Bill
2017 - 2019 - Getting my feet wet. 3-80 taps
2020 - Barn / Sugarhouse finished. 125 taps. NextGen 1x40 RO
2021 - 157 taps, 100 on 3/16 tubing w/two Shurflo set-ups, the rest on buckets
2022 - 225 taps. 175 on 3/16 tubing, rest on buckets.
2023 - 300 taps. 261 on tubing, 39 on 5 gal. buckets. Four Shurflo 12V set-ups.
2024 - 340 taps. New SL 2x4 hybrid pan. Added second 1x40 membrane to RO
2025 - 340 taps. 301 on tubing, 39 on 5 gal. buckets. Four Shurflo 12V set-ups.
Sounds like you had a good year.
Sugaring for 45+ years
New Sugarhouse 14'x32'
New to Me Algier 2'x8' wood fired evaporator
2022 added a used RB25 RO Bucket
250 mostly Sugar Maples, 15% Soft Maples. Currently,(110on 3/16" and 125 on Shurflo 4008 vacuum, 15 gravity), (16,000 before being disabled)
1947 Farmall H and Wagon with gathering tank
2012 Kubota with forks to move wood around
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