2011 season at Morningstar Farm

[morningstarfarm]

Well, it looks like another season is just around the corner...This year has gone by sooo fast...Started working in the shack this week. Man I still have a ton to get done! Also finally found the time to walk the tubing lines...or where they were anyways...MOOSE tracks all over the place and my lines were all destroyed...guess this weekend I have to go out and try to salvage what I can and start re-running everything...Hopefully, I'll make a dent in the list tomorrow during the snow storm...Hope everyone else is having better luck than me this season lol :rolleyes:

[red maples]

I doubt if you will be able to stop over tomorrow but I will be around thursday and friday If you are still interested. Are you still going to bascom's next week?? IF you are would you mind picking up 20 more leader Check valves and stubbies? I must have miscounted or just under estimated how many I would need.

[Wardner in Tewksbury]

Chris,

Have you ever seen the hundreds of four bucket full-crown sugar maples on Maple Street in neighboring Atkinson. The street begins on the right side of Rt 121 and heads north for about 2.5 miles. Probably only need one permission from the Board of Selectman to tap the trees lining both sides of the street.

I filled thousands of purchase orders for Process Engineering, Plaistow over 28 years. Retired from the sandblasting business at the same time they folded. It's funny how Maple Street in Plaistow has zero or few maples.

[Homestead Maple]

That has to be a pretty street to drive, any time of the year. The main street of Campton used to be that way before the road salt claimed all of the maples but our main street is less than a half mile long. 2 1/2 miles, I've got to see that sometime.

[morningstarfarm]

It is pretty cool... kind of funny..in Plaistow maple street is all elms and elm st is mostly maples....go figure

[morningstarfarm]

well, made the most of the snow day...mounted the new head tank, rebuilt the gathering sled for behind my snowmobile...reworked the gathering trailer for the gator...mounted new storage tanks outside...al in all a good day. Unfortunately, it took me all day today to get the farm dug out..well, at least I made a little dent in the list anyways...

Oh and Brad, no problem will pick up the stubbys at Bascoms for you

[red maples]

thanks man...I will be out and about in the woods later on today (sat) if you would like to stop by and check things out your more than welcome. bring snow shoes if you have them.

[morningstarfarm]

too **** cold to shoe horses today os i spent it in the shack...got the tanks all plumbed...and got about half the preheater layed out...just need a warmer day to dry run the pumps...

[morningstarfarm]

spent the day trying to finish up a bunch of small jobs..trying to be ready to fire her up tomorrow afternoon for a cleaning boil...I am soo ready to start drilling holes....

[Homestead Maple]

It is pretty cool... kind of funny..in Plaistow maple street is all elms and elm st is mostly maples....go figure
I can't begin to understand the rational behind naming streets that way. We had a guy around here years ago that happened to tap an Elm, thinking it was a maple and even when people pointed it out to him he still insisted it was a maple. Maybe some of his relatives lived in Atkinson.

[morningstarfarm]

OK ...ENOUGH WITH THE SNOW ALREADY!!!!.....ok thats out of my system..sitting here watching the snow pile up...watching the weather...am I imagining or does it look like a 4 day window friday through monday???I just might have to tunnel out and tap a few...I won't be able to stand myself...:confused:

[morningstarfarm]

finished putting everything together today...gotta pick up the vinegar and am gonna make me some steam tomorrow night...hopefully that will cut back on the withdrawl symptoms for a bit...now to just sit here patiently and wait for the weather...:rolleyes:

[morningstarfarm]

did the cleaning boil last night..was really nice to make some steam...watched the lightning too..awesome. the test tap is running pretty well...looking ahead I'm thinking...we are lucky here, if it hits 25 and sunny the trees run..the blessing of having field trees. next weekend looks good too..might just put a few more out and see if we can get enough to sweeten..enjoy the warm day and go Green Bay!!!

[morningstarfarm]

OK the seasin has officially begun here at the farm...after watching the test tap drive me crazy for a couple days I took the leap and put in the 50 or so roadside maples in front of the farm...I know its going to freeze for a couple days, but by this weekend we should be running...hopefully I can still make the traditional valentines night pan sweetening...I'd hate to have to break it and take the warden out to dinner...:lol: we should get the rest in by this weekend...

[morningstarfarm]

well, shocker....they changed the forecast again...I need to get that job...be right 20% of the time and get a raise...anyways, was suprised to see the taps running this afternoon..temp topped at about 23 according to my therm...but the bright sunshine warmed them up I guess..not a huge run, but probably a pint and a half each tap today...it all adds up..:rolleyes:

[Wardner in Tewksbury]

Chris,

Do you welcome visitors when the season is underway? I'd even be willing to collect sap on a high flow day provided we get some reduction in snow cover. I have a 4x4 one-ton.

[morningstarfarm]

sure, give me a yell...we're not a commercial operation...but give me a yell on my cell 604-479-0804

[morningstarfarm]

A big thanks to brad at willow creek today for bailing my butt out...went out to try to make something out of my moose infested taplines..what a disaster..spent 4 hours and only got one line back up and running..the rest when they came through they pulled most of the connections off, or almost off..I'd get one connected back together and 3 more would pop off..this is all on gravity and I didn't use a tubing tool to assemble it..tomorrow morning I'm gonna be back in there with brads tubing tool...hopefully I can get it back in shape for the weekend..thanks again, bud:lol:

[Dill]

Trust me your going to be buying a tool. I borrowed Amber Gold's last year and there is no going back after you've done it right.

[red maples]

If you need it longer its fine I don't need it until back until Sunday. Gonna start tappng on Sunday so I just wanna have it with me just in case!!!:) and just need to fix 1 of my gravity lines across the street. probably putting new drops over there. for the seasonal spouts. but that won't be until monday.

Oh yes Dill is right once you have a tool you can't go back!!! it saves so much time and energy!!!

[morningstarfarm]

hehe spent about a half hour just staring at it tonight..got most of the parts to build one this weekend...the blade just looks like it should be a bit heavier...but its all pretty straight forward to make...thanks again

[red maples]

actually the blade used to work better, Just from alot of use it loosened up a bit I tried to tighten it but it got too tight and for the most part it use it with 1 hand so I had to loosen it. So I just carry a pair of tubing cutters.

[Dill]

After reading about all of people who have cut themselves on that blade, I just carry a pair of shears with me.

[red maples]

I have cut myself on that blade several times!!! I was pretty much planning on taking off just haven't done it yet. I don't know I might leave it.

[ADKMAPLE]

What kind of tubing tool is the most beneficial to have. I will be running 3/4" 30P mainline and 5/16" laterals (of course)

[red maples]

well I just use a 1 handed tool I got from the maple guys last year. Its only for 5/16.

You have to get a separate 1 for mainline. but I just use either a quick shot with a torch or hot water. just warm enough to get the fitting together.

[Dill]

They are all wicked useful. I just bought a 2 handed and 1 handed tool.
While I really love being able to whip up drops with the 1 handed. The 2 handed is much more important when it comes to making a good tight lateral.
And the mainline punch isn't that important, unless you don't mind drilling straight through a mainline.

[red maples]

Nah don't need a mainline punch. The ones I use require a 3/8 hole so I just use the drill and put a little electrical tape on the bit and never have a problem.

[morningstarfarm]

well, tapped about 50 huge sugars in the town square this morning...almost done...just have to go back out and make 30 or so drops and tap in all the tubing..I didn't think it was going to be salvageable after my moose problem..should top out around 400 taps this season..hopefull all of them will be done tonight..then back to the sugar house to finish cleaning up and prep for the pan sweetening....:):lol:

[Ed K]

I use an anvil type tree pruner to do all my cutting,and hot water.

[morningstarfarm]

OK, got everything tapped for the first run...have about 100 to do on buckets that can wait until later if I need them..they didn't do well last year at all..now for the warm weather and hoping we have enough tomorrow to boil..it will be a shame to break a tradition...

[morningstarfarm]

walked the closer buckets at lunch today..all are running pretty well...some sun would really make it take off, but it doesn't look like we are going to get that today...still hoping we get enough to start sweetening pans tonight...the warden is banking on it not working..have had 3 calls today asking if she can make reservations to go out...sap save me :D:rolleyes:

[morningstarfarm]

collected all the buckets today..small to medium trees ran well this afternood..especially the ones in direct sun..my large to huge trees didn't run at all..I guess it's gonna take a couple warm days to thaw them..all told I got about half what I need to sweeten...tomorrow is gonna be a good freeze then the rest of the week looks awesome..hoping to boil weds...

[morningstarfarm]

well, its weds..collected after the freeze up yesterday...got just about the other half of what I need to sweeten...probably gonna be just a bit short to have the first draw..BUT ***** IT I"M MAKING STEAM TONIGHT!!!!!...I know...Brad, you are probably seeing me sucking my thumb and drooling again... but I want to be able to draw off tomorrow night...I am DYING for pancakes :D

[Backyard Sapper66]

Chris,
Nothing like making people envious!!!
Good luck, I hope your sap is potent!!!
Still haven't tapped yet, darned paying job is getting in the way of my syrupin'
Doug
:)

[morningstarfarm]

hehe nothing to be envious about...most are tapped or working on it and should be starting to burn in the next couple days...I guess I'm just too much of a steam junkie to wait...seriously though it was sooo nice to smell the maple cooking again, I had forgotten just how much I love that smell :D hopefully, we will have enough tomorrow to finish sweetening and make our first draw...fingers crossed for us all ;)

[morningstarfarm]

boiled another 80 gallons tonight..just got in from finishing the first draw of the year...only got 8 pints, but it's a nice medium amber..guess I have to make the kids pancakes for breakfast tomorow or there is gonna be a mutiny.:lol:

[Backyard Sapper66]

That's awesome!!!!
By the way, if you see an extra kid at your table don't be suprised!!!!!
My 21 taps ran a little today (mostly the ones that aren't in the woodlot) so I didn't have enough to collect and boil. Hoping today will be a little better.
Good luck my friend and may the "Sap Gods" be looking down on you!!!!
Doug
:)

[red maples]

OH man!!! I wanna draw off. Well at this point I juat wanna boil!! I have about 65-70 gallons of sap so far!!! Not Enough:mad:

[morningstarfarm]

boiled about 135 gallons tonight..some of the huge trees broke loose today and came to life..one gave me 7 gals alone on 3 taps...gotta love it...looks like a freeze until thurs next week..time to make the preheater, and work on the filter holder a bit...need a better way to get sap to the tanks too..anyways, good luck all..may your trees run 3%;)

[red maples]

boy wouldn't that be nice!!! I have nice melted rings around the sunny trees now!!! those ones started running good yeasterday afternoon before wind kicked up and everything slowed to a craw. Yes a nice good shot to get things going and a little break to get caught up on stuff you didn't get to yet!!! :)

probably not too much sap till next thurs. looking for a good run on friday if the weather forecast is correct!!!

[palmer4th]

I'm wicked jealous this morning!! I got no sap!

[3rdgen.maple]

I'm wicked jealous this morning!! I got no sap!

I will give you a hundred gallons just come get it. By the time you get here it will be in one solid block of ice though.

[morningstarfarm]

ouch thats cold...:lol:

[morningstarfarm]

man, the phone just keeps ringing and ringing...this is the first time the trees have been tapped in the center of town in 40 years...I've had over a dozen calls from people who want their trees tapped in their yards, the local cable tv channel keeps calling..they want to do a story of something...and I'm sold out of syrup already...(ok, so its only like 4 gallons)...I was lucky to get a quart hidden and into the house for us...this is looking like it may be a good year once we warm back up:) So all the people calling want the "classic" buckets on their trees, but I'm out...anyone have any buckets, lids, taps they want to find a home for cheap...the budget is blown for the year...

[Wardner in Tewksbury]

There's a guy several exits north of you on I-495 that had thousands of 4 gallon donut and bakery filling poly buckets for free. Don't know if he has any left but I can try to find his location on a map site. I got a few hundred and used them to store coal.

You could, or they could, always paint them gray. Market Basket and Dunkin Donuts should have some as well. You might try Rt 125 Tool to see if they have a source for used sap buckets. I'll bet there are several barns in Plaistow that have stacks of them.

Next year, I might be able to deliver 200-300 gallons per run/day if you are interested. I tested 10 trees this week and they are all over 3 percent. I have over 125 full crown older trees. I'll bet that your neighbors also have well developed trees.

Your last post brings up an interesting marketing concept. If you were able to staple your card to each roadside tree, you might have more demand for your syrup than you could handle. Or you could just stencil your name and number on each bucket.

[morningstarfarm]

not a bad thought...stencil or letter them somehow with my number...the response to seeing them has been impressive to say the least..I was expecting to have no reaction or a negative one...people can be funny in town..:o funny, these roadside trees are giving me way more sap than my tubing system...might just be better off to focus on those town trees and forget the tubing totally...have to give that more thought for next year..the town trees are averaging about 1.5 gpt daily...

[sapsick]

i picked up some of the large leader pails with the slip on lids for $4 a set at Kinneys maple supplies in Knox,me last week. She was itchin to get rid of them. had at least another 100 up there then.207-568-3683

[Dill]

I've got buckets and covers up here in Northwood. No taps, hows 3.50 a set? 3 if you want a bunch. I'll even let you pick through the pile.
Did it run today? I was surprised how muddy my driveway was at noon it was 29 but really sunny.

[morningstarfarm]

it did run...a little, not looking at really getting much until weds/thurs if we are lucky...the buckets sound good...I just have to check with the warden:rolleyes:

[morningstarfarm]

well not much going on today..everything frozen up...it's looking better from weds on..just have to go out tonight and put the heater in the arch and make sure the float valve is empty..gonna get down to around 0 tonight, last thing I need is a split pan or valve..:-|

[morningstarfarm]

got about 80 gallons today..boiled for a couple hours and drew off a little over 2 gallons of medium amber...funny how taps on the same tree can differ...on one tree..3 taps..1 had 2.5 gallons..1 had 2 quarts..and the north one had .25 cup...guess we still need a warm stretch to full bring them to life..looks pretty good for the next week though...all in all still better than last year:)

[red maples]

thats my problem. The sunny sides are running just OK but thats it. The Sun is warm but the woods are not!!!

[Dill]

My roadside trees in Lee ran pretty hard yesterday afternoon.
I assume they are today as well. Not so much in Northwood.

[morningstarfarm]

sun went in just after noon....doesn't look good for today..:-|

[red maples]

yeah finally got good temps. It was so cold last night, with no sun yep doesn't look good!!!

[morningstarfarm]

sitting here getting ready to go collect...the buckets in front of the house have about 1/3 what they had yesterday...looking at the forecast it looks like the next week is gonna be a vacuum week...not too promising for us guys on gravity and buckets..makes me think I might need to make a change next year..:rolleyes:

[The Butcher]

Chris,

Would the vacuum make that much difference? I too would like to look at that as an option next year. I have 130 taps in, all buckets, but have not seen a whole lot of sap yet...

And I agree the next week doesn't look all that great..

[morningstarfarm]

from my very limited experience with it...after the trees have started running..on those uncooperative days for buckets...vacuum keps pumping it out. Saw something in another thread earlier that said in essence that every inch of vacuum increases sap by 5%...if that is cumulative thats over 100% increase at 20" of vac...and most that I see talked about in threads are trying to run 28" or more...:) if nothing else it's something to think about

[morningstarfarm]

well, what didn't look too good earlier didn't turn out to be that bad...ended with about 70 gallons today..didn't test sugar content, just pumped it into the tanks..too much going on tonight to fire...that is for tomorrow night..hopefully, we'll get something tomorrow...except rain water filled buckets please:rolleyes: good luck all...

[red maples]

You get a little more on vac on those chillier days. and it will suck out a little what the tree won't push. but sometimes all you get a is a little trickle coming through. its better than nothing. but sometime the amount of sap you get turns out to be less than the money you pay for electricity to run the vac pump!!!

But when it runs it beats collecting buckets, and the flow of sap coming to the relaser is just awe-some to sit and watch!!! I have pulled up seat at the releaser jusy to watch!!! when folks come to visit they think its water coming in!!! Yeah I have hose from the house hooked up out there!!!:rolleyes::lol:

[red maples]

OH you ment rain on warm days I just looked at the forcast!!:emb:

[morningstarfarm]

hehe nothing at all moving today..not even a drip on any of my taps..boiled all we colected yesterday..sap coming out the head tank measured 3.5%..I can live with that :D anyways, ended with almost 4 gallons of the lightest so far this season...not a bad way to spend a rainy day...hooked up the hot water while we boiled..man how did I ever live without hot water in the sugar shack?? felt like I was in a 5star hotel out there :lol: anyways, have to go empty water buckets tonight I guess...

[morningstarfarm]

well, went out around 11:00 today to dump all the buckets...what a suprise..a few tested a 2.5% so I kept those..didn't expect anything to be salvageable..cleaned the sugar house and figured I'd check them around 4:30..actually I didn't expect anything to have been moving...ended up collecting from all of them...grand total for my half is just under 40 gals..go figure..waiting for John to call me with the total from his half...might just have to fire her up tonight...:o looking at tomorrows waether doesn't look good...don't want it to freeze in the tanks:rolleyes:

[morningstarfarm]

nothing much happening here...so its a good day to go to home cheapo and get the pvc pipe for the sap sak holders...I need to make 75 or so of them for my sons school...putting up their first tubing run tomorrow afternoon...its only like 25 taps, but the kids are very excited. hoping the sacks come in this week...hoping to hang then thurs or friday...not a bad deal..I get all the sap except enough for me to go take a day and boil a gallon or two at the school..reminds me, I need to go clean the 2x3 batch pan..hopefully, it'll be a good year there..the kids have a ball and I sold 10 gallons to their parents:D
all in all it makes for a good day...

[Wardner in Tewksbury]

That's got to be nerve-racking to time the batch pan so that the kids can sample fresh-off-the-fire syrup or sugar-on-snow. And then do it for every class period surrounded by hyper-active kids who are just happy not being in a classroom. Seems like you would need propane fuel for best control. My hat is off to you.

But you are doing it the right way by using their sap and boiling on their property. I am ideally set up to do the same thing as I live directly opposite (formerly my land) an elementary school that has 20 sugar maples and a couple of Norways on the front lawn. I think if they were to come on my property, they would have to be bused the 300 ft. and I would need insurance.

[morningstarfarm]

not too bad to do..I build a block arch a couple days ahead of time and burn pallets...I usually get there around 3:30-4 am to start it going..kids rol in with their parents by 8..I keep a bunch of baby bottles for samples of the process..from sap to syrup..usually I am finishing it into a couple bottles by 3:00 for the end of the day.. they really like dipping fingers into the different stages...after we finish up the kids do a couple weeks of lessons on measurements and plan a pancake breakfast for the whole school...funny to be the only adult non-teacher invited...its a great niche market for my syrup too...most of the kids have gotten spoiled and their parents tell me they will not eat syrup that doesn't come out of one of my mason jars...:lol:

[morningstarfarm]

started tapping my sons school today...ran a single 5/16 line with 15 taps on it..wow! the response from the kids for the maple spider web was unreal...the trees were gushing before I even got the drill bit out...took me about an hour to run that little lateral...also put out the rest of the buckets I had (6)...started at 12...finished up the tapping and talking at 2:30...had just shy of 5 gallons for the effort...still have 75 sap sacks to hang mon or tues...just waiting on the bags, made all the holders last night took a couple hours and 2 beers to finish that... got home and collected...my half did 40 gallons, havent heard from john about his half yet..looks like tomorrow night is gonna be a long one...have 120 gals now...could have double that if the weather guys are actually right tomorrow...hehe going into withdrawls...havent made steam in a couple days now...:(:rolleyes:...hope you guys on vacuum have a real good run tomorrow...:)

[Backyard Sapper66]

Chris,
You are a good person to be doing this for your son's school. I hope when the kids get older they remember the experience. Definately sounds like fun!!!
Cheers to sap running in the near future (nothing running in Alexandria, NH).
Good luck and I hope you get a chance to inhale that sweet steam before you go into shock.
Doug
:)

[morningstarfarm]

got back into the sugsr house tonight..boiled a little over 225 gallons and drew around 7 gallons or so.. looks like that's gonna be it until the weekend..if I'm lucky I won't have buckets of rainwater to dump while you guys on vacuum kick my butt to the curb with your sap tsunami...:)

[red maples]

hoping for big sap. not expecting too much on saturday need a day to get the trees flowing and that new ice ring melted. woods were cold yesterday. best day so far as far as sap. still waiting for that big run....

[morningstarfarm]

interesting run today..got a bit over 250 gals...boiled and got some of the lightest syrup I have ever made/seen...was amazing...but the run was really unique..had 1 tree give me 9 gallons on 4 taps...the one next to it that ran well yesterday gave me just over a gallon on 4 taps...go figure..anyways, it looks like we wont be getting the freeze up tonight, so I'm not expecting mmuch tomorrow..rest of the week looks pretty good though...hope everyone is coming to life...

[morningstarfarm]

got a bit over 250 gallons today..half measured 3.5% and half measured 2.5%...guess that averages to around 3% not too bad...boiled about 60 gallons tonight and drew about 2.5 gallons...looks like tomorrow is gonna be another long day...I'm beginning to feel like I cant wait for the warm weather to go fiahing :lol:..but I guess thats a good problem to have...hope everyone else is busy boiling and your sap is super sweet...:)

[morningstarfarm]

got about 150 gallons today...finished boiling from yesterday and boiled all but 35-40 gallons tonight...man these long days are killing me...finished 6 gallons of nice light med amber..still have 6 gallons left to finish in the morning...glad to hear that most if not all of you guys are getting sap finally...sounds like all hell is gonna break loose after friday...hope you guys all have your sap waders..sounds like you're gonna need them:lol: hopefully I will get tomorrow night off from boiling...but I expect we'll all be back at it on sat...may your sap run rivers all...goodnight

[mtcrumpit]

Chris, glad to hear its flowing over your side of the state. I don't have vac and it's been real slow. hopefully we don't get a repeat of last year.

[morningstarfarm]

lol right about now I would like it to be like last year...at least for a few days:D went out this afternoon to collect..figured that with no sun and high winds I might just get the night off...go figure...every bucket I had out was overflowing...between the 3 of us we had just under 350 gallons..and we couldn't even finish collecting..every tank and bucket we have was filled..I don't even want to think of what I left out there...boiled all night again and made some room for the rest of yesterdays sap hopefully...praying that with the warm tonight we don't get much more..gonna be boiling all day tomorrow and have around 10 gallons sitting there to finish and bottle...gonna be a loong weekend...the warden has already started waving her spring hunny do list at me for spending too much time in the sugar shack...man I want to just go fishing for the day...:rolleyes: Hope the same flood gates opened for everyone elsa today...if you gotta have a problem..I guess this is the one to pick...

[SSFLLC]

Chris you need to double your storage space. Then you need to get one of those cardboard cut outs of yourself. Ran all night here also. No big amount but its picking up. Keith

[red maples]

got close to 175 Gal. since yesterday morning!!! gives me a total of over 220 gallons now. but I got 500 gal. storage space...no worries, + 3-50 gallon barrels just in case!!

but yes I guess too much sap is a good problem to have!!!

[Wardner in Tewksbury]

I "flew" over your house, barn, corrals, and seven horses via Google Maps. Surprised not to see much in the way of deciduous trees. Because the aerial photography is usually done in April, it seems that most of the trees in your neighborhood are conifers.

You abut a golf course and I assume you must be getting sap from what might be maples separating the individual links. Those are probably good trees with full crowns. My open grown trees are getting high sugar values as well. You must be harvesting alot of golf ball too.

The pictures are probably four plus years old. Your sugar shack must be newer than that as I didn't see any building that looked like one.

[morningstarfarm]

well, looks like I'm gonna get a couple days off from boiling...was burning for 9 hours today when with about 50 gals left I loaded her to the gills...and the **** door broke!!! had to let her just burn out with the blower on the lowest setting just to keep the pipe cool...after that I finished 20 gals of mixed light to med dark amber...then I crawled into her and found that she had gotten too hot and I burned off the inside latch rods...:mad::rolleyes: now instead of boiling tomorrow I get to stand in front of a forge for a couple hours and see if I can make a new set of them and try to get them attached somehow...at least it looks like I shouldnt get anything tomorrow...hope the dam broke for everyone else..

[morningstarfarm]

day off from anything maple today..or at least thats what I told the wife..spent an hour working on making new door latches for the evap...and loaded another cord of wood into that shed...then put away 15 gals of syrup I finished last night...then went up to barn and shod a couple horses..However, I did actually glance at the wardens spring honey do list....sort of:rolleyes:..looking like I may actually have to collect tonight..sap is running med...good luck all..hope you are drowning in sap:)

[morningstarfarm]

well, I can't believe I'm gonna say this, but here goes....show season is getting ready to start in a couple weeks...so...Friday will be the last boil of the 2011 season...so far we've made roughly 30 gals, but lifes other demands and the late start this year are pulling the plug...anyone in the Plaistow, NH area want to keep collecting the sap? if so, please give me a call..603-479-0804...I'm sure there is more to come:cry:

[adk1]

well, I can't believe I'm gonna say this, but here goes....show season is getting ready to start in a couple weeks...so...Friday will be the last boil of the 2011 season...so far we've made roughly 30 gals, but lifes other demands and the late start this year are pulling the plug...anyone in the Plaistow, NH area want to keep collecting the sap? if so, please give me a call..603-479-0804...I'm sure there is more to come:cry:

how much do you typically make?

[Wardner in Tewksbury]

...anyone in the Plaistow, NH area want to keep collecting the sap?

http://www.facebook.com/turtlelanemaplefarm

The season around here was over on the 23rd last year so you may not be missing much.

The guy at the link above is in North Andover and might be interested. Send him an email. On the other hand, I think he has 500 taps and has a regular job, but his wife, or someone else, might be able to collect sap. You have indicated that you have a high sugar content and that might be attractive to him/her.

There's another guy in Rowley and he posts on this board. I have a feeling he might be overwhelmed. I haven't been following his posts.

[morningstarfarm]

not a good sign tonight...I was shocked to hear the peepers:o

[PerryW]

Peepers ?????

Here in the littleton area, there are still bob houses on the lakes. I just got the sugarhouse shoveled out today.

[morningstarfarm]

wow what a difference a day makes...collected this evning..got a whopping 9 gallons from my 175 taps..John didn't even bother going out...boiled 150 gallons I had from yesterday..drew off just around 4 gallons of dark...finally...hopefully we get a good run tomorrow and weds for the final boil of the season...rest of this week looks pretty grim so I'm gonna pack it in...hopefully, we will break the 35 gallon mark for the year...I wish the rest of you the best.;)

[Dill]

I know I got a hard freeze yesterday, surprised you didn't. Should do the same tonight.

[morningstarfarm]

nope no freeze sunday night...got nothing in 90% of my taps..today is looking better...got down to 25 last night and reset the trees..buckets are about 1/3 full right now..should be a good night. looks like it should freeze again tonight, so tomorrow may be pretty good as well...unfortunately, in our 10 day it's not supposed to freeze again and will be in the upper 40's to around 60...I hate to say it but, it's time:cry: I have to boil for the kids at my sons school thurs..on the plus side it should be in the 50's and sunny for a change to stand out there for 12 hours to make them their 1-1.5 gallons. they should get enough from the school taps over the next 2 days to make it..with the filtered drainings from my pans thrown in. Time to focus on the horses, show season starts in 2 weeks...gotta travel to NJ for that one :D

[morningstarfarm]

wow what a difference a day makes...nothing yesterday...a little freeze last night and we got a little under 350 gals today...it was perfect. boiled all night and drew off 3.5 gals of dark finally. still have 225 gals left to boil tomorrow night...little freeze tonight but rain all day tomorrow...we'll see if we end the season with a bang or not:rolleyes:hope the dam broke today for everyone else:)

[morningstarfarm]

boiled the last 225 gallons tonight...got just about 6 gals of nice dark B...the private stash picked the last possible moment to show up...checked taps tonight..got a little over 10 gallons from the first half and said screw it...however, I did put them back...something tells me that tomorrow will be a good one...I'll collect it, but I pulled the plug on the evap after we finished boiling tonight.:cry: too many other obligations to make more...final rough total is right around 45 gallons for the season...still have 15 gallons sitting here to finish so that may change a bit..all in all it was a pretty good year and I have no complaints. Already making the list of improvements for next year. looks like we may be up over 400 taps again...well, off to the final boil for the kids at my sons school...have to finish the block arch and fire her up...they have a bit over 40 gallons that the kids collected over the last 2 days, so we should have enough to make 1-1.5 gallons and I brought the syrup pan drainings to add for them...guys, I wish you all the best and may you have a banner rest of the season and a great maple weekend...:)

[morningstarfarm]

got to the kids school at 3:00 am yesterday morning after boiling all night here..got the fire lit and pan filles..man what a change..going from running my 2x6 evap to a block arch and a 2x3 flat pan...now I know how mario andretti must feel going from the race track to traffic leaving the races...and to think when I got the 2x3 I thought I was styling...anyways, boiled all day and taught the kids all I know about syruping...just before we finished boiling I dumped in the 5 gallons from my syrup pans last boil...finished boiling at 2pm then went into the schools kitchen to finish and filter it all..put a bowl of syrup on the table with a loaf of crusty bread cubed up for the kids to dip...lol it was like dipping a bloody hand in a pirhanna tank...what a frenzy:D
I love watching them like that..they were so excited...anyways, we got 3.5 gallons of dark amber with a really bold flavor...left them the 1.5 gallons that they had collected to make and got done right at 3:30 when school got out..made for a really long day...36hours boiling to end the season..at least I ended with a bang instead of last years whimper...on the plus side I sold 9.5 gallons while I was boiling...only downer is that my custom maple sugar leafs never showed up for the kids...oh well, hopefully the lazy chef will get off his couch to make them next week for the big pancake breakfast the kids are now planning for the whole school...:D...again, hoping you all have a great finish to your season and a great maple weekend..





:lol:just kidding Red..:lol:

[Wardner in Tewksbury]

Nice Job. Next year, you will probably see fifty taps on the maples surrounding the Town Hall. In about five years, you might have 25 competitors.

There must be a bunch of pictures. Could someone post them on this thread?

[morningstarfarm]

well, after one hell of a season...the cleanup begins...tonight we have about 15 gals to finish and bottle..then the big washdown starts...got the evap drained last night now, all she needs is her annual shower..then its on to all those buckets...on the brighter side..she who must be obeyed just gave me the ok to build a new sugar shack for next year...we have outgrown the shed..man the ideas are flooding me:D...and my son is riding me to build a log shack...we'll see

[eustis22]

a newbie question......can I boil off half my collected sap today and then finish it up a day or two later? what do I do with the first batch, freeze it?