April Journal

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

What is wrong with everyone. I know it is fools day, but day is nearly over and no one has started an April Journal? It is April 1st and we are still get sap in southern WV which is past unbelievable. Made 10 gallon of syrup last 3 days of March which is also unbelievable.

[Z/MAN]

Brandon, Glad to hear you are making up for that waste of a season we had last year.

[cpmaple]

Glad to all that the season is still going i made 13 gallons today from yesterdays run and hoping for a run tomorrow. Never got below freezing last night so very little run today. well glad to hear that your all still making syrup lots better than last year by far.

[Farmboy]

If you are getting sap down in WV is it still clear. I'm getting sap now but it makes bad syrup and I don't wanna make a bunch of mersh. I'll make a few gallons. I made 3 gallons of mersh Wednesday and I need to finish everything in the evaporator so I'll have some mersh to ship up north. Anyone no what the price is for filtered mersh.

[mountainvan]

150 gals made today and saps still flowing in the catskills.

[3rdgen.maple]

If you are getting sap down in WV is it still clear. I'm getting sap now but it makes bad syrup and I don't wanna make a bunch of mersh. I'll make a few gallons. I made 3 gallons of mersh Wednesday and I need to finish everything in the evaporator so I'll have some mersh to ship up north. Anyone no what the price is for filtered mersh.

It will probably cost you more to ship it than its worth lol.

Sap flow has been the best its been all year the past few days. I know I broke all previous syrup totals but not quite sure on the total so far. Too many days in a row with no sleep all season long. Looks like about 1 week left. Time for a bigger rig. 40 hour boils are getting old.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

If you are getting sap down in WV is it still clear. I'm getting sap now but it makes bad syrup and I don't wanna make a bunch of mersh. I'll make a few gallons. I made 3 gallons of mersh Wednesday and I need to finish everything in the evaporator so I'll have some mersh to ship up north. Anyone no what the price is for filtered mersh.

Sap I got this week has been crystal clear. Didn't clean the evaporator and it has had 2500+ gallon of syrup run thru it since I cleaned it mid season so the syrup is dark. Amazing how clear the sap is but it is starting to get a touch of strong flavor.

[Sugarmaker]

We are in to the marketing phase of the season. filling and shipping orders for syrup today.
Did get a chance to open the cream machine gear pump and the plastic gears are cracked AGAIN:( I am going to give it one more chance If I can get Daryl to make a set of stainless gears for it.
Went to FT Lebouef Maple Waterford PA. last night and watched Bill Lew and Jeff boil on the new Leader 2 x 8 with oil fire. They were rolling right along at 56 gallons of sap per hour on this out of the box rig. Making good dark syrup. Nice to get out and see some folks making quality maple product.
Sounds like they have a back log of orders and will be making syrup to fill those as long as the weather holds. Lew thought the check valves on gravity were doing a good job.
I want to try to get over and see Dave Yokum boil on Bills old rig and maybe get to Linesville and visit Chip and crew making syrup too.
Well Off to can some syrup and Maple BBQ.
Hope things are good in the sugarhood.
Regards,
Chris

[heus]

Chris I assume you mean Chip Higgins they have mounted two walleyes for me.

[Father & Son]

Chip made somewhere around 15 gallons yesterday. They gathered around 600 gallons on Thursday and Friday, ran it through the RO and were drawing off 3+ gallons/hour. By the end of the night it had gone back to medium with great flavor. I sat at the drawoff making syrup on his oil fired rig last night and it really has me contemplating wood vs. oil.

Jim

[PARKER MAPLE]

I to have been comptemplating a oil fired rig also. How much oil dose it take to make a gallon of syrup??? Any ideas..

Thanks The Rookie

[Dennis H.]

Went to another auction today, picked up a SP22 for a steal! Wanted to get the 300 gal bulk tank but ended up being a little hight for my blood.

I now have enough vinegar to pickle the evap so tomorrow I will finally get the chance to do that.

Syrup sales have been really good for me. I will have to bottle up some more syrup tomorrow. I am slowly get my name out there.

[brookledge]

Maple rookie
You should plan on 3 gallons of oil to make one gallon of syrup. That is with a plain evaporator then as you do things to improve your efficiency it will drop
Keith

[collinsmapleman2012]

depends, we use about 4.8 gals of oil an hour at school, and draw off about 2 gals.
then with the RO going we still burn 4.8 gals an hour, but we draw off about 10-12 gals an hour.

[BoarsNest]

We did our first all-nighter. We made 9 gallons of syrup from 360 gallons of sap in 21 hours. Ended the season with just over 21 gallons. We left most of the taps in to sell what ever sap we get this week, but, we are done except for the clean up. Much better season than last year.

[Revi]

So, with RO you get about a gallon of syrup for a half a gallon of oil, right? How much electricity does it take per gallon to RO the sap? I'm just checking out the economics of making syrup with oil as opposed to wood. It seems to take us about a cord of wood per 10 gallons, but if we had RO it would take that down a lot.

[PATheron]

Dave(multigenerational bigdrawer) and Par(deforested half of New Hampshire making quality product)keer- Loved the you tube videos. Keep them coming. I knew when the Governor asked you guys if you had any thoughts or advise to give I knew it was time to listen up and listen up good you guys were only going to tell me that stuff twice. And Parker, I do want it I really do. I just dont have a lot upstairs to work with so I kind of do my best. Keep the action footage coming. Theeron

[PARKER MAPLE]

Had the best run of the season last sunday. over 500 gal in 1 run. not bad for me, but still not breaking any records yet. Im just shy of the 50 gal mark and was shooting for 75 total for the year. So now im hoping for 2-3 more good runs through the next week, after friday things arnt looking good. Seams the season came as quick as its going. Hope you guys are doing well, making up for my loses.lol.

The Rookie

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

So, with RO you get about a gallon of syrup for a half a gallon of oil, right? How much electricity does it take per gallon to RO the sap? I'm just checking out the economics of making syrup with oil as opposed to wood. It seems to take us about a cord of wood per 10 gallons, but if we had RO it would take that down a lot.

I have always been told 20 gal syrup to every cord of wood and I am "almost" right on it. I will let you know in next couple days. Suage has been 3.6 to 2.0 this year. It's all marked down for exact OCD.:D

[Gary R]

Hi guy's. Been a busy season. I've got some stats for the year.

I was finally able to get my numbers together.

I tapped tubing (104 taps) 2/13 and first boil was 2/14.
2893 gal. of sap was collected. 905 was sold or given away. 100 was dumped.
I shut off the vacuum on 3/31.
My releaser malfunctioned twice during the season. Both times during the highest flow period. The float did not operate, water trap filled and vacuum was shut off to tubing. Missed some good sap then.
Average sap per tap was 27.8 gal./tap.

On 3/12 I put up 31 buckets on sugars. I was trying to get a better grade of syrup. I pulled the buckets and had my last boil on 4/3. I collected 262 gal. of sap off the buckets.

I made 28.5 gal. of syrup from the sap I boiled.Almost all was "B". I made some dark A from the buckets. The last 5 1/2 gal. was "C" due to too dark or slight off taste.
My numbers get skewed for syrup per tap due to bucket syrup added to vac syrup. If I back out taps by using the average per tap and amount not processed, I come out real close to .4 gal. of syrup per tap. I think this is very good since almost all of my vac sap was 1% sugar.

I'd rate the season as very good . Only down side was the sugar content. I'm also on my third vacuum pump. The best I can boil is 15GPH. I don't like the long boils. I'm looking for an evaporator that can do 40+ GPH. If anyone has some leads, please pass them along.

[Dennis H.]

I started to resupply the wood pile.
I picked up a new saw from my dad it was a demo model. This thing is a high rpm thing. Echo CS450 with a 20" bar. It was a night and day difference from my other saw. but it is sure nice to have two, it helps get a pinched saw loose!:lol:

Sales of syrup is still doing good for. Almost sold off 1/3 of my supply already.

It sounds like things are starting to wind down all ove the maple world, that or you guys up north are to busy to visit the Trader.

[Farmboy]

Pulled all my taps this week. I still need to do the dreaded job of washing buckets. Then I need to clean my evaporator pans and disassemble it. I need to get everything out of my sugarshack so I can pour the floor.

[PerryW]

Gonna stay plugged in for the time being. 40 gallons of medium and 60 gallons of fancy so far, so I need some dark. Always wanted to boil in 70 degree weather! Let see what's oozed out since my last gather on Sat. Afternoon.

[Sugarmaker]

Cleaning tubing and containers. Have some pictures to post later.
Like others sales have been good.
Thinking about repairs or replacement of front pan for next year.
Bees are flying!
Chris

[Sugarmaker]

I did get the containers washed, tubing all rinsed and hung up seems like 50 -60 more taps each year:)
Also got the parts from McMaster Carr for the cream gear pump rebuild. The pictures I took did not turn out so I have to redo those.

Prep for event this weekend a local Horse plowing days.
Hope things are just peachy!
Still planning my pan strategy for 2012. Need a good set of 3 x 10 King style 5 foot long pans. These are about like finding hens teeth!
If I get new ones I may donate my pans to science:)
Chris

[allgreenmaple]

I did get the containers washed, tubing all rinsed and hung up seems like 50 -60 more taps each year:)
Also got the parts from McMaster Carr for the cream gear pump rebuild. The pictures I took did not turn out so I have to redo those.

Prep for event this weekend a local Horse plowing days.
Hope things are just peachy!
Still planning my pan strategy for 2012. Need a good set of 3 x 10 King style 5 foot long pans. These are about like finding hens teeth!
If I get new ones I may donate my pans to science:)
Chris Not sure if you are looking for new ones, but I got new ones for my 3' x 10' Grimm from Patrick P for 5k, 6' flue pan & 4' syrup pan. Look at the pics in my photobucket. Took a little while, very good quality though.:)

[Sugarmaker]

Allgreenmaple,
Those are WAY to nice for my old rig!:) I will need to dial back a little. The glare would blind me! Man they do look nice!
Thanks for the response!
Chris

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Jugged 30 gallons this AM to resupply our retail stuff. Got about 1/2 gallon on the stove now to make a bit of sugar. Windy and mixed snow and rain today so not a fun day to be outside. Hope to be done with the wash-up this next week and am exploring possibilities for the sale of my bulk syrup. Need to schedule a trip to Connecticut in the near future. Another 4 hours on the buzzwood pile and all of next years sugar wood will be done and about 1/2 the house wood.
Need to walk the next line to be added to my bush and finish the planning/layout. Hope to start stringing wire soon.:)

[twobears1224]

seasons end...506 gallons from 1556 taps.

delbert

[3rdgen.maple]

Just got a quote on a brand new 3x12 and all i can say is it is a sweet deal. With my rig thrown in the equation Im looking at about 5 grand for the upgrade. There a big enough gain in gph with the 12 footer over the 10 foot and the price difference Im thinking the 12 foot is just what I need. I am suprised and pleased and set back. Decisions decisions. Now to come up with 5 grand.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

3rdgen,

Just tell the wife you will make 5 grand more in syrup next year and sped about 1/3 the time boiling! :)

[3rdgen.maple]

3rdgen,

Just tell the wife you will make 5 grand more in syrup next year and sped about 1/3 the time boiling! :)

I did just that. She just looked at me and said whatever its your money. I then proceeded to explain how the first year on it I would put a good 1500 taps on vac and it will pay for itself if I sell it all bulk. Then I started in again and she shut me up and said " and you are explaining all this to me why?" She understands my whole maple dream and game plan for retirement and although she has zero and I mean zero interest in it she wants me to be happy and not kill myself like I did this year again. If I do this my whole game plan changed from slowly growing to jumping in head first. I always planned on 200 more taps a year but dang there comes a point when just upgrading little by little gets you farther and farther behind when the taps out run the syrup production. It is a great deal on the evaporator but I have to consider all the other expenses like more tanks and tubing bigger releaser. A good deal still comes with the expense of getting the sap to it.

[waysidemaple]

3rdgen.

I'm in the same boat as you. The original plan was to slowly add taps till I was done with school, but now after going to leader i have a 2500 tap releaser and enough tubing to do my whole propety. I still have to finish the floor in the sugar house but now I can barely walk with all the tubing and tanks in there. I never thought it would be this hard to slowly expand my operation. So revised game plan for 2012 is to try to get as close to a 1000 taps as I can. Filter press will be coming soon. Ordered a new 12 by 20 canner from w.f. mason yesterday. Holding off on running mainline till after spring turkey season, now only 10 days away, and then we are off to the races.

Scott

[Yellzee]

not much to report around my area... trying to sell syrup... reboiling a bunch of batches that measured thin cold.... dreaming of a new evaporator but scared of the prices I'm seeing. Seems bizzare that the used big ones are cheaper than the 2x6 or 2x8... must be just demand.

need to get back and roll up my lateral lines before the squirrels start chomping them... hope to finally get the door in my sugar shack over easter... hopefully it doesn't float away with the rain forecasted in the next couple days.

[Sugarmaker]

Picked up an new chain saw tonight, 250-C Stihl with quick chain adjuster and old man start. Should be nice and is a direct replacement for the whooped 025-C.
With purchase of 6 pack of super oil (mix) they doubled the warranty, and through in a free chain and a Stihl hat to boot. NICE.
Off to cut wood:)
Chris

[3rdgen.maple]

Sugarmaker its after 11 pm for safety concerns wait till morning to go cut wood. :D Nothing like a new saw.

[Sugarmaker]

Cut wood most of the night till the neighbors called the cops. When they told me I could make one call or get on the internet I logged on the the Trader! Do you guys have any bail money:)? These cots are not that comfy!
Man I hope things are good out there in the sugar hood!
Maybe I do have a problem?
Resting,
Chris

[Yellzee]

walked up into the bush today to see the flowers coming out on the hills and sap running out of the empty tap holes... buds still look pretty dormant... maybe I shut down way too early... but the spouse told me not to even think about it.

[3rdgen.maple]

Sugarmaker thats pretty funny seeing how the other day I needed my trailer and it was loaded up with slabwood. When I got home it was dark and I backed it down to the sugarhouse and turned on the flood lights and cut it all up. Well I didnt realize how late it was when the neighbors down the road sent his brother over and asked me to stop making so much noise cause his guest in the lodge couldnt sleep. Actually worked out good cause the guy ended up helping me stack what I had cut up lol.

[Sugarmaker]

3rdgen,
We do get carried away sometines.
I am sure when we boil to 2;00 in the morning my neighbor just loves those spa blowers running.

Went with Keith Talbot today and picked up a load of syrup jugs.
Keith has most of his wood cut for next season and plans to be on the Taste and Tour in March.

Chris

[waysidemaple]

Picked up my new bulk tank this morning. Made 8 more 8 oz. jars of maple jelly when we got home. Then headed up the the woods to mark out trees and try to get a sense where the mainlines will go, got about 2/3 of the trees marked out and the tap count for net year if I can get it all tubed will be 705 and climbing slowly. Sold 90 dollars worth of product last night when I got home from school which was a nice added bonus to my weekend. Going at it hard still hoping to hit 1000 taps for next year.

[3rdgen.maple]

Yes we are sugarmaker I am bound and determined I will have all my sugar wood done by end of may. In fact I felt really stupid friday as I was so determined to get it done that I hooked up the trailer and headed over to the Amish sawmill for another cord worth of slabs when the misses of the Amish house looked at me and said today is a holiday you know. Oooops

[Jim Brown]

HE HAS RISEN!!

Happy Easter to All!!

Jim

[Paddymountain]

He is risen indeed!

[wglenmapler]

Thanks for the reminder Jim! I'm thankful for such a gift!

[220 maple]

Hey 3rdgen Maple,
The next time I visit my equipment dealer I'll try to remember to get a list of the days that are holidays for them. I believe Whitt Monday is next? I think it is 40 days after Easter, then 11 days after that which always falls on a Thursday is also a Amish holiday. I know that they observe the day that the wisemen affirmed the birth of Jesus, same day as the Catholic observe the Epifhany Jan. 5 (?) maybe 6th or 7th. And of coarse they observe Christmas, the other holidays are man made and I believe they are open, I will get a list to post on here. They do observe Monday after Easter as a holiday. That may only apply to the Amish I deal with in Somerset County, Pa. ?

Mark 220 Maple

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Holidays are Thanksgiving, Christmas, Little Christmas (Jan 6th), Good Friday, and Ascension Day. Some observe "half holidays" such as Easter Monday and of course there is never any business conducted on Sunday.

[Revi]

I'm working on getting our home wood done and cutting up next year's sugar wood. We have a bunch and have determined that 21 inches is the perfect size for the evap. We had a bunch that was longer this year and it was a pain to put them in diagonally.

It's a lot of work, but I like it for some strange reason!

[Sugarmaker]

Took front pan to local fab shop to get a price. The material they use is 16 gauge 309 stainless. Heavier than I was interested in. We will see what the price looks like.
Chris

[Jim Schumacher]

Chris. Sound like a great boat anchor. That 309 is great for automotive exhaust systems... just kidding.:lol:

[Dennis H.]

16ga, holy cow man you will be able to park your truck ontop of that thing.
It will take like 4 people to pick that thing up!

I found that when the fab shop can handle under 18ga then they know what they are doing. It seems that when they won't use thinner than 18ga it is because they have a hard time from blowing holes thru the thing when tig'ing.

[Sugarmaker]

Dennis,
Sounds about right. I think the 16 gage is about .06 inch thick. They like that because they can weld it quick and easy with Little warpage. I dont like it from a sap heating standpoint.
Chris

[Sugarmaker]

I see I got Jim S attention:) Boat anchor, love it:)
Chris

[mapleack]

We got our hobart mixer delivered yesterday, I'm excited to make a batch of sugar with it! Chris, I'd stay away from the 16ga pan. I think that any cost savings would be quickly outweighed by the loss in efficiency.

[Sugarmaker]

Andy,
Did you buy a new mixer?
I really like our Hobart for making sugar.

My gut feel is that I would not see any difference in GPH with the thicker pan .06 vs .03 inch thick? As much fire as I have under this thing sap has to boil! By not leaking all over I would end up with the same syrup:)
Anyone out there have real first hand experience?
Now I will say that .125 thick pans do not boil well! I have seen that. But when it was switched out with a .06 thick pan there was a big difference and it looked like a normal boil rate.
Chris

[red maples]

I'm working on getting our home wood done and cutting up next year's sugar wood. We have a bunch and have determined that 21 inches is the perfect size for the evap. We had a bunch that was longer this year and it was a pain to put them in diagonally.

It's a lot of work, but I like it for some strange reason!

I haven't started on wood production yet. Have to get through the honeydo spring list, and I still have some maple cleanup todo. Dragging my but on that stuff but finally got all the lines buttoned up today. Inside of the pans are done arch is done just need to powerwash the bottoms. Well I could go on and on here. Hopefully I will get most of it done this weekend. then onto the garden!!!

[brookledge]

Finished pulling taps today and now onto splitting the cord wood I have cut down for the house. Then on to sugar wood
Keith

[Sugarmaker]

Brookledge,
Are you supposed to do the house wood first? Wow!
Chris

[brookledge]

Well the way I look at it I need it to be good and dry by fall time so if I procrastinate and did the sugar wood first(more fun) I'd be cursing at myself when the wood doesn't burn well
Keith

[Sugarmaker]

Brookledge,
Agreed! Luckily I am a year ahead on the house wood. Just have to move it one more time.
Cut a few pallets tonight. and completed one cord in the wood shed.
Will be turkey hunting in the morning with Grandson Nic.
Regards,
Chris

[adk1]

have almost 1/2 of my house wood bucked up, no stacking done yet. Have all of my sugarin wood bucked up, nothing split or stacked yet. House wood first for sure. Turkey hunting sunday morning, NY starts May 1

[waysidemaple]

Ill be turkey hunting in the morning as well then over to Patterson's open house. Anyone going over or been to it yet?

[3rdgen.maple]

have almost 1/2 of my house wood bucked up, no stacking done yet. Have all of my sugarin wood bucked up, nothing split or stacked yet. House wood first for sure. Turkey hunting sunday morning, NY starts May 1

Did you buy an evaporator yet or are you putting the cart before the horse again. lol

[red maples]

Ill be turkey hunting in the morning as well then over to Patterson's open house. Anyone going over or been to it yet?

our season starts this weekend I have seen 4 toms 2 of which have beards draggin on the ground!!! the problem is I see them all the time in the fields, in the woods, at my bird feeder as soon as hunting season rolls around they dissappear!!!!:(

[waysidemaple]

our season starts this weekend I have seen 4 toms 2 of which have beards draggin on the ground!!! the problem is I see them all the time in the fields, in the woods, at my bird feeder as soon as hunting season rolls around they dissappear!!!!:(
Haha yes I know that feeling. No luck this morning with the turkeys, but we are bringing a new wes fab 7" full bank filter press with stand and 10 rolls of 5/16 tubing home from pattersons open house. Good luck to all those going for the big gobbler!

Scott

[Sugarmaker]

No turkeys! We heard some gobble as soon as we got in the blind. Saw one as we moved to a new spot.
I came back to the house and cut wood, went to a bee meeting and cut more wood. Weather was great about 65 and sunny. That new saw is working real nice too.
Hope things are good out there!
Chris

[waysidemaple]

Here are a few pics of the new filter press and shack.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Did you buy an evaporator yet or are you putting the cart before the horse again. lol

I have heard rumors 3rdgen but since they are rumors I will not repeat them just yet.