sugar house visitor

[super sappy]

We had a bald eagle flying overhead today for about 10 minutes.He was flying nice and low so we could get a good look.I was hoping that he would go after one of the chickens but no such luck.I think he just wanted to watch me wash buckets. :D. The season is over for me and I am already started on plans for next year.1.) better sap storage. 2.) insulate and seal up sugarhouse. 3.)uv light? 4.) exterior lighting on sugarhouse. 5.)outhouse 6.)drainage and gravel 7.) making candy and cream properly. 8.)larger solar panels to power everything.oh well now I have a list maybe I can get some sleep.man I cant wait till next years first boil SUPER SAPPY

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

WOW! 8O Sounds like some big improvements. Good luck and enjoy your summer and preperation for next year! :D

[saphead]

Hey Super,
That bald eagle reminds me of when we saw one back in the late 70's.Someone came into the sugarhouse and said that there was a bald eagle flying around,so we all went out and watched it for a while. I don't remember how much time passed but we all looked at each other and realized no one was inside,to late, the syrup tray was burned goo! I even have pictures of a nice white enamel pail full of maple goo we drew off. Lots of cleaning after that one.

[super sappy]

That stinks ,about your pan. It sure is easy to get distracted.It seems like every time I was in my boiling groove ( firing on time drawing at a regular clip ) someone pulls in. Its ok if they want to buy syrup but its another story when they stand there drinking beer and jaw wagging wile Im trying to work.One of my neighbors stops every nite and tells me everything that I am doing wrong and what I should be doing to make things right. He really made me crazy this year one nite he refused to put out his cigar.Next year Ill have to hire a bouncer>

[mapleman3]

We do alot of thinking when we are alone boiling... why are we doing this? how can I make it go faster? when is it going to be over? how much will I have made? what are the improvments for next year? Do I really have to clean all this stuff again? wonder how next year will be? when will the season start ? can I wait that long to boil again?? I can't wait for next season !!!! :D 8) :wink:

we are certainly a wierd bunch aren't we!!

[brookledge]

super sappy
Do you get enough electricity from the panels to power everything? And do you have batteries to store the energy?
Keith

[MASSEY JACK]

Hey sappy, I got a line on another 500 gallon bulk tank yesterday. It is a Delaval with flat tops. It is in Sandgate. Call me if you are interested.

I have same problem with getting distracted. I seem to f*** up something everytime someone starts talking to me. I do better when I am all alone.

Let's plan on going to an open house together.

[super sappy]

Jack Ill give you a call on monday nite. If the price is good on the tank I ll most likely take it. I ll tell my wife it is the swimmingpool she has alwayse wanted. your new tank is prime. Did you get all of that sap cooked up? Brookledge. Right now I have a low teck system of marine batteries and solar battery chargers. I can run (2)50 watt 12volt bulbs for about 8 hours. I also have a draft blower for the arch (aka 1989 dodge van heater fan on a reostat.) The power demand is too much for the charger so every other day I bring them home and use the electric charger. I am rehabing a house for an electric engineer and he said he will figure out what I need to make my system more efficent. Hopefully the price will not be outrageous.I hate National Grid and do not want to give them money if I dont have to. The national grid tree crew butchered dozens of beautiful roadside trees around here this winter.-SS

[ibby458]

Gotta agree with you about National Grid. A couple years ago, they cut down a dozen sugar maples that I usta tap. Perfect, 15-24 inch dbh trees with huge crowns. (They moved the power line right to the road) They also cut all the limbs off one side on a couple dozen more. I held off tapping them for a couple years. Now the owner says he's going to cut them for firewood this summer.

Can't blame the owner for doing what he wants with his own trees, but National grid didn't need to move that line or cut the others back so severely. They just liked the easy working conditions of leaving the bucket truck on the paved road, so they spent weeks there fussing with trees that weren't bothering their lines at all.