June Journal

[Mike]

Where has everyone gone?? Ordered my RO yesterday, now I have to get the sugar house ready for it..Will work on that after the food plots have been mowed and the corn and soy beans have been planted.....The apple treas have been taken care of......Hope everyone has a nice summer, Looks like a wet one... 8O

[sgsommers]

Mike,

You're right, seems like someone switched off the switch. Anyhow, I also just ordered my RO last week, now I to have to build a room for the RO and install my evaporator that I purchased. Sounds like it will be a busy summer. What kind of special features are you figuring on for your room and sugarhouse. This is new to me (RO).

Our corn is not looking so healthy at this point, too much rain and too cool of temps, repeat of last year. :?

Steve

[Mike]

Hi Steve, Ill put a small room off the back of the sugar house.Insulated so's I can heat it during the sugaring season with out much cost. I hope....I bought a 850 gal SS tank for the cleaning water....Insulated milk tank....Ill keep it out side and pipe the water in and out of it....Its sure has been a wet spring here....Hope to plant the corn next week....We'll add 2/3 rows of sweet corn.....Keep me posted on you RO room progress....Mike.

[Parker]

I have been cutting in a woods that has quite a few young (3-8") rockies,,It is a regular logging job but I have been having fun releasing the rockies,,,,might be nice for someone in 25-35 years,,,,,cant believe the seeds on the reds and rockies this spring,,mnost I have ever seen,,,,mabey I can work in some of my sugarwoods this summer, stir some ground up,, and get some regeneration comming? The Shaws just started planting their corn yesterday.....still pretty wet for logging,,,

[Pete33Vt]

Still here, check post every morning before work. Paving season so its pretty busy. Been really wet here also. Got garden in last week. Been check out a few sugarbushes to get ahold of for this coming year. Still keeping eyes open for rig.Not sure of size, was going to go with a 3x10 but not sure with the trees I've been looking at, might need big one. Hoping to make a choice soon. If not will probalble just sell sap this year and build next. But you never know. Hope everyone has a good summer.

[Al]

Hey Pete if you get up to Pumpkin Village and the pick ups in the yard. Stop on in. Haven't got the garden in but hoping to this weekend.
Take care, Al

[softmaple]

hey has anyone seen the maple sugar sweet corn that burpee sells, well my wife found it in the book and we got it growing in the yard. cant wait to try it out!

[White Barn Farm]

I am fortunate to have a neighbor that owns a log yard. He had someone in to bandsaw 10,000 board feet of oak, maple, cherry, soft maple and hickory. I asked about the slabs and he brought me down six dump trailer loads at $10 per load. I should have enough for this year easily enough. I've been busy sawing, splitting and stacking that. Planted some maple seedlings in areas that were too steep to plant and care for on the Christmas tree end. It's been a great year for them and the other trees we planted. The garden is half in, asparagas has been terrific, strawberries are next!!!!!

[mountainvan]

Went to the hospital yesterday for prep stuff, and fishing today. Fishing was much more fun, even though the lake was flooded and I only caught two fish. Aty least I was'nt skunked. Greene County,NY is getting slammed by caterpillars, some of the hills look like it's november. Our local government just started talking about spraying!! To little too late!! I have surgery tuesday to see if my cancer came back, guess I'll get starz for my tv again!!

[gearpump]

Mountainvan I wish you the best of luck on your surgery and you are in my prayers. I am hoping to get into the Catskills in a month to hike Hunter Mt. I was turned around a couple of years ago because of ice at the top and I didn't have crampons. Three more Mt's to climb to reach my goal of the Northeast 114 4000fts. Maybe I can stop by and check out your sugaring operation?

Marty

[maple flats]

Mountainvan, I am praying for you. Hoping for GOOD news. My wife is going thru chemo now, had 3, 5 more to go. I know what it is like from being so close to it.
Dave

[Sugarmaker]

Weather from frost to mid 90's same week in NWPA. Haven't even thought about the garden yet. Have enough pallets compressed for 80 gallons of syrup next year.
Currently have 16 colonies of bees and was just putting together another 6 medium supers tonight. I have captured 6 swarms so far this spring. Honey flow will be kicking in high gear this week.

Chris

[lharris1]

The last two years we pumped using a 12V battery and a couple of 3 gpm demand pump which we have decided is just too slow. I notice that Northern Tool has their North Star 1 in pump Model SEM-25L on sale from $249.99 to $236.99. Does anyone else use this pump. Does anyone have other recommendations or is there a better place to purchase a pump?

[mountainvan]

I have a honda wx10 minifour from northern. No mixing of gas and oil!! It's a bit more but I think it's worth it. Marty I take it you did Slide? The highest mountain in the Catskills and part of my backyard!! Stop by anytime, and if you need a place to crash, the light in the saphouse is always on!!

[Ed K]

I'm getting really depressed, since sugaring was over every time I head for the woods to do some logging it rains again. I have one job thats so wet it'll be next freeze up before I can work it. Been thinking of moving the sugar house and building it a bit bigger. 12' x 16' doesn't cut it for a 2x8 arch. Was thinking 16' x 24'. But the cost of concrete is awful. Well its pouring again :cry: .
Mountainvan, we'll be sending prayers your way.

[royalmaple]

Van-

Hope you get a good report. Wish you the best.

I'm about sick of the rain too. :( :(

I wouldn't dare take my tractor out back to thin the woods out. Got buried just going around the barn yesterday. Always makes for a nice start to the day when you have to deal with a buried tractor.
:twisted:
I think I made a few new words during the whole ordeal.

At least the rain forces me to tackle the "honey-do" list. Get that out of the way then I can work on my sugar house and not feel like I am filling out the divorce papers at the same time.

[Mike]

Van, I hope all comes out ok for you.....Mike

[Russell Lampron]

Van,

I hope your surgury goes well and that it is good news.

Russ

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Send some of the rain down here, it's getting dry as a bone! 8O Was able to finish framing up the end wall for the woodshed today and got all the lap siding installed also with the help of my brother this morning. I am trying to get back into maple stuff as I haven't hardly done anything since the first of April. Big hail storm April 7th and it has made it very busy at work up until this week ever since. Need to spray the new wall and the rest of the building again and then start cutting, splitting and stacking wood. I am running behind this year as I have most of my wood in by now normally. Oh well, something to look forward to the next few weeks as I enjoy cutting and splitting wood. :D

[cheesegenie]

Staying wet here too. Looks like less than half of the corn is still not
planted in the area. Hay looks fantastic, hope it dries up enough to
get it off. Trying to clean up around some new trees to tap; muddy,
black flies,skitters, biting wasps makes it quite interesting.

[gearpump]

Van, I climbed slide in a big snowstorm. Whiteouts and bonechilling cold. I had a great time, but my partner at that time was not having much fun! Oh well she got over it! We did not have enough cold weather gear, its only the Catskills not the Adirondaks, right? Wrong! Went and got all the insulated piping for my outdoor furnace today. $3500 for 280ft. Ouch! hoping to get it installed next weekend so I can spend a few weekends in NY hiking.

Marty

[mountainvan]

I got stuck on Slide in 91 when I worked with the usgs. 4 hrs total whiteout, dug into a snow drift to stay warm. seems the caterpillars are bad in most of the Catskills this year. thanks for all the good thoughts. van

[mountainvan]

Had another biopsy 6/6/06, third one is not a charm. Had a hard time before the surgery and got sick again after. Slept for most of tuesday and wednesday, finally feeling better thursday afternoon. My doctor called last night with the lab results, and I don't have cancer anymore!!!

[royalmaple]

Van-

That is terrific, glad to hear the news. :lol: :lol: :lol: Now just get your strength back and put that chapter behind you. :wink:

[super sappy]

Van -I have been waiting to hear your good news. Enjoy :D

[MASSEY JACK]

VAN, That is the best news I have had all week!

[Fred Henderson]

Van, I did not know what your problem was but I did suspect that there was a medical issue. That is really good news, the best that I have heard in a long time.

[brookledge]

Van,
And they said bad things where going to happen on 6-6-06. Thats great to hear. Stay healthy :)
Keith

[maple flats]

great news van. Our prayers have been answered. Have a good summer.
Dave

[Russell Lampron]

Van glad to hear about the great news. I bet life is more enjoyable now that you don't have that monkey on your back anymore.

Russ

[mountainvan]

thanks maple traders. as for the 6/6/06, I was also put in room 6. Still have a week of recovery and already climbing the walls. At least the caterpillars are dieing of here!!

[Sugarmaker]

Van,
Great news that you are cancer free! Hope your summer is great as you get ready for next maple season. :D
Chris

[Pete33Vt]

Van,
Great news and wishing you a very quick recovery and have a happy and safe summer.

[mountainvan]

Been taking it easy for the last week, except for yesterday. Finally got around to plugging spiles on my big bush, walked a couple miles up and down the mountain. Not a good thing to do a week after surgery, found that out last night, and a trip to the pharmacy today. Was going to go fishing today, but will have to what till next week. Syrup sales have been good, just bottled some pints cause I was out.

[Mike]

Van, Glad to hear your ok.......Ya might as well listen to your DR or you'll be recovering longer than you wish.......Again, Glad to hear the good news........Mike

[mountainvan]

I've been trying to take it easy, but the fish have been biting and the syrup won't bottle itself. Went out saturday at 4 am and my friend and I lost count at 20 fish each. Had a nice meal of bass and crappie. Have to bottle syrup today cause the farmers markets start this weekend. Caterpillars are gone but the damage is done. 100% defoliation in one of my bushes, 300 taps, and varied in the others. No new leaves yet, but I'm keeping my hopes up. One good sign is that some of the trees tapholes from this year are already half closed, even with the defoliation.

[mountainvan]

Bottled 20 gals yesterday, by the afternoon was the saphouse hot!! Maples are starting to releaf here in th catskills, so maybe I'll be able to tap some I did'nt think I could. I'll just keep an eye on the taphole closure and how big the leaves get. Farmers markets start tomorrow, but weather service says we might get 8" of rain tonight. Hopefully they're wrong. Go Netherlands in the world cup!!

[ibby458]

We didn't have very much leaf loss, and the 5/16 tapholes are mostly closed already. I haven't checked the 7/16, but I gotta imagine they take longer.

[mountainvan]

Had the first farmers market today. Seemed slow, but after adding up the sales we did very well. Got to shake our congressmans hand and talk maple to a washington big wig for a couple minutes. Did'nt know a maple tree from a telephone pole. Seems maple syrup is'nt big with the wigs! Oh well, I like dealing with simple folk anyway. Think I need to go fishing now!

[Parker]

Got to do my favorite thing today,,move evaporators,,brought another home wich I will be selling,,4x12 insulated arches are VERY heavy!!!Worked around the sugarhouse some cleaning,,the place tends to collect all kinds of stuff that does not belong there,,,going to do the final cleaning of the rig tommrow a littel simmer in "mighty marvin",,,cant wait,,,,,Van,,what do you use for containers at the markets? What sells well? I need to do lots more retail,,,

[220 maple]

220 Maple June Report I finally had a chance after haymaking to haul my commercial syrup to Henry Breneman's. Very pleased with the price of $1.35 a pound. Henry is guessing it will be higher next year. Big demand very little product.
I was able to get some tubing, jugs and glass bottles (leafs and liberties). The best part is setting down and talking to Henry and Rhoda. Henry did mention that RO sales is booming. Not surprising with the price of fuel.
I'm glad I have a wood burner and enough dead oak and locust for a couple more seasons. I visited a syrupmaker near Louisville,Ky. recently.
He has a small camp, About 100 taps, makes around 15gal each year. He justed retired and possibly could expand using some leased trees. I noticed quite a few sugars and reds in his area. He like all sugarmakers that I've met was a great person to talk with, very friendly. I met a couple selling their syrup at a service center on the New York Thruway, Memorial Day Weekend. Walter and Candice Kline, very friendly and imformative, Their camp is in Prattsville,NY. They our 5th generation Syrupmakers, Maple syrup production start there in 1847. 6000 taps now all on buckets. Hat's off to them. They know hard work.
Until next month. Mark 220 Maple Signing Off

[super sappy]

Van- I hope that you washed your hands after you touched the congressman. My wife went out to get eggs on sat am to find a fisher in the chicken coop. He ate and or killed all of our chickens that were home .We have 5 left up at the corn maze they will be vaccationing there for another week.No more roosters :D. .The renovations are almost complete on the sap house.I have tightened things up a bit and on fathers day the kids and I spent the night then made pancakes for breakfast.I have to upgrade my canning/filter system for next year and get my bulk tank mounted up in the air. That is stuff I can do on slow days at work.-super sappy

[mountainvan]

Did well in the market today, even with a little higher prices than last year and rain, I think most folks expect things to go up after gas did. Happiest customer was a guy from Kentucky. He and I fished in the same lake there!! Parker I sell lots of quarts, pints, and 1/2 gallons. I use the les chruchon jugs and some catskill pure by sugarhill. glass is a variety of autumn leaf, basque, and seasonal depending on the season.Unless you live on a busy highway, I think you need to go where the people are. There's no way I could sell as much as I do at home. Not many producers go to farmers makets in this area on a regular basis. It's their loss and my gain. I could go down to New York city and sell lots of syrup for community markets, but the insurance they require is too much for me, at least till I start making 1000 gals a year!!

[Parker]

Spent the day cleaning the evap. yesterday,,steam in late june :D ,,It was the first time I used acid in the rig,,I used a pretty week concentration and it still did an amazing job,,,I was wondering how deep I could fill my flue pan next time,,it is 5x10 and I was worried about getting too much water-weight in there,,but the acid only really cleaned to the level of the water even though I did a whole lot of splashing-scrubbing,,any Ideas?

[Mike]

Parker, I fill both both pans as high as I can go with them. Then i bring it to a boil.......shut it off scrubb a little and re boil......Then I give it a good rinsing w/boil...The acid sure makes it look pretty........Ive used the milk stone acid before and it worked pretty good....A lot cheaper than the dealers acid......Mike

[Sugarmaker]

For cleaning the pans this year I am trying someones suggestion of using white vinegar. I filled the pans with warm water and dumped in 6 gallons of vinegar. It may not work as fast as the dealer acid but seems to be doing the same job after one week. I will still have some scrubbing above the water line.
Chris

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

With my 2x8, I used 4 gallons of vinegar and filled the pans complete full and simmered it about an hour and it worked great! I didn't leave it sit but a couple of hours! :)

[maple flats]

I used white vineger for the last 2 seasons. I filled the pans about 2" above normal and heated it to about 150. I used the cheapest generic white vinegar but used it full strength. After heating I let it set and every few minutes I took a brush and brushed the vintgar up onto the upper part of the pans. I continued this for about 2 hrs while the fire was kept barely going. After the 2 hrs I brushed everything well and then started draining the vinegar, the first of which was put into the canner, still warm and let it set about an hour, drained it after brushing and drained the avap further and put it into the canner again. The rest of the vinegar was drained from the evap and when the level started to get low I chased it with fresh water. When the water had completely replaced the vinegar I built a good fire and boiled it for about 15 min, with new water replacing that evaporated away. I then let it cool til I could put my hands in it, brushed again and with the fire out I drained it dry. When I needed to have hot water for cleaning buckets or other equipment I again filled the pan to about 1" and built a small fire, when hot I drew off and used the hot water for clean up , another fresh batch in a second large plastic tub was my rinse. As i cleaned up I continued to use the evap to heat wash water and it kept getting a littlke more stuff off from the seams and inside corners even though it looked clean. At the end of each day doing this I drained the pans and left them dry. In order to do it this way i fill my 400 gal bulk tank and just use the water from there. I did this for 3 days (or more accurately 3 days at about 3 hrs each day) and in the end the evap was real clean. The vinegar I used came from a big box type grocery and was $.72/gal and I used 25 gal to clean a 2x6 drop flue. I then was able to just dump the vinegar by dumping 3 gal buckets in a spreading fling and did each bucket in a different area so as not to get too much in any one place. The vegitation shows no difference in growth from where i spread vinegar and where none was spread so I believe no ill effects will show. I never had to handle nor store a strong acid cleaner and the pans were cleaned well.

[Parker]

I might have to try the vinigar trick,,I really dont like having acid in the sugar house,(small kids around and all) ,I noticed that the back 12"-20" of the flue pan did not clean nearly as well as the rest of the rig,,I think that area did not get hot enough (heat sucked out of the arch befor it reached the end), I had a small boil going in the syrup pan ,,but not hot enough in the rear of the flue pan I think,,I guess with all this rain there isnt much danger of sucking the well dry,,might have to put another 500 gallons in the head tank get some vinigar and fire Marvin up agine.........

[MASSEY JACK]

I used vinegar in the flue pan and a powdered acid cleaner that I got from Leader in the syrup pan. I used 8 gallons of vinegar to probably 50 gallons of water in the flue pan. I let it set a few days and then warmed it up and scrubbed what I could. It cleaned up somewhat but not what I had hoped for. The Leader acid directions said "not recommended for flue pans " so I did not use it there. In the front pan I put about 3 inches of water and started a fire. When the water got hot I poured in some of the acid powder. It fizzed up a little and quickly started removing the nitre. I ended up doing it again at a little stronger mix and it ate the nitre off really well with almost no scrubbing. I did find that if you heat the water up too hot it caused a slight black discoloration on the bottom of the pan where it acted like it was boiling when first dropped in. Like everything else it is all part of the learning process.I then dumped in some boxes of baking soda to neutralize the acid. Then I spread the water solution on my driveway. I then took the syrup pan to work and powerwashed the black side. It took a wire brush and soap to get it really clean. I still need to clean the flues. Not looking forward to that . Does anyone have any tricks to make cleaning the soot side of the flues easy?? Does anyone clean them or just brush them and don't worry about it?

[Sugarmaker]

MJ,
I just brush the flues unless I was going to take the pan off then I might wash and scrub the soot.

Well I have been gently scrubbing the vinegar water over the last several days and the pans really look clean up to the water line. I did not scrub hard just enough to remove the loose scale.
I took apart my preheater and placed several pieces of the copper into the vinegar. in 24 hours they were just a shiny as a new penny. So far I am very pleased with the vinegar solution. And I have not built a fire to warm this.

Above the water line I placed several paper towels over the side of the pan to see if it will 'wick' the vinegar solution up and 'clean the sides above the water line too.

I have been busy working the bees and have taken off 3 and half medium supers of dark spring honey. tastes great but looks like clover or darker.
I have 18 hives currently. I got into a lone hive the other night just as a storm was coming up and I really got hammered. I think 7 or 8 stings and I could not get the honey off that hive. I had to grit my teeth and put it back together and leave them alone.

Our maple mustard was a big hit at our family reunion.

We have several more cord of wood to split for the house over the holiday weekend.

Monday night, Cheryl and I went to a listen to a local sugarmaker Jan Woods give a talk on a book about maple syrup. Miracles on Maple Hill By Virginia Sorensen
If you haven't read the book I would highly recommend it! Jan did a very nice job and has all the research on this local story (Edinboro PA). Only 180 pages and a great gift for sugar makers of all ages.

For Fathers day I received a copy (Reprint) of the Maple Sugar book, Helen and Scott Nearing. Looking forward to reading this some cold winter eve.

Regards,
Chris

[Parker]

I think the maple sugar book is a great read,,I would like to snoop around that section of VT and see if I could come across any of their old orchard.

[maple flats]

For the soot side I stand the pan on end, leaning against something solid with the smoke side facing me, leaning just enough so as not to tip and spray using my sap pump (a little 2 cycle 1" gas pump from TSC), on the discharge I have it reduced down to a 9/64 nozzle (irrigation sprinkler nozzle). This cleans it well and the pressure is enough to clean without being too much. As far as cleaning the flues on the sap side I also use the white vinegar as described above and use the sap side flue brush for the narrows and use a generic handled brush to swab the open areas. This brushing is rather gentle but removes what the vinegar has loostened. I dip the brush in the vinegar and swish it up to the top of the sides to clean them too. It works! When i am doing it I still have the evap set up as if I am making syrup and fill the rig with the vinegar, about 2" higher than when I boil (3" instead of 1") and I have fresh water in my bulk tank but do not boil the vinegar. As I draw off after getting vinegar hot and letting set a couple of hours and brushing every few minutes while I clean or organize the sugarhouse, I draw off the vinegar andwhen it gets to about 1/2" deep (still a very small fire) I then open the fill valve to chase the vinegar. When I taste test the draw off ang get only a slight hint of vinegar I build the fire up hot and do a rapid boil for a little time, let the fire die down to little and start using the water to clean buckets. To do this I have 2 plastic tubs from Wally World that are big enough to use without splashing all over me, I set up outside and wash. As the wash gets dirty it gets dumped, the rinse becomes the wash and a new rinse is drawn and I continue, still with hot water rinsing the evap and then being used to wash the buckets. I only have 50 buckets but I change the water about 3 X before done because I want to use more water so as to clean the evap better. In my case this is not even done in a day but rather over 2-3 days of about 3 hrs each. (I drive school bus and do it between runs) Each time I go to shut down if there is any rish of a freeze overnight I drain everything, if not I let it set (which is usually the case). In addition to cleaning buckets I also clean everything else that won't fit in the dishwasher at home, cleaning them by the same method.

[super sappy]

Parker- If you go to Jamica Vermont look for pikes falls Rd.The Nearings settled on the stratton mt. end of it.I think one of the stone houses is all that is left. It is a great place to explore. You can camp for free on the Kelly Stand Road between Stratton and Arlington. Lots of hiking and fishing. I am going to go back in the fall and try to find the exact spot on the road. If you go be sure to stack some rocks. (You will know where when you get there)-SUPER SAPPY

[nhmaple48]

First time I was there was in the early 60's when George Breen had it for sale. Went back in the late 60's, was going thru the sugar house he had last used when he showed up. Had a good visit with him. Was there 10 or 15 years ago, sugarhouses made into camps, wood shed still used for wood. I've got 2 signed 1'st edition copies of THE MAPLE SUGAR BOOK plus some pictures of them that were in 1 of the books.

[brookledge]

I took advantage of Sugarhill's sale and ordered 11 cases of jugs. Hopefully it will last me for 2 years, time will tell. Actually if I go through all of them in a year thet will mean I'm selling alot of syrup.
Keith

[Pete33Vt]

Up here in northern VT, I know there is alot of old sugarbushes. It kind of fun to find them when hunting or hiking. Some still have the old sugarhouses there. Fallen in of course. Most have the old evaporators around them. Kind of interesting to find what looks to be a rear flue pan from a 6' rig, with a maple growing out of it. I like to snoop around and think about when the sugarhouse was still standing. Proably miss alot of animals that way but, imagineing the old rigs up and steaming is a good time for me. :roll: :roll: :roll: