July Journal

[Mike]

Shall we skip July's fournal.....Where is everone??????????? 8O

[Russell Lampron]

I was out getting wet on my motorcycle. When is this rain going to stop? I had been pretty lucky up to this point only getting caught in the rain once in 2000 miles of riding, but I have gotten wet the last 4 times I took the bike out.

Russ

[Pete33Vt]

We could skip July, Only thing they will be to talk about is RAIN!!!
Maybe tapping this season will be easier with web feet!!! Stay Dry

[Sugarmaker]

Making honey, selling a little syrup, and restocking the maple mustard. Just printed off some labels.
Also cutting grass and painting the deck, trimming the hedges and getting other things around the house done for a change.
Back to the sugarhouse to finish cleaning the pans. Finally drained that vinegar and rinsed and scrubbed the pans. They look much better. I saved the vinegar and put in one of the bulk tanks and have the preheater (copper) soaking in it.
Well I have to extract honey this morning. I took off a super and a half yesterday. The honey is quite dark this year.
I got a call from Jake Zimmerman today and I may consider moving a box of bees to his buckwheat field.

Regards, and hope everyone is having a great summer.

Chris

[mountainvan]

Not much going on in Oliverea. Been selling syrup, bottling, making cream and sugar, working on the house, and fishing. The recent flooding put a damper on fishing for awhile. Hard to fish in a river with houses in it! Parker did you do Hunter?

[Parker]

Mountianvan EEERRRRRRR??????? I guess I am not picking up what you are laying down?
Have finally gotten back into the woods,,rebuilt a hay wagon,,lots eaiser riding behind the bailer getting them kicked to you than picking it up out of the field,,gotta get back to thinning in the sugarwoods soon,,there is a project that NEVER gets finished.....good luck to all

[mountainvan]

sorry parker it was gearpump who was hiking hunter. I'm easily confused!!

[gearpump]

Yep mountianvan that was me. I am hoping that I can plan a trip into the catskills around the middle of Aug. to climb Hunter and Black dome. I want to kinda wait till all the tourist thin out to make the trip down there.

Marty

[mountainvan]

Had a good weekend at the farmers market and at the saphouse. My wife and daughter sold quite a bit of syrup today! Got my 5.5 horse honda engine for my vacuum pump. Now I need a pulley and some belts and I'm ready to see what it can do. My birthdays this week.....

[Pete33Vt]

Happy Birthday Van!!! Had a good weekend too nothing to do with maple, Went to big country music festival on Sunday. Five different singers, Daniel Peck, Trent Tomlinson, Josh Grason, Cris Cagle, And Jo Dee Masenna. Around 88 degrees and not a cloud in site. We got fried like lobsters, but no rain so Im not complaining. Hoping for a slow day at work today. Be Safe and have fun.
Pete

[mountainvan]

Went fishing yesterday to a new lake for me. Caught crappie, perch, bass, bluegill, and a 4lb white catfish. They don't call me the great white fisherman for nothing!! Today bottled 20 gals of syrup for the weekend and next week. sales have picked up lately at the saphouse. I think our highway sign is paying off. Started running again after my being sick for a bit. Up to three miles with only a little soreness. Not bad for a guy whos turning 42 and just had cancer. Have to keep in shape to walk the saplines and collect the buckets next spring!

[Father & Son]

Taking a break from work and grass cutting (all the rain the stuff is still growing like it's May) to spend a week or so in Connecticut.
Canned some syrup Sunday to bring to the inlaws along with some maple mustard.
Spent Monday on the road. The weather was nice and the trip went smooth. I think I'll try to beat the heat either today or tomorrow in the air conditioning at the Mohegan Sun Casino.
Going fluke fishing off Rhode Island the end of the week and will spent alot of time catching blue crabs in the cove my wife's parents live on.
Hope everyone's summer is going well!

Jim

[Parker]

Finnaly brought my slasher home and cut up 6 cords of sugar wood (the easy way) now just have to split it,,,get it in the shed,,walked around in some of the woods I tap this weekend,,crowns of the trees look green and full,,one of the places I tap {putney road} has a for sale sine out in front of it,,hope the new owners let me tap,,,,good luck to all.....

[ibby458]

Got over 1/2 my sugar wood (The hardwood half) all split and stacked under the 6' overhang on the south side. I'll finish up the pile with dry pine slabs.

Ordered my new SS base stack last week. Can't wait to get in on. Still haven't poured any concrete to put the evaporator on yet. The unit that I borrowed (but the owner wouldn't sell to me) is still setting in my way.

WEnt to the Maple trade show in Potsdam last week, and talked to the Waterloo (LaPierre) guys. They explained some things to me about my evap that I didn't understand, and can still supply a couple small missing parts for me.

Going slow (with all the usual summer stuff), but we're making slow progress.

[Fred Henderson]

How in the heck could you stand it cutting wood in that hot weather. You got to be a brute for punishment.

[White Barn Farm]

I finished up the last of my sap wood yesterday afternoon. I have been staring at it thru this hot weather and finally decided to get it over with. Poured the base for cabinets in the saphouse two weeks ago, figured that when I hose off the floor I won't have my cabinets sitting in water.
The neighbors that I grew up helping make syrup are selling their farm this Friday at auction and all their maple equipment along with it. They have a 5x15 oil evaporator with a steam a way, gas finisher, seven bulk tanks,canner, filter press and all their tubing. I hate to see them get out of it all together, a lot of great memories. :( Any one interested I can give directions. It's in N.E. Pa.

[mountainvan]

Went to Ohio last week to visit family. Got to go fishing in a small farm pond and caught some big catfish. Had to bring lots of New York maple syrup since Ohio does'nt make much, but what they make is great!!! Bottled syrup today to fill orders from last week. Bottling syrup tomorrow to fill orders from this week. Got a video camera for my birthday, and so far have three fishing "shows". Mainly me and my kids having fun.

[ibby458]

Cutting wood in the summer isn't too bad, as long as you pick the conditions. We head out early when it's cool, preferably with a decent wind to keep the deer flies away. We do the splitting on the shady side of the shed in the late afternoon. We can cut less than 1/2 as much as we do in the fall/winter, but it still adds up nicely.

[Jim Brown]

Well the wood for next year is all but finished. Have two(2) ranks 24inches by 24 feet long(oak-maple cherry) split stacked and covered. One rank of hardwood boards cut 22inches by 12 feet, one rank 22 inches by10 feet and one rank 22inches by 8 feet. all board ranks are 5 feet high stickered and covered. Hope this is enought!. Now have to finish getting the vacumn system put toghter and ready to run. I have to agree with a post I seen a while back. "There are only two seasons syrup season and getting ready for syrup season" how true!
Hope all have a good summer
Jim

[mountainvan]

Spent three days this week bottling syrup and making sugar and cream. Sales have been fantastic, reason for all the bottling. Only got to go fishing thursday evening. It's been hot enough to go swimming in the creek, which is cold!!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Finally got all of my wood in for the year. Been a busy year at work and running behind a couple of months on the wood. I did add a wall to the long side of my wood storage area before I started on the wood, so now it is nearly closed in. I should have close to 8 cords ready to go for next year. :) I will add some pics sometime. :oops:

[Parker]

Got the 4x12 out of the woodshed on friday and started filling it yesterday,,I think I have around 15 cords in there now and another 7 outside to be stacked,,another 8-10 over at the Shaws farm,,moved the slasher to a littel job down the road so I will try to cut up a bunch there,,STAY COOL and GOOD LUCK...................

[Russell Lampron]

Just got back from a week camping in Maine. While I was there I visited with Matt "royalmaple" and checked out his operation. I wish I didn't have to come home but it's back to work on monday.

Russ

[royalmaple]

Russ-

It was really nice to shoot the bull with you a couple of times. Too bad I wasn't further ahead with the building of my sugar house or if I had the new evaporator here and set up. Oh well, I guess that means a return trip.

Thanks for the help finding the used vacuum pump. Have to wait and see how that thing cranks up the old operation.
:lol: