Pissed off worse than a skeeter in a room full of manikins

[PATheron]

Been working on my stuff as long as I can remember. Even I am starting to get things dialed in. Are we going to have a season this year or has this just been all for practice. Whats the predictions. Lay it on me. Theron

[Shawn]

Sound like me, who knows. Could be a gusher or could be sweet and short. All the work to get ready and then all the work in the end, but you know what we may curse and stomped but in the end it is what it is.:cool:

[325abn]

That's right! Whatever Mother gives us is what she gives us!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Last year was a record or near record for most. Don't think it will happen 2 years in a row. Probably going to be average at best the way it is looking with nearly everyone getting late start. I hope I am wrong for ones up north every cold day increases the percentage of a bad season.

[adk1]

I think this week is the start starting wednesday

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Thats a good thread title! Where do you come up with this stuff?:lol:

[ennismaple]

My prediction is 75% of last year's total. The crapload of snow we have in the woods will put the end of the season off a little (to say April 17 or so) but if we don't make our first syrup until this coming weekend we'll only get about 3 good weeks to fill drums.

[lew]

Sorry Theron, it's all my fault. Bit off more than I could chew this year. New sugarhouse, building woodchip evaporator, new electric service, etc. I had to turn the thermostat down a bit so I could get my projects finished before season. Just a few more days and I'll turn it back up. Sorry for any inconvenience

[Dave Y]

Theron,
Things will work out fine, Last year I sat here waiting for sap while everyone was having a banner year. So if you want to talk about being pissed off. You never have been very patient. It will be an average season.

[PATheron]

Dave- Im not really mad. Im just having fun putting funny stuff on the trader. Honestly yesterday was the first time Ive really felt like I was totally ready. We went from woods to woods finishing up small stuff and hooking up some misc trees. I think well do all right. Cant wait to see it run good though. Lew- You've really done a lot this year by the sounds. Are you pretty much ready now? Theron

[lew]

Theron,

Pretty much. I'll find out shortly. I'm just so use to going into the sugarhouse and flipping switches and opening valves to get get going like I have for the last 20 years. Every time I turn around there's this one little thing that I forgot I have to hook up to be ready. Vacuum leaks should be all fixed next thaw. Just have to tap another 300+ in a small gravity woods once everything else is up and running. Working on steam hood over front pan. Spent $60,000 on building and evaporator upgrades this year, and I'm building a batten and plastic steam hood. Just doesn't seem fair. Next year we'll have a nice shiny stainless hood.

[Dave Y]

Theron, I know you are not mad, I just jabbing you.Our season has started ,but slow. we have boiled 12000 gal of sap so far.
Lew, I know about spending money every time I do I have a bad season. I hope this yea is different. I installed 1000 new tap on wet dry line and bought a new 51cfm Busch pump and other Misc. items. We also dumped our buckets,so less taps and less work.

[redrob]

Predicting a short season here in nw Indiana...looking at the forecast we just might get a full first week in this week

[Bruce L]

Getting worried here north of the border, -15 Fahrenheit here this morning,lots of lines to fix since squirrels were having a party under all the snow and ice.

[unc23win]

I am with Lew (spending included) I have had so much to do this year with building the sugarhouse getting all the equipment set up and all. The season starting March 20th is fine with me. Seems like every day something needs to be put together, hooked up, or checked. The list was 1000 things to do now its under 100 I think and the sap is coming ready or not.

[ennismaple]

I'm with you Bruce! I'd like to have 1/4 of my total production in containers by now by so far the evaporator sits dry and neglected! Hopefully this Wednesday to Friday it runs enough to fire up the Beast on the weekend.

Marty

[Maplewalnut]

While we are crying the blues....I had 85% of my crop this time last year.....this year I have less than 15% on same date Ouch

[doocat]

March 17 and only 20% in the barrel so far....I'm concerned.

[Dave Y]

I am not concerned as we will be boiling til May.

[lew]

0% in the barrel

[PATheron]

It just hasn't really happened here yet either. Ive gotton some runs but the sap runs about half speed because the ground is froze. I think weve made 600 and some gallons which isn't bad for the weather. The good thing is the leaks and the lines are really dialed in. Ive never had so much time to get ready and Ive used it to get ready. My new woods this year is mostly reds so the kind of bad thing is they may bud early but well see what happens. Its a north woods. Im still feeling pretty positive. Im thinking things are working good so shouldn't be any wasted time working on stuff. Weve never had this many trees or the lines this good so Im still pretty optimistic. Ive got a feeling once it starts its going to really pore in. Cant wait till it warms up so I can at least see it all run good once. Other thing is if that vac is 23 inches or over weve always been able to make it run for upwards of two weeks without a freeze so at least theres that too. Hope for the best. Hope all you guys make out good. Theron

[happy thoughts]

Keep the faith! :) Next few days all look good into next week, Theron.

Here's something I found in an old US Ag Maple producers Manual from the 1970's. It could always happen again.


In 1960 almost all the sap crop was collected in a 24- to 48-hour period and the Brix value of the sap was much higher than 2.2°. Many producers reported sap of 5° Brix and higher. Because of the large volume of sap in this short period, many producers reported that their buckets overflowed. How much was lost will never be known. This loss would not have occurred had plastic tubing been used for collecting and transporting the sap.

[Clinkis]

Keep the faith! :) Next few days all look good into next week, Theron.

Here's something I found in an old US Ag Maple producers Manual from the 1970's. It could always happen again.

I remembered reading that exact quote somewhere and then it dawn on me.....my Grampa's old syrup manual. I remember looking through it as a kid when I would be over helping him in his sugar bush. I read it cover to cover several times when i was younger. When he passed away I got a lot of his equipment along with the book. I just dug it out and had a look through it. It brings back a ton of great memories spending time with my grandfather and where my maple obsession began! Look familiar?

9251

[Russell Lampron]

Subscribed!!!

[happy thoughts]

Look familiar? 9251

Yup, That's it :). I downloaded mine online but I usually hesitate to post the link to it because of their recommendations for tap hole sanitation. Beyond that it's a great resource.

Here's the link to several different formats if anyone is interested.

https://archive.org/details/maplesirupproduc00willrich

PDF and several E-reader formats are supported. Just remember not to follow the advice about sanitizing tapholes!!!

[GeneralStark]

I am not complaining at all about the late start. With a brand new sugarhouse built in the last 3 months, a new rig and new woods setup this has given me time to really get ready. I still have 125 taps to get in and a sink to plumb, but the vacuum system is working well at 26.5 - 27" and the new rig is tuned and ready for some serious sap. I have had a couple decent runs to test things out and make a little syrup.

I am quite optimistic about the season as the meteorological signals suggest we will have a slow onset of spring here in the northeast. With frost in the ground, a good snowpack and frozen great lakes, we should get lots of good sap runs.

[BreezyHill]

We have gotten more lines installed and got the bugs out of the remodeling of the sugar house.

Rather concerned as I can recall many seasons being all cleaned up by now; but still holding on to the memory of last seasons long run.

I recall in the early 70's dumping buckets 3 & 4 times a day due to the fast run.

Last season we had a two day stretch like that and boiled 20 hours straight for three days.

These single digit am temps are rather concerning as to the trees don't seem to run till after noon time and then freeze right after or before sunset.

Keep the faith! It could still be a banner season.

Ben

[Clinkis]

Yup, That's it :). I downloaded mine online but I usually hesitate to post the link to it because of their recommendations for tap hole sanitation. Beyond that it's a great resource.

Here's the link to several different formats if anyone is interested.

https://archive.org/details/maplesirupproduc00willrich

PDF and several E-reader formats are supported. Just remember not to follow the advice about sanitizing tapholes!!!

Thanks for the link! I'm almost scared to read my book because the binding is falling apart. Your right...tons of great info but the tap hole sanitation.....definitely a little scary. I actual have several bottles of the old formaldehyde germicidal pellets that I found in my grandpa's tapping supplies. Can beleive they used to use these knowing now that formaldehyde is a carcinogen(causes cancer).