red maples
09-17-2014, 07:27 PM
Hi everybody!!! I don't even remember the last time I was on here. I have been crazy busy since maple season was wrapped up.
not everything is good news though but I will start with the good part.
After about a year and a half process since I first picked up my paperwork to fill out, I finally got paid for my RO by the USDA energy grant. I believe it was extra difficult due to the fact that I was starting from scratch, we had a government shut down, the farm bill was up in the air, but everything finally came together and they paid for about 80% of the RO. I wish they paid for some of the rest too... plumbing electric wiring etc but one can;t be greedy.
Sales (after maple weekend not a lot of syrup to sell so poor numbers there) are slightly down from last year but are starting to pick up and I am getting inquires for candy and cream and stuff so need to start my fall production.
Not sure if I posted it because it was such a crazy time but, just after maple season, I lost my Mom to cancer on may 20th. She had a rough last few years with problem after problem and many rounds of chemo. The cancer finally caught up with her and withered her away to a shadow of a once very strong caring woman. She is missed everyday. My Dad is hanging in there he has been keeping himself busy mom was a bit of horder so he has been going through stuff lost of stuff. we cleared out a bunch of stuff the first few weeks after the funeral but as we get back to life things keep piling here so I haven't had much of a chance to get down the past 2 months. hopefully november will be better. I am hoping he comes up and helps me out for maple season that would be great. but we'll see he still goes to the cemetary everyday he has yet to miss a day!!!
anyway. bees were a bit of a disappointment considering it was so dry. made the investment to go from 3 hives to 8 hives. so anyone that does been knows the investment in that so we wont even be close to breaking even for this year on that. but hopefully they will make the winter and things will be great for next year... finger crossed.
I have been working on a horrible project for my wife. She has wanted an art studio for some time and she has really out grown the spare room and needs more space. we sorta came to a bit of money from a tax thing when my wife was in college and just got that last year. So she is getting her art studio. A Yurt of all things. They are round and the bases are a PITA to make. Its quite expensive as well. Its 30ft in diameter so its sitting on top of a 36' x 36' deck and if anyone has even installed 2x6 tongue and groove spruce decking knows my pain of putting that stuff in. The floor is insulated with double sided foil foam board. So it has been like working in a darn frying pan. Anyway... needless to say I am hating ht project so its taking me longer to do. but its getting to the end and yurt is going in on Sept 29. I can't wait for it to be over. I am so behind on everything else. I have piles of wood yet to split. good thing I have a bit of house would left to get me through 'til at least mid to end of nov.
anyway thats about it for me. off to make a little candy for an order for friday.
Oh yeah I will be looking for a 7" full filter press for the up coming season if anyone knows of one let me know I will checking the classifieds as well.
not everything is good news though but I will start with the good part.
After about a year and a half process since I first picked up my paperwork to fill out, I finally got paid for my RO by the USDA energy grant. I believe it was extra difficult due to the fact that I was starting from scratch, we had a government shut down, the farm bill was up in the air, but everything finally came together and they paid for about 80% of the RO. I wish they paid for some of the rest too... plumbing electric wiring etc but one can;t be greedy.
Sales (after maple weekend not a lot of syrup to sell so poor numbers there) are slightly down from last year but are starting to pick up and I am getting inquires for candy and cream and stuff so need to start my fall production.
Not sure if I posted it because it was such a crazy time but, just after maple season, I lost my Mom to cancer on may 20th. She had a rough last few years with problem after problem and many rounds of chemo. The cancer finally caught up with her and withered her away to a shadow of a once very strong caring woman. She is missed everyday. My Dad is hanging in there he has been keeping himself busy mom was a bit of horder so he has been going through stuff lost of stuff. we cleared out a bunch of stuff the first few weeks after the funeral but as we get back to life things keep piling here so I haven't had much of a chance to get down the past 2 months. hopefully november will be better. I am hoping he comes up and helps me out for maple season that would be great. but we'll see he still goes to the cemetary everyday he has yet to miss a day!!!
anyway. bees were a bit of a disappointment considering it was so dry. made the investment to go from 3 hives to 8 hives. so anyone that does been knows the investment in that so we wont even be close to breaking even for this year on that. but hopefully they will make the winter and things will be great for next year... finger crossed.
I have been working on a horrible project for my wife. She has wanted an art studio for some time and she has really out grown the spare room and needs more space. we sorta came to a bit of money from a tax thing when my wife was in college and just got that last year. So she is getting her art studio. A Yurt of all things. They are round and the bases are a PITA to make. Its quite expensive as well. Its 30ft in diameter so its sitting on top of a 36' x 36' deck and if anyone has even installed 2x6 tongue and groove spruce decking knows my pain of putting that stuff in. The floor is insulated with double sided foil foam board. So it has been like working in a darn frying pan. Anyway... needless to say I am hating ht project so its taking me longer to do. but its getting to the end and yurt is going in on Sept 29. I can't wait for it to be over. I am so behind on everything else. I have piles of wood yet to split. good thing I have a bit of house would left to get me through 'til at least mid to end of nov.
anyway thats about it for me. off to make a little candy for an order for friday.
Oh yeah I will be looking for a 7" full filter press for the up coming season if anyone knows of one let me know I will checking the classifieds as well.