January Journal

[maple flats]

I guess everyone had a rough night last night, generally the Jan. Journal has been started before this time.
We've been adding some more taps, looking for 100, but don't have a count yet. We're going out tomorrow again and should finish so I can get the count. The section will need brush hogging next summer before the entire area can be tubed. This is in a lease and I got permission to brush hog it 2 days ago. A previous owner planted something (for the deer) that is real brushy and takes over, I'm not sure what it is called. It grows slightly similar to a blueberry (it is not) but spreads much more.

[RC Maple]

Happy New Year! I thought I'd get my first post of the year in. Back in 2011 I knew I had many sugar maples in my woods but didn't know how many. None were big enough to tap but some were close. I tagged them and started a record book with the circumference and diameter. A week ago I did go back and measure them again and find that what I have read about them growing about a quarter inch per year in diameter is about right on. Some were less and some were more but I averaged them all out and that's what I ended up with. On New Years Day since 2011 I have always went down the road to the neighbors woods and walked around with a tape measure and checked those trees. It's just a small woods right along the road but there are quite a few trees that have been close to tapping size but I have been letting them go. If some of those trees would have a good growth year I could have another half dozen taps in there. Either way it's something I look forward to on January first.

[adk1]

I will take advantage of the rest of the day and start work on replacing sections of tubing that have critter damage

[maple flats]

Happy New Year! I thought I'd get my first post of the year in. Back in 2011 I knew I had many sugar maples in my woods but didn't know how many. None were big enough to tap but some were close. I tagged them and started a record book with the circumference and diameter. A week ago I did go back and measure them again and find that what I have read about them growing about a quarter inch per year in diameter is about right on. Some were less and some were more but I averaged them all out and that's what I ended up with. On New Years Day since 2011 I have always went down the road to the neighbors woods and walked around with a tape measure and checked those trees. It's just a small woods right along the road but there are quite a few trees that have been close to tapping size but I have been letting them go. If some of those trees would have a good growth year I could have another half dozen taps in there. Either way it's something I look forward to on January first.
If you thinned that woods out, just 2 sides at first you would get faster growth. After the trees fill back in from the first 2 sides, do one or both of the remaining sides. Don't open up the whole tree at once, they do better making the TSI (timber stand improvement) cut at a slower pace.

[SDdave]

Well January 1st has always been a reminder for me to start getting ready for the next year. Take inventory of buckets, bottles, taps, what not's. Make any improvements that I wanted to make (or money allows). I am deciding whether or not to get one or two more farms/acreages for trees. I would like to get to 40-50 taps for this year but with a new job with more taps, not sure how the combo will go yet. On a bright note I have had an increase in inquiry's on locally produced syrup which has had the little squirrels in my head just a turning. Have a good and safe 2015 season everyone.

SDdave

[tuckermtn]

some tweaks to our sugarhouse set up in the last few days.

my brother and a friend installed a used Tempwood wood stove in the west end of the SH to get a bit of heat in the SH when we are jugging, etc. Actually have some left-over cordwood from two years ago that should be good and dry for the Tempwood.

also a buddy Mcgivered up a 12V battery pack on the back of my wheelchair so I can run an electric seat heater and blanket to help keep me warm. sitting still and having fewer muscles to generate heat means I get frosty pretty quick...and I can also jump start a 1 ton if needs bee...

Keep on keeping on...

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Eric,

You are an inspiration and have such a tremendous attitude.

[lakeview maple]

Tuckermtn a inspiration to us all , keep it up brother

[jmayerl]

Just sold my deer run 125 to some guys up the road. Nice guys that will put it to great use. Feel a little sad selling good equipment but will feel even better when the 250 shows up next month!

[Maplewalnut]

Eric- have your buddy outfit that chair with some tracks instead of wheels and get into the woods!!! You have a great attitude and I can honestly say I have learned a lot from you about sugaring and making the best of a crappy situation Have a great season. Got sap??

[COMSTOCK MAPLES]

Happy New Year everyone!!!!! Finally built a set of stairs on front of sugar house. Plumbing in the tank to the evap this week thinking of building a copper pre heater also. Got a couple more things to do then its on to tapping early February this year. Take care.......

[RC Maple]

If you thinned that woods out, just 2 sides at first you would get faster growth. After the trees fill back in from the first 2 sides, do one or both of the remaining sides. Don't open up the whole tree at once, they do better making the TSI (timber stand improvement) cut at a slower pace.

Good advice! I know some of those trees that can come out of there and I will work on those as I keep taking the ash trees and the few other dead ones down.

[maple flats]

While the dead trees make good firewood and make it safer in the woods, they are not competing for the sunlight.

[Revi]

We did a cruise last weekend. Cruise sounds like you are hanging out with a margarita, but it's a lot more active than that. We inventoried about every acre or so by looking around with a prism and then I went to each tree that was "in" with calipers and we tallied the number of trees in the representative sample plot. From this we can extrapolate the stocking, or amount of wood on the lot. We cut it back to around 70 or 80 about 10 years ago, so I am thinking it will come out to be around 110 or 120. We need this for a management plan, and they are going to reimburse us for it, so it will help us out in the long run. The last one was done over 10 years ago now, so it's time.

[unc23win]

It was pretty good weekend for me. I didn't do a whole lot in the woods Saturday just some wire tying it was a little chilly. Sunday was much better I finished replacing a line and installed all of the saddles and got everything hooked up and added a few on. Then I moved to another section and installed 600' of 1" now I just have to go back and start the saddles and lines. I never really trust the weather, but right now the long term AccuWeather is saying it might be sap weather Jan 30-Feb 10 with only 1 day below 33. I guess I better get the releaser ready to go.

[COMSTOCK MAPLES]

Been real busy here. Running some more line and replacing drops. Got some more inside work in the sugar house to do. Made a couple batches of candy this morning trying to get ahead of the demand this year. Won't be long now tap in two weeks. My next bigger purchase will be a pickup tank to transfer from my new sugarbush on the north side of the hill.

[maple flats]

I was going to start tapping tomorrow, but after looking at the extended forecast I think I'll wait a week or 2. I was tapped 1/21 last year but my first boil wasn't until 3/27. In the meantime I burned more gas running my pumps when I thought I might get a little sap, but is was never enough to fire up the pans and RO until 3/27. For my area it looks like at least 2 weeks before I'll see anything warm enough to thaw the trees. I sure hope we don't get a repeat of last year. I only made barely over half of the year before, and about 2/3 of an average per tap crop, while others not too many miles away came much closer to an average year.

[Yellzee]

Sad that I am no longer sugaring so am not getting the Jan panic mode. Will be heading to the big leaf maple festival out here in bc in a couple weeks. Maybe they need a volunteer!

10481

[red maples]

got a little snow here in seacoast NH... about 36 inches give or take now we are gonna get 6-10 more by Sat AM. yippie. I know mo sympathy from those in NY state that got 7-10 feet or what ever where the heck do you put it all?