February Journal

[jimsudz]

Well its finally here, time to get crazy busy. Still have all kind of work to do in the shanty,set up evaporator and rewash,install uv light,finish kitchen and install ss countertop,wash all my tanks and just clean up. I am still adding a few more taps to my vacuum system,and to change about 130 drops. the most exciting thing going on is I put an offer in on a micro sugarbush and I'm waiting for it to close. 2.5 acres of hill side sugars, ideal for a 3/16 system. At quick count about 175-200 taps land is 99% sugar maple,some younger ones coming. Don't think it will close in time for season, all tough it's been a month already. Plan on thinning a little bit before installing tubing system,so I,m not going to rush it. It is sure going to be tough cutting maples , when all I do is thin around maples. Hope everyone has a safe and prosperous season,go Hawks!!

[Revi]

It's chilly and we have about 3 feet of snow. I suppose I'll have to shovel the woodshed roof. I should have made it with a 5 in 12 pitch like the rest of the shack. C'est la vie!

[unc23win]

Speaking of shoveling off roofs has anyone tried a roof rake/shovel like the Avalanche Roof Rake Snow Removal System? Pretty cool idea. www.avalanche-snow.com I saw a similar one someone shared on FB. I am sure there are more want a neat idea.

[NhShaun]

Luckily i got my 2x6 block arch mostly put together just before we got pounded with 3+ feet of snow in the past 7 days. Just ordered the base stack and some other supplies from Bascoms, They really are great people to deal with. Getting some 8" pipe custom made in 4 ft lengths from a local sheet metal shop too. Talked to a few more neighbors and picked up another 50+ Taps so that's exciting! Hope everyone is enjoying the snow and the rush before the sugaring season hits!

[maple flats]

Looking at the long range forecast (LRF) I think we will start tapping this Sat.. Will start with re hooking the releaser, then start the tapping, unless the LRF changes to a later flow date. It takes us about 2-3 days to tap. I still have a few laterals to put up in my new expansion. Looking for 1275-1300 taps this year.

[maple flats]

I just checked my long range forecast, it radically changed again. It now shows no temps in the 40's all the way thru Mar. 20. This is global warming? I wish it was local warming, to about 42-45 days and 24-26 nights for 6-8 weeks.
Now I'm not sure if I want to start tapping tomorrow. I'm now thinking we might just run the new laterals and put on the saddles. We can also set the releaser, maybe? I'm having a hard time deciding which way to go. One factor is that starting this time next week, I have 9 days off and I could tap then without hired help. Maybe tomorrow we'll button up things at the sugarhouse instead.

[adk1]

Dave I would hold out for awhile longer.

[wnybassman]

Must be getting close to tapping time as the snow is almost ballz deep in the woods.

[maple flats]

I did decide to hold off tapping for a while. I thought we'd just go in and the the new laterals that are in a new section. We started the ATV with super lug tires and the snowmobile. It took 2 hrs for the snowmobile to open a path back into the bush, getting stuck several times. At the same time I was trying to bust my path uphill to the open field with the ATV, ram ahead, spin, back up, ram ahead, continuing to gain a foot at times, up to about 5-6'. Then I hit one section at the field's edge that was drifted about 4' deep and 10-12' along. I then gave up. Then I tried going the other route the snowmobile had taken, going to the end of the dead end road and climbing over the pile left by the town plow. I made it over the hill but then sunk down in the fluff behind the hill of snow and rested on the belly of the ATV. It was going no place. Then we had to get my truck and run the front winch cable over the front rack and back to my truck. Then as the truck pulled slowly I backed the ATV until it got out. At this point we had burned up 2 hrs and the only thing we accomplished is burning up some gas however we do have snowmobile trail now going in. It was however getting too late to head in before lunch. Then we went back to the sugar house to put the screws into the new SS stack I put up. We did that, went to lunch and then called it quits. After lunch I viewed some videos of ATV tracks. I need some someday. Unfortunately last year was too poor for it to be this year. I guess I should have bought a power ball ticket and won so I could afford to keep farming. Tracks will need to wait.
In the next 36 hrs we are predicted to get another foot of snow, I guess it's time to get out the snowshoes until this settles enough to again use the ATV. Also, my snowmobile is an Indy Trail, and is very poor busting trail. Someday when I get tracks for the AVT I can also make a trail groomer to tow behind the ATV to open trail for the snowmobile. So much to do.

[steam maker]

Let me tell u what dave if there was any doubt in my mind after last year that they were a waste of money, and there was no doubt, tracks were the best 3700 bucks spent ever !!! When u get the chance to get them u will wonder how u lived without them . We busted our trail in today drove up the hill across the hill , half way down the hill and turned around and drove back up it. Love them things.!!!! Its a chunk of change to invest but in my eyes well worth it!

[maple flats]

Thanks steam maker for that. They will likely be on my ATV in the future, hopefully next year. I just prefer the versatility of an ATV rather than a snowmobile. My wife and I watched some u-tube videos yesterday and priced some. The lowest priced new ones this year look to be $3850, last year it was $3200. That likely shows the demand pricing factor at work.

[spud]

Must be getting close to tapping time as the snow is almost ballz deep in the woods.

I hear you there. I am now wearing three wool socks when I tap.:lol:

Steam Maker- Are the tracks real easy to put on and take off? What kind did you buy. I do plan to buy some in the next few years. Do you have to have power steering? I have some low mainline in spots of my woods that I still can get under with my 4-wheeler. If I put tracks on how much difference will there be in height? Thanks

Spud

[maple flats]

In my reading up on them, it looks like they typically add 5" height.

[steam maker]

Spud the tracks give u roughly 5 to 6 inches higher and 8 to 10 inches wider.i have a spot where i have to get of and walk beside wheeler to get through but other than that mine goes every where. As for power steering , i dont have it , if ur putting power to the tracks u can turn them pretty easy, if sitting still u have to really work at turning them. When i got mine i went to champlain valley equipment in swanton vt. After initial set up they say about 45 mins to change back and forth. I bought the camo plast tatou 2 . Think if u have a can am they need to be can am tracks . I have a polaris 500 and that has plenty of power to run them. Oh yeah champlain valley was the cheapest i found and that included install!!!

[unc23win]

I have been looking into tracks for my ATV as well the one place I saw was www.atvtracks.net somewhere I saw a message that they had to advertise MSRP and call for special price.

Today was a snow day for me so I managed to install about 40 saddles in section that I am replacing the mainline and taking the opportunity to convert to 3 taps per saddle max. I was planning on starting to tap this week, but with the forecast I guess I am going to wait until at least the weekend. In the meantime I plan on continuing to get some line work done.

[adk1]

Hey good luck everyone. I was able to do some line work this past weekend. Had to wear the snowshoes. Was nice to be in the woods

[COMSTOCK MAPLES]

This amount of snow is a real test for my snowmobile to make trails uphill. Not packing well,being so cold out. Still finishing some inside work on the sugar house and setting things up. Hope temps change some so I can change out some lats and drops then start tapping.

[maple flats]

I keep watching the extended forecast and moving my tapping dates back. I guess that is good in one respect, snow. I was down at the sugarhouse this morning just moving snow. The snow is so deep that the tractor can't just drive thru in 4 wd. That seldom happens, but to clear snow from in front of my solar array, ground mounted, it took me almost an hour to cut a path in front. I pushed so far, then the tires spun, so I raised the loader and dumped the snow. With each attempt to go further forward I only gained anywhere from 1-4 feet and had to repeat. I finally got the tractor wide swath cut, then I slowly widened the path closer to the solar array. I finally got as close as I dared without using a snow shovel to expose the ends of the ground mount. Tomorrow I'll do that and then I can push more snow out of the way. Then I'll use my 12' long handled broom to pull snow off the panels so they can resume working.
My extended forecast shows the first warm days at Feb 27 and 28. I think I may start tapping mid week or maybe next weekend. Hopefully some of the snow will settle by then. I'll be tapping on snowshoes this year for sure. Right now I have between 3.5' and 4.5' of snow on the level, and up to 6" more in the next few hrs. We have not had any meltdown since the snow started back near Christmas.

[adk1]

The last two seasons I have tapped today. This year it looks like I am shooting for the first weekend of March right now.

[nace]

Plenty of freezing and thawing in Scottsville Ky. One freezing night, a week of thawing, 4 days of freezing etc., etc. 8" of snow so far today and it may be Thursday before it thaws again. Can't wait to blow off some more steam!

[maple2]

have 2000 in so far.2 days, 3 people.Slow going.Starting on our big bush,today.

[Pablo]

My mechanic runs a side business repairing "toys". Several of his customers put tracks on their ATVs. He has also fixed several tracks. The tracks are really good in the snow, the only problem is that stumps and rocks covered in snow can cause alot of damage. I was looking at an ATV with them and his advice was not to get them for my place, to many obstacles to avoid under the snow.

[rayi]

Decided it's time to get the woods ready. How I'm sitting here resting up before I walk half mile with a shovel to get the tractor unstuck. First glitch of the season