August journal

[mountainvan]

Yep, it's August.

[maple flats]

I'm going this week to get a demo extractor from Esobles. It is 1 yr. old and is made locally by Ed Sobles. Then I'm planning to add the taps around my sugarhouse back into my total. I had 210 taps there a few years ago, but the land is so flat that on gravity I had to have 7 collection tanks just to pick up 210 taps (180 on sugars and 30 on reds). Then I just left them untapped until I got a vacuum pump and concentrated on my 2 leases that have vacuum. Now I picked up a BB4 and an old Hinman Vane pump (made right in my hometown back in the early part of the 1900's). I think I'll use the BB4 but the Hinman will be ready in reserve. Since the time these were last tapped I have actually removed some of the sugars that were shading my 6.32KW solar array. I think I'll be down to 160 sugars but I could actually pick up 50 to maybe even 100 reds. Just to pick up the sugars and my first 30 reds I'll need to utilize 4 sap ladders. I still figure that 4 sap ladders (1 each on 4 different mains) is still better than continuing to not tap them and with the sap ladders I can have them flow right to one of the sugarhouse sap tanks.

[optionguru]

How the mighty get spoiled, I had 88 taps last season and about 15 collection spots. I'm constantly trying to figure out how to out-think mother nature and gravity. Not big enough for vacuum...yet.

[n8hutch]

I am trying to get caught up on Fire wood, ( I KNOW SHOULD BE DONE 2 YEARS AHEAD). We Had our First Child 2 weeks ago so that is wreaking Havoc on my spare time, got the house wood done, 5 cords, & I have 2 sugaring cords cut & split. Going to try & have 8 cords of sugar wood for this season, last year I more or less ran out at the end of the season. An R.O. is looking kind of good for next year. Even if I only went to 6-8% I could probably cut back to 2 cords of wood

I have looked at a new busy a quarter mile down the street that I could put 250 taps on. I think I can do it for about a 1,000 maybe 1,200.00$ dollars that would get me close to 600 taps for next spring that should be plenty. I would like to make 200 gallons this year. I have almost sold out of my syrup that I made this year. Going to have to buy some I guess. Kinda slow on the trader these days hope everyone is having a great summer.

[maple flats]

I don't think it's as much that I'm spoiled as it is the reality that my time is at a premium. On my leases collect from 1320 tap in about 1.5 hrs round trip. Then I had to R.O. it, and boil alone, plus I drive school bus which breaks up the time too. When I collected the sap around my sugarhouse, it took about 1.25 hrs to collect 210 taps. It was just making best use of my available time. In addition to the 1320 taps of my own, I also bought sap from 4 other suppliers with taps totaling over 800. That just did not leave me enough time to collect from my 7 tanks, and besides, it left some large ruts that I didn't like.
Now I'll just use vacuum to collect it, and for leak detecting I can walk the lines, leaving no ruts. Besides, I'll have a ball valve and vacuum gauge on each main to identify leaks and I won't need to walk that main if the gauge doesn't identify a leak.

[unc23win]

Time is definitely premium for most of us that do this. I use to haul sap and it SUCKS nothing like having all the sap flow into one collection point either by gravity or vacuum what a time saver.

I just finally finished my hay today what a battle it has been with the weather. So now I am off for 1 week of vacation before back to school. Had my first child in June she will be two months old Saturday talk about Havoc to the schedule although momma does most of the care it is interesting how things change I can not ever seem to get out of the house at my planned time.

I haven't done much in the sugar bush in a while, but I will be back at it when I get back from vacation.

[Parker]

Have been surprised by the ammount of trees and limbs that have fallen on my lines so far this summer, hope to have them back together soon, 10 more cords to fill woodshed, i have some nice old pine sitting by the crane and splitter ready to go.....gotta keep moving forward no matter the situation or conditions,,,,,keep after it!

[GeneralStark]

Can't believe it's August. Been crazy busy with work, building our house, and selling maple products. Fortunately I am good with wood for a couple years between slabs from a large milling project for our house with logs from our land, and from previous logging. The June rains set us back a bit on the foundation for the house, but plenty else to do with cutting the timber frame and getting materials together. Now that some other work is done, things should speed up and the timber frame should go up later this month. Then the race to close it all in before the snows fly.

I won some ribbons at the Addison County Fair for maple products. Having a hard time keeping up with sales, but can't complain about that.

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[unc23win]

Construction looks awesome GeneralStark!