December Journal

[DrTimPerkins]

Tim Wilmot's last day was yesterday. A nice party at the UVM Extension Office. Headed out to a meeting later this morning to assess applications for the new Maple Extension Educator. Got some really good applications, but there is always a big hit when you have someone like Tim leave with his decades of experience.

[maple flats]

This is getting to be a habit, Dr. Tim, you started the monthly Journal 3 months in a row now.

[nas]

Actually 4 ;)

[maple flats]

I guess if someone else wants to start a monthly journal, they might need to stay up and post one just after the stroke of midnight on the 1st of any month.

[Jebediah]

OK here's a December activity rundown from a small-time Massachusetts hobby producer:

Woodpile still there? Check.

Trees still there? Check.

Good to go.

[Chicopee Sap Shack]

Decembers list

Finish arch build
Insulate arch
Test boil
Install new 3/16 taps approx 50
Build tank base for new 3/16 taps
Build auto draw off

Boy I have lots to do this month!!!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[220 maple]

Thank You Tim Wilmot, Nothing like retiring on a high note, the 3/16 tubing revolution my prediction will get you voted into the Maple Hall of Fame!
The two workshops that you presented last June in West Virginia has caused the expansion of 3/16 tubing installs, just perfect for new producers wanting to start small and grow

Thanks Again
Mark 220 Maple

[PATheron]

Getting ready here at Pierce and Sons. Got shed looking pretty good. Kids making drop extensions tonight while I go up to my buddys and help him side tie a wet dry line to a new piece of woods he put in this year. Hope to have all the taps and drop extensions on two 3000 tap woods I have this weekend. Have almost 7 or 800 done in the other 3000 tap woods but quit working there due to hunting. Going to try to have those 3 woods a 100 percent in next 3 weeks. After that the first frozen week that comes along is going to be OPERATION EXTREME TAPOFF 2016. Going to try to make some January jingle jaaaangle$

[mountainvan]

I'm on the same course. Should finish with new drops or spiles this weekend, then big season insurance wood, move tanks and vac. Pumps, and then I'm ready to tap! I have high hopes for next year.

[COMSTOCK MAPLES]

Found two ss bulk tanks a 500 and 260 gallon. Adding 80 taps on a new location about ten minutes away. Still splitting some wood also. And in the process of setting up the 260 gal for small ro setup. Lots to get done like always. Think it's going to be a late winter ???

[Sunday Rock Maple]

We started cutting off the stubby spouts today as we are walking the lines to flag problems and get blow downs off the lines before the snow comes. This is based on Dr Tim's talk at Leader last spring where they did that at Proctor and it really cut down on labor to walk the woods and re-seat the stubbies after a cold snap. I think we got about half of the bush done. We've had CV1's on the stubbies for the last four years and we are trying to decide between the CV2 or just a plain clear disposable. I believe the CV2 will give us more sap but I'm not sure if I can get the syrup from that sap through the press at the end of the season. I think an extra barrel is what it would take to make up for the difference in the price of the spouts.

[n8hutch]

Finished my wood up today. 10 cords in the shed. Now I just need to put my new air tight arch front on and plumb up my aof/auf system. Once I get that done I have a few hundred taps I would like to setup on tubing. We shall see. Seems like there's never enough time. Some days Its hard to convince myself to put my 4 month old daughter down & do these projects, even harder to convince the wife.

[PATheron]

Van- You are ahead of me. Hope to have my taps done in next two weeks. Then I only have to hook up two pump and releaser setups. They were there before but Im trying to make them better. Im hoping the weather is off and on this winter. Be nice to not be froze up so hard. Fun if we could make some syrup next month.

[Parker]

With the weather we had last week and what it supposed to be for weather this week seems like sugaring weather,,anyone fall tapping? I cut a few maples yesterday and they were running pretty hard........still need to get concrete poured in the new ro room and lots to do in the woods. Its a life of endless toil if you want to boil

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Been too warm up North here for sap to run much. Forecast for next two weeks is ideal sugar weather. Temperature is running about 10 degrees above normal. We have about 2500 drops changed, another 5500 to go. Doing repairs and upgrades as we go so taking a bit of time. Warmer weather is nice for working on lines but the roads over back sure are muddy. I could use another 4 cord of wood for the sugar house and 4 more for the house and keep pecking away on that. Been building the buzz wood pile for next spring. New back pan, hoods and pre-heater under construction. Electric upgrade about half done. Hope to cut 8-10K of red oak logs before sugaring.

[PATheron]

Doug- Your making me tired just thinking about all that work. You want to do that logging with everything froze up don't you? Your going to do good with all those new drops. Its been pretty good sugaring weather here. Would have been a good year to fall tap. Nice day yesterday in woods and going to be nice day today. Parker- are you doing something different with your ro or are you just getting a better room for it. I just put more insulation in my ro room to. It was pretty sketchy and expensive to heat. Is mighty marvin ready for another big year? Theron

[Parker]

Im getting erics old r.o.. got the room built but no concrete yet,,,will look good sitting next to the sap bros,,,marvin is itchin to go..i would love to find a cheap 5x10 steamaway for him,,,speed things up a littel....even a good steam hood would help, my flat hood is not ideal,,,i have been looking but have not found one yet,,,,,,not so much help this year and many new taps,,,,you gotta want it!!! Gotta get some new batteries in my headlight and get after it...what are you building?

[PATheron]

Parker- Think I know where there is a real cheap older steamaway that is a 6 by 10. Check on it if you want. Im mainly just finetuning. More insulation in ro room. Better set up with a couple pumps and releasers. Getting a used autodraw. Little things. Doing a bunch of drop extensions working on right now. Getting pumped, cant wait until nice march day after a good frost and watch the sun come up and make it 50 degrees. Just a bunch of finetuning, maybe a couple new taps. Theron

[mountainvan]

Last of the new drops installed today, along with some repair work. Why do the animals always destroy the tubing at the top of the mountain and not down by the road? Starting expansion of my new last year sugarbush tomorrow. Not adding a lot of taps, but enough to keep me in the woods and out of trouble.

[PATheron]

Just got in from putting some drop extensions on with my headlight. Finished second of my bigger woods. Going to be close but should be on track to tap the three woods on first of January. As of right now its looking like next month is going to be pretty warm. Want a week of froze up weather or I wont start tapping so have to wait and see what happens. Getting closer cant wait for the big runs in March. Theron

[unc23win]

Rock on Theron! I think I might start changing Spouts Sunday. I might try your extension idea some as well I don't have a ton of short ones, but probably enough to whip some up while watching TV one night ha! One thing is for sure we might not see that freeze soon, but this weather is pretty nice for working outside.

[PATheron]

Jared- I think the extensions will help pretty good. You are right about the weather, Im getting to where I have a ton of taps on and ready and I just keep thinking this is so much nicer doing it now then in the winter. Now when I tap ill be able to go like crazy. If it doesn't get cold for a while that's fine because theres a lot to do but if it does I want to be ready. Theron

[ennismaple]

The syrup has been flying off the shelves the last few weeks! I almost had to dip into my personal stash to fill some orders for friends and co-workers. Always good to see inventory go out the door - and the money come in!

[Brian Ryther]

Summer repairs finished. Next 11 acres under construction. Wet / dry finished today. Main lines start tomorrow. Ro expansion ordered. Not enough daylight hours.

[PACMAN]

Still Have to hook tanks up at sugar house for RO. plumb everything in and start building the RO shed for the new RO next weekend. Got a lot to do but will get it done.

[PATheron]

Just got in from running 500' of 1.5 inch dryline 14' off the ground across a field in the dark. Had to tie it in off a stepladder in a soupy hayfield. Tomarrow night going to run an inch and quarter line under it and then I wont have any more lines to run this year which sounds good to me. All I have left then is hooking up pumps and releasers and boosters. Putter work. Have about 2000 more drop extensions want to get done in next two weeks and should have my three bigger woods ready. Im pretty pumped about this weather because of the ground being thawed. If get an early run in January should run real good with that being the case. Getting pumped now, January in two weeks. Bought five new lapierre bits. If its cold first week of next month going to tap all the trees I can and hope for a little warm spell. I think that it was 2011-12 that we made half our syrup here in February that season. With this weird weather I wonder if that could happen again. If it does Im going to be ready. Like my good buddy Parker says, gotta wannnnnnnnnn it! Theron

[Tweegs]

New floor in the shack is complete and the deck is finished.
Evaporator is set and bricked in, new stainless stack <BIG GRIN> is up and good to go.

RO parts are arriving almost daily, still short the supply pump, high pressure motor, membranes and a few fittings.
Those should be here within the next week. Plan to start the RO build right after Christmas.

Branches down on two laterals and probably a few squirrel chews to deal with, otherwise the woods are in good shape.

Short on wood yet, as always, but it’s still muzzleloader season here.
My neighbor is 80, loves to hunt and is a good friend. The chainsaw can wait until he’s done hunting, I’m on vacation through the end of the year anyway.

Recently discovered the Arduino line of micro-controllers.
Marvelous little gadgets: powerful and dirt cheap.

Using one for the RO, another will monitor/control most every other aspect of the shack.
Should just need to chuck wood in the evap, eyeball the pan levels and keep the filters clean.
Will make for a much easier time of it.

[sugarman3]

Dec has been a busy month,wife been very busy making lots gift baskets and gift boxes,This past weekend did a show at Turning Stone Resort.Bought a couple of tanks,from a small producer who retired from surg'in'1 300 gal stainless,and a 500 gal plastic,which is for sale.Today, started working in sugarbush,i think every dead tree and limbs came done on laterals and mainline.Next on list is to set up 300 gal stainless tank and check that woods,then start working on 1300 tap bush.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE

[mountainvan]

Found the promised land.

[Parker]

I have 30, 80 pound bags of quick crete in the back of the pickup,,,new r.o room floor in the a.m,,,,,,,,,,woods are looking pretty good......woodshed not quite full but 30+ cords ready to work up next to s.h. and 8 cords all cut to length,,,,still looking for a decent cheap 5x10 preheater hood or steamawy........gaining but lots to do

[PATheron]

Parker- Sent you a message , have cheap 6 by 10 steamaway if you want it. Maybe you can make it work. Theron

[Parker]

My slab looks real nice,,picked up the insulation i need and will fininsh framing the interior walls after we get back from the hill sugarwoods 2mara,,would like to have the ro in there this week and start plumbing........the number of valves to set up 2 ro' s well im working on drawing a pic and it looks expensive,,,,,,,

[PATheron]

Parker- Is your older ro a piston pump one or a multistage high pressure pump like the newer ones? That's going to be great with the two of them. Be a lot less wood. Get done a lot sooner. Theron

[PATheron]

Im not sure about the tapping this year. Ive never seen it here where it didnt pretty much freeze up pretty good first of January. I know they cant tell anything out more than two weeks but as of now looks fairly warm first of Jan. It might be hard to decide to tap in and go for it and make early syrup or wait untill a week of freeze or what. Im kind of thinking this might be a year you kind of put off and wait for winter and it doesnt ever really come like normal and all that time you could be making syrup. Im tempted to do something radical and figure out a way to really tap fast but Ive never ever not drilled all the holes myself. Not sure I could do it. Hate tapping unfrozen trees early. Doesnt seem sanitary. Gets close to tapping like this and I start acting bat sh$# crazy. Ill start buying buckets or hook up 100 trees with a roll of 5/16 or some other crazy thing. One year about this time I went and bought like 20 rolls of 5/16 at the last minute and just started hooking up a whole side hill right out of the blue. Just hooked each lateral at a tree at the top of the hill and hooked trees up untill I got to the botte. 500 foot laterals with whatever trees where where I walked by. Hooked up like 500 taps in a weekend. Worked pretty good too. :-| Theron

[Sugarmaker]

Dec journal was a good read.
I always get tired reading what Theron has doneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee and nodded of for a little while there!:)
We are just costing towards 2016 syrup season. Sugar house is in the best shape in years.
I have been making some value added maple products. Sales have been OK.
I added a wood stove in the sugarhouse in true frugal sugarmaker fashion. I cut a 6 inch hole in the side of the arch directly in line with the stack. inserted a piece of stove pipe two inches into the arch and hooked up the stove. I did add some stainless panels against the flues to keep some of the heat off them. This at least is a place to get warmed up when I am out there.
Yea we are only two months away from tapping!
Merry Christmas!
Regards,
The Casbohm Family

[maple2]

9 pm. Wife and 2 daughters decorating the tree and wrapping presents. i am cooking for 27 kids and grandkids expected tomorrow night. 3yr old granddaughter asleep on the couch. Life is good. Merry christmas

[lakeview maple]

122671226812269122701 more day in December and its been a busy month, with Christmas and family visiting its been hard to get into the woods. I did get the barn lot all redone, and added 50 taps to it. I spent a couple hours at the sugarhouse today running the first of the new 3/16th lines. It was kinda rough going on the steeper sections , just enough snow to hide all those slick ledges and tree roots. I went down hard twice but thankful the only thing I hurt was my pride. I ran 1000 ft of tubing and Im headed back out Friday to cut in the taps. Its a really steep section in along a brook , lots of nice older trees and the drop from the top to the mainline is about 100 ft plus. I put vacuum gauges on each run and I cant wait to see what they do. Ill cut in the taps on Friday and then run more laterals , hopefully the rest are a little easier. Hope everyone has a Happy New Year and here comes 2016 !! Allen ps the duct tape holding the vacuum gauge is only temporary , I forgot the quick lock chain at the bottom of the mtn and I wasn't walking back down