tapping in new york 2007

[treefinder]

i'm going to hang rest of my tubing mon,tues, wed, and will probably tap on thurs day. might be jumping the gun but weather looks good for the week -end don't know about next week. north bangor



1100 taps on tubing and 40 buckets for the kids
4x12 oil fired
massey fergason 1105 for the gathering

[danno]

Tapped all 300 today. Man, it's hard work tapping in deep snow. Not sure what's harder, soft snow or snow with just enough crust where you break through anyway. I remember Glen G. saying at the NY conferance that last year was the first year he tapped without snowshoes. This is the first year I tapped with snowshoes.

Made it a full day and finished all the wiring for the vacuum pump after tapping. Looks like sap may be a ways off, but if it didn't get done today, it was not going to get done for a while.

[New Hope Mapleman]

I'd echo the comment. We are getting only a half of the tapping done per hour as the last three years. I guess the last time I walked/tapped with this much snow I was less than 25. I guess I'm not the same man I used to be.
I almost asked you to bring that snowmobile to New Hope and set a trail for me. My dad got me to get a 4-wheeler two years ago (He put it like this, "you know I could check a lot more tubbing if you bought me a 4-wheeler!"), that thing, 4 wheel drive and all, will be useless for at lease the first half of the season!!. Now its the old fashioned way-uphill both directions!
On the bright side, I'll remember this year for a long time. Sure am glad I got out and finished the tubing before the Noreaster. It was only half way to my knees then.
Hope you all have a great season!!!!
Dan

[danno]

Hi Dan -

Before the Noreaster I was barely able to get into the bush by snowmobile. Now that things have settled, the snowmobile is an absolute lifesaver. After slogging around the bush tapping, at least it is easy to get in and out by snowmobile. It also sets up a good trail to walk in and out on.

Years ago I made a sled out of 2x8's mounted on a pair of skis. The sled is about 5'x4' and I tow it behind the snowmobile. It used to be my sap hauler for my small 50 gallon tank and firewood gatherer before I moved up to a tractor to move sap and started storing the firewood at the sugarshack.

Now the sled works great to hold all my line and tapping equiptment. Used it last night to move my vacuum pump to the holding tank. Those old rotary vane pumps way a ton.

Dan, pm me if you need a hand, I'd be glad to help or at least break a trail for you.

[ziggy]

The snow was deep, but there is no frost in the ground. When the weather warms up the sap is going to run. Just couldn't stand waiting , had to do it.

[Jim Brown]

New Hope Mapleman; Dan we will be turning that pump on we bought from you this summer.Have it mounted on a trailer and have it hooked to a 135 gallon reserve tank and then to the releaser so as not to have it running all the time. We put a vac. switch and moisture trap between the pump and the tank.On at 11 inches-off at 18 looking forward to see how much it inceases the sap production.
hope you have a great season!
Jim

[New Hope Mapleman]

Jim,
Geat! I hope you find it helpful. Was supprised to actually see sap in the tank tonight. Not enough to boil obviosly, but their weeping when I'm tapping and its not really above freezing. Looks like the season is at the door. I can't hardly wait to try all the updated items.

Danno,
Thanks I'll keep that in mind. Last night on the way out dad and I walked a path down for the 4-wheeler. I couldn't believe it when it went up the hill!!! That was almost as good as hearing sap coming out of the releaser!
Stop out anytime you want!
Thanks
Dan

[Russell Lampron]

Gotta love the sound of the releaser dumping. I heard mine for the first time this year yesterday. It's still to cold here but the season is just around the corner.

Russ

[sapman]

It looks like I'm waiting awhile to tap, as most of mine are roadsides, and the snow is still around 4' deep on the trunks. My sample tree in the yard didn't really yield anything today.

Dan and Danno, where exactly are you guys located? I get all over when working, and I may get a chance to stop in sometime. Would love to see your set-ups! Dan, I know you're in or near New Hope, I assume.

Have a great season,
Tim

[danno]

Hi Tim -

I'm in Elbridge - about 5-10 minutes west of Baldwinsville.

Exciting day for me - sap finally started moving. I've always collected up in the bush, but I ran a mainline about 2500 feet from the bush down to the house this year - and kept thinking to myself, how is the sap gonna flow all that way!?!?

Well, when I got home from work today I was getting my first sap all the way down through that new main line. Pretty dang proud of myself - especially because no way could I get my small tractor up into the bush to collect sap with the deep snow. Today's high here was 38 for an hour or two.

Going out now to wash pans.

[sapman]

Hi Danno,

I'd love to stop in sometime and see your setup! If you don't mind, what road are you on, and what time are you likely to be around on weekdays? I go through Elbridge often when working in the Skaneateles area.

I've always looked longingly at that hill behind Hourigan's farm, and wished I could tap it.

Tim

[New Hope Mapleman]

Sapman,
We are just south on 41-A. (One mile North of New Hope) Look for the sugarhouse on the south side of the highway. If I'm boiling you won't miss it, but if not just look for the cupola! We have been trying to work in the woods. With the rain this morning sounds like the snow will be just to or over my knees in the woods. This year I wish I was good on snow shoes-even when I made syrup in UP of Michigan I never used them. After today we will be half tapped!!FINALLY
Any of you guys are welcome to stop by!!
Hope everyone has a great season and BE CAREFUL! This year resembles when most get hurt in the woods (or on the roof)!
By the way, even with temps just below freezing all but 5% of the taps holes were wet or even starting to drip the last four days. No Season is the same I guess. I just can't wait to see the tanks full. Want to make some fresh candy for my sisters wedding next week! Hopefully I'll get the chance.

[sapman]

New Hope,

I'll be looking next time I'm down your way! My two taps in the front yard dripped slightly today, 1 drip every 2 seconds, and 1 in 8 seconds on the other. So I don't regret not being tapped yet.

Where in the UP were you located? My dad's family is in Hermansville, between Iron Mt. and Escanaba on US 2. I've always loved it out there, though I do miss the hills.

Tim

[New Hope Mapleman]

We were in Watersmeet, or 5 miles west of Watersmeet on US 2. It is beautiful up there and flat.
Got the Site A woods finished. Took more than a week to tap as the weather is soooooo winter like. I was fixing a hole in a lateral today and when I stood up all I could think was who turned the snow globe? It was quite the change.
Got to boil over the weekend as we had a small run (2300 gallons). Now the pans are sweet, I have some syrup to make candy for my sisters wedding, and a few days before family starts arriving here. Doubt I'll get it all tapped before the wedding. My brother called and said his flight schedule would require him to stay several days. He has never gotten to help tap!!!!
Look forward to meeting you.

[sapman]

2300 gallons! That's allot of sap to me! I had maybe a gallon in one bucket and 1/2 gal. in the other over the weekend. Drove by more of "my" trees today, and there's still so much snow around them. I'm afraid I'll miss a couple good runs before I can get tapped.
Good luck with your tapping, New Hope!
Tim

[danno]

Tim - your welcome anytime. I'm in Jordan on Peru Rd. 1st house North of Whiting Ext. Boiling evenings and weekends.

Wow, that was a first tonight, boiling in a flood with the snowmelt. Water is everywhere and DEEP! When I parked my tractor and sap trailer at 3:00 pm. I was in firm snow. By 7:00 pm. water was almost to the belly of the tractor - not good.

I was in the middle of my boil and had to pull the sap hose off the trailer and move the rig to the other side of the barn.

Good news is the GPH are way up with the taller smoke stack, forced air and preheater additions!

[sapman]

Danno,

I must have gone right by your place Friday! I was in Jordan and heading for a job on Fowler Rd. by way of Peru rd. and Whiting Ext.

When I added forced draft alone to my 30 X 8 years ago, my evaporation went from about 55-60/hr to 80-85.

Hope your flood is receding!

Tim

[danno]

Yup, you were in my neighborhood. Finished cooking last night around 1:00 - I wanted to cook down all my sap from this past run.

I'm not seeing 80 gph, wish I was. I've got my feedline through a meter that reads in cubic feet which I think is like 1 cubic foot = 7.4 gallons. I think I'm only getting about 50 gph. And that's with a preheater getting me up to about 190 degrees, about 5 gallons/hr. of condensate off the preheater pan, 15' smoke stack, forced air (not a big fan) and glowing arch doors (glad I insulated the doors this year).

Last year was dismally slow, so I've seen improvment, but would like to do better. I've been running the syrup pan at about an inch and a half but my sap pan is probally to high. What to you run your sap pan at?

You mentioned Hourigans Hill aways back. I think they used to tap that. Nice maple hill huh!?!?

[HanginAround]

1 cubic ft is 7.48 U.S. gl... thought it might improve your numbers a bit... hey, it all adds up :)

[sapman]

Hi Danno,

I was boiling til about 3:30 that night, myself. I try to boil everything right away, too.

According to the Leader catalogs, 30x8, with 5' flue pan should do around 55gph stock. I have a drop flue, but I used to run at about 1" or slightly less, though it could get hairy at times. Now I run about 1.5" or a little more, since I use oil and have the steamaway.

Yes, Hourigan's does look real good. I've got my eye on a nice roadside hill near Ira, though it probably only has 2-300 taps. Would love to get some vacuum going someday. But it seems like landowners are always thinking ahead to logging, so don't know if I could do anything there.

Tim

[danno]

Hi Tim -

This is my first year on vacuum - I love the vacuum. First day of the run I was getting a steady flow of sap, turned on the vacuum and WOW - I was gushing! Then when the run was coming to the end a couple days ago and it was 60 degrees out and I ws only getting a trickle, turned the vacuum back on and made another decent run out of it.

[danno]

Cold, snowy weather finally gave me a chance to work in the woods today. No collecting, no boiling. Got the leaks fixed and leveled some lines. Now vacuum at the top of the bush is the same as at the pump. Installed an elec. outlet at the holding tank so I can run the sump pump and vacuum pump fan without 200 ' of extension cord off the house. Just piggy backed off the 220 we ran for the vacuum pump.

Even had time to take one of my girls snowmobiling. Planning on riding again tomorrow to Maple Harry's (he's right on the trail) to see what he's up to on Maple weekend.

I've got a nice 100 gallon sap ice cube in the holding tank for when we hit 50-60 later this week. Sure hope it cools back down afterward to keep the season going!