Starting in St. Lawrence County

[ibby458]

We got 150 taps in at the Amish farm yesterday. That crust covering mealy snow was a killer!

No real problems, until we made the turn and the team was heading towards the barn. They were tired of standing in that cold drizzle, and they bolted when I moved them ahead 50 feet. Thankfully, I had them about stopped when the front bunk on the bobsled hit a hidden tall stump. We still had enough momentum that I did a half-gainer with double twist off the front of the sled and landed in the deep snow off to the side. Everyone had a good chiuckle out of that!

Hope to get 400 roadside taps in today. We'll see how that goes. It should be easier!

[cncaboose]

Ibby, What did the scoring judges give you for that landing? That would have been worth seeing. I was disappointed with the Craftsman 19.2 also, getting about 40 holes per battery yesterday and today. On the plus side they recharge fast. We got 140 taps in yesterday and added another 30 this afternoon, all buckets. Some running if they are in the sun, others quiet.

[Fred Henderson]

I didn't do any half grainers but I did do a full face forward. We got 335 in today will will try for 75 more tomorrow. East side, south side were running good. If I was not so dang beat I would go out and check them at midnight. I will be snoring by then. We had wanted to get 10 more in today but the Tanaka ran out of gas.

[ibby458]

We got in only 168 yesterday, but did that in a 2 hour spurt. Some other complications kept us from getting the rest in. Hopefully, today!

The judges were giggling too hard to score the dive, and I politely declined a repeat performance for them to score. I escaped unscathed, and that was a miracle. I'm rather proud of the fact that I never let go of the lines, and DID keep the team stopped thru it all.

[Fred Henderson]

Just when there should be a camera on scene there never is.Darn.

[ibby458]

Finished tapping yesterday. Ended up with 638 total. The Amish guy had another 100-150 we could have tapped, but I reminded him that he had to GATHER all those buckets, too. He decided what we had there was enough for this year.

He spread 2 loads of manure before we went tapping, and that tired the team out. I also took them in the out trail so we were starting and stopping heading AWAY from the barn. On the way home, they could go as fast as they wanted. No face plants!

Started cleaning all the gathering & storage tanks. Will finish up today and head out to see what we got!

[ibby458]

We got the cage tank and dump stations all set up in the truck yesterday (After getting back from the hospitol to meet our first grandaughter!). Contrary to the way everything usually works, it was perfect in every way! We gathered 168 buckets (roadside) in 25 minutes. Only 100 gallons, but it proved the concept.

At the amish farm, I dropped both bilge pumps into the gathering tanks, and they pumped out 200 gallons in just a few minutes. I also found out the truck gets REAL squirrely with 1600 lbs of sap in it, and the mileage goes into the gallons/mile range! Good thing it's only a couple miles away.

Gotta make a quick town trip today to get some fittings, then to assemble the evaporator and get 'er boiling.

[SapSuckers]

I got at out 65 taps set to go on sunday in Ellenburg. All were on new lines we had to put out. We lost most of our time deciding what a maple tree was compared to the others!!! The big ones are easy, was a little confused on the smaller ones. Im still a little green to this!!! The old man was heading out to check my set-up and point out any I missed, and have a good laugh im sure. We did not tap yet we are having some evaporators issues that have yet to be resloved so i dont want to waste. I also my have my season cut short since my wife is 32 weeks pregnant. Tring to hold her off until May, but the little girl wants out now! She must know it is sugaring season.

To my surprise to commercial guys are not up and running on the property yet. The sap has been running since thursday at least. It is suppose to get to almost 60 today. I have been watching sap run on the ground at their vacum house. I heard they let it run for a day or 2 to clean the detergent out of the lines, but i think if thet are not up and running by today they are losing out.

good luck to the guys in northern NY, i hope we have a good season. looking to get more taps out today or tomorrow

[HanginAround]

Congrats on the grandbaby Ibby, and on your anxious sugarmaker too SS.

[ibby458]

Thanks Pete! Trips to the hospitol are cutting into gathering, boiling time, but it's worth it.

After the first run of sap, it got too warm, too fast and I'm waiting for it to restart.

[HanginAround]

Yup, same here, never got below 45 F at night here for the last several nights. Supposed to clear up and cooler tonight and, stay froze tomorrow, then 50 on Saturday.