Dill 2018

[Dill]

Its raining and gross out so time to post. Only big news around here is we've added 6 more branch lines to the home bush. Hoping to be around 800 when I'm done here. And there are still plenty of trees to expand too.
We had some damage out of the windstorm this fall. Mostly tops snapped but a few uprooted trees. This was the worst. Hit all 4 mainlines and was the anchor for a long branch line. Figuring that out took some time.
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Also got the milk tank patched. I thought I had fixed it with putty last year but that corner of the sugarhouse was always wet. Hate to think how much concentrate we lost. Took some time but I found a good Tig welder who put a patch over it.
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The other thing that I go back and forth on every year is if its going to be worth tapping in Northwood. It took a lot of damage in the wind storm. I probably will end up tapping but not until I get everything tied in here.

[Russell Lampron]

Hey Alden it's good to hear from you. I've been trying to get tapped in here. Richard and I tapped yesterday afternoon after I got out of work and managed to tap until noon today before the rain got bad enough for us to have to stop. I've still got about 200 more to drill. I keep telling myself that it is still early but can see that the sap should run a little bit this week.

[Dill]

That rain was nasty out there today. I hung out in the house, watched the Olympics and made drops. It does seem early but the forecast keeps getting warmer.

[Russell Lampron]

Other than the taps that I still have to drill I'm ready to go. The new arch is all bricked and wired and the pans and hood are on it. We did a test boil a couple of weeks ago and can't wait for some sap.

[red maples]

Good to hear your moving along Alden. I have some damage to the woods too. not too bad but still enough to keep me busy getting stuff cleared. At least there wasn't 4 feet of snow cover everything this year. Hoping we can get some sap this week.

[Dill]

Started drilling today. Got in 275 or so. The big issue so far is the streams in the middle, that I have to cross constantly have some weak ice. Which leads to really wet feet. They started leaking a bit when the sun came out but nothing great yet.

[Ridgeland Farm]

Glad your making progress! It was definitely on the wet side in the woods yesterday! We had major damage from that big storm! Lots of mainlines down! It was a mess! But it was nice to not have to scramble to tap in mid January this year! We tapped Saturday and yesterday. Got about 1500 done Another 1500 or so to go! Hopefully be done by the end of the day tomorrow. We are in an east facing low spot so still fairly cool and lots of snow. Holes were just barely wet when we drilled. Next week looks like all 40's though so we will see! I'm definitely going to try and get over to your place this year Alden.

[Dill]

Was hoping to get more done today. But my batteries decided they aren't good anymore. Only got 150 in. Taking tomorrow off to ski while new batteries come in.

[red maples]

yes I have to admit it was nice to get out and do a little more ice fishing than I normally do. the early ice was a bonus this year!!!

[Dill]

Wow one of those busy days when you look up and its almost dark. Got the RO setup and rinsed and an LED light strip in the RO so you can actually see everything in there. Got the releaser hooked in, and the vac pump fired up. Had about 50 taps to finish off. And suddenly no vac. Hiked all the way down to the tank and nothing there. Turns out there was just enough nasty stuff that had cooked in the vac line all summer to suck up and activate the moisture trap in the sugarhouse. Glad it worked. Fixed that, finished tapping and had a cleaning/test boil of water in the rig. I've got a 300 gals or so down in the woods tank now, but I'm hoping it doesn't freeze solid tonight.
I've got 650 taps out now, and tomorrow's plan is to run laterals and cut in the last 4 mainlines, I'm guessing I'll end with somewhere in the 750 to 800 range.

[red maples]

yes the time goes too fast when your busy, Factor in kids with basketball, gutiar lessons, Flute lessons, etc etc etc. and you end up working in 45 minute thrashed to get stuff 1/2 way done!!! keep at it!!!

[Dill]

Good start to vac life. Once the ice finally cleared the gauge is reading 26. I'm sure there is still some ice helping that out but I'll take it. Wife and kids hit the woods to help this afternoon. She installed a bunch of saddles. Then wanted to try tapping. Not sure how the hell she did it but snapped 2 Canadian tapping bits off in less then 15 taps. I've never broken one of those. Luckily I had one more stashed in the sugar house and I think I"ll be doing the rest of the drilling.
Only major problem was my generator did not want to run so I had to leave 500 gals down in the woods tank instead of boiling tonight. Hopefully its a simple fix. I had the whole thing redone in the off season so I didn't have to worry about this exact issue.

[Russell Lampron]

Wow that sucks. I hope it's an easy fix on your generator. I've got one that you can borrow if you want. I don't remember if your pump is 110 or 220 but my generator does both.

[Dill]

Got the generator fixed enough to pump once. Didn't want to fire up again this afternoon going to grab a new plug and hopefully that does it. Ice cleared and vac dropped to 16, found a few major chews and we are cruising at 23.5 probably get that a bit higher tomorrow. I concentrated at 500 gals pretty hard and didn't have enough to justify firing up. So that will be tomorrow's job as well.

[Russell Lampron]

Better get on it first thing in the morning. It's not a good idea to let concentrate sit. It spoils pretty fast and bacteria eat the sugar and make a syrup that has a bitter aftertaste.

Hope a new plug gets your generator to run. More than likely it's a carburetor or fuel issue if it's not the plug. You can use mine if you need to.

[red maples]

yes not good to let concentrate sit it will get pretty stinky pretty quick. even if you are close its good to bring it to a boil that will at least kill the bacteria even if you have to chase it with permeate its better to that then to let it sit. I will do that if the evap sits for more that a few days just to get the bacteria killed in there because the flue pan is much lighter and can grow bacteria much easier than the syrup pan because the amount of water still in it. There is still ice in evap so not too worried now.

[Dill]

I couldn't bring myself to dump it. It had froze up so Im hoping it will just make some really dark good tasting syrup I had only concentrated to 5% so fingers crossed.
Wifey and I added another 45 taps today. Sap was really running good this afternoon when I pumped the last bit up. New plug and a shot of carb spray and its running for now. Boiled for the first time tonight, didn't make any syrup but I should tomorrow. And for the first time in years I think I'm good on wood, have some really dry nice pine in the woodshed.
I'm done for adding new mainlines this year, but I have another 20-30 taps to add in on existing mainlines that's tomorrow's job. And then maybe thursday I'll get over to the other bush.

[Amber Gold]

How do you break a tapping bit, let alone two of them??

[Dill]

I never seen it run as hard as it did yesterday. Pumped up 3 times and the first run was so large my releaser hadn't been resetting. So next week I need to redesign that releaser holder. Made 8 gals last night. Its dark with all the start up issues. It tasted a bit off and I'm hoping it wasn't from that overnight concentrate. See what it tastes like this morning.

[Asa Matras]

Ya it sure ran good yesterday. Of course thats when our vacuum pump motor decided to quit. It think its the coil, put the spark tester on it and it ran fine... Go figure.
It should lighten up after you get some fresh clean sap. Is that your 2nd boil? We've been making medium so far.

[Dill]

Yup today was boil number 3 but really 1 wasn't much more then a 20min steam.
I think I weathered my first sap tsunami that our friend down in PA used to post about. It was close at one point I was watching the RO perfectly match both the evaporator and the woods pump which was good cause I only had about 50 gals more room in the sugarhouse tank. I think it might be time to upgrade from my gravity canner filter. At one point I had a clogged filter, full canner and 3/4 of a full draw off pail and more syrup just about to the line. But I made it through. I think I made 14 gals today, which is pretty darn good for me.

[Russell Lampron]

It's time to get a filter press Alden. It's looks like you're off to a good start to the season.

[Dill]

Yup I was hoping to put that purchase off another year but its probably time. Bottled up yesterday's production and its 18.5 gals, most I"ve ever made in a day. I've watched guys fill multiple drums an hour so I know its all perspective.
Sap ran really well overnight but this morning it was barely trickling in. Got another 10 taps added. I've got 30 or 40 left to add. Then made another 8 gals.

[Asa Matras]

What are you up so far for gallons? You pulling sap from just your place?

[Dill]

32 gallons so far, which for me is crazy.

Yup just out back so far. I've got everything ready to go tap in Northwood. But I'm getting spoiled not having to truck sap just walk down and fire up the generator. Probably tap it next week.

[Dill]

Should have killed the vac pump last night. Got some sap up in the fitting to the releaser and its froze solid. Pump is off now. Hopefully it thaws quick with some sun in the morning.

[red maples]

yes I have some buckets but hate them. I am always spoiled early in the season with just tubing. buckets is so much work.

[Dill]

Well just ordered a major upgrade for the sugarhouse just in time for our first open sugarhouse weekend. Got a portapotty coming, its not bad 80 bucks for month if they pump it every other week. We get a lot of young kids and I think this will help.

[Dill]

Had a well attended open sugarhouse today. Considering how early it was, I was impressed.
First thing I did this morning was install a water filter moisture trap down at the tank. Not sure why. But man I'm glad I did. It hung up twice and saved my butt.
Not sure what the heck is going on with the releaser. The first time I lubed it all and figured that would solve the issue. The odd thing is it will trip 5-10 times and I'll close it up thinking I'm all set. However the more I think about it I'm wondering if the float has a hole in it. Whats happening is the float will rise but will just be a tiny bit too low to activate the slide.

[Russell Lampron]

Is your float adjustable? Mine has a collar with a set screw in it on the float rod. I can move the collar up or down to change the sap level and dump point.

[Dill]

Yes its adjustable. But what's getting me is it ran fine til thursday night which is why I thought maybe a lube issue first. And it does cycle fine for a while when restarted.

[Russell Lampron]

It's easy enough to see if there is sap in the float. If it's empty try adjusting it so that the releaser dumps a little sooner.

[Dill]

Did you see a big difference going to the horizontal from the vertical? Its too bad the weather sucks today. I'd like to see how it actually works. The releaser stand is due for a complete redesign anyway. I know continuous is the best but we don't have power down there and probably won't.
I tell you the worse part of the whole thing was I knocked the tiny hose down in to the tank after I pumped almost all the sap out. So I had to fashion a chunk of sidetie wire up to hook it and pull it out. That wasn't easy. Then I knocked it off again. That was just infuriating.

[Russell Lampron]

Yeah there's no sap flowing here today, maybe you can come up next weekend to see it in action. I did see a big difference going from the vertical to the horizontal. The horizontal has a lot less moving parts and everything is easy to take apart to clean and lube. My horizontal is rated for 10 times the amount of taps that I have on it so it doesn't dump very often. That keeps a more constant vacuum in the woods with less fluctuation in the vacuum level because of fewer dumping cycles. The things that I have found that keep it working flawlessly are that it needs to be covered, it needs to be level from side to side and front to back and the float rod needs to be lubricated well. I do it once a day and use Lapierre releaser oil. I take the valve assembly apart and clean and lubricate it at the start of the season.

[red maples]

yes I do the same with my releasers as well. I find that an occational dose of hot water in the float rod area helps to release any built up sugar that might have collected there from any splash back or what ever.

I do like the going bigger idea for less dumping and more constant vacuum in the tubing.

[Russell Lampron]

It takes a little longer for it to recover after a dump but when it only dumps 1 to 3 times in an hour it doesn't really matter. When the woods are tight, which mine are the sap keeps coming in the whole time.

[Dill]

I shortened the release point by a bit. And its dumping which is good. Its dumping constantly which is better then not dumping. I think I'm about maxing out the vertical I'm at 825 right now and I'm planning on adding another 20 this year and a couple hundred next year.

[Russell Lampron]

If your vertical is a Bernard single it was maxed out at 600 taps. If you're thinking of upgrading get a horizontal, you'll love it. Lapierre makes one that is good for about 2400 taps and if I remember correctly the horizontals are less expensive than the vertical double.

[Dill]

Almost had a serious burn last night. At some point after the open sugar house a valve on the reverse flow got switched. Pulled off syrup and suddenly the temp spiked 22 degs and flow decreased to a thick trickle. Luckily the neighbor kid had just come over to help and dumped his water bottle in the pan. It was close but we made it. So just double check all those valves before you fire up, especially after a long day of dealing with the public.
On the good news front I have to run up to Loudon and buy more jugs. I think its a good thing when you run out of just about everything in less then 4 boils.
We bottled 22 gals yesterday which puts us over 50 gals for the season. Still haven't tapped the other bush.

[Asa Matras]

Gotta tap that other bush Alden!

[Dill]

Hey I don't like that new tank up the street. I can't cruise by and see how hard its running.

[Dill]

It ran well overnight not that impressive today. So we finally started working on Northwood. Got it 1/3 tapped with the takedown lines all strung back up. Which was much easier without snow. Hopefully we have power to the pump tomorrow and we can start the leak hunting.

[Russell Lampron]

It froze here last night and it didn't run as good today as I had hoped it would. Did you buy a new releaser yet?

[Dill]

Not yet. Waiting to hear from the Maple Guys but it seems Lap is backordered. Bascoms has decent used one but I might just wait til next season, it wasn't exactly dumping a lot today and I was hovering at 25.5 most of the day.
But my neighbor has built a new extension to bump the woods tank roof up, so we can add a new releaser. That's tomorrow afternoon's project. Bottled up 20 gals from tonight and yesterday so we are still averaging 10 a day. The other bush should add at least 4 a day to that.

[red maples]

I am always skeptical of used releasers. you have to wonder was it an upgrade or were they so sick of it they just said the heck with this... Don;t forget about Bascom's open house in May I think 10% off of just about everything. Except used and assoc bottles and drums. thats when I buy my more expensive items. save $100 on $1000 thats pretty good. I also stock up on spouts, glass bottles, candy boxes etc. usually end dropping about $1-2K for the Bascom Family during the open house. Very smart for them to do it at that time too. every one has money for maple then too.

[Dill]

I think that's the best plan as well. I had forgot about the preseason sale.
The curse of the Northwood bush yet again. I have an old RV2 pump that I put on a compressor tank. Last year it blew the headgasket out about 6 hours after I tapped. This year after a new head gasket it seized up after 2 hours of run time. I've got an SP 11, that I'm going to see if it fits that tank and motor. Just stinks cause I had the neighbor kid tapping while I fixed leaks. After all these years of doing everything myself it is handy to have a helper.

Only picked up 100 gals overnight instead of 4-500 that we've been seeing here at home. And it was just a trickle all day. So looks like a no boil night. I really hope we get a freeze tonight. Looks nasty for tomorrow high winds, snow and rain. Buttoned up the sugarhouse and planning on sleeping late. Odd to shut the copula mid season.

[Asa Matras]

Hey I don't like that new tank up the street. I can't cruise by and see how hard its running.

Haha, Yeah but thats gonna be so much easier to clean than those stinkin cage tanks.

[Dill]

I was worried about that wind last night it was impressive. Got to the tank and I was only pulling 5.5. Hiked around figuring I'd find a serious mainline issue. Turns out it was a tree that tipped over and pull the saddle right out of the mainline. I'm always impressed with the tensile strength of 5/16. It didn't rip or break any of the fittings. Seems like that was the only issue we are back up to 25. Sap really isn't running and we have grey skies and wind from the east so probably won't do much.
We are opening up again this afternoon, hopefully we get some traffic wish the assoc was advertising this weekend.

[BAP]

That stinks but at least it was only a saddle and it didn’t take the whole main line down.

[Dill]

Oh ya it was a lucky break and the only vac leak out of the storm. We really didn't have a busy open house but some money is better then none. Out of empty qt jugs and sugar containers, which is not a bad thing.

This was today's project. I had hung the releaser down in the tank last year for more slope but with the added taps it wasn't working. Now we've got the full tank capacity. Going down with some hose supports tomorrow to fix the sap line intakes.
Got the SP11 hooked up for portable usage and should be getting Northwood up and running tomorrow or tuesday.
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[Russell Lampron]

Nice looking tank and releaser cover Alden. Are you getting any sap down there?

[Dill]

Kinda but not really. I’ll have a good boil tomorrow could have done a small one tonight but I figured I’d wait

[Russell Lampron]

I boiled for the first time since Thursday tonight. I only had 575 gallons but wanted to get it boiled before it spoiled.

[Dill]

Had a good run today surprisingly. Crossed 100 gals of syrup bottled up too which is awesome. And tapped Northwood. The SP11 took more oomph to start then the old RV2 so I had to move the pump closer to the old guy's house and run more vac line. This is why I'm probably don there after this year. Such a PIA to run half an hour back and forth for parts and tools. But the SP11 really sucks. Got that leaky setup up to 22 without really chasing leaks. Tomorrow morning I'm pumping and dumping what ran and then rigging a tarp over the tank. Looks like big snow.
Oh and my well pump crapped out tonight, so I think I've got 200 gals at least left down in my woods. Picking up a new used pump tomorrow think I"m going to step up to a 3/4 hp from 1/2.

[Dill]

Looks like we are froze up for a couple days. Maybe I should start doing my taxes.

[Dill]

No choice but to break out snowshoes for today's trip to the tank. Good news is the new well pump is a massive 1hp monster compared to the old 1/2hp. The bad news is there is nothing to pump both bushes are froze up. Tried the new pump but there wasn't enough liquid in the woods in tank to make it to the sugarhouse. What a difference in a couple weeks. Hoping we get some sun tomorrow so we can boil for the first big weekend.

[red maples]

yes it would be nice to get some sap. I think I got my woods back in working working order after the storm. my taxes are done!!!

[Russell Lampron]

The sap started to run a little bit here today. I only got about 75 gallons but it's a start. Hope you guys do well.

[Dill]

Ice finally cleared out of my lines at 230. Had some customers who were looking for a place to snowshoe, I said well head out back. The guy was enthralled when the releaser started dumping. Yup I could spend quite a while staring at that as well. Vac pump was making some odd noises as huge chunks of the woods opened up at once. Temp really dropped since then but I'm hoping I can boil for a change tomorrow. Decently busy today, not crazy but I was able to really spend time talking to people

[Russell Lampron]

The ice didn't clear until 2:30? Wow it started late there.

[Asa Matras]

Wow thats late. Ours was running like mad at midday without vacuum. Did you get anything yesterday?

[Dill]

I'm not sure why the wet/dry system froze up so hard. After all the whole point is to prevent massive ice jams like this. Most of the bush is north facing and we just weren't getting enough direct sun to melt. Not sure what came in. I haven't been back to check yet.

[Dill]

The ups and downs of sugaring yesterday. Hit the woods at 2. And the woods tank was full! I've never actually seen it full. Had to hike back and forth 3 times because its bigger then the sugarhouse tank and I had to make a hole with the RO. The helper fired up at 5. I got back out of the woods about 530. And suddenly the weirdest thing I've ever seen an evaporator do. Basically my flu pan suddenly got way over full and when I opened the view door it "Burped" about 30 gals of foam and sap onto me and the floor. We got that all sorted. And the first syrup pull went a bit odd but again we thought we had it handled. Then the temp spiked on the 2nd draw and we started pulling black sludge and lost the pan. I started shoveling snow and we got the fire out. We pulled the whole rig apart swapped the pan and cleaned top to bottom last night. And I still have zero idea what the heck happened. Basically there was no sap flow to the middle channels. Fire had been going about 2 hours at that point, so I can't believe the U connecting the syrup pan was froze up. So we made 8 gals of black sludge and dumped probably another 10 on the floor. At one point the kid tested the liquid on the floor and it was 9%.
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[palmer4th]

Oh that pan looks toast.

[Dill]

Pan is toast. Its warped to hell. Good news is I bought it with a spare. Not sure what costs more the pan or the 20 gals of ruined/dumped syrup.

[GeneralStark]

It would be worth considering if there is any place in your evaporator where sap could be spoiling between boils. I have had a couple similar experiences with sap and syrup going ropey mid season with extreme foam and scorched pans.

In my case it was the rear float box.... but anywhere that sap may not get to boiling in your rig could be a potential area of concern. A preheater or float boxes or pipes connecting any of these can be a culprit.

I don't know how your rig is configured but your experience sounds very similar to mine....

[Dill]

I think thats exactly what happened. I don't remember if there was liquid up in the steamaway over that period but it would completely make sense with the extreme foam.

[saphead]

Yup 'ben there,done that. Had a leaf get stuck between the flue and the syrup pan a couple of times in the past few years...get's a little exciting really fast.A sugar house a few towns north of me has a quick turn valve and a coil of large hose right in the line from the head tank to the steam-away...brilliant idea for a fast flood when needed.

[Russell Lampron]

That same type of thing happened to me a few years back. I bought my filter press and wanted to try it out. I was boiling end of season sap that should have been dumped and just as the syrup came up to temp it burnt to a crisp. Warped the pan and left a nice blue patina under the charcoal.

Fortunately you have a spare pan because who knows how long it will take to get another one.

[Dill]

Yes the spare pan really paid off today. Got the 200 gals of concentrate we had to leave last night boiled down. Didn't make syrup but got really close. First time I've ever boiled this rig without a front hood. Combine that with the full on blizzard today. And that lead to a really steamy situation in the sugarhouse. I kept taking off my glasses but nope the it was just a cloud in there. I had been up there about 2 hours when I took the outside pic and we got way more snow. When I checked before dinner it was about 30inches. I've had my issue with David Yochaim. But I have to say today I'm impressed. 2 pans coming next week. 250 each plus shipping.
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[Russell Lampron]

A lot of people were boiling in the blizzard yesterday. I went and visited a friend in Gilmanton yesterday morning while my RO was on a wash cycle. Boy I'm glad that I don't own a half pint! It took them 10 hours to boil off 50 gallons. Mike Moore was boiling at Sunnyside as well as some people on the ridge. I got all of mine done Monday night before the storm.

I don't know how much snow we got here but it was up to my knees when I went out to plow last evening. I had to put the plow back onto my tractor yesterday and I was hoping that I wouldn't have to after last weeks Nor'easter.

[Dill]

Vac pump was making some odd noises when I was boiling thursday night so I shut it off. Figured no sap run yesterday so kids, wife and I went skiing all day. Headed down to check the woods tank and it was full! I'll take that. Had some ice in the pump line but I think its flowing now. Just have to hike down some more gas.

[Dill]

Well we boiled all day and bottled a ton of syrup, but only got one customer. So it was kind of a wasted day. Seemed pretty warm midday but now its cold. RO drains are froze up which is a pain in the rear. Luckily I've got a hose connection for the permate so I'm slowly letting 600 gals of permate out with it.
Good news is now we have 120 gals done not including the 9 burned to crap gallons.

[bcarpenter]

It was too cold and windy for us to boil today because we are outside. Luckily for us we got to catch up Friday afternoon. Hopefully tomorrow will be better for you as people are looking for something to do after St. Patrick's Day.

Bill

[Asa Matras]

Well we boiled all day and bottled a ton of syrup, but only got one customer. So it was kind of a wasted day. Seemed pretty warm midday but now its cold. RO drains are froze up which is a pain in the rear. Luckily I've got a hose connection for the permate so I'm slowly letting 600 gals of permate out with it.
Good news is now we have 120 gals done not including the 9 burned to crap gallons.

Yeah we had the same thing. Surprisingly a good sap haul lined right up for sat but nobody showed. :cry: We're up to 230 gal:)

[Dill]

We had one customer yesterday but we doubled that today! Really cold day to sit up there at least we had 2 customers. I wonder if it was just the cold. I mean today was not a great weather day. Yesterday was beautiful. We even did sugar on snow today. Yesterday I think the helpers sucked down a qt worth of syrup on snow.

[Russell Lampron]

I stayed in the house today and made 3 batches of maple cream. I had 1 customer this afternoon.

[Dill]

Sap started trickling yesterday. But it turns out I have major vac leaks at both bushes, 5 inches of HG at each. I found one pushed apart tee here at home but that only got me up to 9. So looks like once the weather warms up some serious time on snowshoes.

[Dill]

Well its froze up solid out there. Stumbled on 10 drops pushed off tees I bet there are more. But hard to find when without sap flow.

[Dill]

What a couple annoying days trying to find and fix froze leaks. Put 30 drops that had pushed apart back to together. Only heard 2 of them. Wish I had taught the dog how to find vac leaks. Looks like everything has thawed out.
Boiled for the first time since saturday tonight. Not a huge boil but enough to make steam and 5 gals of syrup. Had one of the local girl scout troops come over. Man that was awesome, good questions, parents bought a ton of stuff and they gave me a box of cookies! That's a win/win right there.

[Dill]

I think I used a roll of black tape today. Both my thumbs are wrapped from hose clamp cuts. Had a tree come down and break a main line at the Northwood bush. Then I was wondering why I was hearing a whistling at the releaser. Turns out there was a giant crack in the top of the releaser. Taped both sides and its holding mostly. Got a new cover coming in. I've hauled 600 gals of sap out of there this year and it seems like a constant stream of breaking stuff. On the upside, I'm pulling 24 here at home. And I've got a full tank of sap ready to go for tomorrow.

[Dill]

Had good turnout and the hits just keep on coming this year. The well pump motor decided it didn't want to work anymore. Basically the bottom cap on the motor came off and without support the shaft wrecked itself. So that left us stranded with a full woods tank and more coming in. Luckily I talked a friend into opening up his well shop and setting us up with a new one. Lost some sap as overflow but we got a full tank pumped up. They also stopped and check the northwood bush. The releaser there sprouted 2 new huge cracks in the top. So that pump is off until the new cover comes in.
And the worst of it. Somehow we have a bad taste in the filters. And we've got 15 gals or yesterday's complete production with a really bad off flavor. Heading up to sunnyside for new filters today.

[Dill]

Wow today made up for yesterday. Busiest sunday we've ever had it was busy from 10 when I got out of the woods right til 5.

[Dill]

Got a decent freeze that I wasn't expecting last night. Ice in the releaser and crust on the mud. Home woods is slowing way down.

[Asa Matras]

Hardly froze up here. Whats the syrup count so far? Your vacuum pumps behaving?

[Dill]

175ish. No vac in northwood til Lapierre sends the correct releaser cover. I pumped the 150 gals that ran on gravity between saturday and today. That place doesn't work without vac.

[Asa Matras]

Nice. Yeah our Griffin rd bush stinks. We might put a guzzler there next year for the time being til we get that set up right and expand it.

[Dill]

Got another 250 gals up to the sugarhouse. Thinking I might hold it and do 1 "big" boil wensday. I've never seen this situation where the weather is right but the trees are done. Picked up a filter press today so that's the big mapley news.

[Dill]

Ran pretty good yesterday. Well compared to the last few. Dumped what had been up to the sugarhouse for a while. It was starting to smell, where as the woods tank wasn't. Should be boiling tonight.

[Russell Lampron]

It ran a little better here yesterday too. Today not so much. Planning to boil tomorrow night.

[Dill]

I might be done. Head gasket blew on the woods generator yesterday. I've got maybe 200 gals down in the woods. And its running slow, if you can call it an actual flow. Which is odd since the weather is textbook perfect.

[Russell Lampron]

I'm doing my last boil tonight. If the trees were running better I would hold out until they stop running but the sap is coming in so slow that I'm going to boil what I have and call it a season.

[Dill]

Ya same here. I pumped up the 300 or so gals since friday. Made 2 gals of decent syrup. Maybe it'll run wensday but I doubt it. Borrowed a neighbors much newer generator it was quieter and the pump ran better turns out the old plug had a loose connection on one of the wires which I think was what was killing pumps.

[Asa Matras]

We're all done. The vac pump started squeaking yesterday so we figured we'd can it with just one more decent running day anyway. Pans are de sweetened and soaking. 345 gals. all totaled.

[Dill]

Well I called it today and turned the vac pump off. Had about 300 gals down in the woods and its not looking/smelling great. Boiled that and I'll drain the rig this weekend. Also shot a couple tree rats today.