Had to cancel out of Maple Weekend

[maple flats]

Due to issues surrounding my cancer and the upcoming surgery, I had to withdraw from participating in Maple Weekend. I was psyched up to do maple weekend after a few years of not participating. I wanted to talk maple and introduce some to my new specialty, bourbon barrel aged maple syrup. But then my cancer got in the way. It seems every time I make plans for maple, my doctors schedule another test. So, after paying the fee to be in the state advertising and on their website, I had to withdraw. I asked about a week ago to be removed from the producers on the state maple producer's site as participating. I just checked, they still show me as participating. I just went down and put up a rope across the driveway in and attached signs saying we are not open. I hope too many do not come a long ways to visit us, only to be turned away.
Hopefully next year goes better.

[BAP]

Sorry to hear that Dave. Must be very disappointing.

[highlandcattle]

So sorry. You've got enough to handle. We know about that. Just take care and keep us posted about how you're doing. We'll be thinking of you

[mountainvan]

The doctors are trying to make sure you make maple next year and next year etc. good you're thinking about next year.

[Atgreene]

Sorry to hear that. Take care of yourself.

[maple flats]

Van, you were an inspiration when it comes to cancer. I still have no discomfort and I'm just glad it was found early on, because of an issue with diverticulitis and a CT scan to confirm that.
I fully expect to be able to do maple for many more years. The timing this year just forced me to tap fewer trees, I work with my brother in law (and he had surgery and had to do no lifting over 10# until last week and then my doctors told me to hold off until after my biopsy results were in. I now only have almost 200 taps, all at the sugarhouse. I am also adding more there in an experiment. So far I added one lateral on 3/16 that is pulling sap thru maybe 300' of 3/16 from about 5' down hill, then climbing a tree, crossing the driveway and then sloping down to a mainline on 26-27" vacuum. It works very well, even better than I had expected. I still hope to add 2 more lines, pulling from downhill. That first one had 19 taps, the next will be about 400-500' and pull from about 7' down hill and might have between 18-25 taps, then it will make the same climb. After that I hope to get at least 1 more from farther away but I don't know how many taps yet, maybe 10-12 or as many as 25. That line will be longer but will feed into a lower main before it enters a sap ladder to cross another driveway. That main usually shows 25" vacuum.

[Run Forest Run!]

Dave, when you are in the midst of fighting a serious illness, the days seem to drag. Instead of 24, each one seems 48 hours long. Watching others participate in activities that you love to do, but cannot, can seem almost harder to deal with at times than the illness itself. It's brutally isolating. It's going take a lot of inner strength to see past the upcoming few months and not get bogged down with the present. Knowing that you'll be in fighting shape again when the calendar rolls over to 2019 can be the incentive for you to toss this year's calendar into the fire of next year's first boil of the season. Remember that there is a reason why you are dealing with this head-on during sugaring season. It's because all of your sugaring friends are currently online and supporting you in your fight. Good luck with everything.

[Russell Lampron]

I'm sorry to hear that Dave but know that once you kick this thing that you will be in full production mode for years to come. At least you got to tap some trees and make some syrup even though it's on a smaller scale.

[prairietapper]

Due to issues surrounding my cancer and the upcoming surgery, I had to withdraw from participating in Maple Weekend. I was psyched up to do maple weekend after a few years of not participating. I wanted to talk maple and introduce some to my new specialty, bourbon barrel aged maple syrup. But then my cancer got in the way. It seems every time I make plans for maple, my doctors schedule another test. So, after paying the fee to be in the state advertising and on their website, I had to withdraw. I asked about a week ago to be removed from the producers on the state maple producer's site as participating. I just checked, they still show me as participating. I just went down and put up a rope across the driveway in and attached signs saying we are not open. I hope too many do not come a long ways to visit us, only to be turned away.
Hopefully next year goes better.
I am so sorry for this added burden.
do they have social media site that you could at least say that you are closed in the comments so at least some people can see you are not able to participate at this time?