Fall journal and updates

[buckeye gold]

It's been a while since anyone posted anything and since cool weather was here I thought I'd start this thread to see what sugar makers are up to.

I have been working firewood mostly and clearing trails. I have a lot of damaged lines this fall. Some I took down to get to some trees we logged and cut up the tops. So I will start to at least damage inventory and pre-hang some back up. I have moved some dry wood to the shack but need to move more. I need to flag out another line or two as I'm going to tap a few more trees this year as I have sold out early and got an order for a farm market for next spring. The wife is retiring January 1 and says she'll man the evaporator for some extra hours, we'll see how that goes :D . Want to put a new thimble on the evaporator and I want to put a new floor covering down in the shack. The wood floor is looking pretty worn. I think I go with some vinyl or laminate in the working area. I have concrete board all around the evaporator and it good, it's just the work and loafing area needs refreshed. Anyone, have any recommendations for a new floor covering. I want something I can mop.

[buckeye gold]

Well, going into December I have all my supplies for this season. I have put a new back on my firebox with a heavy steel coupler for my stovepipe. I rebricked the back. I mounted and plumbed my new head tank. I laid a new vinyl floor in my filter area. I need to haul some more wood to the shack and clean, but could boil tomorrow if I had sap.

I been making new drops when I'm bored and have about 1/3 of them done. Next I need to get in the woods and start working lines. I am kicking around doing some fall taps again.

[Pdiamond]

I've been preparing some drops for my 3/16's lines. This will be all new to me, so I am going to start with only 50 taps on two or three lines and see how it goes. I have a lot of wood down and now its just a matter of getting it brought up from the woods to the shack to cut up and split with the splitter. Been holding off until after deer season is over with. Both of my boys have been quarantined with the covid-19 virus as a pro - cautionary action. This has not been good as they usually help with the wood, so it will be sometime in January when we get to do it.

[maple flats]

I was originally going to add up to about 100 new taps this year, now I'm not sure. My lines are in fairly good shape, some limbs down on laterals but none on mains.
I've been splitting more wood, not quite done yet. What I'm splitting is cherry which has been cut since 2018, and is high and dry.
I just packed the last batch of bourbon barrel aged syrup into bottles. That continues to be a best seller but while it accounted for over 50% of my syrup sales last year it look like it may end up at 45-50% this year. Early in the Covid lock down I had a flurry of sales for Amber and Dark syrup which may have tipped the balance away from the bourbon aged slightly.

[amasonry]

this year Rumney Sugar Works made a big jump. I set up a roadside stand. sold all but 10 gals so far. the best year of sales ever! purchased insurance on sugar house and liability for sales. bought an excavator and cut a 3/4 to a mile long road into the sugar bush. my mountain is really steep and had no access what so ever. only by foot. so between the sled and side by side, I should not have to walk (climb) too much anymore.

[buckeye gold]

Just about there. Today I finished installing all new Ts and drops (all 3/16th) . The last week I have been repairing lines and stringing some new 3/16. All my lines are up and all the new tubing, fittings, taps and drops are installed and my woods is ready to tap, YEAH me . I set the main collection tank in it's cart today and will probably wash it tomorrow. I have to finish hooking up my mainline to the tank, but that's a 15 minute job. I am ready to do a final cleaning in the shack, wash up all the small utensils and gear and disinfect the tanks and pan and I am ready to go. Looking at tapping my early taps Christmas week ~50 taps, then be all in by January 20-31, 2021 with the other 75-80. Might start earlier if the weather is good. I saw two tress running sap today from wounds.

[maple flats]

I'll start tapping in early Jan. It takes about 5-6 days to clean and repair lines, change all fittings and tap. Every fitting in 3/16 gets replaced every season. About 80-85% of my lines are 3/16.

[christopherh]

Cleaning up from the last snow storm. 24 inches of wet heavy snow bought down a lot of branches and trees. Sap lines were a mess!