Too much snow!

[maple flats]

While the last few days were certainly not a record, I had my issues. My plow on my F350 quit operating on early Tuesday. I tested and found the solenoid that runs the pump motor was faulty. I finally got it replaced today, but then the 32" of snow, in the driveway to the sugarhouse was so deep I had a few inches over flowing the plow blade even though it was fully angled. I pushed in about the 900' to the end, and then widened an area enough to turn my long truck around (It is a crew cab with an 8' box). I pushed back to the road, and repeated 2 more time in and out. The truck was not heavy enough to move the banks much at all.
I'll have to use the tractor to push lanes open every 10-15' to give the snow a place to move so I can widen the driveway enough.
I will then need to pile some snow in more crowded areas near the buildings.
I've got to pack more syrup to fill an order, a guy wants a medium sized wholesale order, and I need to be able to haul my water tank for 75-100 gal of water so I can clean the equipment before I can pack any syrup. Normally I'd have enough inventory to fill the order, but my sales have skyrocketed since Covid, and I ran out of some sizes. The customer wants Dark in a specific assortment of sizes, and I still have 2 barrels of dark, so that's good.
Now, tonight's forecast says another Nor'easter is heading our way. That will be 3 in two weeks time. ENOUGH!
Dave

[Ultimatetreehugger]

Dave, that is how my are was last year. All my mainline is at least five feet off the ground and there areas we dug to find it. We gave up plowing the trail with the tractor and bought a side by side with tracks. BEST INVESTMENT EVER!

[aamyotte]

That is alot of snow to deal with. We are getting 2" today, the first amount in a week and a half. There's less than 2' of snow depth here. I always find it amusing when I hear people talk about Canadians and being snowed in all winter. Many parts of the US have more snow than we do here.

[maple flats]

Dave, that is how my are was last year. All my mainline is at least five feet off the ground and there areas we dug to find it. We gave up plowing the trail with the tractor and bought a side by side with tracks. BEST INVESTMENT EVER!
I only plow to get to the sugarhouse and clean out for access to my 6 out building storage sheds, one of which is my shop (14x28') Then I use the tractor/front end loader to carry supplies, or I use one of my 2 Jet Sleds. One is 66" long, the other is 36? or so. I made handles to pull both out of EMT. The small one has a 1/2" EMT handle and the large one uses a 3/4" EMT handle. I find they give me far better control than using a rope. My tractor can drive thru about 3' deep snow if it's not heavily crusted. I also have a ATV and a snowmobile but I haven't used the ATV for tapping and working lines in about 5 years, the snowmobile last saw use 6 yrs ago. I used both back when I leased a large tract of land that started over 1/2 mile in from the road.
Now the ATV only gets use in the summer, even though it has super lug tires (but it can only go thru about 12" snow if crusted, about 18" of non crusted. I thought about tracks for it, but decided not.

[collinsmapleman2012]

right there with you Dave, i'm a winter lover but this snow level is enough for now. certainly makes it more difficult getting around the woods, but todays warmth and the cold coming should help make a good hard base. one can only hope.....

[18mile]

Many years ago when dad was getting old but still wanting to make syrup, my brother and I would shovel paths to over 200 trees so he could get around. Our snow depth is typically 3ft. or more in syrup season. Oh to be young!

[Pdiamond]

Dave, Next week you better get the extra set of long handles out. Highs for us only in the mid - teens and lows single digits or below zero.

[maple flats]

Even though I get cold, I haven't worn long jons in about 40 years, I just don't like them. I do however wear insulated coveralls or insulated bibs. Even without long jons my feet never got cold until last year, this year my feet and hands get cold. So much so that I just bought a pair of electric heated gloves, socks might come next. Even setting here in my warm house, typing on the computer my hands are cold, I keep needing to put them under my arms, or tuck them under my legs to warm back up. Hard to type that way.

[MapleCamp]

I got tracks for my quad last year , I don't think I could get around now with out it , 2 foot of powder on 2-4 inches of icy base with a 2 inch breakable crust. Very tough going. Sucks to be a deer around here when its like this , coyotes all over them.

[Shirefisher]

Even though I get cold, I haven't worn long jons in about 40 years, I just don't like them. I do however wear insulated coveralls or insulated bibs. Even without long jons my feet never got cold until last year, this year my feet and hands get cold. So much so that I just bought a pair of electric heated gloves, socks might come next. Even setting here in my warm house, typing on the computer my hands are cold, I keep needing to put them under my arms, or tuck them under my legs to warm back up. Hard to type that way.

Sir- if you are mildly hypothermic in your house you may want to reconsider your stance on longjohns! I'm wearing my October-May... I wear them in the house pretty regular and my hands are still cold. That being said- I ski and love the snow but we got plenty! I will be tapping my 40 or so trees on skis next week. I can't wait for the first boil!

[Pdiamond]

Yeah I feel for you Dave, You gotta love that blood thinner. I was on it for a short while. For me it sucked for all the food you couldn't eat.

[maple flats]

I am on one with no food restrictions, but just that cold gets to me now, but so does the summer heat, May and October are just right.

[Bruce L]

I got tracks for my quad last year , I don't think I could get around now with out it , 2 foot of powder on 2-4 inches of icy base with a 2 inch breakable crust. Very tough going. Sucks to be a deer around here when its like this , coyotes all over them. Got the new Viking side by side stuck on Saturday,even with the larger tires,spun down through the snow to the point almost couldn’t open the doors to get out. Funny you mentioned about the deer,Liberal tree huggers around here all up in arms about coyote hunts,probably think they’re cute and harmless

[Pdiamond]

Time to carry the rifle with you for those buggers. You must have more snow than we do, we're at about 10-12 inches so the deer can still move around okay. Its the turkeys who are struggling.