Willow Creek Sugarhouse 2021

[red maples]

Well, after the strangest year I have every seen for our country in my lifetime one thing that is constant is sugaring season!!! It is coming.

We have all been lucky and no covid for my immediate family although we have been doing everything to avoid it, but you just never know. I can say I am just really tired of this thing and don't want to wear a mask anymore. My Brother who is in NJ got a very mild case. My sister who is in VT got it she was laid up for over a month pretty bad case but didn't have to stay in the hospital but went to the ER a few times trouble breathing. Lost My Aunt to it she lived in Ohio shut down her kidneys killed her in less than 2 weeks. Hope everyone on here is doing well.

Looks like we are having a sorta normal winter it was a little late getting here but we are getting cold and snow and everything. Pretty spoiled by the past few easy winters.

No upgrades for this year. Sales were about half since we had to close for maple weekend last year. Did more online sales and farm stand sales than ever before understandably. Really wanted a brandy new Atlas Copco vacuum pump this year but just didn't have the funds. I am working 6 days a week now and was never really shut down. My wife is the bread winner and she was down to half time half pay for a few months starting back in April. but a few projects to the house (bathroom remodel, new roof and solar panels) and my oldest now in college money's a little tight. All projects we started on before the shut down. The bathroom is about 3/4 done was delayed brought in a plumber to get things up to code and do a few things I wasn't comfortable with but the entire project could have taken about 4-5 days but was drawn out to 3-4 months. I finally gave up and finished everything myself at least they got the stuff done that I needed them to do. and the new roof is done but solar panels got delayed because the panels themselves are out of stock and have been since November and then snow just set things way back there. and they still aren't in yet. then there is lack of wood still and and the price of everything jeez.

Anyway, Got the sugarhouse straightened up 2 weeks ago and got things washed and rinsed out. Still need to rinse the evap and tanks but the hoses are frozen up but that won't take long to do.

Officially started tapping on Wednesday but got out of work late and by the time I got all my sh*t together I had about an hour left but still drilled a few holes. started just boots but ended that quick it was much easier to navigate with snowshoes. Ended up working late Thursday and Friday so didn't make into the woods. have to work today until 1pm grab some lunch and head out into the woods. Then gonna hit it hard Tomorrow. Temps my start to warm a little the end of week maybe to far out to tell really.

Well Good luck this year everyone Hope you all have a Great season.

[red maples]

Wanted to hit 100 taps yesterday but only got in 80 before I ran out of daylight. So With the 50 I got in on Wednesday at about 130 so far only 500 or so to go. hopefully cut that number in half or more by this evening.

messy weather coming this week storms could go either way edge of rain snow line for south eastern NH. next week looks like its a go. guessing things should break loose by tuesday, Wednesday once the trees have a chance to thaw!!! first boil maybe wed or thursday hopefully!!! we'll see. Its really too far out but the forecast could change in a few hrs.

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Good luck on your season!! Im in Merrimack and plan to start tapping Friday and hopefully like you said, next week we get our 1st run.

-Scott

[NhShaun]

Looks like you're more ahead of the game than me having everything cleaned up and ready to go. I've got a lot of work to do before i can start boiling. I may end up putting in some of my taps late next week through the weekend.

Very sorry to hear about your aunt. Glad to hear everyone in your immediate family is doing well with it. You're right though, you just never know.

[red maples]

Thank for the condolences.

weather next week looks a little on the cooler side either side of 40 for me for most days. But again that could change as we know, thats weather in New England.

have about 225 taps left to go. pretty sloppy out there now. Glad we didn't get much Ice after all don't want the damage in the woods. looks like another bought of snow coming thrusday into friday. Hoping to finish up all vacuum taps by the weekend then get buckets out next week. but that number is down to about 30.

[NhShaun]

Was very glad we got minimal ice from this storm. I have had enough damage around my property from ice and wind this season. Lots of trees down across lines and trails, several good maples broken too :/.

[red maples]

Well Crappy weather this week. Happy for no ice damage. So I have had minimal time in the woods this week. Crazy week at work just combined with weather. Still have about 175 taps, give or take, to put in for vacuum. Have to work again today... this 6 days a week stuff sucks!!! Then out in the sugarhouse.

I also heard that the Association has already cancelled maple weekend. I have been so busy I haven't really been paying attention to that. but they are still doing Maple month.

For those who know my sugarhouse like others its pretty small so I won't be open at all this year. If I could get the vaccine earlier I might. I do have it scheduled for April 22 (earliest I could get right now) hopefully it moves up. I am not afraid of it just don't want to risk not being able to work my real job or infecting others at work because I work in foodservice at Exeter Highschool. If any of us in the kitchen get infected the entire SAU could potentially shut down and have to quarentine. That also means no meals for the remote kids and hard hit families as well. thats why I been working 6 days a week because we hand out about 250 7day bagged meals every Saturday. on top of feeding all the in school kids during the week. I do ALL the hot food for 4 of the 6 schools of the Exeter Coop. So I just have to put others first right now.

[eustis22]

work of angels on earth, brad....thank you for your service

[otf]

Good for you for putting others ahead of you and your business. Karma will come back around...

[red maples]

Thanks guys I hope karma comes back around for me.

[red maples]

Well didn't get all the taps in yesterday. Ran into a bunch of drop line damage and small branch blow downs and trimming. Slowed tapping way down... have to get out today and change out a few more drop lines. Squirrel population is back up. Saw so many while deer hunting this fall counted 12 at one time in december. the last few easy winters with big acorn crops surely didn't help. increase in Deer population as well. took out 15-18 squirrels about 3 years ago and that helped but its right back up.

But got all trees on my property tapped. with the exception of those few drops I have to fix. I also have about 75 across the street. only got in about 10 of those. it was like a giant bird nest in spots of small branches down. tough to get through to clear branches of the lines. but I'll knock that out today.

[red maples]

had a few things to do yesterday other than maple. messy weather so didn't do anything in the woods. but sodered a pin hole in a seem in my drawoff tank. so thats done. Pulled out all the hoses just warm enough to get some water through and get those defrosted so I can start cleaning. filled the SS tank last night so I can put my RO together get that flushed out today heading out shortly to do that. turned on the heater in the pump room to get that warmed up and ready to go. Once the Vacuum pump is all ready we can start chasing leaks(probably my least favorite job!) Hopefully I can get my woods all tightened up then I will head across the street. my small collection tank is frozen in the ice and the line under the culvert is completely frozen too so I won't get those taps until probably tomorrow or thursday anyway. then I can get the buckets in.

I also wanna run a few more laterals to pick up a few of the matured trees. that should make up for the trees I lost the few years.

[red maples]

Well got the RO put together, ran water through to get permeate and then did a wash and rinse to clear anything else out of it. Got Vacuum running, did a quick clean on the releaser(was really already clean just a wipe out) and things were frozen pretty tight. just had wet line open but wouldn't defrost so let it sit and came back after lunch still frozen was pinned at 28.5". Opened the dry line and POP 7" HG... yay... So out to the woods. missed 2 taps on one line drops were dangling. then 3 really big chews replaced 2 more drops. and a section of tubing and was at 23". SO getting there. ran out of electrical tape. back to the house for more supplies. turned on another line and 15" **** so found T that was chewed through changed the drop. had 1 more inch long chew through 1/2 the lateral line got that fixed and a few more little chews here and there and we are up to 24" but it clouded up.

Poor sap flow yesterday. things are still frozen up tapped a few that I had to change out drops and that was about 2PM and they weren't even glistening. what sap was in the lines almost completely stopped about 4PM it clouded up there wasn't enough sap in the lines to see if there was a leak. So packed it in for the day. Ended up with maybe 20 gallons of the nastiest bright green sap... that went on the ground.

The forecast looks great and is getting even better but I know it will change because the forecast is never that good for maple. But hey I had 2 outstanding seasons in 10 maybe this will be one of those years!!! Fingers crossed!!!

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Fingers crossed!!

[red maples]

Everything is tapped across the street. but not online yet. needed to get vacuum up here first... its all on the same system. Up to 25.5Hg getting there. Sap is finally flowing pretty good. I still have a more to check over here. but we'll get that done tomorrow, power wash the tank for across the street get that releaser set and turned on tomorrow.

found I leak I have been looking for for 2 years. always thought it was a hollow tree and there is a hole that I kept missing. there was ice in the line so I knew where it was. started collecting today and have about 150+ gallons still has a green hue to it but its starting to clear out. found another chewed T changed that out and little chews here and there.

Friday is sap sack day. have to get those put together and in on Friday. coldest day of the week so not expecting too much after cold thursday night. forecast says no freeze tonight but we are already at 37* so we'll see. that would be OK trees need to thaw.

[red maples]

Took a ride up to Sunnyside to get some supplies Thursday morning. Mike actually wasn't too busy so we talked about hunting a bit His dad got really nice 8 pointer. Got home and power washed the tank for across the street and got that releaser set and on line.

had some running around to do on Friday, our husky is over 15 yrs old now and has developed a skin condition its really bad. Might have a zinc deficiency, We have been trying to figure it out for a few months now. so took him back to the vet on thursday afternoon and then back again Friday to do a biopsy and a few other things to try to get some answers. He's a tough old bastard and still acts like a jerk Same old timber getting into stuff. In his prime he was the strongest dog I have ever had I would load up the jet sled with wood and we got him a harness and he would pull it like it was nothing!!! couldn't pull the kids when they were really little because he was too fast and strong they would fall out and he would take off with the sled.

Anyway Got vacuum up to about 24-24.5 need to get it up to 26-27 so still some work to do there.

Got the first boil out of the way yesterday. had 500 gallons and 100 gallons across the street but the 100 well thats still there it barely got above freezing so my hoses were frozen up and couldn't empty that out. but 500 gallons not the nicest sap on the first boil and not a whole bunch of sugar either I did a check it about 1% so thats nota good start hopefully that will come up.

Since the temps never came up I had no hose to rinse out the Evaporator and tanks in the sugarhouse so I just used the buckets and got water from the house. I was aiming for a 4:00 start but you know that never happens fired up at 7:00. I always forget how much defoamer it takes when you first get things running. and as usual after ringing out the water in the RO and filling the evap had 30 gallons to boil off. got it just to sweet and shut 'r down. Tastes good. and always love that first smell of sweet off the evap. aahhh nothing like it.

[red maples]

Well second boil done!!! Sap just kept coming in had a about 825 gallons total since sunday morning. Sugar still low about 1.25 So after finishing off the sweetening of the pans ended up with about 12 gallons or so. lots of niter and combined with drawing off heavy as I usually do early in the season kept plugging up the press had to stop half way and redo which I hate when I am boiling, ROing etc etc... Was upset that my little firing timer died after 10 years. That was a bit of a pain trying to use the clock especially when things get a little crazy and I forget to add wood. but overall things still went pretty good and made syrup!!! Much cleaner clearer sap yesterday and established evaporator so much less defoamer!!!

Man the wind was CRAZY last night sounded like a jet engine outside the sugarhouse it was circling around and kept filling the sugarhouse with thick steam.

[Amber Gold]

I was in the same boat as you with the wind and steam...makes it interesting. I took a pic of my sugarhouse that night, and sometimes I couldn't see the opposite wall of the sugarhouse through the steam.

Lots of niter hear too. Plugged up my 10" press in short order on the first draw. Substantial increase in DE fixed that problem Monday night. Pulled out a nice, dry, tan cake from the press.

[Russell Lampron]

Sounds like you're off to a better start than me. I tapped on 2/23 and 2/24. I had 475 gallons for my first boil last evening. The forecast is calling for below freezing temperatures until Monday. If I'm lucky I'll be boiling again in a week.

Good luck with 2021!

[red maples]

got some sap on Tuesday a little on Wednesday but not enough to do anything with. Was able to walk the lines a little before it froze up found a few more leaks and 1 loose tap 1 hollow tree. Walked across the street which I knew there were leaks over there a few little chews and 2 nice ones line was filling with ice so they would come and go but I found them. Hard to say because it was getting cold but I might be back up to 26-27". we'll see when things break loose again.

So taking advantage of the freeze up and Made a gallon of maple candy on Wednesday and 2 gallons of maple cream on thursday the cream machines are so fast I swear it takes longer to clean the machine than it does to actually make it. This particular batch stiffened up really fast so it was a 2 person job usually I can handle it myself. 233-234 is usually perfect. have to go 232-233 and that should do it.

working this morning then I get my first shot at 2:15 today. Then need to bottle some syrup. and get the farm stand stocked up people have been asking!!! So hopefully my side effects won't be too bad and I can get some more stuff done on Sunday.

[red maples]

just a sore arm so far. 2nd shot scheduled for April 3rd.

bottled up 11 gallons of syrup still from last year. still have more of last year's syrup to get through too.

Everything still frozen!!! got to 32.9* for about 5 minutes yesterday. they are saying 34* today so we'll see after being so cold... pretty warm next week. hopefully we don't get into the 60's and 3-4 nights with no freeze forecasted. as long as pressure stays low sap will continue but what sugar will fall even lower. I was up to 1.5% before the freeze up.

Have to bottle some glass and get candy packaged up today and label cream for and get an order together.

[Russell Lampron]

This warm up shouldn't be a problem as long as it cools down afterward.

Don't you love those leaks that make the sap move back and forth in the lateral? Looking for ice in the line is the key there.

[red maples]

Been busy, So lets see where I left off.

Didn't get much sap over the freeze up the week before 150 gallons but it sat for 7 days so ROed it took half a gallon of concentrate and cooked it down to make sure it OK and it was fine. boiled that out quick and got the evap freshened up and melted the Ice out of the flue pan.

sugar came up to an average of 1.75 after the freeze up that was nice to see. I hope we don't see too many of those 60* days for a while. sugar and sap flow both dropped off but rebounded the last 2 days and was about 1.75 again bucket and across the street sap was over a tick over 2 so that was nice to see. although for a 2 days total only ended up with about 350 gallons of sap. but still made about 7-8gallons which was nice. I am at 35 gallons on the season so far after this little freeze up temps look really good for a while.

a few moths in the buckets when I collected them and I heard 1 peeper but it was really warm soooo. but no threat of season ending buds are still really tight for now. snow is about all gone though. still ice in the swamp and some areas in full sun have VERY dry soil. that worries me a little bit about a drought continuing again this year. but we'll wait to see what the spring brings for rain.

[Russell Lampron]

I'm surprised that the sap hasn't been running better for you. I thought that I wouldn't get much sap over the weekend with the cold wind and mid 30's daytime highs. I was delightfully surprised to get 300 gallons Saturday and 350 yesterday. I went down to my tank at 6PM to see how much sap had come in and was planning to turn off the vacuum after that. The sap was still coming in as good as it had been earlier in the afternoon. The thermometer at the house was showing 25* at the time!

[red maples]

Well I think the night freezes weren't good enough to keep things going good after it got so warm. and the wind again WOW... we almost hit 70 down here and only a few hours of freezing temps. things will be better after we thaw from this little freeze up trees will get regenerated and temps look pretty good for a while.

[Hop Kiln Road]

Brad, I think you also need to taken into account that there is a big difference between producers and packers in this state. In my conversations with some of the bigger producer/packers, operations that buy in syrup for resale under their label, their production cost with labor is 2X their purchase cost. They look at their production as a loss leader. So for you to be able to generate a positive cashflow before labor is actually an excellent result considering the market you are forced to operate in. Bruce

[red maples]

yes Bruce thats is very true. but they also work on volume as well. If ben is buying the cheapest syrup he can and might only be making .25 to .50 a quart after costs, over head and labor delivery etc. but if he is selling 50,000 quarts to market basket then he is still making 12,500 to 25,000 for each 50,000 quart delivery. just using round numbers of course. The last time I talked to him was probably 5 or 6 years ago maybe more and straight out asked him what his production vs his purchased syrup was and he said less than 10% probably closer to 5% and that was when he had around 20-25K taps. I have no idea what he's at now. I guess you really gotta love it at that point I mean I love it is still so much fun to do but I guess its just a different scale!!!

[red maples]

so If the forecast is correct, which I REALLY hope it isn't this season is gonna be about 3.5 weeks and I will be done by next week sometime!!!

[Russell Lampron]

Like you I'm worried about the forecast, it surely doesn't look good. If the buds are still tight on your trees you can probably survive a warm spell if it gets cold again. The buds here haven't even begun to swell yet.

[Amber Gold]

I'm not worried. Trees aren't even close to popping...it's been too cold. We can weather the heat wave and come out the other side. Bigger question is how contaminated are the tap holes going to be and how well will the trees run afterwards. I think a few years ago, we had a similar situation and the trees were never quite right after.

Only at a 1/2 crop...still a lot of syrup to be made...I hope.

[red maples]

Doesn't look good. I have made a bunch of syrup the last few days. some of the biggest runs I have had in years. sugar is even not too bad been getting progressively less but last night was the last freeze. buds are still tight but we'll see how the end of the week looks. Last time this happened I ended up having a funky flavor to the syrup turned out to be metabolism. it took on a weird taste almost like wet cardboard. and the trees didn't run good after that too. buckets will be done for sure. as far as the forecast goes no freeze until next monday night.

I am at 63.5 gallons as of last night with the evap thats about 67 give or take. that sucks because if the temps kept going good I should break well over 100 gallons easy before the buds pop. oh man... but vac pump aint doing good seals are going vac has been a consistent 26-27" all season. This old pump... can't beat it $300 and lasted for 7 years I think? thats pretty good so win loose or draw next year I will need a new pump!!!

[Russell Lampron]

Right now our gallon total is the same. I've got 650 gallons of sap for a boil tomorrow. The forecast doesn't look good for me either. There's a couple of nights where it will be close to freezing which could be a good freeze here. Time will tell. It's too bad that your vacuum pump is failing but you did get a lot of use out of it for the money.

[red maples]

Well I think that's it Buds are just stating to pop on the reds and since its pretty much all I have well... went from tight to popping in just a few days just too warm.

What is the formula for the long sap hydrometer and High concentrate hydrometer vs. Temperature? they are calibrated at 39* but since I recirculate the concentrate gets pretty warm 50 to 60* or more sometimes and while I usually max out the machine the High Concentrate hydro usually goes to between 14-16 depending on quality of sap, temp etc. I know its higher than that but would like a little more accurate information. it looks to take out 80 to 90 percent of the water before I flush the membranes to get the remaining sugar out. since they are testing much thinner liquid than syrup I would only assume they are very sensitive to temperature.

Been nursing the Vac pump along limping to the finish line I have a drip pan under the pully cover and have to add about a pint of oil every 8 hrs or so. had to tighten up the belts its running a little warmer than it usually does which doesn't help things and tells me there might be more going on inside. Its a pretty complex pump new these things go for about $7000. and rebuild kits are very expensive about 1/2 the cost of the new pump I want. So between the cost and my time and the risk of me screwing something up which I usually do the first time around its better to just buy the new pump. Then I will feel better about tearing into to this one and see what I can do with it If I can rebuild it and then sell it maybe or just hold onto it if I decide to expand elsewhere if the opportunity pops up. or just keep it as a back up. I should then sell my bb2. that things is awesome... just needs new gaskets. guessing those will have to be homemade probably can't get hose anymore.

anyway made another 3 gallons the other day. Today is the last day will shut down the vac pump later today . I am still getting 100-150 gallons of cloudy sap a day and have about 250 to 300 gallons. Will suck out the water and see will cook down a quick 1/2 gallon to see if its still good. I didn't wash the RO decided to save Perm. just in case and I am glad I did. Pulling buckets today after work. finish out the evap and start pulling taps this week. If the sap in the tank is still good I should finish out at 75 gallons or so. Basically 3.5 week season. Was going soooo good too and there is a nice little cold snap coming next thursday. Oh well you just never know. Thats why you can't predict how a maple season will go. going gang busters boiling everyday and making 10 to 12 gallons at a shot to end of season in 4 days. and peepers are very loud down the street too. I am in a cold spot always the last to hear peepers.

Hey good luck to everyone still going!!!

[Russell Lampron]

I'm calling it a season today too. I've made more than enough syrup to fill my needs and will be going to NC with enough to last 3 years or more.

[Parker]

I cut new gaskest for my sp22s and BB2s, kinda a pain but doable with some paticance

[Pdiamond]

I am glad to hear you got enough made to take south with you Russ. Really weird season this year. some trees overflowed the bags, yet others just trickled. Mine are all sugar maples and I tapped only a few trees this year. better next year.

[red maples]

Tried to finish out stuff last night and Evap was ropey big pile of snot. to warm and too much bacteria and the new sap was just OK after I
squeezed it had a weird taste not buddy I think it metabolism.

so If I only look at the 3.5 weeks of the season it was a really good season since one of those weeks were frozen up mostly. so making 70 gallons for me in about 2.5 to 3 weeks is pretty impressive for my trees. If only mother nature cooperated this past week to keep the momentum going but nooooooo.....

but it is what it is... now all the work begins cleaning things up. then moving on to the off season work. Meat chickens coming this week!!!

[Russell Lampron]

I don't remember how much syrup you typically make in a normal season but 70 gallons seems pretty good. I made a little over a half crop here. I hope that you have a good season next year.

[Amber Gold]

Good luck moving onto your next activity.

I'll have enough sap to boil tonight and give it a go. We'll see what happens. I'm hoping to keep chugging along and get back into better weather. The trees haven't budded yet, so there's still the potential to make more good syrup. Sap flow is way down though. It makes it hard to get enough sap to boil.

[red maples]

for my trees in less than 3 weeks 70 gallons is really good considering I didn't make any syrup in February.