220 Maple 100% Open 2-23-08

[220 maple]

Drilled last hole Sat. afternoon, then it froze up, 21 degrees, how convenient.
Sunday they started running by 10 am. They ran so hard at my Grant County sugar bush that I never kicked the vacuum pump on, In fact by 10 pm we was filling 55 gal blue barrels with sugar water because we didn't think we had the capacity in are stainless steel milk tanks to hold the flood! On top of that we ran 925 gallons thru the evaporator Sunday. My Pendleton County sugar bush was hammering also, picked up 425 gallon there Sunday afternoon left probably 250 gallon in a 1000 gallon tank, hoping it would not over flow. Then I handed my lifejacket to my helper and said good luck I got to go to work Monday and Tuesday, I decided to take a Vacation day Tuesday and jump back in the water it's so refreshing this time of year. Sweet Too. 2.3, I'll report back in on Friday if I survive. May need scuba gear, I'll send out a SOS, maybe shoot a couple of flares if needed
http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/8742/img1031lx9.th.jpg (http://img81.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img1031lx9.jpg)

Mark 220 Maple

[220 maple]

REPORT FROM 220 MAPLE
We finally caught up Thursday night, ran the last 350 gal. then got the 800 gallon tank that feeds the evaporator clean, prepping for the next big run which should be Sat.,Sun, and Monday. Trees have been froze up since Wendesday Night. We boiled every night this week. My helper just called me to let me know that the trees thawed out late Friday afternoon, but they was not running very hard yet. He's going to give the evaporator a break tonight. If it comes as hard as it did last weekend he is planning on firing it up Satuarday and Sunday to stay ahead.
Now for the really bad news! My friend and fellow syrupmaker Ivan Puffenbarger of Highland County Virginia lost his whole sugar camp Tuesday night due to fire, He had already made over 700 gallons of syrup this season. I'm planning on calling him tonight to see how he's doing, they don't know what caused the fire they suspect electrical. Second hand Info has it they will rebuild if his son wants to continue to make syrup. Otherwise they are throwing in the towel, this will be a great loss for the Highland Maple Festival.


Mark 220 Maple

[Parker]

Terribly sorry to hear of the fire,,,,,,,

Glad your season is going well

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Mark,

I sure hate to hear that about Ivan. His place drew thousands of visitors during the maple festival. Seemed like a nice fellow and had a nice operation. Hopefully someone will buy him out if he decides not to rebuild. He had a nice setup with all the taps and vaccum running it right to the sugarhouse with a lot of the taps. Last time I talked to him he had about 8,000 taps, but that has been a number of years ago.

[220 maple]

IVAN REPORT
Just talked with Ivan on the telephone, he is doing pretty good considering his loss. He has had many calls and vistors all offering to help anyway possible, he is amazed with some of the offers, one gentleman who has a salvage business has offered his trucks and drivers to go pick up equipment and deliver at no charge. Ivan's been good to alot of people his whole life. people just want to try and repay him somehow. My gut feeling is he will rebuild, he said his son has showed some interest in not giving up due too a fire, they know that to replace the equipment the size he needs for a 11000 plus tap operation will be costly!!!! He said the Maple donut trailer was not damaged and they are still going to make donuts for the festival. He also has some jugs that was stored in a adjacent building. I needed some quarts. I told him I would see him in a couple of days to pick up some WV jugs.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Mark,

I assume he had insurance on everything??

[220 maple]

Ivan Puffenbarger report,
He and his wife are holding up pretty good considering the lost. I had to go to his camp to get some WV quart jugs, the FFA boys was there volunteering some time helping clean up the mess, they are still planning on making maple donuts for the festival that starts this weekend. They usually make about 4000 doz. for the two weekend event.
Also had to pick up a empty Stainless barrel from Sugar Tree Country Store. They always buy syrup from me, I will probably need a least one more barrel at the rate the sap is flowing this year, This has been a good year.

Mark 220 Maple

[220 maple]

Fired the evaporator for the last time this season on Easter Sunday, ran one more milk can of syrup off, all grade C, now I have four milks cans to finish and the fat lady will be singing take me country roads, she is warming up right now! Also shaved off my Maple Beard, I start growing it the first day of WV buck season, Monday of Thanksgiving, always shave after the sap quits running. My own little personal tradition, sometimes it's cold in the mountains of WV, that beard comes in handy. After I get every drop finished I'll post a final tally,

Mark 220 Maple

[220 maple]

It"s been near a week since I posted. I moved three barrels of syrup wholesale this week. Two dark amber and one grade B. The price per pound was very good in my opinion. The buyer had recently called the broker in Pennsylvania to find out what he would have to pay per pound. He always treats me right for delivering. He told me he has already told the broker to find him at least 1 thousand gallon. He moves alot of syrup by the jug.
Also one of my fellow syrupmakers has run out and he hopes I will sell him some. I hope I can let him have 10 to 15 gallon. I don't want to short myself if possible. It has been selling pretty darn good in the last two weeks. I was debating setting up a table at a local festival the last weekend of April. It would be a great way getting rid of some syrup and candy. If I do set-up I don't want to run out, or not until the last day.

Mark 220 Maple

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Mark,

What was your final tally since you had a record year??

[220 maple]

Brandon,

I still have three an half milk cans to finish down, one of them is Grade B the others will be Grade C no matter what, I've got to top off a barrel for our friend Henry. We should be around 225 when all is said and done. That will be a personal best for me and my helper, my father made more once, 248 in the 2001.
He did it with less taps, however he did sometime I refuse to do and that is move the taps over a inch and redrill. I don't mind pulling the inserts and go from 19/64 to 7/16. I did not do that this season. If I had I would have broken the camp record easily. I'm glad my sugar content is good each year or I would struggle to make 100 gallons a year.

Mark 220 Maple

[220 maple]

Sugar Camp in local paper.
My friend and fellow syrup maker was interviewed last week. The story can be found by googling DNRonline.com April 2,edition in the Flavor section of the paper.

Mark 220 Maple

[220 maple]

Brandon,
Finished everything Friday Night. We ended up with 227 gallons, 210 edible syrup, I don't get much water but it's sweet. 41.07 gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup this year. Since 2003 when we started keeping good records we have never been below 2 percent, the 2003 season was the best it took 33 gallons to make a gallon that year.
I topped off my Commercial barrel and visited our friend Henry saturday, 398 pounds of Grade C netted 756 dollars, Henry cut my helper his 3rd and I was left with 504 dollars, after shopping for a hour he cut me a check for 26 dollars, I hate cooking that stinking stuff however it feeds my addiction.
Jugs, Glass and Tubing, all will create more money.
Henry is planning on having a seminar sometime in July, hopefully we both can get there, and other Mapletraders also.

I was wondering did you ever find out where WV SUGAR SHAK is located. he has to be near me but he never responded to my post.
Mark 220 Maple

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Mark,

Keep me informed about the seminar as I would like to come up. As far as WV Sugarshak, I talked to him a couple of times and he told me where he was, but I can't remember for sure. I think he was a little north of you.