Tapped In Newport

[3% Solution]

Finished up today.
Sap was running a bit where the tree was in the sun.
Got the EEU fitted to the flue pan.
Now to get it piped in Wednesday, then I'll at least have a preheater.
Then I'll work on the blower and duct work after that.
Maybe have some sap to boil Saturday.

Dave

[3% Solution]

Hi all,
Got to use the new toys tonight!!!! :) :)
Picked up 70 gallons of 3%.
Boiled for a couple of hours, if that, and made a quart.Surprised the devil out of me, I got it so quick.
That EEU is going to be nice, about an hour and I had sap in it starting to bubble, not boil, but bubble.
The flue pan is completely boiling all the time.Maybe because it's being fed that hot sap.
This is going to be interesting when I start to blow air into it!!!!
Keep you guys posted!

Dave

[3% Solution]

Hi all,
This EEU works great, got an issue with the blower not bubbling if there is over 6" or so in the heat exchanger.
However, I ran it like that tonight and I couldn't keep up with everything, had to have the lady of the house out there with me
I would say I am right around 30 gallons an hour, I'll tell better tomorrow.
Made 2.25 gallons from 77 gallons of sap.
Going to pick up everything again tomorrow and get rid of it before the cold sets in.
Stay safe and dry tomorrow!!

Dave

[3% Solution]

Hi All,
Haven't done an update for a while.
We're at 9.75 gallons, which is good for us.
Yeah I know some of you guys get that in less than an hour!!!!
EEU is not exactly the way I wanted it to work out, but we're doing well with it!!!
Somewhere around 27 GPH. which is better than 17.5 GPH.
Anyway, got to meet some swell folks yesterday tapping at the Gov's.
We got soaked and had one hellish good time!!!! :) :) :)
Lots of laughs, lots of snow, and one big smile from the Gov!!!!
Well, got to have some breakfast and out the door to gather, didn't gather yesterday, got help today!!
Everyone stay safe and keep hammering!!!!

Dave

[3% Solution]

Hi All,
Picked up another 110 gallons of sap this morning, good stuff averaged 3%, 31 gallons of it was 3.3% .
The kids were here when I got back and we had lunch.
Got into the boiling about 1 pm and were all done boiling by 6:30.
Couldn't believe it, it dropped to Light and we made 3.75 gallons of the stuff.
We are now at 13.5 gallons of some nice stuff.
Granson just loves this EEU, he says "Look at the syrup coming off this thing".
I let him draw all afternoon, that is his job when he's here.
I think we have a future maple maker!!!! :) :)
Stay safe and keep boiling!!!

Dave

[Mark-NH]

Dave,

Thanks for the filter aid. Getting used to using it but it sure makes cleaning the paper filters a lot easier.

After you left last night I finally figured out where the burning smell was coming from. I had my canner right up against the stainless counter. No problem there except that the counter is supported by a 2x4. The flame from the canner was lapping around that 2x4. Once I hosed her down and pulled the canner back we were back in business.

Mark

[3% Solution]

Hi Mark,
Yeah the aide sure makes quick work of those filters and really claens the syrup good!!
Fire and 2x4's aren't good inside a building!!!!
You guys have a good set-up going!!!
After we left you folks last night we pick up 53 gallons of sap and I finished up this morning with gathering 20 more gallons.
Boiled it off this afternoon, made 2.5 gallons of medium.
We're up to 16 gallons so far.
I'll give you a call the next time we boil, so you guys can come over.
Happy boiling!!!!!

Dave

[3% Solution]

Ran over to Cornish this morning to help out NH MapleMaker for a few hours.
Nice place you have there Jim.
Really enjoyed be able to help out.
Sap was running here a bit this afternoon, however I think I will gather tomorrow afternoon.
A bucket with 1 gallon of sap in it is a pretty heavy object, maybe my buckets won't blow off the trees tonight!!!!! :) :)
Stay safe and keep boiling!!!

Dave

[3% Solution]

Good Morning All,
Went out yesterday afternoon to pick up what sap had run since Wednesday, about 53 gallons and Mother Nature's RO worked nicely!!!
Now comes the good part, I have this one place with buckets, it's right at the height of land and it's wide open.
Dumped a bucket out (sap and ice), hung it back on the tree, walked part way around the tree and the bucket I just hung came off the hook and hit me in the back!!
Hung it back on the tree and bam, hit again.
Put the ice back in it to hold it down!!!!!!!!
Got back home and the line from the truck into the sugarhouse was froze .............. and it's still froze ............ nice afternoon, but the neat part was when a partridge followed me around the yard and came within arms length of me. He was clucking and walking around.
Told him I couldn't help, he should find one of his own!!!! :) :)
Looks like the GD wind is back for another day!!!

Dave

[3% Solution]

Hi all,
Well got the pipe thawed out this morning.
Drained the front pan this afternoon and it is now soaking in White Vinegar.
Looks like it will remove the sugar and clean things up pretty well.
Looks like things are going to start over here this Tuesday with temps in the 40's.
Hang on Jim here it comes!!!!
You'll be boiling 24 / 7 soon.
May have to get the second shift at night!!!!
Happy Easter to all!!!!!!!!

Dave

[NH Maplemaker]

I like the way you think Dave ! Boiling 24/7 hm . If that would happen one year ,maybe I would stop wineing about it!!! I have always said, just once I wold like to have more sap than we can handle!!( good argument for RO with the Warden) oh well time will tell!!

HAPPY EASTER to all the maple traders and may God bless you and your families !!!!!!

[3% Solution]

Hi all,
Stopped by Putnam's in South Charlestown this afternoon, they were boiling, kinda.
They started this morning nursing along some sap, making steam and drawing in the customers!!!!
They have made 2750 gallons so far, guess they have made quite a bit of light this year.
To cold here to get any sap running!!!
Jim, if you want "BIGSAP" I'll put out a bunch of taps and try to do my best to bury you next year!!!!
May need to borrow your truck, mine won't take the load with your big tank!!

Dave

[3% Solution]

Hi all,
Hey went into a book called "Nostradamus", these are the prophecies that a man made some 500 years ago.
He predicts the coming of the "Sugaring Season of 2008"
It reads;

I see a great sugaring season drawing near.
Cold nights, warm days
Winds from the North and West
And the sap shall run, and the sap shall run
Evapoators boil hectic, day and night

Interesting to have found that, huh?
Now back to the boiling sodas.
Seriously, looking good for the week ahead!
This is just about on schedule, we usually make over half of our syrup this week and next.
Stay safe!!

Dave

[3% Solution]

Hi all,
Picked up another 119 gallons of sap today and boiled 4.25 gallons of Medium syrup out of it!!
Had some help from two adults and two boys, ages 7 and 8, they all had a great time.
Bill from Bill's Sugar Shack stopped by for a little bit, thanks for dropping by Bill, stop in again on your way home.
You got a good idea about sliding something over the pipe for the float.
I'm thinking about what I can use.
We always enjoy the company.
Jim thanks for calling, thought we might see you.
Maybe next time.
We will gather tomorrow and boil it Saturday for at least one day of the Maple Weekend!!!
Good luck and stay safe!!!!!

Dave

[TapME]

Dave, sounds like you are having a good time boiling on that fancy rig of yours. Hope that truck hold up to all the sap you are getting. Lou

[NH Maplemaker]

Dave, Sorry I did'nt make it over !! But I was trying ! My daughter Had an emergency at the hospital and had to stay over!!( Operating room) Maybe next time. But sounds like you had plenty of help!!
Decided to wash front pans today for the weekend. Had a near miss yesterday!! Had to hit the red switch on the wall fast! It was that 210 thermometer again.Think it's headed for the junk pile!! Will try and give you a call in the AM.

Jim L.
_________

Hey Lou, saw your pics in the other post!! Nice looking arch

[3% Solution]

Hi Lou,
Yeah we're having a bit of fun, except when things don't go right.
Most of the time things go pretty good!!
This EEU has really helped us out, makes syrup in less time, nice.
Yesterday was about three hours quicker!!
Now that saves wood and my back!!
How are things going at your end??

Jim,
Oh no, not the red switch!!!!!
Yeah got to remember the temp you draw off at, whether the thermometer is right or not.
As Morris always told me "Never trust a thermometer, always look at the bubbles and test with the hydrometer".
Well glad to hear you didn't have to hit the "RED" switch anyway!!!!
Talk to you soon.
Happy boiling everyone and have a good "Maple Weekend"

Dave

[TapME]

Dave things have been very busy here with work and we only got the chance to finish ConcreteO yesterday. Have taps in but only about 50 are doing anything. We sold some sap 180 gallons so the sap hauler will get some money for his 4 wheeler. We are ready to start and will boil all that we collect till we run out of wood. Pans have 150+ gallons of sap boiled in them right now and by Sunday I would think we will have 5-10 of syrup ready to put up. Hope that things go OK here and hope everyone makes more syrup than they have wood for.

[Bill'sSugarShack]

Was great to meet you n your's...nice st up ya got there. Glad I was able to give you a possable fix the the sap sray...lol

Ever in Claremont, look me up.


Hi all,
Picked up another 119 gallons of sap today and boiled 4.25 gallons of Medium syrup out of it!!
Had some help from two adults and two boys, ages 7 and 8, they all had a great time.
Bill from Bill's Sugar Shack stopped by for a little bit, thanks for dropping by Bill, stop in again on your way home.
You got a good idea about sliding something over the pipe for the float.
I'm thinking about what I can use.
We always enjoy the company.
Jim thanks for calling, thought we might see you.
Maybe next time.
We will gather tomorrow and boil it Saturday for at least one day of the Maple Weekend!!!
Good luck and stay safe!!!!!

Dave

[3% Solution]

Hi everyone,
Hope the first part of NH Maple Weekend went well for everyone in NH.
Hope everything went as well for all the other traders here.
Picked up 57 gallons yesterday.
Boiled it off today and got 5-1/2 quarts of Fancy (can't believe it myself).
It was the lightest we've made so far!!
Did some sugarhouse hoping ourselves this morning, went over to NH Maplemaker with the family and watched them for a while.
Nice family you have there Jim!!!
Thanks again for having Nathan draw some syrup from your rig, I enjoyed watching him do that!!!!
We got some good pics of him if you want them for your album.
If you come over this week bring a cd and we'll load them for you.
I really think he enjoys making syrup.
Everyone have fun tomorrow and enjoy yourselves!!!!!
Stay safe!!!

Dave

[3% Solution]

Hi all,
Hope the weekend went well for everyone. :) :)
Boiled off another 146 gallons yesterday and got 4.5 gallons of very light colored Medium, with a great taste.
I have sap out there from yesterday but going to let the sap hold the buckets on the trees.
With any luck Mother Nature wil turn on her RO and help us out with our boiling.
I think we're going to break our amount of syrup record! :) :)
Going to make a few labels tonight and watch the tube.
Stay safe and have fun!!!

Dave

[NH Maplemaker]

3%, I think your RO has just been turned on as it is setting up out there nicely!!! So if get out of bed in the morning you will be all set! Gald to hear you are nearing record !!
We boiled off 850 gal last night and made 26 gal of a very light med also.Sap is still run here as I type, but is binding up fast!! Will pick up sap and wash tanks in the am and be ready for next run!!
I hope all the other members of the tape out team 2008 are have a good season!!!

[325abn]

Whats your sugar content running at?

[3% Solution]

325abn:
Well our lowest is 2.5%, our highest is 4.5%, but the most of it is running 3.0% to 3.5%.
So I usually try to average, so it looks like about 3%.

NHMaplemaker:
Yup the RO is turned on and going down nicely!!!!
I have to clean the pan in the morning, already got a coating of sand on the bottom again!
I'll get out by 9:00 to pick up.
Bring the "War Department" with me.
Well maybe not the first load.
I had planned to come over tonight, but by looking at a couple of places on the way home I figured you wouldn't have enogh to boil.

Keep hammering!!!

Dave

[325abn]

I am down to about 1.5 down here in Troy. What gives? Mother is sure fickle. %3 in Newport and %1.5 only 50 or so miles south.

I am deciding if its the end for me or if I want to boil at 57:1 .

[3% Solution]

325abn,
Yeah I guess Mother Nature gives what she will.
Usually our trees will give no lower than 2.75% and then they just STOP and give nothing!!
We have mostly roadside and lawn trees, so that is the reason for the high sugar content.

Dave

[TapME]

Dave, have you been by to see the governor lately?

[325abn]

325abn,
Yeah I guess Mother Nature gives what she will.
Usually our trees will give no lower than 2.75% and then they just STOP and give nothing!!
We have mostly roadside and lawn trees, so that is the reason for the high sugar content.

Dave


My trees are also roadside and along a stone wall with field on both sides. I thought or was hoping my hydrometer was screwed up but I checked the sap with another one with the same results. I went out yesturday and checked indivual trees and got 1.5 - 1.75 or so all below 2. Even some huge old road side sugar maples. I think I will clean up this weekend.

[3% Solution]

Hi all,
Picked up 83 gallons of cloudy sap yesterday (don't like that).
Boiled off all but 15 gallons, will finish today
Made 1.5 gallons of Medium.
Got pretty warm here on Tuesday.
Starting to lose snow around the trees big time now!!
Bascomb Road was running real good yesterday morning
One of the lines had all but stopped, that one is in the sun most of the day.
We shall see what takes place, this snow may help!!

TapME;
No I haven't been over to Unity to check on him, suppose I should go over!

325abn;
Your no doubt on the downhill side of things.
What did your trees run when things started?

Stay safe and hang in there!!

Dave

[3% Solution]

Picked up 70 gallons of sap this morning.
Another 80 gallons waiting for us, sugarhouse is dry and warm!!!
Sap cleared up a bit!
Boiled that off plus the 15 gallons from yesterday.
Ended up with 2.75 gallons of Dark Amber.
Had a visit from NH Maplemaker, thanks for dropping by!
Thanks for the help, too!!!!
We WILL break our all time record of 34.5 gallons!!
No doubt will do it tomorrow!!!! YESSSSSS!!!!!!

Dave

[TapME]

Dave, I'm sure he is fine. Just wanted to know if you had seen him to talk to him. I bet he is making steam.
Nice job on the amount of syrup. I hope to do about 20 gallon and I would be happy. We have 7 right now and at least 3 in storage.
Sap ran today and temp was only 38 and rainy.

[NH Maplemaker]

Dave has made some very very nice fancy syrup this year and it tastes as good as it looks!!! I know, because I had to taste it six or seven time to make sure!!
thanks Dave. Nice operation you got going there !!

Jim L..
______________

[3% Solution]

Thanks Jim!!
Didn't have quite the amount of sap out there I thought.
Picked up 58 gallons and sent it through ........ out the other end came 5 quarts and a pint of nice tasting Dark syrup.
Trees were on strike yesterday morning where I picked up.
Have to check them today.
We still may go over our record!!
Stay safe!!

Dave

[3% Solution]

Hi all,
Trees are still on strike, but we have a few scabs working!!
Going out in the morning to pick-up what we have out there.
Going to boil it off later tomorrow afternoon, no matter how much is there!
Supposed to get down to the mid 20's tonight and upper 20's tomorrow night.
Sure would like to squeeze out a couple more gallons to get a new record!!! :) :)

Dave

[3% Solution]

Good evening,
Picked up 100 gallons of sap this morning.
Boiled it through this afternoon and evening, out came 9 quarts and 1.5 pints of Dark syrup.
Dark right on the color too.
Well we did it, we broke last years record of 34.5 gallons, we now have 35.5 gallons on the chart!!
Looked liked about half the trees signed a contract this morning, they are back to work dripping sap.
I'll pick up tomorrow morning and boil it out.
Stay safe and keep boiling!!

Dave

[3% Solution]

Hi everyone,
Here I sit with "Boiling Soda" in hand!!
Yesterday morning I picked up 65 gallons of 2.8 % (averaged out).
Waited until this morning to boil it off, it was cooler in the sugarhouse this am.
Well anyway, got another 6 quarts and a pint of "B" out of it.
I think I am inclined to side in with Russ about the season being done.
Doesn't look like any tight freezes coming soon and with the temps during the day the trees will not freeze at night (too much warm wood).
I think the next "BIG THING" for me to look at is the clean up on Tuesday.
Should be some real nice stuff in the evaporator by then!!!
Might be able to seal some of the cracks in the drive with it!!!!!
Stay safe!!

Dave

[3% Solution]

Good morning everyone,
Well today is it, we're going to get that crap out of the evaporator (no doubt "C" by this time).
Going to clean everything up in the sugar and the buckets are tomorrow.
Another season gone!!!
We had a very good year, at this point we have made 37 gallons!!
Thanks for everyones help and comments this year!!!!!!!!

Dave

[Sugarmaker]

Dave,
Nice job on the season! You had some fun this year I can tell! You squeezed all you could from those maples!

Regards,
Chris

[3% Solution]

Hi all,
Well here we are cleaning up from another season.
Cleaned the evaporator yesterday, got the last 3/4 of a gallon out of there.
We made a total of 35.75 gallons!!!!!!
Looking for 40 gallons next year!!!!!!! :) :)
As expected, the evaporator contained "C", however, it had a real strong sweet taste, actually was good enough was the son-in-law took home a pint and he doesn't like "B" syrup!!!!!!
Going to pick up the buckets and pull the taps today!!!
Clean it up and stow it away.

Chris; Yup had a good time playing with the toys!!!
Going to take a little trip to Pa. next week, then it's back to banging nails for the Summer!!

Dave

[3% Solution]

Hi all,
Well got everything cleaned up and stowed away for next year.
Got back from Pennsylvanna last Thursday.
Nice five day visit with our Amish friends.
Raining today, no brush fires for the next few days.
I'm eyeing some hardwood slabs down the road a bit.
We used 1.8 cords of wood this year.
Hope all the traders are well and doing fine!!
Stay safe everyone have a good summer if I don't get back here!!

Dave

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

3%-Almost a building fire around 6pm Sunday in Claremont. Machine tender comes in the boiler room waving his hand/come here to me/says smoke across the river. I Looked across the river and down on the banking behind Sclafani warehouse there was smoke and 2' high flames. I called 911 and reported it and then got transfered to Claremont FD/ well the lady said i'll let them know-stay on the line. She comes back and said how far up the banking is it? I said well over 1/2 way(probably should have told her it was like 30' from the building) OK i'll relay the message to them.

Slow as snails the cruiser pulls up along lafayette St no lights going and 2 minutes later up pulls the first fire truck with it's lights on. Out jumps jim bob after 1 1/2 minute in the cab fiddle fingerin'. Trys and grab a hose and pull it off the truck/can't get it out for another minute. Finally the other truck pulls up and Blister runs over to the banking and sees the flames=things kick into high gear fast then there running around getting the hoses out.

Flames probably 15' from the building they finally get the water going from 2 hoses. probably 5 more minutes and things would have got cookin'??

[3% Solution]

Maple Hill,
Yeah the blue light boys don't always comprehend what is or maybe going happening.
Sometimes it looks like a "Chinese Fire Drill" at best.
I bet the "Rectal Pucker Factor" kicked in when they took a little peak around the corner!!!! :) :)
I must say that in the 22 years I was in the FD I have been to some very impressive calls in Claremont.
The first two "Joy Fires" would be on the list!!
Keep in touch!!

Dave