Journey's End Maple

[gearpump]

After a week of starting we still have half of our taps to put in. Got 300 to 400 done. Snow pack is really slowing down the process. Got the truck stuck 3 times trying to get to sugarhouse. Snow so deep it packs up on the frame rails and tires start spinning in air! Sweeted the pans on Thursday and made 5 gallons of some super light syrup last night. Almost got it too hot because I thought it had a long way to go by looking at the color, but it was already syrup! My wonderful wife has been working with me in the woods tapping and digging out lines. She has a little trouble working on snowshoes but is doing a great job at drilling holes. Another week and we should be all tapped out.

Marty

[Russell Lampron]

Not out tapping in the rain this afternoon Marty? I just got in from gathering in my parents woods. Got the tractor stuck several times and had to shovel it out each time. It started to rain before we got done and we all got soaked. With the sap I got over there and some from over here I have 290 gallons to boil in tonight.

Shoveling out the truck is fun isn't it. I am pretty sore and tired from all of the shoveling today.

Russ

[gearpump]

We had a great Open House weekend. Sold lots of syrup and cream. My wonderful new wife and the new family were all very busy on the marketing and sales side. So far we have 60 gallons of the best light syrup I have ever made and 40 gallons of a light grade of medium. Got the rest of my tapping done last week and on Sunday. Checked buckets and tanks tonight and everything is about 1/2 full. I almost can't wait to get to bed and get up early and start trucking! Thought about collecting everything tonight but wimped out because of the rain and drizzle. Should be up over 125 gallons by this time tommorow. Big Sap...finally!!!!

Marty

[Russell Lampron]

Marty it's good to hear from you. I have been too busy to stop by. We'll have to get together after the season to go over to Matts.

Get that sap collected before it runs on the ground. Can't be losing raw material. It is hammer time.

[gearpump]

Had a really good run on tuesday. Made about 20 gallons. The only bad thing is I got a good head and chest infection and ended up sick the last two days. Went to doc's and got two weeks worth of horse pills. Anne had to do most of collecting yesterday and I managed to get it all boiled down before I crashed in bed again. A good friend put together a little slide show of our "small" operation during Maple Weekend and put it on her website. Now time for bed?, or cleaning the sugarhouse?...


http://evieroberts.phanfare.com/album/588523/831484#imageID=38710253

[Russell Lampron]

Nice slide show. Get some rest the cleaning can wait.

[royalmaple]

Marty-

Slide show is cool. When are you and the wifey gonna take a ride over and visit?

[TapME]

wow!!!!! nice job on the show.

[gearpump]

Well our season is over. Started bringing in buckets and tanks today to start the clean and tuck away process. Ended up with 155 gallons of syrup. Now just to figure out how many taps we had out and see how we did. The next job is some siding on the sugarhouse and maybe some cabinets in the commercial kitchen. Have to wait and see how much the IRS will allow for a budget!

Marty

[Dill]

That was a cool slide show. A good friend of ours lives on the same road over the Loudon line. That road had some of the worst frost heaves I have ever seen on a paved road in southern NH. I wouldn't take the car up to see them for 2 months had to take the truck.
Anyway that is one nice operation you have there.

[gearpump]

You are so right about our road. Just imagine a 1/2 ton pickup with 300 gallons of sap on the back! A couple of years ago I broke my back spring in half. I now have air bags, but it still bottoms out. Last year when the town put up there "Frost Heave" sign someone placed a "Big bad ugly" sign before it!

Marty

[Sugarmaker]

Marty,
Nice slide show and super clean operation! You can be proud.

Regards,
Chris

[gearpump]

Well the numbers are in. I was telling everyone we had 600 to 700 taps. Nope. Only had 580. Sure was a lot of work for that amount. Ended up with 162 gallons of syrup. .28 gal per tap,or 3.59 taps for a gallon. So with everything almost cleaned up and put away, the wife and I are packing for our romantic trip to Vt. on Thursday to the Saint Albans Maple festival.

Marty

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Marty,

Sounds like you found you a winner for sure and glad you are having a great time together and a lot better this year than all you went thru last year!

[gmcooper]

Marty, Really nice slide show.

Where abouts in Pittsfield? We get over in your area several times a year.
Mark

[gearpump]

Pittsfield is just northeast of Concord, between the Epsom and Alton traffic circles on Rt. 28. You're welcome to stop by for a tour when you are in the area. The super wifey and me are currently in Burlington, VT enjoying some wonderful R&R. The hotel bed is covered with maple dealer catalogs, Maple News, maps and our wish list's. We are set and ready to deploy a major assault on the Saint Albans maple shindig in the am. This must be what heaven feels like...

Marty