Sugarhouse Cruising

[saphead]

One good thing about being "laid up" for the season is that I have been able to visit a couple of places that I normally wouldn't have time to visit.Visited Keith @ Brookside a while back(any wood left? R.O. on your shopping list?),Boyden's in Conway is always a nice stop. Stopped in @ North Hadley Sugar Shack yesterday for the first time in a few years,flat land taps for the most part and still making light medium on 3/27! My timing was perfect as they finished up boiling while I was there and got a tour of the new processing plant.The only places I've seen in this catagory are Bascom's and Course's (up in Jacksonville,Vt). The operation has been very well thought out,hot syrup pumped right to the plant,stainless tanks,steam kettles,canner/bottler,etc. They just picked up a ss milk semi tanker for next to nothing,5000 gal.? First time I've seen a Lapierre RO and I really like the way you can set things up the way you want for ease of access etc. Worth the check out if you're in the area.Was kind of sore after that long of a drive so I'll stay local for a while.Happy Boiling!

[Maplewalnut]

Come on you had to tap at least one tree!!!! LOL. Get well, next season is just around the corner and I'm sure you have some tweaks here and there to do now that you have seen other operations.

[MaplePancakeMan]

Yes get better but at least you can do something related to sugaring right? I'm glad i pulled most of my taps and ended the season yesterday night for the most part. I was playing basketball lastnight and popped the ligaments in my ankle when i landed on it awkwardly. Since all my taps are on buckets and on not so level ground im glad i only have a few left to check on the ankle.

[saphead]

Did some more cruising today in so. vt. I spent a lot of time checking out a Small Bros. 3.5 x 12, I think I know who designed the arch....802 Jerry is that you? Stayed @ Course's until I figured out the plumbing on their 6'x22' w/1 raised flue pan and 1 dropped flue pan(ea. w/seperate pre heaters) and 2 evo. front pans!Yesterday they were running bucket sap through 1 pair and making fancy and running tubing sap through the other pair and making med. Today they had it running sap through both flue pans then into 1 evo. pan and running h2o into the other evo. pan to clean it. Talk about a valving nightmare! 2 water jacketed draw off tanks,2 filter presses, 2 jacketed holding tanks and enough valves and interconnects to run the rig in any configuration you can think of.....I'd have to # the valves and draw up diagrams! Fun checking out Sugarhouses!

[brookledge]

I wish I had more time to check out sugarhouses in operation. Sounds like you are having a good time, all things considered
Keith

[saphead]

Put on the overalls and headed up to the sugarhouse and helped boil for 5 hours yesterday. It was hard not to jump in and toss wood in the rig. Still making Med. Should run good today,got a little sore yesterday so maybe I'll just do some visiting today.Northern Ma. southern Vt. seems to be the cut off area so far for a great season. I heard that one 3100 tap bush the next town over has produced 56,000 gal. so far and is still putting out! Now... where to visit?