Newby!!!

[Doc]

3 weeks ago I FINALLY went to my first maple syrup festival/weekend....and let me say....I'M HOOKED!!!! I couldn't imagine that I have been in the woods hunting/fishing,etc all these years and never was exposed to this.
I bought 5 taps and buckets and away I went!!! Couldn't find enough 5 gallon buckets to keep up with the 3 trees I tapped then the dilemna....how in the world am I going to boil this stuff down?? Read all the info online about peeling wallpaper and non-forgiving wives....decided on the 'ole turkey fryer!
Can we say....molasses!!!! Slow as, as well as, color as!!! Boiled it a little rich but that's OK....great on waffles!!!!
I made a weekend out of it...or should I say....it made a weekend out of me. Ended up finishing it on the stove with wife involved!!! Wallpaper intact!!
I know the sap is still kicking but I'm on to preparing for next year. Turkey fryer will be left to the turkeys....hopefully in a few weeks and a buddy that owns a weld shop already drew up the plans for the evaporator.....CAN'T WAIT!!!!
I'll be watching your posts and visiting, learning and asking questions so be patient. Already visited Maplehound and some others up around Middlefield.
Hope to contribute someday to this site and help out a fellow newby such as I.
Goodluck guys and keep the walls drippin'!!!

Doc

[danno]

Doc - welcome to the Trader and the disease we know as "sugaring". Do yourself a favor and build or buy a bigger evaporator than you think you will need. We have this endless desire to add more taps every year. This truly is a sickness and you, my friend, have caught the bug:)

[Gary R]

Hello Doc! I'm new this year also. Everyone's been very helpful. There's lots of old post to help with questions. Visiting local sugarmakers is great. You can't beat experience!

[musicfreak46290]

Hello Doc. Congratulations on catching the sugarin bug. You are now hooked for life. This disease can not be cured. If it can be, it would be a complete shock. Welcome to mapletrader and hopefully you can find everything you need. You could ask anyone to help and they'd gladly do it. If you can't find something, ask another member or start a new thread. Heck, it might turn into something big. Good luck with your sugarin'.

Shayne

[maplehound]

Doc
Welcome to the site! Glad to see you found it and hope to be able to help you along the way. Don't be afraid to stop and ask questions whenever you need to.

[Doc]

Thanks for the welcome guys!!! Funny that Danno mentioned to build a larger evaporator than I think that I needed.....I just wrote an email to the friend that is building mine saying to hold off just yet because I don't know if it will be quite big enough!!!!! :)
I guess that there is no cure....Thank GOD.....and I guess that the symptoms are common and experienced by many!!!!
I visited Boardman parks demonstration over the past weekend and there was quite an interest.....I heard that the BUG was going around!!!!
Hope all are well!!!!
My wife has been asking about my plans and seems to be into it as well!!!! She's been pointing out....and might I say accurately....Sugar maples around the community. I'll have to get in good with a few neighbors!!!! :)
Thanks for all the help!!!!
Doc

[220 maple]

Doc,
Your wife is doing the right thing, find as many maples as possible, then decide on the size of your evaporator. Most of us love to make steam but if your evaporator is to big for the amount of sap that you can get it becomes frustrating. You have time on your side now, that the best news. Secure as many trees as possible for next season. then build you evaporator.
I'll leave you with a quote from a fellow sugarmaker. " There is only two seasons, Maple Season and getting ready for Maple Season". All of us in the Southern Maple woods are in the getting ready Season.

Mark 220 Maple