May Journal 2008

[Father & Son]

Did I miss it somewhere or is everyone too exhausted and forgot to start this thread?

[Russell Lampron]

I think everyone was to busy with end of the season things. I know that I was.

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

went to sugar bush supplies for open house today BOB GUILLAN from LEADER was there. gave demo on vac. and tubing

RICH

[markcasper]

How much is Sugar Bush Supplies paying for bulk? Anyone know?

[Sugarmaker]

Cutting slabs and filling the sugarhouse with wood. Started hauling home pallets from work Friday. I have the wood shed cleaned out and hope to cement the floor with in the next few weeks.
Made maple mustard and hot maple mustard over the weekend for some potential sales. And filled a order for maple candy Saturday
I checked the bees today and two hives needed another honey super. So things are progressing well.
Lawn needs cut twice a week and that is keeping me busy.

Need to order some more jugs and grade labels.
Hope everyone is finding enough to do now that sugarin season is over.:)

Regards,
Chris

[mapleman3]

Getting "Alice" ready for her departure Memorial day weekend, I will miss the girl, But the 3x8 I'm getting from MapleKing is also an Algier raised flue so it will be like her bigger sister. I'll be getting the hood and preheater also, so hopefully with oil I should be near 100gph ... That will be nice !! 60gph more than this season... Yehaww

The issue now is..... OIL. I love the ease of it but have to think of the future!! I will watch the oil prices and either stay wood for a year or fill up 2 tanks and hope for the best!!

I just bought a 8cord load of tree length logs for the house at $550 which around here is a super deal, I'm almost thinking of getting another load for the syrup... and then get hold of the elec/cable co. to start dropping of cuttings. But the only problem is the additional work in the Sugarhouse. Oil makes the long boiling hours very bearable..... wood would kick my A$%

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

MARKCASPER
I had some B and they qouted me 1.75 a lb. i declined had kept it

RICH

[Haynes Forest Products]

I changed from wood to oil about 6 years ago when oil was cheaper than wood. My old 2X6 ate alot of wood then i converted to oil a 275 lasted the season. I spend $450 on wood that year and the next year spent $300 on oil. Its tough to go back My arch is made around the oil gun so im commited. I just need that one person out there that uses waste oil to get on line.

[markcasper]

Rich , Good idea, 1.75 is the lowest I have seen on this site.

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

got a sweet deal today a brother sugar maker turned me on to a 250 gal zero tank for 75.00 and a quart of syrup. got it home and now time to clean it up

RICH

[mapleman3]

Yeah but they are sayin the barrel of oil may get to 200 bucks.. that will kill us in oil prices.... I have made up my mind and will do a year with wood and see how I do... I just bought a 7-8 cord load of tree length for $ 550 so that and whatever I scrounge up for wood(lots of free wood on craigslist) I'll mix in some softwood and other.... maybe get up to 10cord waiting. I really doubt that next season will be like this last one down here where we couldnt keep up with the flow and many guys ran out of wood !!

[Mike]

Jim, With a RO the oil prices may not be as bad if you didnt have a RO...Even if you burn wood, a RO will make you wood go a lot further......Keep us posted....Mike

[mapleman3]

Mike, Financially I'm not ready for an RO... maybe in a year or 2.... I hate to go wood but right now it makes the most sense. although I'll see how things are this coming winter.

I have to tube up 2 new bushes and get a few tanks.... maybe another old sap truck to haul... so it's another investment year, back to the drawing board !!!

[themapleking]

WOOD! It's a great work out I do it, loose 15 lbs every season. 373 gals on 16 cord. I did run also.
I'll be ready next year. Got a leader inferno arch and a Enhanced steamaway coming for next season. Should be between 220-245 gph.
Yes I'm putting in more taps. **** maplebug.
See ya soon Jimbo

[brookledge]

Jim with oil over 4.00 a gal I think you are doing the right thing. I've been cutting and splitting lately myself. Shooting for 25 cord.
If you burn wood for a few years you can save up on $ for an RO and then go back to oil.
Keith

[Revi]

I've been cutting wood for next year before the black flies show up. I cut up the wood we use for the home fires first, then I get to the sugarhouse wood.

We may order some tree length green for next year's heating. We've just about used up what was left from our thinning. It's scary the way the price of oil keeps going up. They won't let us lock in our heating oil yet. I guess the oil dealers are waiting to see what happens next winter too.

[mapleman3]

Pulled the burner and ceramic insulation off and I fired up the 2x6 with wood tonight to warm the pans to do more cleaning... first time in 4 years she's had wood in her... and the memories of shoving wood in it every 8 minutes came back... 2 weeks and she'll be going to PA. and the 3x8 will take her place!!!

[Parker]

WOW- Jim , you did very well to get a load for $550,,,everyone up here is getting $750-800,,,,,and its hard to get at that price....

[mapleman3]

aahhh 2 loads at that.. 1 for the house and 1 for the sugar house.... 1 thing about wood, I wont freeze my A$# off this season. Oil is so insulated that it throws off NO heat, my little wood stove I had did SQUAT!! yeah I know I have to tighten up the sugarhouse more but hey... It's a sugar house not the tajma hall.

we'll see as the year goes, The company I work for has an account that we purchased 150'000 gallons (locked in) for our apt complexes... we still have 50.000 left to go through the summer , if theres any left in Aug I may be able to buy it for 2.35 a agllon (what we paid for it).... if that happens I will be oil for sure... BUT what happens after that??????????????????

[hard maple]

Parker
I was qouted 625.00 for a tri axle load of firewood last nite
I'm mixing my sugarwood 50% hard and 50% softwood for the 2009 season

[royalmaple]

Guys around here with processors can't get wood. I sold a load of pulp to one guy I know that is going to make camp fire wood for the tourists in Old Orchard Beach area. So if anyone has a nice warm campfire this summer up here, you are welcome.

Black flies have hatched.

[mapleman3]

Gabe, that 625 is that for a mix? or all hardwood? I'm thinking also the town or tree guys dont like the pine so they may give some up for free, I'll also mix in some softwood.

[Maplewalnut]

Thats one good thing (probably the only thing) about all the city people from New York moving to the Pocono's. Lots of lot clearing for new houses. I just got 9 cord of rock (chestnut) oak for $450. Needless to say when I saw it was all oak I ordered another one, and probably another one after that! Since my equipment is limited to a quad and a chain, I can't hardly cut and drag it out of the woods for that price! Maybe I can save my firewood trees for a couple years

[Maplepro]

well i am selling 8' and 16' hardwood mostly rock maple and yellow birch for 115.00 a cord delivered i think thats a bargin when it cost me 1100.00 to fill my oil barel the other week.

[hard maple]

Jim
That price is for all hard wood, oak, maple etc...
I also get the town to bring me pine and other softwoods for free.

Think of it as, you doing them a favor, and them doing them you a favor.
Also when you're driving around town you will become skilled in noticing "hazard" trees that should come down...
So you can quickly alert all concerned parties

[Parker]

Must be the areas where there are pulp plants compeating for the wood you can get in the $100/cord ball park,,,,lots of my logging buddies (including myself) are not logging at the moment (which must be driving up the pulp prices some),,,,with fuel prices (and the increased trucking cost) I would loose money cutting just firewood-pulp,,,,,,

[brookledge]

It still boggles my mind how trees from Russia, Brazil, or where ever can be processed into lumber and imported into the US and still be cheaper than Cutting it here and processing it locally where there is no where near the amount of shipping involved. I know labor is cheaper in other countries but the cost of shipping for 1,000s of miles must add up to alot when diesel is closing in on $5.00 a gallon.
Keith

[Russell Lampron]

Parker if you aren't logging what are you doing to keep the cash coming in? The time to produce quality product is done for this year and you only have so much to sell before it is gone. I hope you don't have to start selling off maple equipment again.

Things were looking pretty bad over the winter for me in the auto repair business but now it is balls to the wall with no sign of a mid May slow down like most years.

[Sugarmaker]

Made some nice candy last night with some awesome Linesville PA syrup!:)

Still getting the wood shed ready to cement withing the next two weeks, I hope! I only work on it a half hour or so each night, in between mowing lawn twice a week and fishing at least one night each week.

Must make barbecue sauce!

I did can 7.5 gallons of light syrup to restock the shelves again.

Folks are looking for honey and the bees are doing the best they can with the cooler weather.

Chris

[Father & Son]

Spent the last couple of evenings canning 10 gallons of syrup and making maple mustard and coated peanuts. Chase is at a booth today at a Corvette and Classic Car Cruise-in. We'll see how that goes.

Chris, Did you check the invert in that syrup you used? I haven't checked any of it yet and just wondered.

Jim

[Parker]

Russ- I have been junking,,,had a lot myself,,then found a bunch,,the skidder works pretty well to pull the stuff out of the woods,,already had torches,,the yard crane is great for ripping things apart-crushing cars- loading my 2 cord truck or demolition containers,,,,,,adapt-overcome-concour,,,,plus, I have been buying and selling maple equipment,,,all of these things is a lot eaiser and cheaper=more profitabel than logging,,,,,
If I could get $7000 for Marvin he would be down the road and I would get a 3x12 and an RO,,,,The taps are the only thing I would not sell,,,everything ealse can be replaced in the off season,,,,,,,:)

[Maplepro]

It still boggles my mind how trees from Russia, Brazil, or where ever can be processed into lumber and imported into the US and still be cheaper than Cutting it here and processing it locally where there is no where near the amount of shipping involved. I know labor is cheaper in other countries but the cost of shipping for 1,000s of miles must add up to alot when diesel is closing in on $5.00 a gallon.
Keith

Well i know it seems crazy but our local pulp mill shut down a year ago upm they are from Europe they bought the mill 5 years prior to get a secret paper making process that only our mill had long story short my brother and father and my self we a large supplier we had 5 harvesters and 3 porters and a 100,000 cord contract with them we were told that it was a 1/3rd cheaper for them to cut the wood in Russia and ship it to Sweden make paper out of the raw pulp then put it on another boat and send the finished paper to New York then it was for us to cut it and make paper and ship it less then 500miles by boat I was over to Russia on a tour a few years back they have huge forests that have never been cut the wood isn't the same quality as ours but it dose the trick. also the reason for Brazil a lot of companies are moving there because you can grow a tree in seven years.

Parker I think junks the best thing out there right now the only problem is where I am at it getting harder to find I took a load to the scrap yard the other day and had to wait 6hrs in line it was a mixed load so I couldn’t just dump it like normal.

[Sugarmaker]

Jim and Chase,
I did not test your syrup. But the way it sugared I would say it has very low invert and will make sugar like crazy. Candy was very light colored. I at a 1/4 of a pound myself!


Working on the "prototype" maple candy machine today. Early stages of the concept look OK. Only time and trials will tell if it has a chance???

Chris

[Parker]

Maplepro- supply of junk is a problem here as well,,,lots of people doing it,,another problem is the scrap yard is getting so much of it it is driving the price down,,,my longest wait was 3 hours,,you want to be carful when you show up,,,lines can be very long...

[H. Walker]

Maplepro & Parker what is the price for scrap down there? Up here in March it was $210 a ton but has since gone down to $140.

[Maplepro]

Scarp has been jumping all over the place for #1 perpared no bigger then 5'x2' we are getting around 270 a ton i heard though the grape vine that the scrap yard is getting 1100 landed at the boat less then 150miles away pertty good profit i would say. but it has jump from 110 last summer to 270 and eevry where in between in the last year. and i herd it was going to go down in the next few weeks. oh well it cash money so i won't complain!

[Parker]

Last week #1 prepared {5'X18"X 1/4 to 3/4"thick"} was 255/ ton here then dropping off from there for light iron-cars-ect.,,but the price is very volital,,,not sure what it will be this week,,,dont want to buy any ahead and get stuck with a yardfull of junk,,,junking,,,another STEEP LEARNING CURVE,,,

[Sugarmaker]

Come on guys Hold me back form going to Iceland for sweaters! The family might not see me much but sounds like a great hobby!:)

Chris

[PATheron]

Guys- Not to change the subject but I took some pics this year and my I.T. guy (Royal Maple) just got them on the photobucket for me tonight. If you go on there just click on 08 pics. I should have done a bunch more but I was so obsorbed in surviving the season I just took a few. Ill do better next year when its more relaxed. Theres some neat ones of the releaser. Theron

[Russell Lampron]

Nicely done Theron. So that is what BIGSAP looks like. With the shifting of the potential that I have planned I hope to see some of that in my releaser too.

[PATheron]

Youll see it Russ. I was goofing around taking pics of the releaser but if you look at the first couple pics thats how it runs normally without splurging or anything. Usually both lines just run steady hard enough to dump right into the holes. Where you see it going full pipe thats when its kind of cleaning the lines out like first thing in the morning. That vac really shifts some serious potential. Theron

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

I'm walking around the dug out with a swimmie on 1 arm and the other i Thinka itta fall off on tha last stroke and i'da wondering if the bat boy is going to bring me my binky.

Does that I.T. stand for Internet Training??

[mapleman3]

Looks like this weekend is the big Evap swap.... Maplewalnut is coming Sat morn for my 2x6 and Joe Mapleking should be here then with my 3x8, Joes pretty awesome to be delivering from NY, he's going to pick up a bulk tank on his way back to NY. if there is anyone looking for something to do Sat morn and want to meet up with a few Traders, come on down to Belchertown... oh and bring gloves ;) we may put you to work LOL....

My sugarhouse is going to feel a bit smaller with the 3x8... may be time to push out a few side walls... I left a foot and a half overhang on my rafters each side in the off chance I went bigger..... well I WENT BIGGER !! it may be a fall project.

My load of wood should be here in a week or so, wanna get it split up small and drying asap!! I'm still working on the wood for the winter heating of the house, I blew a hydralic line on the splitter last night, have to pick one up tonight, This is on the splitter I bought off Bodie Peters in NH a few years back.. I replaced the old 11hp with a 5hp and she's still splitting like a beast.
not bad for an old homemade girl!!!

[royalmaple]

I.T. =

Inverted Test*cle, I think that is what it means. I am told that some companies have whole divisions of the company with the problem I guess.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Talk about inverted=did you see the talk Tim Wilmont put on at Bascom's open house with the spout research and sugar content??

[Maplewalnut]

Can't wait to get Mapleman3's rig in its new home. I may stop off the interstate put the pans on and fire it up! The new rig is not good news for the neighbors kid who I gave a lot of sap to this year because I couldn't boil it in time. With the extra evaporation rate, I'll be looking for more and more. Of course I'll have to add taps (haven't told the wife or father yet who are the chief sap haulers) In any case sold the 4 ft CDL rig to a guy in Elmira, NY. Not sure if he is a trader or not but I'll ask on Friday. Money goes in one hand and out the other.

See you Saturday Jim, tell Joe to have another cup of coffee, I'll be there.

[royalmaple]

Here you go parker.

[mapleman3]

Your right Maplewalnut, from your hands to mine to Joes hands... I wont even get to enjoy the feel of the money.....I'll do my best to keep him there for sure or else he leaves with no money :p
We will have it alot easier moving his... He kept the fire brick for his new arch(hmm I should have thought of that) Oh well, I'm picking up some rolling dollies and the loader, shouldn't be too bad getting it out of the SH and onto your trailer. I'll put a little wood aside for you and get you some "sugarwater" to boil on the way :)


Holy cow thats half a truck in that picture Royal-M

[royalmaple]

That's parkers doing. I'm just the IT guy remember. Somehow I figured out how to post even with my "condition".

[super sappy]

You can burn the tires off cut it up smaller and fill the tank and muffler with sand for added weight- Just my 2 cents to make you 50.00 -320.oo a ton at the port of Albany yesterday -ss

[royalmaple]

I thought it was funny everything parker is bringing to the scrap yard had 6 fuel tanks on it.

They said to drain the fluids but didn't say you couldn't add anything!!

[super sappy]

There is a guy at the end of my road that has been a scrapper his whole life. It is amazing what I have seen these guys do, like pulverizing glass in barrels then packing it into copper pipe for added weight. It is a family affair with Gram and Gramp right down to kids 3 and 4 years old. They will get a bunch of coated wire and stuff , pile it up light it up on fire,then sit around it in lawn chairs.There is a never ending stream of BULL-s flowing from that end of the road.state police and sherrifs there at least 2 times a year. one of the reasons why I have everything I own under lock and key.-SS

[peacemaker]

i hear u my next door nieghbor is the same there set down from our yard about foot we call it the pit he comes in with a full truck thows it all on the gound all the kids and him come out bang on it for awhile reload it all back on ..usaully someone yells out hey get me a bandaide or a towel soemthing to stop the bleeding... then the wife walks out and yells out stiches in the mini van they go off to the Er back with stiches and back at it he goes ...

and the funny thing is they talk there own lagauge ...that i am starting to learn lol ... i will try to sneak some pics to put up cause i know u all will love it ...


oh and word around town is he has water on the brain ....
i know the mental pic u all have right now lol

[mapleman3]

Well I'm pretty much done getting Alice ready for her departure, cleaned out the perlite out from the back of the arch, cleaned her up and some high heat paint(which I do every year anyway) I think besides pulling the stack out sat morn, It's ready. Had her for 5 years, funny how you know every little thing like the back of your hand after that long,

[Haynes Forest Products]

Thats longer than my first marriage and that was a long time so it seamed and i didnt get anything on a trade. Cant hang pictures on the wall and talk fondly of the old girl............Dang i love this hobby it never lets you down

[mapleman3]

Your right on that... it's always there for you, maybe not the same every season but there... Hmmm maybe thats the answer a little change every season to keep the interest ;)

[Russell Lampron]

Every season brings something different than the seasons before. This year up here it was the deep snow and all of the problems created by it. Last year it was a long season with a lot of dark syrup right out of the gate. I made my lightest syrup in April that year when I should have been all done. Next year who knows what will happen but I am hoping for the BIGSAP that the southern part of maple country got this year.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Russ there was a line drawn across the state before the start of the season and you were just 2 miles to far to the north/Better luck next year=Order your swimmies now so they won't be backordered when the time comes.

Expand big and think BIGSAP.

[mapleman3]

Bigsap... thats what will be needed...WOW, I now have my 3x8, it sure is a step up from the 2x6. she's a beast!! now it seems like some serious boiling ahead!

MapleKing arrived last night while my wife and I were at a Billy Joel concert at Mohegan sun... My kids..LOL entertained Joe during that time,LOL, They all always get along good, it was 2:30am by the time they were done watching some movie and after we "tried" my Maple Cheese cake... watching Joe TRY to finish his piece.. quite sweet it was !!!!

We were up pretty early this morn, we unloaded the beast and got my arch out of the sugarhouse ready for MapleWalnut to pick up.

after some breakfast Joe was on his way out, He and MapleWalnut Passed each other on the road.. one truck and trailer leaving while the other coming !!

Mike-Maplewalnut and crew showed up, we loaded Alice up, it went real well I had bought some appliance dollies from harbor freight they each hold 1000 pounds. for a while I had both evaps in front of the sugarhouse full dress, looked pretty wierd like I was some kind of factory in the open air!!!

So Mike was on his way out and just like that I have my new one here and old one gone,
Mike is was great to meet you I hope the trip went well, Joe I hope the tank loading went effortfuless..and your trip went well also
Thanks to both of you, sure made an interesting Saturday :)

[Russell Lampron]

I am going to run as much tubing and mainline as I can afford to. I am planning on at least 300 taps but if the money holds out I will add more. I don't need the swimmies. I have some life jackets and a 14' boat! ( If I run out of BIGSAP storage space I can always fill up the boat.)

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Sounds like you'll be able to keep up then if the capacity of the boat is around 300 Gals you'll have it covered. Might have to call in Maple Creek for back-up tanks??/I seen Big Sexy on tour yesterday by highland lake in Andover=flashed my lights and waved an arm out the window at er'...

[super sappy]

I was finally able to get some stuff done at the sugarhouse yesterday . I got my flu pan completely clean,proped up off the arch rails and covered with a old fitted bed sheet. , Cut, hand split and stacked 2 solid cords of sugar wood.maple and pine mix. Took the bush hog around my new maple trees that I planted earlier this spring. It looks like about 10 never budded out.Then I went over to a friends to help he and his wife plant their garden. My garden will be today.I am lucky that my son likes the stuff from the garden.My grocery bill is killing me.( do teenage boys ever fill up?) Today is also my wedding anniversary 158 years of wedded bliss.-LOL- I think that this is the grey and red timberwolf anniversary - she dont think so! - I got a price from maple pro for a factory preheater and hood for my flupan , big suprise that it costs as much as the evaporator did last year. that aint gonna happen soon I had better keep saving for a ro in a few years - time to go trim the hedges with the pushmower- Super sappy

[peacemaker]

SS lets build u a preheater and hood ..or make a preheater like mine last year lol
its only two fires to keep going ...

[mapleman3]

I just added the pictures from yesterday to the link below

http://s278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/mapleman3/

[Parker]

Kevin- its big scrappy this time of year

[andrew martin]

Well, I haven't done much since syrup season ended, besides selling a lot of syrup. Our Farmer's Market opened three weeks ago, and we have been selling $150-$200 of syrup every week, which means we only have three to four weeks to go until we are completely sold out. The remodeling business is booming here, I am running a six man crew this summer and we are still booked three months out. Perhaps two years from now, I can actually afford to build a real sugar house.

My wife is due with man child #3 on June 4th, and we are anxiously awaiting his arrival. Trying to finish our bathroom remodel and clean the sugar house. The sugar house has a nice funky smell emanating from it, so I guess it's time to clean those pans. Nothing like fermenting sap/syrup to clean some SS pans, but it works great, once you get past the smell.

Hope everyone is well, and already looking forward to next year.

Andrew Martin

[brookledge]

I just drained out the sap and began cleaning my pans on Saturday did the syrup pan and still have the flue pan to do. It's nice to see the entire syrup pan shinney again waiting for fresh sap to hit it in the spring.
Keith

[Maplewalnut]

Belchertown, 'Alice' has landed and is safe and sound. My kids about crapped when they saw the size of a real evaporator!

Busy logistical maple weekend. Sold the hobby unit to a nice guy from Elmira New York on Friday and then up early Saturday to head to Mapleman3's neck of the woods. Got up there around 9:30am on were back on the road just after 11:00am. Thanks Mapleman3 you got a great family and maple set up there in Mass. Seeing maplemans tubing set up out back of his place, really has me thinking about trying some in my woods this year, we'll see.

[mapleman3]

Glad to hear she made it safe, hope the trip wasn't too long, She will set up nice, i will send you down the instructions soon, was working on scanning them in today, be sure to give me your email. Enjoy :)

[Mike]

Hey Jim, looks like OLE Alice has has put a loy of miles on since I bought her new......Im sure she'll be around for many years to come.....

[mapleman3]

Ya Mike from Canada new to you then a few years old to me, then I had her 5 years and now down to PA. Many miles but she should be happy. It was a great rig and I did my best so far with her no complaints. I amsure Maplewalnut will put her to the test! Now with the new girl she is just a bigger version than Alice and the floatbox and preheater con. Is on the opposite side but not a problem!!