May 04 Journal

[mapleman3]

Hi folks, I know it's a few hours early but I thought I would start up the May Journal, Not much going on here, have the new stainless 310 gal milk tank in place and ready for the saphouse to be built around it. but thats a little time away, for now it stays tarped off. thinking of painting the sugarhouse this summer to match the barn(red of course) wife wants it to look pretty :) I have to put an addition on the chicken coop, got 12 more layers today, putting me at 40 now, having regular customers(some who have bought much syrup too) well thats all for now, hope everyone is enjoying the nice weather.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Not much going on here. I have gotten in about 5 cords of wood that is split and stacked and I have close to enough that is cut and about half of it is split, but it needs to be stacked to get to my 7 cords. I may try to work and finish up most of the wood tommorrow. It seems like you forget almost every year how much wood it takes to fill a stack that is 15' long and 6+ feet high. Seems like you haul, split & stack, haul, split & stack, haul, split & stack and don't make a dent in it. 8O 8O :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I bought 9 boxes of the tubing that Chris(maple guys) had on sale and I have 400 tree saver spouts and tees, so I am going to run all new tubing and spouts this summer. Can't wait to get started as mapleman sent me down his tubing tool to use for a couple of months and so I can build one for myself. I have got a 1,000 square feet of pre-finished hardwood flooring and 2 bathrooms to lay ceramic tile in first, so I guess the tubing will have to wait a while. At least, I can make some drops in the garage from time to time! :D :D :D

Good luck to everyone and lets hear some info about what everyone else is doing. Seems the cat has gotten everyone's tongue lately. :D :D :(

[Parker]

come on now ,,,what did you pick up??? Parker

[saphead]

Finally went and brought home the bulk tank I bought last fall,the farmer was happy to get it out of his dooryard! It's a 600 gal Delaval,round bottom (nice for cleaning),stainless outer jacket too. It is big and heavy,took up the back of my 1 ton dump and I had to leave the tailgate down! It should handle the few taps behind the house with room to spare even with vacuum... have to work on the house (people,not sugar) first.

[mapleman3]

Today I hooked up a temporary 220 line to the milk tank to test the electrical, the Agitator ran puuuurrrrrfect, now to start cleaning up the compressor and condensor coil and test that. then hook it all together , juice it up with R-12 and let it fly... hopefully I will only actually need to run it for maybe the last week or so of each season when it warms up during those days.... other then that , still just working around the house and barn, and sold about 8 dozen eggs today... the darn things just keep coming :)

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Not much going on in the way of syrup here. I started on Tues with 50 boxes of prefinished hardwood to lay and so far through last night, I have laid 21. Still got 600+ square feet to go and then to bathrooms to lay ceramic tile in before I get back to mapling. Hopefully I can get it done by the middle of June at the latest because I am busting at the seams to finish up the wood and run the new tubing.

[Al]

Cutting wood here too. Looking at some 300 gallon tanks and plan on starting the new addition this week. I sell my syrup in the wrong part of the state. Stopped into a store in Burlington and priced there syrup. $17.99 a quart!!!! 8O Asked if they sold much and they do!!!
Wow that's just about like playing who wants to be a millionare. Been checking syrup prices in the big city and they're all higher by at least 5 bucks a quart. Of course they can't drive down the road with a milk jug and go to the sugarhouse ether.
My barber is going to set up a small trailor this fall and have a person sell syrup roadside at the mountain resorts this fall during fall foliage. We have a couple of really nice spots to do that. Bet he sells some syrup too.
Take care

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Man, I guess the trader members must be busy as bees or dying like flies. :D :D :( :(

I sure have been busy down here. I have finished laying the hardwood floor and ceramic tile in my entire house other than 1 closet. I still have some cleanup to do and re-finishing and re-installing some baseboards, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sure has been a ton of work and I sure am glad it is almost done. I am heading to Hilton Head for a fews day this Wed and hopefully I can get back into syruping and get some work done on that end. I have 9 boxes of tubing to install and some new mainlines to run, so I am ready to get at it. Guess it will be a couple of weeks as I going to be out of town this weekend and the next weekend I have a family outing and on Friday evening, I am going to meet John M in VA as he bought my 3x7 stainless pan to upgrade his operation. Will be neat to meet him and chat a little while as we chat some from time to time on the trader. Jim(mapleman3) is the only other trader member I have met since I live so far south.

Good luck to all and I hope each one of you are making progress because it is just over 8 months till season starts down here! :D :D :D Sure is hard to believe, but true! :D

[ebourassa]

Well over here in Ct I have been getting ready to build the new sugar house, I got the driveway in and hope to pour the slab by this weekend, and start framing. Cant wait till that is done, also I will have running water which is always a plus. hope all is going well with everyone else.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Be sure to email Jim(mapleman3) pics of your operation and new sugarhouse. We love to be able to see other people's operation and it sounds like yours will be swell! :D :D

once she is all done I will send pics to jim. I picked up some great idea reading the posts here so I hope it all works out.

[Al]

Just a note to wish you all a great weekend. We're off to Eagle Bay, N.Y. Near Old Forge.
Have a great weekend and take care! :D

P.S. Just a little side note from a 20 year Navy vet.
:D Fly the flag if you got one!!!! :D