June 04 Journal

[syrupmaker]

WOW!!!!! not much going on with the trader group huh? Been busy on our end with everything being so wet. Trying to fit ground,keep driveways and ditches placed and chop feed besides.We did manage to get 10-11 cord buzzed split and stacked in between all the rest of the projects.

So i think we will getting ready to make plans for the YA'LL COME WEEKENDS! The 1st party will be the weekend of July 23rd,24th and 25th in New Albion,New York. Figuring two live bands and fireworks, also looking towards the 1st or 2nd week of August for a 2nd YA'LL COME WEEKEND gathering in Eden, New York. With the 3rd and final YA'LL COME being labor day weekend in september.Mapleman3 and family made it to two of them last year with mapleking.Hopefully they'll catch all three this year!


Rick

[themapleking]

Since it's been raining for 40 days and 40 nights, I've torn down my evaporator cleaned the pans inside and out. Sand and painted the arch, and removed the fire bricks and start cementing them in again. The refactory cement didn't hold up with All of the heat.
I also got an idea on increasing the gph on my 3x8. 110 gph last year maybe 120+ this year

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Joe,

Are you putting insulating blanket in behind the firebrick and what is the idea if you don't mind telling it or you can send me a message! :D

[Al]

Stopped by my dealer today and got a few new ideas. The new version of my evaporator has floats for sap and syrup. Although he's not sure how well they will work for the amount of flow the small evaporator has.
The one idea I really liked was on forced air. Instead of doing it from the front and have the blower in the way come in through the back. That way the blower and blower extension are not in the way. Sounds especially handy when fireing with wood. Nothing to trip over!!!! :D
Just a couple blurbs of info.
Take care,

[mapleman3]

Al thats where I mounted mine, in the back just below the grates

[Al]

Hey Jim if you get the time could you send me a picture on how you mounted it.
Thanks

[mapleman3]

Here Al... this is how I did it

http://www.desjardinsmaple.com/Blower.jpg

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Al,

I ordered an airtight front and a Leader blower for my arch this year and I am anxious to see how it works next year! It will probably be a month or so before I get it, so if I get it done in a couple of months, I send you some pics if you haven't done yours yet! :D

[Al]

Thanks for the pic Jim. Looks straightforware enough except for cutting into my sweetheart. :D Makes me shiver just to think about it.
Take care and can't wait to see your upgrade Brandon.

[mapleman3]

It's ok Al, she's used now :) but it will give you better rate!! ya gotta do what ya gotta do ;)

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

Thanks for the pic also as I am going to have to tackle the task of mounting one on my evaporator before long. I like Jeremy's idea of mounting it on the front and I had considered it, but with an airtight front, not much place for one with it.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jeremy,

Sounds like a great idea and I am sure it would benefit a ton, but I am not sure I am creative enough to design it and if I was, it would be really hard for me to find the time to do it. I am lucky to be able to get the things done I need to since I live 25 to 30 minutes from my sugaring operation. :(

Quiet in here... I poured two concrete piers to hold up the platform for my head tank this weekend. I need to do four more. So far it wasn't much fun. Mosquitos very bad this year.
Jerry

[mapleman3]

I'll second the Bumper crop note of Gigantic Mosquitoes, can't even get close to the woods whare I know some of my taps must be hanging free of there tee caps after a few wind storms, guess I'll have to do a thorough rinse of the lines again if the bugs get in

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Things are settling down here as I have finished up all the flooring projects and I am so glad as that has been a ton of work. Sure looks nice, but it wasn't much fun.

I can't wait to get back over to the sugarhouse as I have been there for 5+ weeks. My dad's cousin brought over his wood splitter this evening, so that will come in handy for the 1.5 cords of unsplit wood I have left. I hope to finish that next Sat and get it all stacked.

I may be starting a new job in the next 2 or 3 weeks, so hopefully that will give me some more free time to enjoy doing things besides working.

Good luck to all as it will soon be snowing again! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Parker]

Well I got my landclearing for the shack done a while ago, I got tired of waiting for the dozer to show up so I started to stump the lot my self with my grapple skidder <about 2 acres all together>. I figured Id just do the little stumps,,,,,befor I knew it I had the whole thing stumped,,when the D-6 showed up (I had pre paid him) he had time to do a bang up job,,I am super happy how it came out...only one problem, my wife looked at it and said "why that would make a perfect riding ring for the horses". OH NO!!! I got some pics with the new digital camera and if I can figure it out Ill try to post em........Parker

[WF MASON]

Sounds like a good job Parker , I understand the waiting part ,I travel to Vermont alot throughout the year and love the fields over there, I have a four acre lot I wanted to get cleared and made into a field. After contacting 3 or 4 local loggers , all who were working on 6 month+ of backlog or said it would take longer to move in there equipment then to clear. (a independent group, loggers) Finally , 4 years went by , the roads were posted in the spring , I got the call , we're looking for some work.
One day to move in the equipment , two days clearing , the fourth day they were gone. Stumping took another week and $7000 bucks, I still haven't had the time to pick rocks and seed. But I'll get to it.

[saphead]

Parker, You cleared 2 acres for a "shack"? Sounds to me like you're planning a maple factory w/ restaurant and a playground for the kids to use while their parents are inside dropping major cash for maple products!The Mrs. have draft horses for wagon/sleigh rides too? Sounds like a man with a plan! On another note, how are the gypsy moth catepillers up your way? They're everywhere around here this year but no defoliation,looks like a major infestation could be in store for next year.

[Parker]

The land naturally slopes quite a bit so to get a flat spot big enough to turn around I had to clear a large area,,,Plus I cleared some in back of the house for my wife (who has a pony for the kids named Sparkelrainbow, and a %*%$$#@ for me to chase named CHARGER, never buy a horse named CHARGER!!!!). I startred thinning the sugarbush on Hoit road yesterday,,I am cutting the wood 4 foot and stacking it in the woods, I used to do that 4 foot roundwood a lot when I was 14-19,,a farmer I worked for had a Jhon deere B and a 1 cord wagon,,I could genrally do 3-4 cords a day without too much trouble,,I was determined to do 3 yesterday,,,,,Took from 7 AM till6PM,,,,,,guess Im not 16 anymore,,what a workout,,but dosent it look nice! I hope to get the sugarcontent to go up some..and gypsy moths everywwhere here too but no real defoliation,,I dont know how that works???Good luck to all , Parker

[mapleman3]

Happy Fathers Day to all you sugarers... hope your summer is starting of great. I havn't done diddly in the maple world in a while.. doing all the Kids stuff and house stuff, probably won't start on things till almost fall but hey aren't we supposed to be in a rush when maple time comes :)

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Hello to all! :D

I finished getting in the remainder of my wood this past Sat courtisy of a wood splitter I was able to use the past two Saturdays. I have close to 8 cords of locust and red oak. I torn out nearly all of the old firebox where I used to make syrup this past Saturday and I am going to pour concrete in the hole in the next month or two. I have about 600 to 800 feet of 1/2" mainline to run in the next few weeks and about 6,000' of lateral lines.

I started a new job today and it should give me more time as I will have vacation days and 8 to 4:30 M-F, so I will even have some time in the evenings to do a few things every now and then. I am hoping to take off every Wed during sugar season so I can boil on Wed and Sat every week.

I have 400 new tree saver spouts and 25 new Leader 5/16" bucket spouts, so I am hoping to have lots of sap next spring as I will have more time to process it. Only 7.5 months till season starts, so you better get on the ball!!!!!!!!!!!!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jeremy,

I might use 3/4" but I don't use any vaccum and most of my mainlines are short and have well under 100 taps, so 1/2" is more than sufficient for me since I don't use any vaccum. Besides, it is a lot cheaper and easier to work with than 3/4". I bought 4 rolls last week for $ 5.63 @ roll and I bought 4 rolls of 1" for around $11.50 @ roll.

Even when it is running hard, I only get a small stream running out of a 1/2" pipe due to not have very many taps on it.

Thanks for the help and I hope all is well with you and your family! :D :D