November Journal

[Parker]

Time to make things HAAAPPPEENNN !!!!!!!!!!!! I am still short 16 cords in the sugarhouse,,,and there is no front on Marvin!!!!! Been SSLLLAACCKKIINNGG!! Need to focus on the important things in life and pull it all together here in SHORT ORDER,,,,STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RITE!!!!!!!

[PATheron]

Parker- Seems like theres always something else a guys got to be doing when he really wants to be sugaring. Started up in the young stand today. Putting the drops in and finishing up the lats all but the saddles. Once I get that done Ill go through and do the saddles and all the mainline connections. Seems like Ive got a ton of stuff to do to but Itll be worth it when its done. Cant beat working in the maple woods. We better step up the pace becouse winter will be here soon. Hows everyone else doing getting ready? Theron

[Grade "A"]

I had about 3 or 4 weekends of work to do this summer to get ready for go time. I started in May and I'm still not ready. Funny how a 2 month sugaring season takes 10 months to get ready for.

[peacemaker]

another job i needed to do that kept me from the sugar woods was done today ... thanks supper sappy... that went so well today always nice to work
with good help ...makes working on a sat a bit more bearable

[super sappy]

Wait till you get my bill. Ill have to mark it up 50% = 25% for the republican national comittee and 25% for the church. I"ll be sure to put the boots to you. Just wait and see. ( oh man here I go again having a couple of cocktails and posting on the maple trader, I got to stop doing this) -SS * just a side note I think Sailor jerry makes a better rum and coke than Captain morgan. Wile I am blabbing away with my fingertips I should include something about maple so here it is . I completed the installation of the stainless steel countertops in the sugarhouse tonight and poured footings for my pole barn. I am also ahead on wood for 1 year and mrs ss has suggested that we take out a loan for a RO.We will see where that goes.later -ss

[3% Solution]

Hey SS,
I guess you and I are setting at the same table, just pored myself a Barcardi Light and coke!!!
How many has the misses had?
It sems kinda nice to be ahead on the wood situation doesn't it?
We're good till 2011.
How's the weather in Easton tonight?
Took a walk out back this afternoon, I would bet there is at least 50 Red's out there just calling to me!!!!
500' of 1/2" mainline and they'd be right at the shed!!!!

Dave

[PATheron]

Super- How many taps are you thinking your going to be running now? An ro would be great if you thought you could afford it without it being too much of a burden. I have to say I really did choke on the price of mine but soooo nice. I cant even imagine not having it now. Theron

[royalmaple]

SS-

Are we going to have another red hot debate on the trader?

I won't jump the gun since I haven't had sailer jerry, but I do enjoy the sailing the seven seas with the captain.

Dave, yup getting older, I'm running out of hair as it is. I need an easier life. No I know what I need, I need some Change I can believe in.

:):):)

[peacemaker]

ok I have a confession to make ... i cheated ... i was in the bottle store and was looking for the capt when i saw this sign it said 25% i thought to my self oh my i can get hammered for 25 %less money ... good economics know ...then i saw the bottle that was on sale and on it was this very hot hollaha babe and i thought i was in love it took her home and made wild lusty love to her all night when i aoke the next morning with my head all a fuzzy .. is when i relized what i had done so a sat back down with the capt and explained how it had happened and that i relized half way through the night that i liked salior jerry much better with her carmel after taste and her what seems to be thickness how it was alot like syrup if its thicker it taste better ... but he wouldnt take me back and left me high and dry ...

and then when i went to work with the great foamy that mon i told him the story and he went i got himself a sailor jerry himself...it was all my fault ...

[super sappy]

3% - the sun alwayse shines in Beautiful Easton NY -( where all the men look like pregnant women) The ro Question is answered like this. This year evertthing got paid for either by Barter or syrup sales. I even have enough tubing in a barrel and mainline to put up 100 or so more taps that will put me at 300-325 +- and I will do that just not right at this point. When I got the little 2x4 Vermont I had a plan and have followed it thru to this point. for the next 2 years Id just like to sit back and build a customer base for sales at the sugarhouse. It seems that the more word gets out I am able to find access to trees - there has never been a history of sugaring in this area just cows * 1,000 more cows in my town than people. Anyway when I find a large bush that I can tap with a lease I wont hesitate to get vacuum and an ro It will be done at the blink of an eye. mrs SS is alwayse supportive of my Ideas even before the ship sails . The other day she gave me a Dinner plate with a grandma moses " sugaring off " pattern on it. She did not realize that wile I was growing up that origional painting hung at my grandparents house . 6:16 am I gots to go to work-over -SS

[3% Solution]

SS,
Tell you what, this is supposed to be the "Sunshine Town" but, I've got news for you, it does get cloudy here!!!
More cows than people, now that's nice, farmland!!!! :-)
Good way to get bigger, a little at a time, unless your from PA!! (Hi Theron!!)
My wife is very supportive too!!
I just keep trying to make her job easier!!
With our small operation we seem to sell most of our syrup each year.
Matt,
It's ok if you start to loose your hair, just tell your wife it's a solor panel for a sex machine!!!!
Hopfully she won't tell you to wear a hat like mine does!!!!
Your going to start bumping your head all the time now!!!

Governor,
When you going down to pick up your releaser?
You want some company?

Got to eat some breakfast, keep the machine going!!!
Kids are coming over, it's the grand-daughter's B-day, well not today, it was lat Thursday, she's a cabbage night kid!!!
Hope to get out to change a few lines today.

Dave

[PATheron]

3%- Boys makin drops as we speak. The sun is shining up on the hill and as soon as pretty mommy gets home from work Im headed for the woods where I belong. Ill have to tell her about the solar panel thing. I kind of have that goin on too. Trying to figure out what to sell next to buy more sapline. Gonna be pretty bare around here for a while. Might be walkin to work unless I run out of trees. Time to get serious now. There could be BIGSAP down here in a couple of months. Theron

[peacemaker]

i hate when i have a great day like yesterday it always seems like if i have a day where it seems so nice and all goes well bam the hammer falls and u find out it was all for nothin ... that was yesterday ......

[3% Solution]

Ok Peacemaker. what did I miss?
What was the hammer that dropped?

[peacemaker]

oh just one of those things sometimes i just cost more money to go to work then it would have to saty home and play barn with my daughter and eat halloween candy

[3% Solution]

Just one of those ripples in life.
Can't be smooth all the time, hell we'd never enjoy ourselves.

[peacemaker]

and if u wait a little those ripples flatten out and all goes back to normal

[mountainvan]

Had my first sunday off since May, so I went and mapped out a new sugarbush. Added up to around 200 taps. Nice even slope southwest exposure, beautiful. On the way down the road I decided to stop and look at another property that was supposedly logged. Walking up the mountain all I said was,"sugar maple, sugar maple, red maple, huge sugar maple, etc...." the property , at least the maples, had never seen a saw. I already have 500 taps on the property next door so this will become my big sugarbush. My plan is to hook both properties together and have vacuum there next year. That should bring me up to about 3,000 taps on vacuum in the valley and another 500 or so gravity. I'm planning on finishing my expansion of my big bush this week and start right in on the new one.

[Jim Brown]

Finished putting in 800 feet of 1" pump line to bring the sap up out of a steep ravine. Have 400 taps down there now and have lines run for 500 more. going to save a lot on the chevy 4x4 and trailer to have it all at the top of the hill on the flat .Less wear and tear on equipment!

Now we have to get those 500 taps cut into the main lines before the weather turns sour. Beautiful here today 68 and sunny Great day to be in the woods!


Jim

[TapME]

Well didn't get anything done in the wood or the evap this weekend but the sap hauler had his 16 birthday party. He wanted a bonfire for his party and that's what we gave him. Worked all day sat do clean up and set up the fire and today after the change in time we (wife included) with the help of a brother-in-law put more insulation in the attic of this old house. I have not given a dollar to the mid east for heat in two years and not going to start this year. It made for a long work weekend and I can't wait to go back to work to rest. I did make a sketch of the new evap on Friday and will get a material list together. Hope to make the frame out of angle and fill it in with hard red or fire brick, time and budget will tell. Hope all had a good weekend.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

3%= Sounds good. I have got to call chris and see if he is home or what first before i leave here. I'll call you up around 5-530pm and let you know.

[mapleman3]

Got some wood done yesterday and today, still a lot more to go....

Think I will hit the north bush next sunday and do some measuring and map out the mains with the GPS... maybe get Clan Deleney to give me a quick over the phone lesson on how to overlay the points on Google earth!! maybe I'll play around with it tonight too!

I'm so glad I have the sugarhouse spotless! that will change though when I start bricking the 3x8.

[mapleman3]

Oh I forgot to mention!!

I Got a NEW JOB!!!!! I will be doing HVAC for a local school system. Right now I work 7-5pm every day(cept weekends) with 7 holidays...

New JOB !! 7-3pm... MORE TIME FOR SUGARING !!!!! and "14" paid holidays and 15 sick days!!! OH LIFE IS GOOD!!!

The extra 2 hrs a day will make all the difference for gathering from the north bush and getting the fire started in the evap!!! LIFE IS GOOD!!!

New Job starts Dec 1 !! I gave my employer enough time for me to find and train my replacement...


Did I mention I have an extra 2 hrs a day !!!!!!!!! YEEHAW

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

2 Hrs a day makes a big difference= gathering time or something like that?

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

3%- Maybe you'll have to call me=i lost your cell#.

[PATheron]

Jim- Good for you on the job. Three oclock quit will be a real good deal. Hard to get started late and keep up. Thatll let you go gather in the light anyway. Theron

[mapleman3]

Yes Gathering in the light just keeps your mind happy ! thats for sure.... I always hated getting home in the dark during the winter

[3% Solution]

Valley View,
Talked to the landowner today about those 50 Reds out back and said he doesn't care what I do!!!!
He said if they are going tobe close to my shed, put them on vacumn!!
I did a little better count today and I know there are at least 50 and no doubt more.
I'm going to hang a bucket on a couple of them this spring and see how they run and how sweet they are. Then I will make a decision.
Got the calculator out and yup at todays bulk prices they would sure pay for themselves in one year.
Of course that means more wood, more work, easy to get to the tank though.
We could bulk up 20 gallons and sell it to Bascom's or someone like that.
Don't know yet, have to see what next spring brings for them.

Dave

[brookledge]

Nice weather on Saturday so I cleaned my vacuum tank so it would be all set to go in the spring. I got to thinking and said with the the prices even across the board it no longer makes a big difference in making higher grades of syrup. It use to be a chalange to be making a grade higher than your neighbor. But why go that extra mile now to clean the tanks as often or dump ****ty sap.
Every year as I'm taping I let the sap on the ground until I Feel all of the lines are flushed out. That way I know when I begin boiling I'm going to make nice Lt. A But I thinking I might save everything from the get go and if it starts off alittle dark or off flavored so what it will be worth good money.
I noticed the chart at Bascom's every year they start the season making commercial. so that tells me that they keep everything and must not do much cleaning.
Keith

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Theron- Have the boys put a hold on the drop making=After tuesday i could bring you about 7,000? /// Maybe not=I probably should head for Maine for my team mates operation and drop em' off there= LOL. ;)

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Jeeez Jim,
More hours, more vacation days, more sick days (this is a sickness)....
No doubt about it, it's time to expand!!!!

[PATheron]

Governor- I wish you and Matt and Gravel Pitt and I all lived close together. Id get those boys workin and wed get a whole mountainside and make some serious syrup. Boo is good at making those drops. Ill be darned if yesterday he put a fitting on without even the tool. Tough little crap. I told mom that I was thinking of putting a 100 buckets out nearby and let them run their own little bush. Shes giving me all kinds of flack about them trucking sap down the road with the fourwheeler. I told her no prob Ill just tell Boo to tell the officer to send the fines to the house and hit the bricks Dad needs this sap now! Shes all confused. Keith- I was thinking the same thing. Im going to try to make as good syrup as I can becouse this pricing thing will be temporary I think but the first stuff goes in the barrell and it is whatever it is. Theres a good market for commercial and its a maple product so what the heck. Im not sure about cleaning lines for thousands of taps. I have Matts cleaner setup but holy cow. Maybe its easier than I think. Maybe If I get done in time Ill try it. I pulled the taps under vac and I think that got rid of most of it. Be honest with you I just want to get as many taps in as possable by season with these prices. If I get more money Im buying more line. Untill that sap starts running Im LAYING OUT BLUE!!! I think Im putting in the Booy and Brother bush too. Those ankle biters are gonna have to step up to the plate. We need that sap NOW officer. "You do what you need to do officer but Im not messing with dad on the sap thing!".

[Russell Lampron]

Keith I save every drop at the beginning of the season and I usually start out with very light medium. I rinse my tubing at the end of the season when I pull taps and wash all of the tanks and pans. The tanks and evaporator get a rinse before I start too. As soon as there is enough sap to boil it is off to the races. Don't waste a drop, $4.00 per lb is a good down payment on an RO machine.

[PATheron]

Had a family meeting this morning with the men. We did a little dollar cost analysis and once they fully understood what that sap is worth they seemed to be totally on board. They told me that the sap WILL be at the sugarhouse and not to worry about how it gets there. Even if they have to do it under the cover of darkness Dukes of Hazard style no worries. Their gonna see if they can get some buckets from the caffeteria today. Im just kidding about the trucking, I mean I was good with it and they were good with it but Mom isnt so what you gonna do. Ive got a bush where there are two spots with like 200 taps right together so Im thinking Ill put a couple dumping stations and let it run out to the road and itll be super easy to gather that way. Itll be fun to see them doing those buckets. Bigzar

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

I don't know if we'd all be able to row the same boat? being there was a democrat in the boat with an independant/not sure what party VVS stands for i think Dem. and RM=I think he free spirit and an independent??

On the other hand we'd all be in the same party.

Theron-Can't you get a tractor plate for the wheelers? I believe in most states you can if they have a factory trailer hitch=NH you can,,I had a tractor plate for mine when i was about 18 and went down the road to a friends house/strapped a bale of hay on the back and i was legal=heading for the farm. They didn't have cows but we did. :)

[Russell Lampron]

Cooking my own meals wouldn't bother me as much as no fir pounding and having to do my own laundry LOL.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

If that solar panel is operating correctly, the meals might be the minor problem

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Theron- We can't be forcing some to do child labor as the goverment would shaft us/like they should do to others.

[PATheron]

Governor- No forcing going on here. Theyre loving it. They want to know if they can do 200. Just think the sap I can run in a couple years. Those kids are lookin for some GREEN! If I can do that tractor sign its game on. If Boo does a good job with the wheeler well get him a big 80 horse Jonny so he can haul some real sap. Zar

[Dennis H.]

Hey Theron how far do they have to go to get to the bush? Around here people just run up and down the road for miles, but we have no local police either, only staties and they are 15 miles away, and they very rarly go on township roads.

I don't have a wheeler but didn't they pass a law a few years back to require a registartion for wheelers that you use off your property? would that be all that is required to run up the road to the bush. Next question is, is this concidered Ag? My feeling is throw a orange triangle on the back and tell them that you are checking out the "other Feild". Farmers down here have trucks that are farm vehicles that are about to fall apart and they run them everywhere also. Just a thought, I am not a 100% sure of all the regs.


Anyway it is great to hear that you are getting the boys involved with the op. Our daughter is still a little too young but I will be having her up there when I'm boiling.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

This was a regular plate as in motor vehicle plate=you know you need to give up about $11 to the goverment for a years registration for an official vehicle plate so you can then legally operate the ATV on roads/Except highways.

[3% Solution]

I'll tell you guys what ...... that "Solar Panel" only works on one part of the equation!!!

Dave

[PATheron]

Its like that here too. I live so remote that no one cares whatsoever. The only way you can get into trouble is if you get turned in becouse your being a jerk otherwise no one cares at all. Its just mom. She thinks its a poor way to raise the kids disregarding minor laws and such. ??? Just trying to keep this thing alive. Was up in the woods again tonight putting in drops. Im thinking I may have posted my last tap count. I just dont see the benefit any more. Im thinking the only percentages Im going to worry about is barrells per hill from here on in unless you guys actually want me to count them after season. I cant be counting when theres still time to run more tube before spring. Besides takes all the pressure off. Theron

[PATheron]

Dennis- The bushes are all within a mile of the house. Theron

[mountainvan]

Added enough taps today for an extra barrel of syrup next season. I had a lot of trees come down in my big bush last week with the snow. Luckily most were beech, but I did loose a couple maples. I fixed most of the tubing, but need to go up on the mountain with the chainsaw. I'll have to wait till the weekend so my son can go up with me, just incase I have an accident someones there to go get help. I should be finishing tap addage in my big bush tommorow morning, and then go get a couple loads of wood.

[peacemaker]

theron why not take it bit farther and build them a nice little barrel evap and let them boil as a way as well

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Theron,
Here in NY, my Kubota RTV can be considered a farm tractor. The top speed must be 25 mph or less, there must be a Slow Moving vehicle emblem, and it must be being used in the production of an Ag commodity. There still is an age factor when it comes to operating a farm vehicle on the public highway. Your own kids can legally operate your "tractor" at a younger age than hired youngsters. Of course these are NY regs so I don't know what applies in Pa:) .
I do like the idea of the dumping stations. As kids, we were given a gallon pail to use to "help" as soon as we could navigate the bush. By the time we were 8 or 9 we graduated to 12 quart pails. I also remember as a teen when I didn't want to help with lots of jobs but that never applied to sugaring. It was always fun (even when we were dead tired) and always a family operation.

[PATheron]

Doug- Ive got some nice bushes that would work real good. Theres one thats got probly 200 taps and they are real concentrated so what Ill do is put 3/4 on a line and 2 or 3 dumping stations then itll be really easy for them. Ill just run them over and let them collect and then Boo can call me on a two way and Ill go pick it up. Thatll work good I think. I think its a real good thing for them to do and plus it teaches them about working for their money. I was thinking about letting them boil on my old rig but I think Ill wait a couple years. The more time thier in the woods the less time they are getting in trouble. Theron

[PATheron]

Gravel- I want to come but its 8 hrs away and Im stringin tube night and day like a madman. Maybe we could get together in January one evening? You and Parker and Governor and Matt can tell me all your lies and try to teach me how to be a sugarmaker? Theron

[PATheron]

Weve got to get 3% and Russ in there too. I dont know how far you guys are from each other. Theron

[PATheron]

He'll come back. Hes a sugarmaker and you cant do that down there. He'll be all right in a little while. Besides he has a big sugarbush to run. Record prices, barrells to fill, trees to drill, drops to make. Springs coming soon. Down here I might be making product in January. Ive got to quit goofing off. Gravel- Got another little item showing up at my door on saturday. Give you a clue- Itll hold 1500 gallons. Zar

[3% Solution]

Hey guys,
Well let's see, how far do I live from "The Gov."
As the crow flies or by road?
Just run my maps program and it says" .78 miles as the crow flies."
By road it maybe a mile.
Russ is about 1.5 hours from me.
Hey we shouldn't forget NHMaplemaker, he's had computer problems since right after sugaring season.

Hey Gov,
Got that big rig hooked up yet??
Looked at vacumn pumps on line last night, not bad prices for what I may need.
I will definately talk to you first if I do it.
Oh crap there's a scary thought me looking for a vacumn pump!!!
Oh crap I'm falling into the bottomless pit!!!
Help meeeeeeee I'm falllllllllliiiing ...................................

Dave

[PATheron]

Look up Elmira NY. Thats the closest. Whats the deal on the evap? I might be able to come up some time in January for a little bit if stuff is ready. I doubt Ill be tapping till later January. We do seem to lots of times have an early run. Maybe If I come up we can pick a central location like you say and meet at someones place for a meeting/liefest. Ill get all excited and come right back home and start tapping in. This tank is NICCCEEEE Gravel. Its a round mueller style with the ladder built right on it. Thats mainly why I had to have it. Plus its real nice condition. Im going to have so much stainless laying around down here were going to have airliners hitting the hill behind the house becouse the pilots wont be able to see sh#@ from the glare. Zar

[3% Solution]

Hey,
I don't know if having it at NHMaplemaker's would be fair right now, as I said he's having computer trouble and as you know he's never on here.
Now are those dates in November?
I can give him a call if you guys want me to!
he could turn on the furnace in the sugarhouse!!
Just let me know!

[Parker]

I have my 2 Jr. sugarmakers fri-sunday,so weekends are out for me (at the moment),,would be happy to host a meeting mon-thur. whatever works for people,,,,no heat in the sugarhouse (and not much room) But, I think with enough people telling sugaring stories there will be plenty of hot air to warm the place up,,,,Might even dry out some of the green wood down there!!
TTHHEEE(STAINLESSTANKKINGPIN)RROONNN- I would like to roadtrip down there with Matt and whoever ealse is headed
VVS- I have 3 sets of grates for 4 foot rigs if your interested

[PATheron]

Parker- If you guys ever want to come down to tour come on down. I can find some tube for you guys to look at. If you get bored with my stuff well go over to Richards. Hes got lots of fun stuff to look at. Theron

[Russell Lampron]

Dave,

Get that vacuum pump and get it hooked up. You might want to get a small RO too. Your evaporator might not be able to handle the BIGSAP without one.

I might be interested in a Friday night or Saturday mapleaholics meeting. Matt is coming over to help me put up some mainline on the 15th. If we had the meeting on the 14th I'm sure he like to go to it too.

Anyone interested in giving us a hand on the 15th and 16th let me know so my wife can plan on how much food we will need.

[TapME]

Russ, let me ask the wife what plans are in the future. I would love to help set some tubing with you and Matt.

[Maplewalnut]

Theron-if your headed north anytime for one of these maplehoulics meetings, let me know and I'll meet you in Binghamton. You can't go as the only Pa representative, those new englanders travel in packs!

[PATheron]

Thanks for the support buddy. Ill let you know if I can. I doubt Ill be able to go way up there untill maybe next year. It really would be fun if we could all get together. Theron

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Sounds like Russell Lampron could use the help of many hands and that would be awsome if extra hands could show up and help install some of his tubing for his expansion.

Sounds like the place you ought to be holding the next meeting if you ask me?.

I'll have to see if they will let me back in this country legally though.

[tuckermtn]

the 15th at Russ' place would work for me...hang some tubing, tell some stories, a few pre-boiling sodas etc...

If folks from the west of Andover want to meet here we can carpool from here...(Rt. 4/11 is the main E-W route to Russ's place in Loudon) I can fit 5 in my truck...

Parker- I should bring my girls and they could hang out with your two...

[PATheron]

Wish I could be up there with you guys but its just too far away for right now. Ive been putting drops in the young stand all week and I should have them in by weekend. Then I have some mainline connections and saddles and then move into pond woods. New tanks coming saturday. Got to get that in place and move two across the road then lateral in the 800 over there and set up the releaser. Hoped to be done by end of month but Im not seeing it. Probly be into December. One thing for sure I should have some bigger sap. If I dont something is way wrong. Ill get you guys some pics when I get cought up. Theron

[Russell Lampron]

Theron,

I have learned over the years that you are never done when it comes to getting ready for sugaring season. You just kind of wake up one morning and start drilling holes. It all seems to come into place after that and everything that needed to be done seems to get done.

A meeting at my house while we are working sounds good to me. Governor we let illegals slip through the cracks so to speak so that shouldn't be a problem.

[sapman]

Russ,

That's sure the truth! The season can be late starting, like almost mid-March, and I still have things I wanted to get done. But the weather gets right, and we start tapping. The first boil is usually pretty disorganized, but it all falls in to place after that.

Tim

[Sugarmaker]

Man you guys are wound up tight!
Relax, we have several months till maple season! With a lot of deer hunting in between.
Wood is finally cut! 4 cord split for the house. 4 cord of maple split and tarped for next year, and about 12 cord pallets and pine in the sugarhouse for 09.
Just bought 4 gallon of good dark syrup from a friend for making maple mustard and maple BBQ.
Things should slow down a little. RIGHT! Cooking 10 lb. of venison kielbasi tonight. Nic, (grandson) got a small buck ( 5 point ) Sat. morning. Its all packaged and frozen. He is out of tags and hopefully will be dogging for the old men during rifle season!
We (NWPA maple producers) have a backyard sugaring demo at Asbury Woods Nature Center in Millcreek ( Erie PA) this weekend. Also a NW PA bee meeting on Sat in Edinboro Pa.


Regards,
Chris

[royalmaple]

It would be nice if the clowns that made viruses and spyware could do something good for the country or world.

Spent last 3 nights 5-6 hours each night to get rid of the stuff. I'm still being alerted that something is still corrupt. What a Pain in the arse.

And before you say it gravel pit....no not from naughty sites either.

Andy bring some gravel to my house. I need to tighten up that muck hole that I am trying to make into a wood yard / wood processing area. Gotta love clay soil.

[Jeff E]

Hey guys, it feels like I am butting into a NE conversation, but what the heck.
We have had a very warm few weeks here in NW Wisconsin. Still doing lines. Just finished a 1200' wet/dry run, and will be starting to run mainlines this weekend off of it. That will get me to 1/2 way done!!! Yikes...

Building project is done, Tanks are in, 3400 gal sap, 600 permiate and 330 concentrate.

I just got my 600 CDL RO and pump from Pete Roth yesterday! I will be doing the plumbing over the next few weeks in the evenings. Pretty fired up to have the gear here.

Next is move the evap in and start bricking.

Tube on weekends, brick and plumb in the evenings. Thats the way it goes from now to March.

An intresting note, Nov 1 was 72 degrees here. In 1991 on that day the high temp was 8, and we had 34 inches of snow on the ground. With what I have to get done, I am glad it is not 1991!!!

I will try and update the photobucket in the next few days...

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

It's nearly 70 hear today, needs to get cold so the bucks will start moving as temps are way above normal for this time of year. Supposed to get somewhat colder next week.

[PATheron]

Jeff- Your stuff is real nice. Are you going to the 2000 taps this year on vac or is that what you had and your upgrading from it? Thats awesome your girl helps you like that. Get some new pics when you can I cant wait to see what it all looks like. Theron

[Gary R]

Chris, relax? How's that possible. Look at Saturday alone. Could go to Asbury and show off my backyard rig, could go to Leader tubing seminar in Clymer NY. Probably will hunt , which I've been doing for almost every day for 5 weeks. I have not seen more than a dozen deer and only 2 in the last 2 weeks. Should get some work done around the house.

Maybe I'll seen you soon if the weather is bad:)

[Jim Brown]

Well my daughter and I got 120 taps on the new main line today.Weather was GREAT! Just 350 to go! weather is supposed to turn sour over the next 24 hours and not get above 45 for a few days.oh well it had to happen some time. Sales are holding steady and Christmas inquires have started.
Love to make one of the weekend events in the area but have a surprize'40th' birthday party planned for our daughter on Saturday evening.
Hope all have a safe weekend


Jim

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

3%- No i haven't even thought about hooking up that 10,000 tap extractor=It's for sale/You want ot buy it for your?? new tubing installation expedition? First as we had a laugh over they have ONLY 1 SINGLE 1" threaded hole in the top for the mainline to run into=Would need to make another 5-6 holes for other mainlines as it might be set to run with 1500 taps as is?

Found an extra bolt lying in the bottom of the flapper trap door=extra parts.

Lots of Cactus' down here i think someone should tap? Might try to make that Agave stuff=if there is a will there is a way/just got to use your imagination and not dream to crazy.

3% Ya we could hook up a vac. system for those reds behind your house/already thought of a way with (2) 55 Gal drums and no releaser and a way to empty the sap from them without taking everything apart/special bung hole fitting/piping system.

[Jeff E]

Jeff- Your stuff is real nice. Are you going to the 2000 taps this year on vac or is that what you had and your upgrading from it? Thats awesome your girl helps you like that. Get some new pics when you can I cant wait to see what it all looks like. Theron

350 on bucket and bag last year, so all the tubing is new. You guys inspired me!!!

I made a heater for the sugar house, radiator from a Ford, hot water from the outdoor wood boiler, some pex insulated and buried, and bronze pump (that hurt$$), blower off an old woodstove, and WAH LAH, a heated room.

[mountainvan]

I got most of the mainline hung in my new sugar bush, and almost have my big bush cleaned up from the snow last week. I really wanted to get the 1,200 ft of 1" up before it gets cold again. Weather will be right tomorrow to stay in watch football and make drops.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Went onto this website and made my donation of 133 pesos just a few minutes ago=$50 USD. Hopefully we can get some truth" official un altered paperwork" to the matter??. http://comments.obamacrimes.com/blog/DonationsChallenges

[royalmaple]

Good work scoop.

it's a darn good thing we got you on the scene.

[Sugarmaker]

Told you these guys were wound up Gary. Just wait till that sap starts flowing then we'll see:)

Looking forward to teaching some new sugar makers the ropes tomorrow at Asbury Woods.

Gary we must have a few more deer except for the two Nic got:) up here they have been seeing some deer every day and they have been hunting hard also.

Took the afternoon off and went squirrel hunting with friend yesterday. We each got a nice Fox squirrel about 3:00. Beautiful day to be in the woods!

Regards,
Chris

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

When they started shooting i got the hell out of dodge=maybe that was got in my dodge and got moving quickly.. It's touch and go down there you don't know if the next guy is youir friend or foe. Man when they get into that tequila you don't even want to be around as the guns start coming out of the closet like they do in the hood when it gets dark brother.

Down there you can't lie like some do so blantly in america=they shoot and smile about it later down there amigo. Pretty ruff compare to here. Last 3 days i had hardboiled eggs and popcorn for meals as the supermarket gets held up quicker then the bank does.

Glad to be back in the usa for a while.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Spreading the wealth around should mean that your income should double automatically right?

Maybe Taxing the wealthy will move companies out of this country like so many other jobs have gone overseas or across the border and that makes you just go Huhhh. Oh that is why= the goverment wants to tax us=we'll go where it is less or no tax and screw the rest of em'.

[PATheron]

Jeff- Thats a heck of an upgrade for one year. You going to be all ready by season? I hope this year is more relaxed for me. That first year is a humdinger learning everything. Just wait till your first run. You wont believe your eyes. Splush, splush, your going to be thinking holy guakamoly when you see that coming into the releaser. I didnt have that many taps last year and I was pretty impressed. Theron

[Parker]

Brought 3 more cords to the sugarhouse yesterday,,I have 6 cords cut 4 foot to split and 6 to cut and split,,,,I am going to try to cut and split it all this week comming up,,,just have to hook the crane back up to the slasher,,,I havent been in any of the sugarwoods in over a month,,need to do line patrol,,,ect.......lots to do,,,,oh, yeah,,,and that airtight front,,,,better get off the computer and get to work !

[super sappy]

VVS - Tree rat recipe - chop off hind legs with hatchet, chop off tail pull,off hide cook like chicken wings. Maple hill - there is a great business oppertunity at a cock fight , TAKE OUT "LOOSERS BB-Q " Work is slow so maybe Id go down with some paper plates and napkins and set up for the winter. -SS

[PATheron]

Headin back in the woods. Should have used up 1200 drops in another hour or so. Using quarter inch spiles for these drops and cut out the old for consistency. Going to reuse the ones I took out which are only probly 300. Going to put them in a different spot. Then 800 new and done unless I come up with more money. Hoping to have my side of the road done this week. Have a lot of mainline connections to make. Probly wont be on the trader to much for a little while. Big tank is coming today. Pretty excited about that. Not sure about tap numbers but I should have 4300 gallons of tank and I think it may be possable to fill them in a day. Not sure about the culls but the good ones are really good so I think things will kind of even out. Have to wait and see. Gotta keep on keepin on like Joe Dirt says. I love weekends. To bad a guy couldnt make a livin at this. Theron

[3% Solution]

Hi PA,
Seeings that I am a "Raw Sap Boiler", after that clear liquid comes out of the RO, what's the %?
I am having a bit of a job thinking about you boiling all that and working a full-time job too!!
Then again, I understand about ROs and what they do, just never been around one that's all!!
I guess I'll have to go hang out with the Gov next spring for a day!!
It's raining here, 54 degrees and the temperature is supposed to drop big time tomorrow and Monday.
Thanks for the info.

Dave

[Mark-NH]

Parker,

I remember you have gone through ungodly cords of wood in previous years and you seem to be preparing for the worse again this year. Do you have any idea how much efficiency you will gain with the air tight front? What do you think the minimum gain should be in order to make it worth the effort?

Make sure you keep us posted on efficiency gains.

[PATheron]

3%-Im not sure what the percent will be but it will have to be high. Im going to have to recirculate pretty much just to keep up. Itll be kind of a new thing for me. Im just going to let it run getting rid of water a lot and then rinse it and hopefully it will be good and high when I put it in the head tank. Next year Im going to get another vessel but I really cant afford it right now so Im just going to make do. Ill take a lot of time off if I have to. I want to make as much syrup now while the prices are high. Plus mainly I just want to see huge sap which I think I should see. Huge for me at least. Just thinking about those releasers dumping really gets me under motion in the woods. Theron

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

So is this month's official Mapleholics meeting being called to order on Sat Nov. 15th at 8 am @ Red Roof Maple on Pleasant St. Extension in Loudon, NH? If so then mapleman3 will have to list it on the calendar.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

3%- You could hold the sap in the vessel and keep recirculating it in a sense to make it come out sweeter=like 20%+ in one pass if i was to turn down the concentrate leaving the vessel to like 1/2 to 3/4 GPM/but things slow down bigtime as it doesn't like it above 20%. Most would do it in stages like letting out 3 gpm concentrate and then send that concentrated batch through the RO again and up the brix to say 15% and then do it one more time and it's around 20% then. Generally your letting out about 3 gals+ a minute of 8% concentrate on the first pass and the permeate-water is leaving the vessel at like 7 gals a minute=600 GPH flow RO machine.
You know what it is doing what by watching your flow meters and PSI gauge's on the machine. Can't really blow it up as there are safety features so that if it gets too high of a PSI on the membrane it will shut down/no sap coming into the feed water pump to the high PSI pump=it shuts off. Just got to watch the flow rates and you'll know when the membrane is clogging up with bacteria and then you'll need to do a rinse/maybe a wash to get it back up to it's max. flow rate again. After about the first 5 minutes of operation things will level out PSI wise and flow rate wise and then you won't even have to look at the RO=It's on auto pilot-;)

Things are speeded up 10 fold with 20%+ concentrate on the evaporator when drawing of syrup. The 2X6 was making around 10-12 gals of syrup per hour with the concentrate over 20%. About enough time to run syrup through the filter press and get right back on the handle for the next batch to come off. :)

It's all about letting the machine do the work and save on energy/fuel/labor and time spent boiling sap into syrup.

[Brian Ryther]

Fittings went together easy today, a little help from the rain. New expansion is taped out. Just need to finish the main lines, maybe dry line, 1400', down to the road in the valley. Too early to post final tap count. If you build it they (Taps) will come.

[Russell Lampron]

Having the Mapleaholics meeting here at Red Roof Maples on this coming Saturday the 15th at 8 am sounds good to me. Bring your mainline/tubing tools and some water proof boots. If you have a 4 wheeler bring that too.

[tuckermtn]

spent yesterday afternoon and today burying some conduit and wiring out to the sugarhouse...still a bit sketchy, but at least now we are not on extension cords that run across the driveway and in front of the plow...

[Gary R]

Well Chris, I've got a few day's off next week. I'm coming to Albion to shoot one. It will be nice to be home.

[peacemaker]

well just finished up packing away 291/4 pounds of venison burger ....yippie

[mountainvan]

Finally got the storm damage cleaned up today. I brought in 2+ cords of beech and apple for next year, and my son and I cut all the trees off of the mainlines in the big bush. Took yesterday off, other than delivering syrup, and spent the day with my wife shopping. She's getting used to my weekly stops at Lowes for mainline and fittings.

[Sugarmaker]

Gary,
Hope you were sucessful at the deer hunting in the Albion area.

Sorry I nmissed you Sunday night. Cheryl and I were out to dinner.
I did get to go to local turkey shoot today with son (Eric) and grandson (Nic) they each won a turkey. The old Winchester moldel 1897, 16 gauge pump, I was using just doesn't pack as many BB's on the paper as those new 12 gauges:)


I did get the snow fence up and there is a toasty wood fire in the furnace.

We had a fun day at Ausbury Woods telling wood be sugarmakers the story of watching water (sap) boil and getting to play with fire. A dozen folks came to the class and seemed to have a good time.

I did have a minor set back when I tried to jump a boulder along the driveway at Asbury. There may be pictures of the "Chrysler on the Rock" coming. One lady asked how I parked on top of that rock. If Jim Bortles would have been there he would have said S_ _ T happens! :p No seroius damage, not even my pride. I laughed as much as the rest of the folks. The real question was how many sugarmakers does it take to get a 97 Chrysler pushed off of a boulder. Answer about 6!

Chris

[jrthe3]

chris i stoped by asbury woods saturday did not see the car on rock i thought you guy would be out in sugar house but did not see anyone around
also my mother in law is looking for some maple whip powder do you sell any or do have to get that for jan

[Father & Son]

Chris,

It would take more than a driveway rock to damage that tank! Drive it till the wheels fall off!

Jim

[mapleman3]

I spent yesterday working on more wood for the sugarhouse and some things in the sugarhouse like filling some cracks in the floor and also put up a tree trunk for demo taps in the sugarhouse. no more spouts and buckets hung on the wall.

[3% Solution]

Hi Russ,
Just got off the phone with NHMaplemaker.
He may try to move his schedule around so that he can ride down with me for the MA meeting.
I won't know for sure until like Thursday or Friday night.
You won't know for sure till I drive in, or I can PM you when I find out!!
Everyone that is going to come should be wearing red or preferrably orange that day!!
Tis the season to hunt the ellusive white tail!!!!!

Dave


Having the Mapleaholics meeting here at Red Roof Maples on this coming Saturday the 15th at 8 am sounds good to me. Bring your mainline/tubing tools and some water proof boots. If you have a 4 wheeler bring that too.

[Sugarmaker]

jrthe3,
If you have some syrup left just boil to 260 take off the fire and stir and you can make your own sugar about as quick as driving some where.
Missed you at the Asbury event we may have been done at the sugarhouse> we finished in the maple room at about 12:30 with pancakes and good NWPA syrup. The car was in the back perched on a 2 foot high boulder.

Jim,
The rock didn't phase the Chrysler much. I turned the front tire into the rock for traction and it climbed back over it with a little help from Burton and the Durfee family. Drove it to work today with no noticeable change.

Jim,
Keith wants you to come over and see his arch and your door! Hard to believe he built a outfit around that door! Still looking for pans for him.

Chris

[jrthe3]

chris
maple sugar is that what jan has that you mix with cool whip i did not see what the mother in law got but she got it from jan she said it was a power

[Parker]

Got the crane moved over to the woodpile/slasher,last night ,,crane carrier (1976 Autocar with 350 cummings) starts real hard and its always a job to get running,(should have some better-more batteries, but big $$$) last night I stacked all the dumptruck loads I had trucked home over the last month or so,,,looks more like 10-12 cords???to cut up,,,still have 7 or so to split (all cut),heading out now to hook the crane to the slasher and cut up the pile,,,gotta have a littel fun-cant log everyday

[PATheron]

Parker- Good work on the wood. Glad to see that your getting ready for the BIGSAP. I notice that some of you guys have been having a good time hunting and spending time with your families and thats real nice. Im sure that youve had some real good times and some special moments that you will treasure always but ive got one thing I kind of need to say. WHAT IN THE SAM HILL ARE YOU GUYS THINKING???? BIGSAP JUST AROUND THE CORNER, NO TIME TO WASTE!!!!!GO!!!GO!!!GO!!! Things are going good down here in Pa. Trying to get something done. This last weekend finished up the young stand saturday. Only thing left is saddles. Went across the road sunday. Worked from about 4 am till dark and got about 14 or 15 rolls of 5/16 in the air. Im having a hard time remembering exact numbers. Looks real nice. Went to the boys basketball game and came home and made mainline connections till I went in to work at 10pm. Worked till 2pm monday and came home and ran another 4 rolls. Thats sugaring my friends. Freaked out pretty mommy this morning. Told her im totally broke now and cant buy any more syrup stuff. She was so happy. Then I told her I was going to every restaurant and bakery getting buckets and was figuring on putting a few out. Like 800 maybe. I think something snapped inside her pretty little head. She started making loud noises and kind of started twitching. The kids thought it was neat. Shell come around. I explained how easy it would be and I think that reassured her. Looks like just guessing were looking at +or - 3500 taps on the big pump, probly more + than -, and all the buckets I can come up with. Keep the kids off the streets. Keep me posted on all things syrup. Zar

[maplecrest]

valley view, saw your tanks from the highway yesterday as i headed for maple grove quite a shine comming out of the valley

[PATheron]

Gravel pit- I dont think Ill have 9000 next year unless I hit the lottery or score more buckets. Ill see what I can do. Maybe Ill get burnt out this spring and say the heck with it. That would be a heck of site to see 9000 buckets to collect. Id either be the toughest guy around or dead.

[PATheron]

That would be neat to see. I wonder how they gathered it all. You better keep those tanks Andy. Your a serious producer and your going to need them with your lines all fixed up. Theron

[mapleman3]

Scored 6 beer kegs some 13+gal the others 15+ gals. I have 4 cleaned out with the pressure washer , no beer smell left at all, picked up some rubber expanding plugs. I still have to pick up one of them from a buddy and the other I still am trying to get the center out.. it's a weird type I think it's screwed in but you cant get anything on it to screw it back out... I will post a pic here soon (my camera broke-have to use phone or daughters cam) maybe someone else has seen the type. it is on a guiness stout keg.

Also when you store them empty till you fill them do you keep them plugged or open? I would think they will need to be open to air out any moisture??????

[peacemaker]

can u imagine 10000 buckets 10000 taps and hooks and lids ... u would need a barn just for them then imagine washing them ... wow that would be wild to see

[PATheron]

Guys- This is a little peak into what was going on in my little pea brain today. I think this is what Im going to do on the buckets. Ive got permission to put in another 1100 taps. Im broke. Let me translate that for the bigsapzar impaired. Flat stony, zilch, nada, financially embarrased. This is the plan. I cant live with the fact that I can tap these trees but I cant afford to so this is the brainstorm. All of these taps are in perfect concentrated little areas. So Im going to put drums for dumping stations so I can collect easy and it will run gravity out to the road. Then Im going to get 1100 or 1200 spiles that I can use in the bush when I tube it next year. Put drops on them. Got tube for that and get all the large containers I can get before season and put them on the ground with the tube in them on the big trees and put milk jugs on all the little ones and tell the kids to get it. Thats the plan. Ill probly lose a lot of sap but oh well whatever I get I get. If I have to keep the kids home from school and compromise thier education than I guess thats how its got to be. Every night when I ask them what they learned that day they say "nothin" anyway so I guess its no great loss. Anyway as of right now thats what Im thinkin. If Im not on the trader Im probly on bucket patrol. Gonna try to make dreams come true for maple grove this year. Zar



fl

[peacemaker]

u are sicker then we thought here comes the white suited men lol

[Jeff E]

PAThczar, I suspect you don't sleep well, and get by on about 4 hours of shut eye a day, and that filled with amber gold visions!!!

Do you have aspirations of dropping the day job and personally flooding the market with PA syrup?

[PATheron]

Jeff- Id do it in a heartbeat but I know its the wrong thing to do. If I go to work I know I get a paycheck every friday. I am very gratefull to have a good steady job. If I could afford it though Id quit tomarrow morning and do the syrup. There is nothing I enjoy doing more. Id give anything to do like Scott Wheeler or Richard Patterson and run a big operation. Im going to put whatever I make in syrup right back into equipment and keep putting taps out and whatever happens happens. Im hoping to put a bush a year in and do it totally right and upgrade equipment as I go to keep it pretty easy. I think you can run quite a lot of taps if you have the right equipment. I also have some ideas to streamline things and try to eliminate as much of the labor as possable. This year will be a little tough becouse I think Im somewhat under equiped but next year is another year and Ill be able to buy a few more things and keep working my way ahead. Im willing to work hard this year becouse I want the money and right now syrup is worth a lot. Plus its fun. Ill be on here belly aching though after a few weeks. Right now Ive just forgot how much work it was. I only remember the fun parts. Theron

[Dennis H.]

Theron I sure wish I was a little closer to you, I would be glad to give you a hand setting up that little bush.

[Yorkholomaple]

Theron, I might be able to hook u up with buckets for ur new bush let me make some phone calls. I might even have a few u could have. I have had enough of collecting them and gettin the 4 wheeler stuck in my bush. It shouldn be that bad tho if u have dump stations. My neighbor did that until they tubed there one bush.

[PATheron]

Tom- That would be great if they werent being used. Im only probly going to use them this year and then I could give them back becouse next year I should be able to tube all that right. Thanks a lot Tom. Theron

[PATheron]

Gravel- Your nuts. Ive got to get up there and check out your operation. Your tank inventory has got my mouth watering but I dont know How id get them down here. Next year gonna need some more stainless. If you get all your lines fixed up your going to need those tanks. I know what you mean about the little ones. Im lucky mine are old enough now to go out and help. Just cant get anything done when there little. Theron

[3% Solution]

Pa,
Have you changed too many transformers with PCB's in them????
I have 50 more taps (I know that's not many for you, but ....) out back and I'm really going through a thought process on whether to do them or not ....................
I bet they are going to win out .......... I just keep running the numbers on the calculator!!!!!
Just think, there isn't any anti-maple serum known to man!!!!!!
Next spring I'm going to remember these post we're making!!!

Dave

[Russell Lampron]

The weather forecast for this Saturday isn't looking too good. If the mapleholics meeting gets rained out it will be held on Sunday instead.

[jrthe3]

I found these 2 gal plastic pail do you guys think if i drill a hole in them they would work for sap


http://www.uline.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?model=S-9941&ref=8150

[PATheron]

Jrthe- They look just like the icing buckets Im finding. Id think they would work good. Just drill a hole or set them on the ground and run the tube down in them. I think the smaller buckets might be better off hanging. Im just going to set the big ones on the ground. 3%- One of the guys I work with loves beer and he says that the alcohol only kills off the weak braincells. Well with me I may have got into some good ones. Im pretty much running on instinct I think. Im good with that though. The kids like me becouse Im crazy. Gravel- You just have to wait till those little guys get a bit older then your in the chips. Just think about all the buckets you can run then. Theron

[Parker]

PATTTHHHEE{BUCKETZAR}RROONN-
GOOD STUFF!!!!!!!!, If I have not sold the 300 buckets,lids,and spiles I have out in the barn Ill bring them down this spring when I come down to help tap,,
I am affriaid I let the team down yesterday,,,went down to start that old piece of %$$#^& Autocar yeasteday and all I got was a click,,,,,AAAAHHHH,,,put the batts on the charger,,and went to work,,,,to make up for it I brought home a big load of ash and dead standing oak,,,getting quite a pile down there now,,,will work it up soon,,mabey sat.,,,the girls (10&7) like slashing wood,,,just hard getting them to share time

[Dennis H.]

Hey jrthe3, they are the same buckets that I got this fall, all 120 of them.

2 gal buckets with lids for around $3.00, way cheaper than and metal buckets that I could find.

I used a propane torch to heat the end of a short length of 1/2" copper pipe to metal a hole in the side. I went through the lower raised lip if you understand what I am saying. I felt melting a hole went quicker and made a cleaner hole.

They hang real nice off a 5/16 tap also.

Last year I went around to local bakeries to find free buckets they worked good if you are going to set them on the ground and use drop lines that run into them. I just thought a 5 gal bucket was way to big to be hanging off a tree, that is why I bought the 2 gals from uline.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Last I knew Matt's computer had the virus, not Matt. I sent him home from here about 3PM Tuesday. Did he get waylaid somewhere in NH or VT? Here's hoping it is just a computer virus.

[maplecrest]

took the last of the green us maple tubing out today. 100% ipl 4seasons or semi rigid. took three years to get to today. current count 5350 and growing

[PATheron]

Gravel- I cant keep up with Jeff. Hes a serious sugarmaker. Im just a bulk hobbiest. Ill keep trying though. Next year Ive got my next 1200 high vac guys all eyed up. Oh yeah, Oh yeah. Give me about 2 years and then your going to see some serious taps going in. I want to find me one with 5 or 10,000 on the same hill. Minimize pickup that way.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Don't worry Snoop Dog/After we sign that memorandum of understanding we'll be conquering the sap world in no time when 2 operations become 1. First though i need to see some serious taps on the big valley tour you been telling me about though. We'll do the tour tomorrow afternoon.

GAME ON

[TapME]

Theron, I have an old barrel evap, Just what the kids need. LOL I must be an Old timer because I do a lot of buckets.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

As long as i make enough for my french toast i'll be all set. That means i need to see at least 30-35,000 mininum before i sign any paperwork as going partnership and so forth.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

No- You better not let any go. I've got to get (2) 1500 plastics myself to make sure i can handle at least 5,000 gals of sap before i fire up the RO.

Think we will have to do in 2 years is put your ro at the bush and my RO at your sugarhouse and go for it from there OR maybe both RO's at the bush if there is taps like you say there is?

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

That may be the idea=Right from the Filter Press into a tank and when full jump on I91 and head north. I wouldn't sell nothing until after tomorrows decision.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

5X14 Grimm/ But i need a float system for it and a 2X6 oil fired Volcano Waterloo/Small/Lapierre W/welded flue and (2)welded syrup pans and a spare syrup pan.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

I personally like the woods if i can get off this **** computer=think that is where the knowledge can excel at :D /just got to get some serious motovation by looking at maple trees as far as i can see in front of me on the ground and i'll straighten right up..

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

We want to keep their fingers out of the pie totally so to say.

[jrthe3]

dennis h thanks alot i was thinking of ordering some till got some bad the wife lost her job (can't tell where she worked cause everone here would hate me) but that just put a huge whole in my plans i don't know if the evaporator will even fire this season everthing is in hold for now

[PATheron]

Jrthe- Sorry about the wifes job. Hope things get better before season for you so you can do the syrup. Gravel and Governor- Nice avatar, real nice. Pee on Pa Maple. Very clever. Ive got one thing to say to that. You two genetically defective, tree tappin, sap haulin, lie tellin, corperation mergin, concentrate boilin, syrup eatin, moose callers wouldnt know a sugarmaker if you bumped into one in the woods. Im coming up there in January and I BETTER see some serious blue in the woods up there somewhere. You guys come down here if you want to see what sap line looks like. I think this weekend is going to put me In pretty good shape in the woods. Im starting to see the end in sight. Tomarrow my good buddy Dennis H is going to come help me and were going to run 1200' of 1.25" over to the bush across the road. Also putting in a .75 for a pump line. Then Sunday were putting all the tanks in place. That should be all the big work done. Then its drops and saddles across the road. Saddles up back. Add a couple hundred taps on the pond woods. Couple more weeks and Im ready. Then its nonstop bucket patrol. Oh gotta put in the dumping stations and split some more wood. Zar

[maplwrks]

There won't be any tubing in the woods---they are too busy filling the trader with bullsh#t!

[Dave Y]

You can sure tell it is very close to a full moon! The dialogue on here gets nuttier buy the minitue. I cant wait for sugaring time to see if these guys put thier money where thier mouth is. :)
Jrth3 sorry about your wife loosing her job. But you should take this as a sign, a sign to introduce her to sugaring full time!

[Maplewalnut]

I've played sports all my life but I never thought I would hear smack talked on the trader!

Theron- its a sign of weakness, now is the time to go in for the kill. If you tell them you found another 3,000 tap bush and your supplies will be here next week they would crumble to their knees and fade into the sunset! LOL

Off from work today...finishing mainline, going to finish laterals and hopefully be ready to start my vacuum set up in a couple weeks. Have a releaser coming from Mapleguys and a pump from a fellow trader.

[Jim Brown]

Been working in the evenings for most of the week got 165 of 500 done. Going to take the afternoon off work and see how many I can get in before rain comes in(then snow) and the skys turn dark today. May have to put some on hold until next year.Main lines are run,drops are made,releaser is here,new sap pump is working to pump sap up out of the valley,vacuum pump is large enough to handle increase taps just need to get them hanging in the woods. May be the last day above 50 degrees we see in a while. 30p runs a little nicer when the weather is warm!

Jim

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Snoop- I'm way behind the 8 ball today/just got done mixing up some feed W/Medication for my bees and by the time i get to the SH and loaded and headed north=I might not make Saint J before 12 Noon and i need to hit the bank also as i'm not sure how expensive your lawyer is but i usually got 5-10 Bennys in my wallet all the time and i don't want to say to him yes-I'll sign the contract and find out the bill is $1300 or something?? Then i would look like i was genetically defective.,

Monday is probably the better plan/That way i can get the trailer cleaned off of the old tubing (Just clipping off the 7/16 taps) and the tire pumped up/fixed? check out the wiring as i know the county bent up a tail light moving it on me. Get everything all set and then i can get the Pirates tank while i'm up that way and bring it to Maine and kill the whole day monday in 1 shot. Saves about 80 miles of traveling rather then me go up to your SH and Back up again 2 days later.

I still have to see lots of taps (Should say maple trees available to use) before i'm going to enter into any kind of agreement/just want to make sure it's worth my while. I'll give you a call when i'm in Bradford, VT monday.

[Jeff E]

Sounds like a lot of us are in the same boat...we will be pulling line in the cold.
Any advice on what is the most efficient method of doing line work? I have been doing the woods in a 'work zone' approach. Meaning I get a wet/dry line system hung, tight and level, and then do 1 wire and mainline, laterals. Then move on to another mainline area. On short work days, I go back and put in drops, manifolds, ladders if needed.

PaCzar, I am pulling for you in the Tzunami Szap wars. It may be because the other 'team' has such an anti-establishment flavor but still has a Governor!:razz:

[maple flats]

I just got some hopeful news this morning without asking. The landowner who has said I can tap his sidehill after he cuts about 6 trees marked for removal sent word that he took next week off to cut them. These were originally going to be cut in Aug. Now i will be stringing tubing as soon as hunting season ends, likely a lot over my Christmas vacation which is about a week and a half. Hope the snow isn't too deep then, but I'll do what ever it takes. This sidehill is adjacent to where i have 150 taps now and will add about 400 this year and maybe as much as another 3-500 next. Then Vac on a gas powered pump will be called for. I was beginning to doubt if this would happen for the 09 season. For the 2010 season I will definately need an RO before I can dare the vacuum.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Don't worry about that=I do have a mini Birth Cert. that i carry in my wallet at all times there buddy. It's a quite tattered/but you can at least read all the info and it does say the State of NH at the top=That might be in the Dominican Republic for all i know.

[Jeff E]

Good news maple flats! What sort of arrangement will you have with him? I am hoping to approach a neighbor with 10 acres with a few hundred trees on next summer...just wondering how to do this neighborly like!

[Jim Brown]

Jeff E; Start by going over with a quart of syrup under your arm!!

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Make that at least 2 gal= if there is a couple hundred taps.

[royalmaple]

Help, I've fallen and I can't get up.

[3% Solution]

Hey Matt your back!!!

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

Look what the cat dragged in... Man wonders never cease to amaze me...

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

3% Fritz Weatherby was in town filming a segment for News 9 chronical? around 11:30 this morning at Arlington book sample.

You got room on your bumper or hood for me to catch a ride down to the mapleholics meeting tomorrow? Oh probably need room for Matts professional drum dolly too.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Snoop- You reading back through the post about PATHERON made. Now he's stacking the odds in his favor=Enlisting the help from another trader to try and catch the sap team. First he has the "Kids Crew" and then it's pa's himself and now it's looking like trader crew is coming in tow also.

We better get picking up the pace quick like or we'll be needing life perservers rather then our swimmies from all the permeate or maybe that's just P for short. I don't really think his team could keep up do you?

Then i do have second thoughts as it sounds like the "kids crew" is doing all the work down there anyways :p/Whats your idea?

Watch out we're getting swamped by the Kids Crew. Blub Blub Blub under/And never to be heard from again.

[PATheron]

1200' of inch and a "quata" in my car trailer tonight. What do you northerners do with all the extra r's anyway? Oh well, I cant hold it against you guys with all moose interbreeding and such goin on up there. That probly accounts for all genetic issues. That tube is goin IN tomarrow morning. Gotta run it through a sluice only pain. Then I think Im going to run the rest of the lats and show Dennis H what Pa syruping is all about. Tanks Sunday. Moving the 1500 to the shed and putting the two smaller across the road. Then all thats left is basically tinker work. Bit of it but pretty easy. Hopin to be about done in a couple weeks. Good luck on Russ's installation. Better keep an eye on them Russ. Remember you want QUALITY product. Zar

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

OMG- 1 1/4 hope it's warm out?. I layed out close to 3,000' of 1 1/4" mainline one day by myself and i though i was doing good with about 12" of white stuff on the ground. Better take a break and call in the kids and let them finish it after coffee in the morning. :)

Works faster with snow on the ground. Cut off a tree about 5' high and throw the coil over it and start pulling.

[PATheron]

I know what you mean governor- I hate that stuff but I need some big suck over there. I cant have inadequate vac levels over there. Gotta get the big sap. Talk to you proud professionals tomarrow. Cant wait to hear about Russ's expansion. You guys need to put your heads down, stop talkin a bunch of smack and make some magic happen for Russ. Guy just wants some sap. Zar

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

We have came to the conclusion that it's game on=Sinking sap has begun. I have about 2500 taps worth of used tubing at the SH (Not in the woods) got around an extra 3,000 drops and maybe 1/2 don't have taps and i gotta check with snoop and see if he wants me to bring some of that up monday?. Got about 3,000'+ of 3/4+1" mainline and all we would need is some 1 1/4" and there would be no mercy then. Well over 1,000 each of spare taps,T's and Connectors and about a 32 gal. barrel full of mainline fittings/valve's to boot. You don't stand a chance=Wave the white flag right now.

Russ=He should be swamped down there too when we get done tomorrow with his million dollar operation.

[PATheron]

Game on. Team sap 2011. Wheres my hard working competition? Looking all over. 0430 and do I see Valley View or Maple Hill on the trader drinking a little coffee and checking on things. Maybe getting ready to bust some hump in the sugarbush. Went thrugh active users no sign anywhere. Dang, must already be out working. I missed the boat again. Zar

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

See if your on the trader you can't be out in the woods with a coon light on your hat like me. Rock the boat.

[Parker]

OOHHH MMYYYY,,,,,??????,,,,,,LOTS and LOTS of TALK!!!,,,,,I think I remember reading somewhere "listen to what they say,,but believe what they do",,,,,, We will see this spring,,,the talking is the easy part....
Went to slash my woodpile yesterday,,got about a cord cut 4 foot, then KAWOOSHHHH,,,,hydraulic rainbow!!!! Blew a pump seal in the slasher saw,,,,sounds expensive to me,,,will rip it apart this comming week,,,,might have to cut up the pile with the powersaw,,,,,,
Keep up the good work gentlemen.....laugh a minute.

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

Talked to two owners of bushes today, would equil another 2800 and all looks good... We can all talk the talk zar, I was leaving the diner at 4:30 headed for the woods!! :) I am all game for : GAME ON!!!!!

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

oops, that would put me over the 5,000 for 09 do you want me to change my sig. when its final??

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Snoop- Don't "put the last nail in the coffin"/Do you think he is ready for it yet?

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

oh gov, that is not the last nail, I still have a ace up the sleve :)

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

oops, may I refrase that 2 ace's up the sleve... I have stuff even Gov, my busness partner hasn't even heard :) :) :)

[maplekid]

well havent had time to post been working on the sugar house and wood pile. ive been working on my pilots liscence to. got 4 cords split and stacked.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Just got off the phone w/partner=And he said there is going to be some serious boat rocking going on the high sea's ahead. Gonna need more then the bilge pump for this one boys and girls. Strap on your hula hop life ring.

[themapleking]

Got the new rig in today. Leader 3x8 infero wood arch, max flue pan with revolution ft pan and max steam away. 220-245 gph leader claims.
need more taps now

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

alls I can say is lol lol lol!!!!! Man when things happen they happen!!! Thanks Theron you where the boot in the @$$ I needed!!! :)

[PATheron]

Andy- You get all the tube you have in the woods now hooked together and get all those tanks in place Youll kick all our butts. Only thing going for me is Ive got Booy and Brother down here on my team. Cant beat the power of the kid. Energy all over the place, just got to harness it. Brother is running on pure maple syrup. Kid eats a drum a year. Gets kind of costly but hes a good little worker. Hes a high performance piece of equipment and he needs his fuel. Guess I better try to get something done. Got rained off yesterday. Zar

[Jim Brown]

Well I can't keep up the pace with you mega tappers but I cut in 50 more yesterday on the new bush.Rain was steady yesterday but not cold until evening. Have main lines already run in new bush and have 281 now,could pick up 3-400 more if I had the time.(already have the taps and 4 rolls of lateral) But I think we will have to settle for what we got for this spring. Running out of good weather! Have to run the 1" vac line up over the road and set the tank and make accommidation for the releaser before the weather gets REAL bad and then we wait.
Should have about 1100 on vac come spring.


Jim

[PATheron]

Jim- Were mostly just hot air. Zar

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

jim, no need to keep up, or try.. Do the best you can, make the best product you can, and be very happy with that.. Oh and throw in a rib poke here and there whenever you can...

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

these guys are still young and wet behind the ears, not mature and wise like you!

LOL!

[mapleman3]

The family and I just got back from pulling mainline and tubing from a bush I used to use that produced SQUAT !! at least I can salvage some things like the 9 gauge wire and the mainline is still in great shape for??? what I don't know but. the laterals are shot... lots chewed up down and filthy. but at least it's out of there now.

Problem with that bush
A-not enough grade
B- too many hemlocks
C- mostly reds that didn't give much sap

it would have been useful if it was in my backyard I could have thinned real good and ran vacuum but.......

[jrthe3]

well made the best of a bad time made some cream with dark syrup to see how it would turn out it tastes so sweet it is great made some maple sugar also burned up to food processors then went to see my aunt to see what she had she sent me home with an old hand crank flour grinder in work awsome

[Sugarmaker]

Boyd,
Thought that was you. You stopped and visited at the sugarhouse one day a while back. Hope the 100 taps is working out for 09. I am going to stick with about 400.
We are getting hit, as probably you are too, with 6 inches of lake effect snow. Great! I am supposed to get new tires on the car tomorrow , IF I can make it to Erie. It has been handling very poorly in snow.

Hey Father and Son, Hows your 500 doing in the snow??

Finally saw the new 09 F150 Ford on commercial tonight while watching the Ford 400 NASCAR race. Looks about like the F250 from the front of the truck.

Wood boxes are full and the furnace is roaring.

Finished extracting the rest of the honey yesterday (4 supers) and now have about 165 lb of fall honey.

Nic got a nice jake bird yesterday behind the house. Eric missed a medium racked 8 point just after the rain stopped yesterday also about 300 yards back of the sugarhouse. He was a little upset since thats the second buck he missed this year.

Chris

[jrthe3]

ya chris that was me we are getting hit hard with the white stuff i have to go to work to night as i look out my window it is looking like they are going to close 79 it is bad

[Sugarmaker]

Boyd,
Be careful out there I-79 is really bad with west winds. Keep the shiny side up!
Chris

[peacemaker]

well atleast i amnot the only one missing bucks

[royalmaple]

Jim-

you are way too spoiled with those bucket trees. Then you go check some gravity tubing and you wonder why you have it up.

Hemlocks, and red maples. Wait, were you up here and pulling all my mainlines down?

[peacemaker]

ok royal u go missing then show back up and we loose supper sappy ... whats going on

[peacemaker]

lol i just watched your drum collapse ...lol

[peacemaker]

i dont know maybe supper sappy got royal hooked on sailor jerry ... and she gave them something

[peacemaker]

i was just wondering is that one that u are trying to sell lol

[Sugarmaker]

Peacemaker,
Yea there is a lot of room around them!

Looking forward to rifle season with my grandson Mike. He has not harvested a deer yet and I think this may be the year. Since he still has a junior license he doesn't have to be worried about the PA points rules. There are at least 4 bucks in the area too.
Chris

[peacemaker]

nice i usaul head to jersey to fill the frezzer ..but yesterday i had one come in and i never saw his whole set of horns so i had to let him walk we are 3poinr=ter or better here but today when he came strollinh=g in are worked up over some hot doe i walked down ... past my stand i let him have it he spun around like it hit him and stumbled like i did but i took my wifes 243 cause it has a 4 power scope ... what i should have had was my 12 with buck shot like i love

[Sugarmaker]

Peacemaker,
Sounds like a dead deer to me! The .243 will do the job too.
Chris

[peacemaker]

i know but i spent 2 hours on my hands and knees tacking him out of the pines and into the swamp ... without a drop of blood or hair ...

[mapleman3]

Yeah Matt, I was hoping you wouldn't see me..hehehe

My bucket trees were way too good to me this year, it was amazing to see my wife and kids come back 2 times will a full tank on the truck almost each day!!!

as I raise my glass... "here's to a super season coming again.. hopefully" !!!

[super sappy]

Ok peace,here I am- Been working up with the neighbor this last week on his farm. Then A bunch of hill billies showed up on wed from south carolina for deer season on saturday. My buddy hits a phantom buck with a bow and did not get it. So they all sat in the green house and got drunk and talked about deer hunting. The typical hunting stuff went on this past weekend with the opening of NYstate southern zone rifle season. My next door neighbor Elmer Fudd chased a six pointer right across the back lawn at the sugar house wile I was changing the oil on the tractor. He wound up in the back yard of the house and Elmer was kind of put out when I said he had to gut it somewere else. I wouldnt pull it out with the tractor cuz it would rut up the lawn,Sold some syrup to all of the out of towners, Hooked up the gas finisher on the new countertop, Now I need to can up some syrup. Then I went down to the farm to see the phantom buck that was guned down this morning. He had been shot in the throat with 1 arrow , turu the front shoulder with another and they found a 50 cal musket ball from last year in his side. It was a real big 10 pointer. The southern boys tried to tie the horns on the brown dog "GRINCH STYLE" but she has seen that movie and wasnt into it.I returned 26 dollars in deposite cans from the green house. I also had a 1/2 gallon of shorgum molassas given to me that was homemade. On a side note you guys from the state of NH can really shoot. The three guys that hunted here from Alstead took home nice bucks including the 10 ptr. With the locals not getting the deer they will all be in foul moods this week . I need to get some time and start putting up some more tubing. Did any of the other ny producers get a survey in the mail from Cornell this week?-SS

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

SS,
No survey yet. Supposedly all members of the state assn. are to get one.
Guess they are looking into the feasability of a bottling plant in NY.

[royalmaple]

Peace-

Those drums are 1/2 price. Nice thing is you can fit more on a trailer, so it is a double whammy.

No sailer jerry yet. Russ just got me a bottle of captain this weekend. I'm not a machine. I will try sailer soon enough.

I think my body is just getting back to normal after that LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG ride to Doug's(thompson's tree farm). Thanks for the tour and you have some serious potential there, just time and money need to be added to the mix and syrup should be the end result. Wait till I get my pump running before you crank that sucker up. I want a little water left in the ground for my trees.

The deer are liking the results of operation devistation. I saw alot of tracks out there the other day. Now if I can get some of the wood out, maybe I can go in there and harvest a wall hanger.

I'm sure it is like anything but the guys from NH in Russ's neighborhood sure weren't the ones you had in NY super sappy. Holy moly. It was like WWII in his area and unless they had alot of tags to fill there are alot of maples and hemlocks with wounds.

[ennismaple]

My brother and I worked all day in the pouring rain on Saturday to stretch lines in our upper bush. At 10 C above freezing it was better to stretch in the rain than try to do it in the spring.

Saturday evening we packaged up the last of our 2008 syrup. We got a large order for 100mL plastic and 250mL glass plus some other misc sizes that drained us. I wish we had more to sell but it's also nice to know we can focus on getting the bush ready for next spring.

Yesterday we also got the mainline up for the upper part of our sap ladder. All I need to do is get a few fittings for the vertical pipe and it's ready to go. We also replaced about 300' of black mainline that was almost 30 years old.

[sapman]

Ennis,

For your sap ladder, are you running the stars with 5/16ths between? How far, and how many taps are you lifting?

Thanks,
Tim

[Jim Brown]

Ennis
I also have a couple of questions. How much vacuum do you need to lift say 40-60 taps 6-8 feet?(we have about 25 inches when running) and how many ladders can a person run when you have 4-500taps on the same vac system?

I know about as much about sap ladders as a pig knows about Sunday!other than you use 6 ways top and bottom and 5/16 in between. thats my entire knowledge about sap ladders.

Thanks


Jim

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

I've been paying attention and there was a link in the Vacuum section with a thread called "lift" started by PATheron/Better known as nailed in a coffin. :D

[lpakiz]

I also know nothing about sap ladders, but would like to. Can anyone take a few pics of theirs, or sketch one and upload the diagram?? THANKS

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

Royal maple has videos of his in his video link..

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

The crew of team sap had a meeting today, The two parties walked away with some big numbers, and plans, to take to the bean counters, and see what happens.. looks very promising to raise the connectuit river with permiate in the very near future... tap counts could be a issue, due to the fact we don't have enough fingers and toes to go that high,even counting them by the thousand, but we will eventually call in the big guns from PA to help us count... Stay tuned for more breakling news, as it happens...

[peacemaker]

hey great foamy how did u make out today ... 5 dollar fix on jens tire and back up and running ...yippie

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

IPAKIZ and Jim Brown,
Ladders are new to me this year too. Been looking at lots of threads,asking lots of questions and looking at pictures. Brian Ryther has some good pictures of his. Sure hope they work as planned because I am going to be dependent on them for about 650 taps.

[PATheron]

Guys- Didnt get much done yesterday maple but did get a bunch of buckets and got a load of barrells up to the house. Other day did get the lines ran across the road through the sluice pipe so now I just have to run them on down the hill to where the tanks will be and thats done. Biggest thing left is just placing the tanks then its all putter work. Trying to figure out the feasability of running 1100 buckets and Im thinking Ive got that about figured out too. Hopefully about 3 more weeks and Ill be ready. Then all I have to do is do a bit more wood and I should be all set. Would like to get a months break before season. Hopefully it doesnt start running in January. Like to see it start in Feb. Like to hear about everybodys adventures. These prices are really bringing out the taps. Fun to hear about what everyone is doing. Theron

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

The taps are coming out bigtime all over the maple world. I highly doubt that the price of bulk syrup will fall below $3.00 a Lb. no matter how many taps are placed/due to the fact that the packers have been building up these foreign accounts overseas and to keep up with a 5-10% increase in the use of syrup world wide almost means in my mind that the market could handle that in an increase of taps each year now?.

You may see the $3.00 a Lb in the spring?? but the packers like to do that as they know the farmer has to pay his or her bills and needs some quick coin on hand so they got them over the bung hole in the beginning/But if everyone trys their best to play the game and sit on their crop the price will rise as it usually does towards the fall.

With the Federation forming in canada there was a lot of high tension from the packers and some canadian producers in the beginning and no i doubt that some of the canadian producers are sad about the fact that the price is 3X higher then it was from about 6 years ago when the packers were only paying $1.30 a Lb for Light Amber/Fancy and .90 Cents a Lb for Commercial.

Right now the producer is singing the song by Bon Jovi "Loving every minute of it-Come on". So the tip of the day is play the game the best you can and sell in the fall while the bulk price's are higher.

[ennismaple]

Tim & Jim,

We've got 2 sap ladders that were installed a few years ago and they each use one 6-way star and lift 8 feet. One of them has only 20 taps on it, the other has about 45. I've been told that 60 to 65 taps is the max you can put on a 6-way star. More taps than that and you use 2 stars.

The sap ladder we were finishing on the weekend is a double vertical pipe ladder. We've got 2 mainlines coming in on the bottom, one with 70 taps the other with 103 taps. We'd need 3 x 6-way stars for this number of taps but instead we're trying 2 x 3/4" vertical pipes. I'm joining the 2 mainlines together at the bottom with a pair of 3/4" tees to even the flow out from the two sides. I have 8' of 3/4" pipe for each vertical. At the top each vertical turns via a 3/4" to 1" 90 degree bend and they connect to the upper mainline with a 1" tee. I'll take a picture of it when it's completed. Worst case if it doesn't work I'll put in 3 stars.

Our flood oil pump max's out at 21" Hg and the sap ladders work fine. Before we got that pump the old dairy pump would only pull 15" or 16" Hg and the ladders still worked.

[Russell Lampron]

It takes 1 inch of vacuum to lift a column of sap 1 foot. Adding a little vacuum leak at the bottom of the ladder helps lift the sap too.

[Revi]

We ran another mainline and are working on adding about 50 more taps.

That means we'll be fully tapped on the hill.

We still need blue tubing and stuff to do the laterals, but the order is in.

50 taps shouldn't take too long.

Some of you guys do that before breakfast!

[Jim Brown]

ennis; Thanks for the information we have a couple of places in the new bush we would like to taps some really big sugars but they are below the 1" main line. I was thinking about the ladders to bring them up to the 1" We would not be able to tap the lower part of that bush for a couple of years and don't want to let those big babys to go untapped for 2-3 years. When we open up the lower part of this bush we would be talking 3-600 taps and then they would be included running down hill at that time.
Thanks
Jim

[Gary R]

Jim,

Brian Montgomery has 3 ladder's in his line. Maybe give him a call and you could see his. If you go, let me know, it was dark when I was there and would like to see it again.

Good Luck!

[Jim Brown]

Thanks Gary I'll give him a call and runover I'll call you before i go!


Jim

[3% Solution]

Hi guys,
You guy got me wondering about ladders.
So on my way to Bascom's this morning, I stopped to check one out.
Looks pretty simple and up front.
Amazing little contrapsion.
Just my observation.

Dave

[royalmaple]

There is one big ladder at the entrance to bascoms that they pull the sap from those big roadsides up and over the main road.

[3% Solution]

Matt,
Yeah that's a good one too!!
The one I looked at was just around the corner on Derry Hill.
Not as big as the one your talking about.

Dave

[PATheron]

Guys- My buddy Yorkholomaple stopped by and we got the inch and a quarter or as you guys say " inch and a quata" on the wire all the way to the new releaser spot. Tomarrow morning got to get up and go over and clip it in before work. Then tomarrow night run the rest of the three "quata" over there and were tubed to the new bush. Then saturday were moving tanks and then, ahhh, putter work at last. Cant wait till Im running BIGSAP alerts on the trader and watching sap run. Theron

[partsrus1974]

That is a high sap ladder at bascom's...anyone know if syrup is over $4.00 yet?

[3% Solution]

Hey Parts,
I haven't forgot you.
Your still in my inbox!!!!!

Dave

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Snoop=Will this one work for our operation? Jake Brake is a start. http://www.firetrucksforsale.com/firetrucksforsale5593.html

[partsrus1974]

no rush 3% i got plenty of other projects to keep me busy!I Have the maple fever mad this year its all i can think about

[3% Solution]

Andy and Kevin,
Let me know when you er up, I'll train you guys on er!!!!
Just think you can pull right up and pump your tanks.
If the pumps in good shape you can draft up to 26'.

PA,
Let's do this acsent thing right if your going to do it, ".... it's not over there, it's over thar."
Another thing it's not a "car" it's a ca" there is no "R" in car above the Mass border!
Glad to hear your getting close to wrapping the big stuff up.

Dave

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

It's a start anyways. Buter then 450 or 500 Gurln's. in a load. Might have to get the 8,000 gal. tanker to wait on the tar road/otherwise yo'd burry it on the bak mud paths in thar hils and thur b problums like tanks runin ova untul ya gut er un stuk. Mite b nex week bfor thatta hapen :(

[PATheron]

Gravel- Are you really going to have 5000 taps this spring? Do you know how many buckets Booy and brother are going to have to collect to try to keep up with that? Give a kid a break. There not machines you know. Headin over to clip in the big line. Gotta try to get something done. Hard to keep up with you nothenas. I get another bush or two in I want to get a big truck too. My brother and dad drove those things their whole lives but I dont have a lot of time in one. I can drive them. Down shifting kind of kicks my butt. We were moving a big transformer one time and I told the guys Id run the truck and I did good till I got to this one town had to slow down and I know it sounds unlikely but I think I basically ground the gears from one end of town to the other. Must be a lot of extra metal on those suckers. Upshifting Im the man. Gotta double clutch it on the way down and have to focus real hard. Maybe Id get the hang of it fast with several thousand gallons of sap behind me. Guess Id have to take it out on sundays and Boo and Brother and I could just practice. Theron

[PATheron]

Holy cow Gravel! Sorry about the contract. You do have alot of tube in the air. You and Governor are getting serious. I thought you guys were just kidding. I can never tell if you guys are lyin or serious. I just automatically assume if your lips are movin your probly lyin. Wow. Keep me posted on progress. I thought I was doing ok down here but I wouldnt make a pimple on a good sugarmakers behind with acts like you guys to follow. Clipped in the inch and quata this morning. Holy criminy its cold. 16 degrees. Had to have duke blow on my fingers to thaw them out. Got it though. Working on the three quata tonight. Theron

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Buffet was filling as usual. After this coming spring i'll have to bring up the 2500 taps of used tubing w/drops still on=50% rigid and 50% 4 seasons, and call in the troups and have a stringing up tubing wars=All i keep thinking about is we gotta get the other side of the mtn pipe up/gotta get the other side of the mountain strung up=BIGGERSAP, BIGGERSAP, BIGGERSAP.

I think the traveling RO trick like i told you would be what we'd have to do=go bush to bush and plug my RO into the pump house from the back of the trucks insulated box and send the permeate towards the Conn. river and the concentrate onto the back of the trucks tank. Unplug cords and move onto the next pick-up and do it all over again. Gonna work just as easy as nailing a coffin together :D

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Snoop- Last week you we're lie telling, coperate merging, moose caller and now this week T-Sap is all sympathic= Sounds like trying to kissy kissy :). Maybe that video matt said was you was someone else? Whats the latest news in the obama caper? Last i heard was he still can't find it and has until Early Dec/which they will throw out another stall reason like my grandma burried it in a hole inside the bungalo we were in back in 64' and i'm going to get it soon if i can find the spot where we lived=is my guess.

There was a million dollar reward for a factual Obama live birth copy=Haven't heard if anyone has produced one yet=I figured that would have pulled the rabbit outta the hat for sure/But i heard the rabbit died-so trick over.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Right now the mainline is the equasion=under gunned BIGTIME. Looking at 1.5 and 2" material for sure with those distance's and Quanity of taps?? We'll get on that this coming spring/summer and hit 10,000+ next year with our hands ties behind our back with no problem and then have to put my 10,000 tap releaser there. I got more then enough pumps to at least get vacuum on the smaller bush's 1,000-3,000 taps.

Plan on building Pump plate's/Motor mounts for the Gas Engines and Pump heads this weekend for the 15-35 CFM pump heads. Got (2) new 6.5Hp Honda Clones setting in my basement waiting to be put in Service. Just ordered some centrifical clutch's the other day for the motor. Also got an 8Hp Tecumseh with about 25 hours on it for something?

How many Vac. pumps do you need this year? Probably have the 4,000 taps releaser you could use too/Just need to make sure it works right. I'll bring that home and test it out in my vacuum experiment station in my garage and let you know.

GAME ON. Here is the coin toss...

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

(3) 3/4" mainline will get those 1,000 across the road/Won't even need a dry.

[Sugarmaker]

Just made a batch of Maple Mustard to restock the shelf. Not sure where the last batch went. More Maple BBQ to make tomorrow night, also some Honey mustard for a order. Sales have picked up a little as the holidays approach too.

Chris

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Double wet and dry was my thinking with the amount of taps/but i need to walk the other side of the bowl to get a good accessment of the taps=looks like 8-10,000 and i know just by the looks of the tree tops that there is at least 7500 in there mininum. When you asked me how many taps? And like i said i could see 2500 taps from just where we were standing on monday talking and that was a little over 1/4 or the woods area he owns from what you said he does. It's a cocker for sure to have access to all those taps.

[PATheron]

Moving tanks this weekend. Got the lines all ran across the road for the releaser over there last night. Only main over there to do know is the trunkline dry. Going to do that tonight. If I get the tanks all done this weekend I should be down to putter work. Some mainline connetions drops and saddles mostly. Looking foreward to a break. Ready to have everything done as soon as I can. Then Im kind of hoping it doesnt run till Feb but whatever if it runs were gettin it. My main objective this year is to fill as many drums as possable. May do some work to make the bucket bush possable. Would like to get out maybe 1100 buckets if possable. Cant beat a bucket on a good run day. MORE SAP IS ALWAYS BETTER! Theron

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Ya- I'll check it out in the near future=we'll find a day to go and look it all over fine tooth comb style. Driving down the road and looking at the 1,000 will cross the road pretty easily with some pipe and maybe vacuum magic. lol

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

sounds like you guys will need to hire a full time OILER to keep things running

RICH

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

When ever someone applys for the oiler job the Very First ? on the application is how well can you call moose?

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

and do you have a us birth certificate, and would you know a sugarmaker if you saw one...

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

actually Theron layed the app out for us, Can you do all these things??

"Ive got one thing to say to that. You two genetically defective, tree tappin, sap haulin, lie tellin, corperation mergin, concentrate boilin, syrup eatin, moose callers wouldnt know a sugarmaker if you bumped into one in the woods. "

If you can bring all this to the table, we will find someone to read your app to us...

[royalmaple]

I'm a darn good moose caller.

Waaaaaaaaa......Waaaaaaaaaa....Waaaaaaaa

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Here is RoyalMaple in action. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqtx4UkROC0

[royalmaple]

The hunter paid one heck of a tip for that shot, but cost him more in underwear.

[royalmaple]

Only bits and pieces, mostly like to look at the pretty pictures.

[PATheron]

Gravel- Your spending a lot of time hammering me just becouse I insult you guys a little bit. Listen close becouse Im only going to tell you this twice, Im coming up there this winter some time when I get my work all done and Im getting us a cold case of "boiling sodas" and Im doing a thorough facility inspection and Id like to see something that resembles a sugar bush. Im bustin my hump down here day in and day out to get the BIGSAP and Id like to think that you guys are at least trying up there. Youve got a lot of trees and a lot of tube you need to TRY TO MAKE THE MAGIC HAPPEN. Ive got to go Ive got to side tie a dry line. Tarrian

[royalmaple]

I'll start stocking up on drums, we need lots.

Whole mountains are coming online, I can feel it.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Should he bring Pantyhose's or Long John's?? for insulation underneath that is...

Started moving things around in the SH today and was moving some drums=got to one in the corner and i weren't moving that one single handed/It's full. Nice find of the day for sure. I thought that for some reason last year i was 1 drum short on my count i had in my head=now i know why i was missing some $$$$

[royalmaple]

Gonna have to head to St. J, and turn that drum into some ching ching.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

10-4 big daddy we got us a convoy.

[PATheron]

Andy- Itll probly be running down here before you start for sure. Im no pro though. Ive only got one season under my belt. Im just trying to learn. Ill be up and hook up some tube. You better not pick on my work though. Tarrian

[jrthe3]

getting hit hard with snow again today got close to 3 feet this week not much getting done with all that white stuff

[PATheron]

Jrthe- You really have 3 feet? We just have a dusting here. Are you close to Erie? Tomarrow is the best day of my life. Im moving small tanks to the woods and putting my two new tanks in at the sugarhouse. Last year I had 4 tanks equalling 2400 gallons with all the plumbing required to do that. This year Ill have two 1500 gallon babys. Got the little ones out but going to have some work getting the big ones in. Also thinking I might move the 800 gal perm tank closer to the shed too to minimize the plumbing alot. Hopefully by tomarrow night itll look a lot more signiture around the tank area. Hooked on the new 1500 tonight and tried to pull it with dads tractor. Didnt work so good. Nothing moved but tires. Shut her down and called it a night. Gonna have to get serious with it tomarrow. Good thing you missed that barrell Governor gonna be a lot of money in that baby. Tarrian

[Sugarmaker]

Lake Effect snows does not stop syrup sales! We have about 30 inches on the ground and folks are still calling and stopping for syrup. Need more jugs. May make a run tomorrow for some plastic.
New bushing in the rear axle of the Bolens snow plow tractor, just in time to do some serious snow plowing today. Must have put it together wrong because it backs up real slow? Anyway doesn't look to be leaking fluid from the axle!
Keep our grandson, Dorsey Alexander Logan, in your thoughts and prayers.
He was born 2 months early on Sept 18 2008, at 2 lb 12 oz. He is now about 6 lb. He was born with Down Syndrome, has had intestinal surgery, he just started on milk this week, has been on ventilator most of the time, and will need open heart surgery when he is stable enough to have it. Our daughter Stacy and son in law Dave will not be home for Thanksgiving this year as they have this little one to watch over. We are very thankful to have him too!

Regards,
Chris

[Sugarmaker]

Oops that wasn't 30 inches, it was just a hard frost here near the lake:) Love the global warming thing!
Anyway while I was 'tramping the trader' I got another call for maple candy cream and syrup for Christmas from one of our repeat customers. Nice to hear how folks enjoy natural local products.

Chris

[Gary R]

Sugarmaker, our thougth's go out to you and your family. I hope for the best for Dorsey.

I forget what it's like to live up there. I'm about 50 miles south and we have just under a foot. Carful shoveling all that stuff!

[jrthe3]

PA yes 3 feet and more on the way i am about 15 to 20 miles south of the lake in what they call the snow belt I have been plowing snow for the last 14 years i looked back though my books this is the most snow we have got in Nov. in the past 14 years not fun the wife is sure glad that she has her own 4wd cause roads around here only get plowed for the school bus no school no plow

[jrthe3]

just got the phone call my old boss will be comeing out around noon with his loader to dig out the sugar house snow is about 5 feet deep at end of drive way where the plow pushed it up (when they plow) going to keep on pluging away with what i have to do for this season and hopefully the wife finds a job so i can take time off work to make syrup