January Journal/Happy New Year

[mapleman3]

I know it's about 6 hours early, but just wanted to say Happy New Year to everyone ! Stay safe on the roads and in the woods!! I hope everyones plans for the season are going great and this "09" season will be salvageable for some that got hit hard by the ice and for those that didn't hope for a banner year!!

Happy New Year from the Maple Trader

[mapleman3]

Sorry about the colors changing, working on a new color scheme !! it will take a bit but should be a cool change.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Keep it the way it is I like it ITS FESTIVE.

[3% Solution]

Chris,
Happy New Year to you also.
Yeah it's a pretty cool, different color scheme!!!
It definately gets your attention!!
Happy New Year to the rest of the traders out there!!
Keep safe and watch the windchill in the next few hours.

Dave

[Gary R]

I like it. It's bold and things stand out.

Chris, Jim Brown, need any help? Things seem under control for this backyarder.

[Sugarmaker]

Happy New year from a snowy Cold blustery NWPA.
Hunted whitetails today and that's all we saw was one white tail waving good bye.
Off to the cold sugar house to can some honey that is heating up. Maple Mustard Maple BBQ and Honey mustard just went out the door for a New Years eve customer.
Still fighting with the new computer. Trying this Mozilla internet browser that Adam recommended. Seems more stable than the Internet explorer browser.

I have to make some more sliding "Loop's" for the tubing system this year as I am going to put loop adjusters at the top and bottom of each short run of tubing to allow additional tightening capabilities. Need to get 50 more of the sliding plastic loop fittings.

Just noticed the spell checking function here very nice and much needed by me too.

Regards,
Chris

[mapleman3]

Chris I have been using Mozilla for a year and love it !! I also use thunderbird for email.

[Sugarmaker]

Jim,
Thanks for the words of encouragement on the Mozilla browser. Just seems everything is changing and I like things to remain the same. Old fashion!.

BTW the green ( and new colors) really jumped out! I thought I had the settings on the new unit messed up.

Gary, In a month you can come up and help sting some lines! Hey looks like your operation is growing!

Chris

[Dave Y]

Chris,
Glad to see you are still alive. I was beginning to wonder. Mozilla is great I have been using it for a couple of years. Glad to see you are doing a little up grading. Today I spent about 5 hrs in the bush. I have everything under control. I have about 2000ft of mainline to tie and that should about do it. Maybe some odds and ends. then it is on to getting everything at the sugar house ready.

Happy New Year to everyone!

[mapleman3]

I hope that means you like the colors... I may change it with the seasons... just experimenting LOL

[PATheron]

Heading into the woods tomarrow to hopefully finish the bush Im working on across the road. That will be a real good feeling. Lot of work done. Nice trees and look foreward to seeing what they do. Semi trailer coming week after next and then Ill need to run a pump line to that. Next Im going up the road and if I can do it money wise Im going to try to get another nice 300 taps. Have to see how it goes. They are in different little stands and Ill just do one at a time untill ive done all I can do. Not really much to do at the sugar house so Im sitting pretty good as of tomarrow. All bonus now. Whats everyones feeling on how the season may go for weather. Any weather experts on here? Theron

[WF MASON]

Pretty............

[Sugarmaker]

Jim,
Colors are fine! I really do like the spell checker!!!! I was using a Google spell checker prior and it took a lot of time.

Dave Y, Yea I had been away due to computer going down. I forgot how addicting this was.
My upgrades are a tad shy of yours! WOW!

Looks like I could have used another 20-30 gallon of syrup so may be looking for a few more good taps for 2009??

The honey was still to cold to strain and the sugar house was freezing tonight so back on the trader for just a few minutes.

Chris

[mapleman3]

uggg "pretty".... the death sentence!!

Chris.. the Spell checker is with Mozilla I believe, not here.... it works great, helps me like you read about !!!

[dano2840]

going to head into the woods regardless of temp (it was 5 today, i had cut up a punky maple anticipating that i would have to work the cold days to get it all in in time) so i went to the punky wood i had stacked and split in the corner of the woods and started a fire, my hands were ok untill they finally got wet enough that the hand warmers stopped puting out so the fire was nice.
i will do the same tomarrow, aftr fiting with th black wtr pipe main line today im not too anxious to do it again tomarrow ( trust me it was a fight) ive got some older 1/2 blue mainline (older as in 20 yrs old its dark blue) it has strung up just fine on cold days so i think i will takle some of that, In the morning im meating the land owner who im going to pull into his drive way with the tractor to collect with, hes real excited some ones sugaring the woods next to his proporty. hes letting me run a pump line right through his yard to his frive, and letting me hook the vac pump cord to his house for power, and tomarrow hes meeting me at 9 a.m. to help me lift some pole logs and get the rest of the structure up on my tank storage shed at the bottom of the woods,
there a really nice family, says hes gunna come help me boil and has offered to help with what ever else i need him for, but im not going to askfor it, dont want to take advantage of a good thing

[Oaknut]

The green reminds me of spring....and sap lines running!

[Clan Delaney]

Jim,
Colors are fine! I really do like the spell checker!!!! I was using a Google spell checker prior and it took a lot of time.

Dave Y, Yea I had been away due to computer going down. I forgot how addicting this was.
My upgrades are a tad shy of yours! WOW!

Looks like I could have used another 20-30 gallon of syrup so may be looking for a few more good taps for 2009??

The honey was still to cold to strain and the sugar house was freezing tonight so back on the trader for just a few minutes.

Chris

Chris, We were without our computer all last week, and I KNEW how bad it was going to be without it! But, got 2 books read, soooo not a total loss. Good to be back online though. If you're liking Firefox, you'll love Google Chrome. Unbelievably fast (I have 11 windows open right now). I swear it's psychic. I sit down, type just "ww" in the address bar and it completes "www.mapletrader.com" without even asking. It KNOWS!!!

[3% Solution]

Clan,
Oh no, your computer has the "Maple Bug" too.
It's been bit!!!!!
Happy New Year!!

Dave

[dano2840]

maple trader is set as the home page on my web browser.tehe

[Elynch77]

Well it has been 2009 here for almost 10 and a half hours so happy new years to all. I was supposed to leave here (Khandahar) a couple days ago but air travel in and out is busy. Should make it home by the 10th though. Once I get there we are having a little late Christmas with the kids then it is all over the northeast picking up equipment. After that into the woods and time to run tubing and build something for the first year. Hope to meet some of you soon and look forward to being back with those wonderful trees.

Ethan

[PATheron]

Ethan- What are you going to try to get put together for this year? Your going to be home for this spring season right? Theron

[Russell Lampron]

Happy New Year to all Maple Traders and their families from Red Roof Maples.

Ethan get home safe and fast. Thank you for all that you have done for this country.

Chris I have been using Mozilla for 3 or 4 years maybe more. It is much faster and safer than Internet Explorer.

The new colors jumped right out at me. I wasn't sure I was at the right site at first. Kind of John Deereish but nice. I like red homemade tractors myself.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Well, as is usually the case, it seems that the new year arrived in perfectly good order without me staying awake to greet it. I hope all the Maple Traders have a wonderful, Maple New Year. May we all score just enough new taps, and new maple toys, as well as woods time to satiate our addiction! Mt best to all.
Doug

[dano2840]

uhg no sugaring for me today, its -6 outside and gues what.....
some one for got to plug the tractor in when he got out of the sugar woods yesterday
(its a 1 man operation so you might gues who it was);)

[dano2840]

well im going to go get the husky and bring it inside and let it warm up and go play on the wood pile while i wait for the block heater to warm up the tractor

[Jim Brown]

Gary R. thanks for the offer.we are pressure washing and disinfecting tanks at the moment.Going to Lodi.Ohio on saturday morning to get the big pump and NEW trailer from Doug; he is meeting us half way(Lodi) When I get the new pump here we will be putting the new pump,vacuum pumps and generator on one trailer,(your idea) and then when we go to the main bush we hook on to the trailer and everthing goes at once! Got the new tank and releaser ready to go on the new section you helped to install Ran vac lines over the road last week.
i'll give you a call when we get the pump here may need a hand with the trailer,pump installation.Pump weight is around 550# don't want to have to move it twice!

Thanks
Jim

[HHM-07]

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL1111 Dano where do i find thisMozilla connection? I couldn't get away with the M D as my home page , the wife is a quilter and does a lot o bloging on here for that

[Russell Lampron]

Go to http://www.mozilla.com it is a free download.

[HHM-07]

Jim

I think changing with the seasons would be a good color change. I have a brother who lives in South Hadley He retired from CoBank in Springfield And is now a finanical consulting guy in Springfield, i asked him to stop by and look at your setup so don't be suprised if you have some company this season


REgards Dick

[brookledge]

Happy New Year to everbody.
With the temps so cold out today its nice to spend time catching up on the trader. But with a day off I should be doing something out side.
Keith

[mapleman3]

Dick, I'll welcome him in for sure! Funny I used to work for the company that owned the cobank building in Agawam. probably where he worked.

[Maplewalnut]

Happy New Year to all traders.

Spent the day yesterday putting in saddles. Even with the temp in the teens, 10 inches of snow and 40mph winds I managed to get about 50 done with some mainline tightening and small lateral tweeks here and there. No idea how many taps I have in right now, but with the roadside trees we 'bucket tap' I'm sure I am looking at some long boils . Can't get rid of the buckets there the honey hole of all maple sap and well the lines are already up. Like theron I haven't told my father yet how many taps we will have this year. He retired last year and well, lets just say he'll have plenty to do for a few weeks!

[Russell Lampron]

Like Kieth I am sitting here at the computer when I should be in the woods. I hate to miss a sunny day in the woods but my old and sore body doesn't like the cold as much as it used to.

[PATheron]

Guys- I know what your saying about it being cold. 3degrees here this morning. Pretty hard to work on the lines in that stuff for sure. I know what we should do, this would be a good day to GO!!! GO!!! GO!!! TAP EVERY TREE YOU CAN GET YOUR HANDS ON!!, NO TIME TO LOSE!!, SEASON JUST AROUND THE CORNER!!, CANT MISS A TREE!! Got the bush across the road pretty much done today. A little finetuning and its there. Few more taps gonna go get. Good feeling though. All gravy from here. More fun work too. Theron

[maplecrest]

happy new year all. may the price of syrup be the new years resolution. worked in the woods today 5 hours before i got tired of cold. canning syrup tonight to fill orders where it is warm

[sapsick]

happy new year fellas. -3 here at the shack today. got some good power run in and set my new blower. lots more to do when it warms up

[maple flats]

Happy new year to all Traders. We had -2 this morning at 8, Yea, I didn't get up til 8. Too cold out to be productive so I spent the day inside. Didn't even make more drops because I would have had to drive to the sugarhouse, plow the drive by tractor, tractor would have started but not easily and plowing the 2' new snow (since it started mid morn yesterday and drifts would have been big because this is light weight snow which blows around a lot.) would have been a job. Then i could have loaded the supplies into the truck and driven home to make drops BUT I just lazied all day.

[Dave Y]

It looks like Theron, maplecrest and I are the only ones that worked in the woods today. after checking beaver traps this morning i went to the woods and tied off 1200 ft of main line.made a few repairs on last years install and came home. Still have 800ft of main line to do. Have to work tomorrow so I wont get to that until sat.

[jrthe3]

dave i worked in the woods to cutting up some trees that where down on the mainline then it was down to sugar house to clean up and take some pic of the old rig and try to sell it

[dano2840]

i worked in the woods, did a little on my tank shed, about 15min worth, got sick of it because the nails stuck to your glove and you couldnt hold the nails in your mouth w/ out them sticking to your lips, so i went onto the nieghbors land and cut some poles down for the carpenter building my sugar house

[sapman]

My dad and I got the vacuum manifolds installed today. Then ran some more 5/16ths. Seems nice to be getting to more enjoyable parts of the install lately.

Tim

[Dave Y]

Its nice to see that everyone didn't lay around and get fat.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Well, I'll be honest. I've been in Michigan getting fat for the last couple of days. Rather be sugaring then dealing with a wedding, but you know how that goes. LOL!

[mountainvan]

I laid around yesterday, didn't get fat though! Took apart my new/used vacuum pump today. I got the vanes free, a bolt out of it, and got it sucking air. All it needs is a new oil seal and it's ready to make some trees skinny!

[mapleack]

I finished squirrel / deer repairs to a 200 tap woods, then tied up 300' of mainline to relocate a tank. I'll have 300' more line, but 300' less mud to drive through to get to the tank. I think I've got about 600 taps repaired and ready to tap, hopefully at least 200 more by the time it warms up. On a side note, I hope that warm up isn't until February, as my amazing girlfriend is taking me to St. Croix in two weeks! Gotta get all the tubing done quick!

[3% Solution]

Hi all,
Hope the New Year is going well for everyone!!
We're having a heat wave, a tropical heat wave, it's 19 outside!!
Getting windy again.
Well let's see it's 43 days till tapping time!
We're ready!!!!
Well, all but putting the evaporator and EEU back together!!
Tap trees and boil sap!!!
Stay safe!

Dave

[dano2840]

well im headed out it is snowing and a little windy but its a COLD wind atleast the temp is in the double didgets again!! we will see how long i last
Man i hope my $583 dollar order from bascoms finally shows up today ( i ordered on tuesday)

[jrthe3]

sold the old evap. after less the 24 hour on the trader classified
the new owner came and picked it up today hope it is as good for him as it was for me got the sugar house all put back to gather i think tomorrow i going to start stringing tubing

[mapleack]

I spent the day in the woods again, nice day in the mid 20s. Got repairs made to a 100 tap system. Some downed trees and a broken mainline wire slowed things down. As long as the weather cooperates I think 850 taps this year isn't too far fetched. Bring on the BIGSAP!!!

[dano2840]

put up about 300ft of main line today, a good day i think. it was good untill i ran out of wire ties, i was hoping my order from bascom's would be here but it wasnt:( so ive got nothing to do tomarrow, maybe i will run around with te saw and cut branches that will poke me in the face close to the maples when i run laterals, i went into the woods today and i came up on that nice looking pasture leveled of with a fresh 6" of sparkling snow, looked real pretty........and drove right down through it ( it looks better with tractor tracks any way) any way i put up my pipe and headed back through the 2 pastures and noticed some on had walked down my tractor road through these pastures and then turned around in the second one and headed back, dont know who,
the other day i went up into the woods and there were people tracks heading from the pastures and straight up into my woods! they went right into the woods and up through to the top and then back the way they came about 8 people and 2 dogs is what i got from the tracks, 2 kids. i have no idea who they were but then again im the first to take intrest in that woods for 45 years, maybe they saw me drive across the pastures every day and wanted to see what i was up to????
maybe they wanted to make sure i didnt build a meth lab with all that tubing i was carrying into the woods..hehehe LOL!!!!!!!!

[jrthe3]

dan i just picked up a roll of 1000 6 inch at home depot today for $13

[Gary R]

Went for a road trip with Jim Brown today. Meet his son, half way through Ohio. Picked up his new sap hauling trailer and their 4" sap pump. He'd better be careful or he may pump his tanks up to the top of the hill:)

We spent hours talking maple. I think we have everything figured out;)

Andy, Hello, hope things are going well!

[Clan Delaney]

Picked up some hi-intensity LED lights from my brother today - he salvaged them from a job dismantling some mall store signage. Think I mentioned them somewhewre here earlier. I've cleaned them up and tested them out and they are BRIGHT!!! You almost can 't look directly at 'em. And efficient - each set of lights only uses 1 watt, and stay cool to the touch. I'll try and post some pics. These are gonna make a great addition to the new shack.

[maple flats]

I put in another 300 of mainline today and 350' of support wire for another 300' branch line today, (in this case my main and wet lines are both 3/4") The snow was real deep on the leeward side of the woods for about 50' width or so, before that and in the woods it was about 16-20" rather light snow and a hard crust under it, but that 50' wide section just outside the woods was over 3' to the crust. It was still fluffy enough that I was able to walk it without the snowshoes. On the steep hillside it is sure slippery when I step on a piece of wood with no bark or smooth bark. I had to pick myself up a whole bunch of times. On the other side of the coin the steep hillside will help the sap flow well. This hillside runs anywhere from about a 30-60or 70% slope. The steeper parts I have to hold onto the trees to keep from sliding to the bottom, but those areas are only in a few sections on the hill, most are about 45% or a little less. I ran to the end of a roll of tubing on the branch line when I called it a day and need to add about 50' more to connect to my manifold. After this I plan to add one more branch line and then all of the latterals go sort of straight up hill. This season I will still be on gravity but I have designed it to add Vacuum hopefully next year if i can get an RO. At that time I will add a dry line above the wet line and the branch lines come into the wet line at a manifold for good vacuum up and down the system. I hope to get enough cash to add latterals and taps for 400 more at this location but I have not even begun to calculate how much 5/16 tubing I need, I will likely get 8-10 coils and go til it is gone and then guestimate how much more might be needed. I may even go up hill picking up 10-12 taps per lateral while designing it for a future branch line in the middle to devide them when I add the vac, haven't decided that yet one way or the other. It would mean tossing or re using a few feet where I cut each line in the future, but if cleaned properly that should be OK, would make good drops.

[Sugarmaker]

Folks, Should be staring to get caught up on the trader chat soon.

First, 57 years ago I came into this old world but for some reason today I felt like I was about 15!

Our son Adam, the computer whiz, was here over night and rebuilt this new computer and found all the bugs and got it set up for us.
Then our neighbor Keith came over and we worked on layout and fab for his stack base for his new arch. We started using 3/16 sst pop rivets to put it together. They really are though to install with a hand riveter, any ideas?

About 4:30 I decided to go squirrel hunting with the dong and shook some nests and came home with a nice fox squirrel. Was nice to just grab the .22 a hooded sweatshirt and go. The sky was a beautiful orange sunset and the sky above was all blue with only the moon and one star showing. Great evening! Temp was still in the low 20's.

Cheryl made one of my favorite desserts. Suet pudding, its a old recipe like a steamed raisin bread with sweet sauce, very good.

Sold $100 in maple products today while I was resting too.

Regards,
Chris

[dano2840]

dan i just picked up a roll of 1000 6 inch at home depot today for $13

6"? main line?????
i bought a whole bunch of fittings at home depot and i noticed how low the price was of wtr pipe there, i noticed there isnt as much plastic used in home depot fittings eather, they are 1/2 as thick as the ones i get in town

[jrthe3]

wire ties !!!!!

[Jim Brown]

Well Gary R. and I fixed all the Maple problems in North West Pa as he so rightly stated. Was great having him along on the trip!.(my wife is tired of hearing me talk maple when we travel)got the "BOSS PUMP" home and after some minor fixes she fired up and set and ran for about and hour. Can't wait to get some sap and or water hooked to it to see just how she will do!4 inch inlet and out let should move a ton of sap up the hill!(less wear and tear on my pick up)not to mention the MUD and the ruts.
Now have to get the vacuum pumps and the gen mounted on the same trailer as the pump and off to the woods we go. Got three more tanks to clean and disenfect and that will be done. Have our big vacuum pump(30cfm) to get remounted to the trailer it sits on and it will be ready to take to our small bush.So many things-so little time!


Jim

[brookledge]

Nice day to work outside today so I brought in some more wood into the sugarhouse. Need to replace about 150 drops in the next few weeks and then should be about ready to tap.
Keith

[dano2840]

terrable day, broke the wire, nothing worked right several unnessesary trips up and down the hill, and i ran out of pipe to boot, uhg not good

[brookledge]

Jeremy
I have about 19 cord plus a few hundred pallets. I wanted 25 cord for this year but I'm behind. So it looks as though I'll put in a call to the guy who brings me pallets. I pay $10 for a load delivered to my sugarhouse and each load is about 80-90
Keith

[dano2840]

how much wood will i need to run a 4x12 on 600 taps?
i have 11-12 cord stacked in the wood shed and about 2 out in the yard that i need to split up will that be enough>?

[brookledge]

Dano
I'm assuming you have no vac. So for estimating I'll use .25 gal of syrup per tap for the season. So with 600 taps you should get around 150 gallons of syrup.
Now as for the evaporator, depending on your efficiency lets say you can get 20 gallons of syrup per cord If you have an inferno or intenso fire arch plus a preheater you will get a higher ratio.
So with 150 gallons of syrup and 20 gal per cord you will use about 7.5 cord.
There are other factors like sugar content and how many times you start up and shut down that will affect your ratio.
When you start boiling keep track of how much syrup you make in a day and measure the wood before and after and it will give you an idea.
So you should be all set 11-12 cord.
Keith

[Clan Delaney]

Jeremy
I have about 19 cord plus a few hundred pallets. I wanted 25 cord for this year but I'm behind. So it looks as though I'll put in a call to the guy who brings me pallets. I pay $10 for a load delivered to my sugarhouse and each load is about 80-90
Keith

Keith-
Is your pallet delivery guy exclusive, or is he looking for customers? That sounds like a sweet deal for someone willing to cut 'em up.

[Revi]

Last year at this time I found all sorts of wood at the transfer station, but lately there isn't any. I still check it out, but I haven't found any for a while.

I don't get anything with nails in it, no paint or pressure treated of course.

There used to be a lot of white pine limbs, but nothing for a while.

I guess I'll have to drag some wood in from the woodlot...

[brookledge]

I'm not sure. I know I'm close by for him and he has to dispose of them. Check around Belchertown you may find a business that is paying to dispose of pallets and would be willing to give them to you free.
As for pallets it is amazing on the waste. As for manufatuers they get a product in on a pallet that is made for the products coming in but after manufactuering the pallets needed to ship out are different than those coming in.
Like I said it's a shame that I will burn a pallet that has been used once but have been told that it is too expensive to ship it back.
Keith

[Dave Y]

Ahh,Firewood dont you love it. Most of us couldn't make syurp without it! Yet it is the thing we will fall behind on the quickest. I'm looking at 31 full cords, not N.Y. cords. I hope thats enough because I have no more room for storage. and I am looking at 2300-2700 taps this spring. I should be still boiling come May 1st.:)

[dano2840]

Dano
I'm assuming you have no vac. So for estimating I'll use .25 gal of syrup per tap for the season. So with 600 taps you should get around 150 gallons of syrup.
Now as for the evaporator, depending on your efficiency lets say you can get 20 gallons of syrup per cord If you have an inferno or intenso fire arch plus a preheater you will get a higher ratio.
So with 150 gallons of syrup and 20 gal per cord you will use about 7.5 cord.
There are other factors like sugar content and how many times you start up and shut down that will affect your ratio.
When you start boiling keep track of how much syrup you make in a day and measure the wood before and after and it will give you an idea.
So you should be all set 11-12 cord.
Keith

i will be running 400 taps on vac

[gator330]

What is a "N.Y. cord" if I may ask???

[gator330]

dano

Don't you have school today?? Or are you using the school internet for something outher then your school work??

[dano2840]

yes ive got school, but when you have a free block your all set, nahh you dont do school work in school

[Clan Delaney]

yes ive got school, but when you have a free block your all set, nahh you dont do school work in school

For the first three years of high school, I busted hump - took all the accelerated courses, filled my schedule. By senior year I realized I only needed a small handful of required courses left to take to graduate. So I took them. And nothing else. I didn't take home any homework that year cuz I got it all done during my free periods. No regrets.

[dano2840]

i wont have very many classes that i will need to take next year,
more time for sugaring!
this year im going to work my scheual so i can get out 2 blocks early all i have to do is talk to the prinipal and off to the sugar house i go 2 blocks early

[Dave Y]

Gator,
a N.Y. cord is a face cord. The length of your wood x8x4. Many time I have heard folks north of the border talk about how many cord of wood they have, and when truth be know they are talking face cords not 4x4x8 cords.

[TapME]

For the first three years of high school, I busted hump - took all the accelerated courses, filled my schedule. By senior year I realized I only needed a small handful of required courses left to take to graduate. So I took them. And nothing else. I didn't take home any homework that year cuz I got it all done during my free periods. No regrets.

Did mine in 3 years and had one class in the senior year, they let me come in for that one class.

[dano2840]

I GOT MY BASCOM'S ORDER TODAY!!!!
i saw that package on my front porch and i had a grin from ear to ear, it was as good as christmas morning!
ive got to go to TSC and get some pipe and should be allset for supplies (minus tank fittings and other stuff)
YAY, i need to teach one of my retired buddies how to hang pipe, so i can get it all in on time,

[Sugarmaker]

Just finished the stainless base stack for neighbors arch. Its 6 foot high and is for 10 inch smoke stack. Took part of Sat. afternoon to do the lay out and then we put it together Sunday after noon . Keith was happy and its going to work well. One mor step closer for him to make syrup. He did find someone to make his pans too. So maybe with some luck it will come together for him.

Chris

[mountainvan]

Went up to New Hampshire this morning did a little syrup transaction. Bottled some this afternoon for delivery later in the week. Tomorrow I go in for another biopsy. Weather looks cold and snowy for a week so I'll have a chance to recoop . Driving through the Berkshires today it looked like a tornado had gone through the trees from the ice a couple weeks back.

[Dennis H.]

Here we go again, another ice storm coming.

The weatherman is telling us that we can expect 1/4-1/2" of ice over night, great. I hope it isn't as bad as they are saying. I also hope that it gets nowhere near the northeast, you all have had enough already.

I just wish we would get snow and only snow, this mixed bag of crap is for the birds.

[3% Solution]

Mountainvan,
Hope all turns out good for you!!
Where in New Hampshire did you go?

Dennis H.,
Yeah I don't like that ice stuff either, causes way too much damage.
Rather drive in 12" of snow than icy conditions.
Looks like we're in for up to 8" tomorrow and tomorrow night, could be a mix around the coast, which is typical, doesn't look like to much mix here.
Going to work in the sugarhouse tomorrow, not going anywhere!!

Dave

[mfchef54]

Dave Y not to start a war but I have never heard of a Face cord being called a NY cord. Being from NY and all. anyone Know the origin?

[mfchef54]

Good luck tomorrow Van. You are in Our Prayers

[Dave Y]

Chef,
No war here. take it as a compliment. a measure of wood named after your home state. don't know the origin

[maple flats]

I haven't heard any totals in the prediction but they did say we could get freezing rain for up to 12 hrs. That could be major if it comes to be.

[Dave Y]

It has been freezing rain here in NWPA since about 3:30 this afternoon. things look pretty ugly!

[3% Solution]

You guys with the freezing rain I feel bad for you folks!!!
That stuff really stinks!
Looks like all snow here, maybe up to 8" worth.

[mapleman3]

AHHHHHH MAN, it felt so good to be actually working on the arch tonight in the sugarhouse, The Bud came over with a 64 oz Growler of BBC steel rail pale Ale and helped with installing the arch board... I also did some welding work replacing a couple of heat bent angle irons next to the air grates.....

I have been wanting this BAD!!!

So hopefully the weather is not too bad tomorrow night so I'll be working on dry fitting the brick... man I don't think 50 will do it.... may need about 20 more.


I really hope we don't get the ice... the possibility is there for 1/4 - 1/2 inch of ice! we don't need that!! give me snow anyday over Ice!!!

[maple flats]

We are now in the middle of freezing rain. Forcast calls for up to 4 hrs more before it switches to all rain this afternoon. School is closed today thru most of central NY. Right here the ice is still not real heavy because the rain is rather light. Hopefully we don't lose power, limbs are sure to come down.
Yesterday I installed a few laterals during my 4 hrs between my morning bus run ending and lunch time and then head back to drive the pm run. I only got 3 done with the snow and climbing the steep hillside. I discovered that stepping on a limb under the snow is REAL slippery and it happened several times, loosing several feet of elevation on occasion. I needed some climbing gear and a younger body. This part sure would have been easier in August if I had been given the permission to go ahead from the landowner. I asked a few times during the summer and he kept wanting to go in to get some firewood. As it stands now I will open up areas for him to get in this next summer but most of the tubing will be able to stay up.

[Dennis H.]

It looks like we might fare pretty well down here with the ice issue. It seems that over night the temps hovered right at freezing and with all the rain that came it down it wasn't able to all freeze. we got about 1/4" so far, no major damage that I could see on my way home from work this morning.

I hope everyone else is doing well and hanging in there.

The count down has started for me, just about 3 weeks to GO-TIME!

[Revi]

Snow and sleet here. About 6 inches so far, with a couple more coming.

[dano2840]

snow sleet freezing rail, sailed off the plow like a tidal wave i wish i had a snow blower cause it would have shot it far, plus i could have used it as a sand blaster, went to tighten a line today and the wire broke right at the ratchet, the wire isnt big enough any way but it was free so i used it, put up my first 2 taps in my new sugar woods, YAY!

[Sugarmaker]

Syrup and honey sales are starting strong for 2009. Maybe more "nesting" going on as folks stay at home more?

Tomorrow may be the day for Dorsey ( grandsons) open heart surgery. It has been postponed for several weeks do to other emergency surgery's at Children Hospital in Columbus.

Delivered the tanned deer hide to Mike tonight. I think he was tickled with it.

Regards,
Chris

[mapleman3]

Chris, Our Prayers for Dorsey! but I'm sure everything will go perfectly!!

[danno]

Chris - our good thoughts go out to Dorsey and your family.

[peacemaker]

well think about you tom and send some good energy

[caseyssugarshack93]

I hope everything goes good

nate

[3% Solution]

Sugarmaker,
It is tomorrow already, how did the surgery go for the little guy??
Good I hope, we have been praying for you folks!

Dave

[dano2840]

im sure he will be just fine, hope he does well

[mapleman3]

Chris , let us know how it went, We are all pulling for the lil guy!!


Today I broke down and bought a propane pot type heater for the sugarhouse... I'm sick of working in there with no heat... I had a wood stove but it was too small and once I got the bigger evap in there I lost that extra room

this thing is 75K-125K Btus depending on what setting... holy cow does it make heat... no cold now when I'm canning or whatever in there!! Well as long as I have propane... it will suck it up fast!! so heat it up.. and set it on low once it's tempered in the shack!!!

with the weather and a meeting tonight... still no bricks in the evap... maybe some tomorrow, But Sat is a day spent in Verona at the conference!!

going to spend some $$$ there on " STUFF " ;)

[danno]

Jim, that propane heater will work nice while your bricking as well. Mortar sets up alot nicer if your not bricking in 15 degree weather.

[Sugarmaker]

To all the maple traders,
I must admit you guys are awesome!:)
Dorsey and a heart chamber and a valve repaired today. And at 2:00 was recovering and doing better than the doctors expected!
Cheryl and I sincerely thank you very much for your responses, they have all been greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Chris Casbohm
and the David, Stacy and Dorsey Logan family

I hope I can get him into the sugar house in 2010!!:D

[sapman]

To all the maple traders,
I must admit you guys are awesome!:)
Dorsey and a heart chamber and a valve repaired today. And at 2:00 was recovering and doing better than the doctors expected!
Cheryl and I sincerely thank you very much for your responses, they have all been greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Chris Casbohm
and the David, Stacy and Dorsey Logan family

I hope I can get him into the sugar house in 2010!!:D
Chris, as I read your message late tonight after bottling, I see that prayers for Dorsey have been answered! That's great! Hope all continues well for him!

Tim

[Pete33Vt]

Glad to hear all is well Chris and you are all still in our prayers.

[3% Solution]

Chris,
That's great to hear.
Keep us posted!!!
We'll keep him in our prayers
He'll be there in 2010.
Stay safe and keep warm!!

Dave

[mapleack]

Thats great news Chris!

[Revi]

Chilly here! No chance of tapping around here. I'll bet the big boys are tapping up north soon, though. They start way before the sap runs just to get them all tapped.

[mountainvan]

Well I'm back on my feet again. Spent a little more time in the hospital than I'd like, but what you going to do. Chris, great news on your grandson. Delivered syrup today, that's my work extent for the last couple days.

[mapleman3]

Chris, Glad to hear the good news!!

Danno...older Danno that is ;) yes I'm hoping that it will keep it warm enough while bricking to help cure also....

Mountainvan... great to have you back on your feet... makes it much easier to sugar!! ;)

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

So Van, what was the diagnosis?? We hope and pray you are still cancer free??

[caseyssugarshack93]

Good to hear that the little guys doing better:D

hope everything is going good with u van too.



nate

[3% Solution]

Mountainvan,
Glad to hear your back on your feet.
Hoping there is nothing there!!!!!!

Dave

[mfchef54]

glad to hear your back.

[Sugarmaker]

MountainVAN,
You are a inspiration for all us maple producers. I sometimes get tired just reading the things you are doing. And I know you are pushing yourself. I hope your maple work is a therapy and helps you to improve. Glad you are doing well.

Regards,
Chris

[royalmaple]

Hi, my name is Matt and I like to drill holes in maple trees.

[jrthe3]

matt your back i been waiting to see video of that fire wood machine

[3% Solution]

Hey Matt,
How's everything going?
Glad to see you back here!!
What say you?

Dave

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Spent aprox 3 hours this morning and with my brother helping me, fell several trees and cut them up and should have aprox 6 cord by the time it is split and hauled in which should be about enough to fill up the wood shed for 2010 season. Everything we cut was locust and about all of it was standing dead and well seasoned for a few years. Sure will make good firewood as the evaporator likes locust the best! I don't normally cut wood for next season until the season is over and am usually in the woods by myself, so I was glad to get a little help. I would guess we cut 10 to 12 loose truck loads and never touched the chains on the saws. I have a Stihl 310 and he has a Stihl 046 and they made short work of the wood as locust is the hardest wood I have ever seen and if it is dry and seasoned, it is the closest thing to a rock you will ever cut with a chainsaw.

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

hi matt
i like drilling holes also

RICH

[maplecrest]

just got back from the bellows falls maple school for southern vermont. forget anything you learned last year all new this year. stainless instead of plastic fittings for mainlines. oil instead of antifreeze or water to cool liquid ring pumps.a big thing on asian beetle.alot of sugamaker that boil high consentrate and the problems that they have. major causes for leaks in the woods and at the pump station. most leaks are multi fittings, loose spouts and plastic fittings in the mainlines.and connecting to your releasers.was a good day did not get to talk to everyone i wanted to.

[mapleman3]

Thanks Webmaster Ted for putting the new banner up. Thanks Clan Delaney for the design. On the bus back from the NY conf. I have 5000 ft of tubing in the cargohold. Meta few more traders today at the show. And I spent a bunch of money!!! Also picked up a 2 handled tubing tool!!can't wait to use it.

[dano2840]

installed 47 taps today, good day, 25 out with out a cloud in the sky and no wind, i liked it out in the woods alot today, had fun even though it was just me out there

[Dennis H.]

Ah Dang it, Jim you were at the NY Conf? I sure would have liked to meet yeah. I left a little early to beat it back home before all the snow came in Scranton.
5 hrs of driving and about 3 1/2 of it was on snow covered I-81 oh what fun.

I did have a good time at the Conf though, I aslo got to meet Chris of "MapleGuys"

[Dave Y]

We picked up about a foot of snow here today. I worked in the woods for 3hrs finished my expansion today. that is a relief. Now i can wash and plumb tanks, install a couple of pumps put pipe up on a couple of road side bushes. get the sap hauler inspected. Yea I'm about ready to tap

[Maplewalnut]

Ahhhh locust wood...just love it. Dries quickly and burns real hot.

Brandon...try supplementing it with some cedar, I had some jumping sap last year with that combo. If it needed a kick start, in went a piece of pallet.

[dano2840]

i like cedar and locust, thats when you need to have your cream or 1/2n1/2 on hand to control the flue pan!:D

[sapman]

Maplecrest, so plastic fittings are on the way out, eh? I assume this refers to any insert fittings? I know that anytime I go on service calls for jet pumps, I always replace the plastic fittings with brass ones. The plastic are often a source of a leak on the suction side, making it very similar to a vacuum situation.

I'll be sure to keep a close eye on my connections this year.

Tim

[royalmaple]

There's a new king pin in So. Maine.

Theron's on his way home after coming up for a bit last week. I couldn't have got it done with out his help. We (he) kicked some major butt. Tap count is through the roof. Big sap is something for you guys to shoot for but I'm going for Tsunami sap. More of a tidal wave effect than a slow flooding of lowlands.

I am going to single handidly drop the price of syrup when I hit the market. you guys might want to find out when I set the market so you can sell ahead of me and get a better price.

[3% Solution]

Good morning Matt,
Glad to see you back!!
So, what's the count!!!
Snowing up there??

Dave

[royalmaple]

Should be crowding 2500 this year all total.

[3% Solution]

Matt,
That should keep you off the streets!!!!!

[Russell Lampron]

Dave, Matt will be on the streets trucking sap from his sugar bush back to his sugar house. I won't be doing that anymore. My trees are all on my own land now and I only have to pump the sap up the hill. The sap hauler has been demoted to just wood hauler now.

[royalmaple]

Trucking will be my middle name this year for sure. That's ok. Bring it on. I might fire up the RO today to get it warmed up.

I tested a couple small reds behind the sugarhouse the other day. They were in the sun, it was 28 degrees and they were running. Sap was 2%.

[PATheron]

The whole time we were working on Matts lines I was laughing inside thinking how screwed he would be. Cant wait till season. He should have some BIGSAP for sure. He'll get it in the barrells no prob he'll just be a little busy now and then. Itll be fun to see him scramble though. Jeff- I wonder if the plastic fittings are a prob if they are installed with the mainline tool? Maybe its just if they are put on by hand or heated becouse mine seem like a pretty good fix with them being put on cold with the tool they are basically pressed on. I guess maybe Ill find out becouse Ill be down to around 1.5 cfms this year and I have a ton of fittings with all the dry lines and valves etc. See how high the vac stays and that will tell the tale. Gotta hook some stuff up now, releaser, tanks etc, then if everythings complete were back to the taps. Stole a bunch of Matts stuff when I was up there gonna hit more trees till it warms up. BIGGGG-SAPPPPPPPPPP EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Theron

[brookledge]

Well spent most of the last 24 hours dealing with snow. More storms for Tue. and Thur. and then an artic blast will be here so it looks like I won't be doing to much outside this week. Got some drops to replace so I'll probably make them up inside and wait for temps back to freezing or alittle over.
Keith

[Maplewalnut]

Matt...you the man! Are you running it with a one man show or are you recruiting some help?

[Sugarmaker]

I commandeered the kitchen today for making maple products.
A batch of Hot maple BBQ ,
batch of Reg maple BBQ ,
batch of Hot Maple Mustard and a
batch of Reg maple mustard (about 3.5 gallons of syrup).
Also canned a half gallon of some light syrup for a guy at work too.

Our granddaughter Marly and grandson Mike stopped over with there mom and I just had to make a batch of Marly's special PAP candy ( maple candy) She shoved it in about as fast as it cooled.

08 Syrup is just about gone it was a good 08 season, We are only a month or so away from starting to have some 09 syrup.

Chris

[PATheron]

ALERT, ALERT!! This is a test of the emergency BIGSAP system. This is only a test. If this was a real alert it would be followed by tank cleaning recommendations, time and duration of potential sap flows etc. Just spied a potential run day on January 25th for the northeastern Pa area. 40 degree plus day. Could be the first run. Only thing is its on Accu (feelgood weather) so who knows. Ill be watching this developing situation like a hawk. More details to come. The(bigsapzar)roon.

[Russell Lampron]

Theron get those drill batteries charged and the tapping bit in the chuck. Don't want to miss a drop!

[royalmaple]

Theeeeeeron-

THat is something I have going with accuweather. I called and paid them a lot of money to put in some phoney weather for you to get you excited. Glad you are watching it like a hawk. Check the weather every 10-15 minutes incase the 15 day forecast changes.

Still spitting a little snow today. Glad the tubing is strung. Now when we get 100 feet of snow I don't have to work in it. Just drill little holes.

mike, this is a 1 man punishment band. I don't want any help they would just slow me down. I want to feel all the pain, so that I can say I earned it.

Tapping, walking lines, collecting and trucking sap, and processing it into barrels. I might be boiling in June in case any of you guys want to stop over when your season is done. I'll still have sap.

[Dave Y]

Matt,
I'll bet i am boiling as long as you . I may be pushing 3000 this year. Once I get sap I don't think I will see the bottoms of my tanks until it is long over.

[Jim Brown]

Hey Dave are you going to make the meeting Edinboro in Jan/ Missed you last year!
Jim

[Dave Y]

Jim,
I am hoping to. But I don't know for sure. I want to go visit my daughter a weekend before sugaring starts and I am going to my sons the 30th of the month. So that leaves me little time on weekends. I guess I will have to get to work in the evenings.

[dano2840]

well didnt do much yestarday, pulled some 3/4 main line out of a sugar woods thats going to get logged off, it was 15 outside yestarday morning maybe colder but that orange mainline was brittle because it was so cold, i was starting to have second thoughts about it but with only 250 feet to put up or so im just going to get it up there on a warm day, also i think im going to run some of it onto the nieghboring piece of property and pick up about 20 soft maple and 20 rock maple, and just keep pounding out the laterals after school and on the weekends

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Theron,

It will take more than one 40+ day to get things thawed out after this artic blast we are getting this week.

[Dave Y]

Brandon,
I was going to tell him that also, but I didn't want to dash his hopes.

[PATheron]

Im watching for a trend you guys. Ill have to see how the days start to line up. Probly a false alarm and thats all right, that will give me more time to get more taps in. Kind of want another 200 anyway. You guys know theres nothing I like better than BIGSAP. Cant wait to hear the first SPLUSH! Hope you guys are getting ready becouse I think this is going to be another humdinger year. I got that feeling. Theron

[Revi]

I'm going to the Ag Trade Fair in Augusta on Wednesday, but they didn't have all that much on Maple sugaring last year. I can't make it to the maple meetings, but I hope there's something cool to check out this year.

See you there. I'll probably get there around 3pm.

[dano2840]

Im watching for a trend you guys. Ill have to see how the days start to line up. Probly a false alarm and thats all right, that will give me more time to get more taps in. Kind of want another 200 anyway. You guys know theres nothing I like better than BIGSAP. Cant wait to hear the first SPLUSH! Hope you guys are getting ready becouse I think this is going to be another humdinger year. I got that feeling. Theron

is a humbdinger year good? it is right? i hope so, it needs to be to pay off all this debt this thing called sugaring has laid on me

[PATheron]

Dano- Humdinger means the sap is going to run HARRRRRRD!!! I just try to get everyone fired up like I am. What the heck, syrupin is supposed to be fun not serious. Theron

[mountainvan]

I got back in the woods today after a week off from tubing. Today was reengineering a 12 year old tubing layout to vacuum, tomorrow is adding new trees to the system. I have to make 100 droplines tonight. I'm not expecting to tap till Feb. this year. With as cold as it's going to get this week it will take awhile for the trees to thaw out.

[NH Maplemaker]

I always take my fun serious !!!!!!

[Russell Lampron]

Theron that 40 degree is just the first day of the January thaw. It should be warm for at least 3 or 4 days after that one. Keep an eye on that forecast!

[dano2840]

Dano- Humdinger means the sap is going to run HARRRRRRD!!! I just try to get everyone fired up like I am. What the heck, syrupin is supposed to be fun not serious. Theron

YAY! thats what i hoped it meaned, its fun until its 2 am and every one left the sugar house at 10 and youve been in there for 4 hours alone, then its not so much any more, but that was in my tent sugar house, this year im gunna have a real sugar house and the friends at school have already got plans to through a few big ol partys in it so we will see

[Haynes Forest Products]

Dano2840 Thats when things go really bad. Anytime there is more than 6 people in my shack I need to have a babysitter in there. I cant consentrate on all the things that NEED to be done and I leave a crucial step out like filling the head tank or drawing off and thats when the big shiny brown bubbles start to form........YIKES

Thats when you should do your homework

[3% Solution]

PA,
I use the National Weather Service, Gray Maine to get the weather for here and it's pretty accurate.
I'm not sure what you need for your local weather, go to Gray, Maine and scroll out to where you are and click on the map and you'll have it.
Now, I'll give you a little hint, any forecast beyond three days is not very dependable and the further out it gets the less dependable it is, so your forecast for (I think) the 25th ain't worth squat!!
Sorry pal, but that's the truth of the matter.
Just for grins and chuckles try thank weather site.

Dave

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Haynes,

Just curious how you clean out your pans with oven cleaner?? Do you use it on the syrup pan and flue pan and do you just spray it and then pressure what it out or what goes on and what kind do you use?? I am always curious to see how others do things.

[3% Solution]

Dano,
As Haynes said that's when things go real bad!!!!!
You've got to much invested to be having parties there!!!
If you start having parties there you will not get any customers while your boiling.
The public likes a nice clean and professional operation and I am sure you'll give them that!!
Only my thoughts, not trying to be a jerk here!

Dave

[jrthe3]

i like it best in the sugar house when it just me and my fire man any more people in there just get in the way and there to much hot stuff to be bumping into people


well this weekend if the snow not blowing to hard i going to start pulling blue in the woods it looks like it will be a fun year i will have all the time of the day to boil no job to worry about i tapping every tree that will stand still long enough for me to get a hole in it when the vac pump shows up i am hooking it to as many tree as i have time to

[Haynes Forest Products]

WVM From day 1 I could never get my flue pan clean by filling it with pan cleaner and scrubbing or soap. We would fill it up and boil the water and cleaner and scrub and swear. This year I broke it all down and was going to just power wash it and then it dawned on me that all the crud was both oily build up and minerals so I got to thinking when I clean my work bench with a solent like mineral spirits the spilled coke stays behind and that was what got me to spray E Z off oven cleaner on it. I had it standing on its end and with the $65 elec power washer it came out like new. Sprayed it on let it sit for about 1hr and out it came. I found trying to clean the pans with other cleaners the gunk would just jell back on and smear. I think a garden hose would work just fine. heating with oil I found that when I cleaned the bottom of the flues the soot would float and get all over the place so the oven cleaner help contain it and it didnt float on the water and spread.

[Revi]

I just read a book on maple sugaring and I realized that I am itching for the season to start again. Like baseball players wait for spring.

I still have a lot to do, so it can hold off a while.

We still need to put up some more taps.

It's getting near, though.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Haynes,

Are you not concerned somewhat about any of the residue of the oven cleaner being left behind in the pans and contaminating the next batch of syrup as it always seemed pretty strong to me.

[mfchef54]

Haynes,
I agree with WVM, aren't you concerned about residue? As A chef when cleaning the ovens at work there is always a residual smell that comes off the oven at the first use. having said that I guess I'm confused. Are we talking about cleaning the inside or the bottom of the pan? If we are talking about the inside I am wondering where the "oily" comes from?

[Jeff E]

I hear you easterners talking about tapping in late Jan or Feb and thats makes me think, when do you finish your season?

Very seldom do we in Wis tap in late Feb. We are usually in March, and are done by mid April. We get 6 or 7 weeks of potential season.

In that time we go from snowshoes to turkey hunting in tee shirts!!!

FYI, this morning, it was minus 25 at home, and on my way to work near Minong WI it was minus 31. Now that will get your attention in a hurry.

[mapleman3]

that's the kind of attention I don't like.... brrrrrrrr I work in a school system on HVAC... the last thing I want is a frozen school and it going on the news.... thats good for my job reputation...NOT!!!... it happens but I'd rather it didn't

[Dave Y]

Jeff E
I normally tap Presidents day weekend.And I have boiled as late as April 25th. Here it depends on the elevation a lot. there is a board member that is about 40 miles east of me and 30 miles south. He is typically done at the very least 2 weeks before me and he will tap around the same time as me. I am 30 miles North of I 80 and60 miles from the Ohio border.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I usually tap around Feb 1 to 10th and am done around March 21st. Last year, I tapped last Sat in January.

[Dennis H.]

This year I will plan on setting the taps the end of Jan, Last year I waited till Pres day and I think I missed out on the early stuff.

I think for me once this cold snap is over and it starts to above freezing it will be go time for me, but you just never can tell what the weather will do next.

[mountainvan]

I finally finished the new tubing install up the road. Lots of little sap ladders so the family who owns it can walk/ski through the woods easily. Got to love vacuum! I received news last night that I am still cancer free.

[dano2840]

UHG WHERE DID THIS GOD AWFUL COLD COME FROM?
how am i suposed to work in the woods w/ it like this?

[mapleman3]

Van that is great news! And your getting a lot done. Your an inspiration! Now I should get going on my stuff! I'm slacking!

[Dave Y]

DanO
You put your long handles on and your mucklucs and go get er dun!

[mfchef54]

great news van on both fronts

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Alright Van! Now you got to go for the syrup!

[ennismaple]

UHG WHERE DID THIS GOD AWFUL COLD COME FROM?
how am i suposed to work in the woods w/ it like this?

Layers, layers and more layers! As long as I can keep my feet, head and hands warm I enjoy working in really cold weather. I plan to stretch a couple hundred taps worth of semi-rigid on Saturday morning and it's supposed to be close to -30 overnight. I enjoy a challenge...

Congrats on the great news Mountainvan!

[Jeff E]

Agreed-Great news Van.

That is better than any Tsunami sap, magic whizbang RO or hyper efficient evaporator news!

We have a limited time, it is just great to have it be a little less limited!!!!

[jrthe3]

got the vac pump today going to start to hook it up this week end hope to have it all ready for the season how far do you all think i could run a dry line to a second releaser i was thinking like a mile is that to far

[Dave Y]

Just came in from working on a road side bush.I am putting 3/4" pipe in it so my sap collectors won't have to climb up and down the bank with buckets. I will probably get twice as much sap, just from it not being spilled.I love this weather,cold snowing and blowing. Thank God for Hi-tech clothing. I don't have to wear all that heavy clothing to stay warm. I haven't even had to get the wool out yet,but I think it may be coming.

[dano2840]

its nasty out i worked in the woods for an hour and i must have gotten a bad pair of foot warmers cause they lasted for 30 minutes, UHG

[maple flats]

I never got along with those foot warmers. I just wear a pair of heavy cotton socks (not the best choice) and a pair of med wt wool blend socks under a pair of Muck boots. As long as I am not keeping motionless my feet are good. And my circulation is not as good as it was 40 years ago, (or 50 or sixty for that matter) but proper layering sure does help. I got the Muck boots by default in Jan 04 when I was first building my sugarhouse. I had another pair of boots that I bought during Dec of 03 and they cracked along the back just above the heal. When i took them back to complain they said to pick out another pair. I looked and they were out of my size in what I thought I wanted, and all they had in my size was the muck boots. At first I looked at them and was going to decline because they were made in China but then I realized I would have to order something to work on my future sugarhouse in and did not want to wait. That was the best thing that ever happened as far as boots go. These were light weight, pull on insulated packs but they turned out to be the first pair i ever owned that kept my feet warm without being so heavy they wore me out walking in them. The insulation looks to be the same as a neoprene insulated dry suit, very light and warm and comfortable. They are now the only thing I will buy as long as i can find them. By the way, i am still wearing the same pair, with a few rips in the outer covering but I still do not get a wet foot. Like I say, warm if i am moving, not quite warm enough when i sit on deer stand for colder weather long sits. To be the warmest try a pair of wool liner socks or one of the new synthetic moisture wicking socks as a 1st layer, then a med wt wool sock and then a pair of Muck boots. Buy the boots big enough so they are slightly loose but not too loose with the sock layers on.

[dano2840]

my feet sweet to much when i double up, even with single wool socks, ivefound the foot warmers work well w/ heavy wool socks because they keep my feet from sweeting

[Parker]

This weather is how Jeasus shows his childred he loves us! I suffer threw summer AND HOPE TO GET A LITTEL OF THIS GOOD STUFF!!!!!! Was down in the sugar house getting my Mr. heater- propane flame wand-battery boster pack and a couple 20LB propane tanks when I found this list,,,writtten in the last days of the 08 season:
-----------------------------------
-2009 priorites-

#1 Airtight front

#2 Big blower-brick grates

#3 ready to tap by Feb.15 (all lines checked)

#4 Permanent Elec. and water to sugarhouse

#5 40 cords in the shed

#6 get your thumb out of your a$$ and tap 400 new trees


Well,, the air tight front is at the welders,,its possibel Ill have brick grates and the big blower hooked up, REALLY slacking checking the lines, gonna be the welder for elec. and the preheater for water in the sugarhouse agine,did get 24 cords of real nice wood in (another 20 unsplit outside),,400 looking questionable at this point,,,TTHHHEEERRROONN- can some of that up and send it up here,,I have some odds and ends to work on,,,

[PATheron]

Parker- You gotta WANNNNNNT IT!! If I didnt have a town job Id be right up. Ive come to the conclusion everything takes at least twice as long as a guy thinks usually more. Seems like youve got to dang near kill yourself to get anything done. Gotta figure your at least as good as you were last year and if you get one thing done on the list its a huge success. Brother always tells me, while hes playing guitar hero in his jamys, if I just keep doing a little every day Ill get the syrup stuff done. Its nice to have his support like that. Just keep keepin on buddy youll get it. Theeeron

[caseyssugarshack93]

high of -5 today didnt get to work in the woods out of supplies hoping to be in the woods by the weekend and finish up this one line.

sounds like you doing good van

cancer free :D\
thats always good to hear


nate

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

If you are working in wet conditions where rubber boots are justified or for hunting, it is hard to beat Cabelas Duratrax boots for comfort. They are lighter than about any other boots including muck boots and they are built on a tennis shoe platform and are very comfortable. Sometimes I walk 6 miles or more in a day hunting in them and my feet never get sore or uncomfortable and they are very warm and available without insulation, 800 gram and 1200 gram Thinsulate.

[sapman]

I definitely agree with Dave that the Arctic Sport Muckboots are a great thing! I've had Lacrosse Iceman(warm but heavy) and some tall Lacrosse that were great, but the muck boots stay dry and warm. I was out all afternoon in 10 degree weather with just a pair of lite cotton socks, and was fine as long as I was busy. Or I like my alpacas socks when I'm not moving around as much.

Tim

[PATheron]

Jrthe- What are you running for a vac pump? Theron

[jrthe3]

Siemens nash elmo gas ring 6 hp 35 cfm

[3% Solution]

Mountainvan,
That is absolutly great, wonderful!!!!

Dave

[dano2840]

got in a lil sqermish w mom last night got grounded uuggghhhh, its 17 below outside any way so i wasnt planning on working in the woods any way. so i gues its ok. still makes me kinda mad.................... she just has her days where if you say "hi" you've already done some thing wrong. idk what i did last night she asked me if we had a smaller screw driver and i said no (ididnt know of a smaller one than the one in her hand) she said to come help her look for one, i said i cant help you if we dont have a smaller one and it went dow hill from there,
well needed a place to vent, thanks for listening, couldnt vent to my friends in mid terms today as we werent alowed to talk but now im waiting for a friend to finish up a little thing he had for band to give me a ride home, maybe i will sneek into the woods, moms not suposed to be home til 12:30 ish any way! maybe not, i dont think i plugged the ol jd in so i doubt shes gunna fire up and come play with me, probably will just split up some wood.

[Jeff E]

Dan, Don't push it man!!!

When the momma lion is cross, stay clear. The last thing you want to do is deliberately put yourself in from of the claws!

Next time, volunteer to do the dishes or dinner, takes 30 minutes and buys you way more time and trust for future 'I gotta get the woods work done' times.

Hang in there little bro!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

and one of those days she will be gone or be so far away you hardly get to see her and then you will wish she was back around. One of these days, you will be in her shoes with ambitious teenagers that need thousands of dollars for an RO or car, etc! LOL

[dano2840]

im staying right here in vt she wont go far away
my kids are gunna work in my sugar house not start their own, So y would they ask me for thousands of dollars?.........................hehehe
the only other problem i have right now is
I STILL NEED AN EVAPORATOR!!!!

[3% Solution]

Hey Dano,
You got a job?

[dano2840]

in tha summer time, right now my job is go to school hang pipe, 5 days aweek and then hang pipe hang pipe on the weekends

[3% Solution]

Dano,
What's your summer job?

[mapleman3]

Picked up the gate keys yesterday for my north bush. took a ride in, everything looks great. I'll start in there putting up mainline on Sunday.
This morning its a tad nippy a- -11 so maybe I should add a layer or wear a hat. Just starting to get cold ;)

[dano2840]

Dano,
What's your summer job?
cuttin' grass
but i gues the real job tittle is professional landscaper, we do a tiney bit of land scaping but we mow 5 days a week, i started out as the trimmer guy, and did a tiney bit of mowing on the ZTRs but then his other guy who had worked for him for years left to work for a company where he could get benifits, and gues who gotta promotion! since he left most of the day is on the ZTR. They're big yella hustlers. "the worlds fastest mower" and they are, on a soccer field thats probably 6-7 acres we have it mowed in 40-50 min, they do 15mph and he tells me to go as fast as they can on the straight aways, he asked me if i would work this summer, i said yes then he said good now i can give you your raise.
$12 an hour, YAY!

i like it, reg hours, Its nicer than the irregular hrs working on the farm, and the moneys better, leaves more time to get my personal work done, like mowing my own accounts,....... Ididnt have a car last year so i would drive my mowers down the road, thats how i got them there and thats how i got them home. also leaves time to get my sugaring stuff done like putting up sugar wood, and other logging, brush hogging, garden making, and all the other things ppl hire me for....

[dano2840]

yestarday i tried to fire up the vac pump, i gues it doesnt work well when its 2 degrees, it plugs in hard to the extension cord, when the motor fired up and was struggleing i started to wiggle the plug to get it out of the extension cord, before i could get it unplugged it tripped the GFI outlet on the outside of my house, then i went to reset it to plug my tractor back in and i think it was froze up cause the reset button wouldnt reset it. NOW HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET INTO THE WOODS IF THE TRATER WONT START????

[dano2840]

ok we had a 90 min delay and im finaly at school ive gotta take my drivers licence test in about 10 min, its -24 outside, my feet are hurting some thing terrable from waiting for the bus gotta thaw them out so i can drive w/ my drivers ed teacher and get my license! it doesnt matter any way if i cant afford to pay the insurace because sugarings used up my money. im gunna get on my moms insurance but its still 700 bucks, uggggggg

[3% Solution]

mapleman3,
Yup, getting cold here too ................ -22 last night!!!!
Now that'll put a snap in your shorts!!!

Dano,
Sounds like you've got a good summer job there (plus your own work).
When I was your age I worked in the cemetary department, like you say it was steady and the pay was good.
Good luck on your driver's test!!!

Dave

[caseyssugarshack93]

-34 here cancelled school. starting to warm up its about -16 now WOO

[3% Solution]

caseyssugarshack93,
Yow-sires!!!!
Ok you keep it!!!!
It's 8 here now!!
We're having a heat wave, a tropical heat wave!!!!

Dave

[dano2840]

GUES WHAT!
I PASSED MY LICENCE EXAM!!!!!!! ONLY 2PTS off your allowed 20 off!
YEAYA!!!! gunna go up to dads at 2:30 and then to maple school tomorrow!!
then probably will tool around on dad's sled on sunday, havent riden a sled all year, gunna be cold but fun!
if any of you traders are going to the maple school in hyde park tomorrow im a bout 5 7 brown hair and have a john deere hat on witha ripped brim, probly in a F&S camo coat. i think we all have to wear name tags any way

[Haynes Forest Products]

Danno just dont go do somthing stupid and end up in jrthe3s woods he has cameras and guard dogs and a lawyer on retainer.

[mountainvan]

Bottled close to a barrel of syrup last two days, and made some fantastic maple cream and sugars. Went and got more bottles today plus a lapierre small releaser. Nice unit except for only one hole on top of the top chamber for the vacuum to hook to. No holes for the sap to come into to. Kind of defeats the purpose of the releaser if I can't hook it up to my tubing! Kind of like building a house and forgeting to hook it any utilities. And no, I'm not even thinking of doing it myself. Guess I'll see how customer friendly lapierre is now.

[Gary R]

That's pretty fun Haines!

[jrthe3]

he not on retainer he is in the family

[mapleack]

Enjoy the cold all, I'm off to St. Croix in the morning. No, I'm not trying to rub it in. Maybe. Though take comfort in the fact that I'll be pondering how the hell I'm going to have time to get all the sugaring stuff ready when we get back!

[Sugarmaker]

Andy, You just go ahead and leave us up here in the frigid tundra.:)
Chris

[Sugarmaker]

Forgot to mention that the lack of adequate antifreeze in the Chrysler may have rendered it a pile of useless metal and rubber today. Its setting in the semi heated garage tonight:) -12 degrees in NWPA this morning. Throw another log on and hunker down!

Chris

[Jim Brown]

Hey Chris what the lastest on the little guy?

Jim

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

I think they are keeping it updated under the ITS ALL ABOUT FAMILY section.

[gearpump]

How do you know when the "maple bug" is more then a little bite?!...When you put $800.00 worth of kitchen cabinits in the sugarhouse kitchen even though the ones in your own house are falling apart, and the sink is about to drop thru the countertop! Yup, thats what we've been doing. We tried all the salvage yards and discount lumber stores, but got new stuff so it would all match and look good. Also gave the walls a $80.00 paint job. Syrup sales were out of control the last couple of months so we decieded to finish the sugarhouse kitchen before the season starts. Its hard to make confections, cream, and candy when all the pans and stuff are stored in boxes and stacked on each other. I can't wait till its done. I have been working on this dream for a long time :)........

Marty

[Dave Y]

I have been working on a road side bush putting it on tubing. I have the pipe installed and the saddles on. I am going to put the drops on today. I think I will wait till later in the day to go out as it is -10 at this time. cold tools in your hands at this temp is kind of uncomfortable.
Mapleack go to St Croix, who cares there are no maple trees there! :)

[maplekid]

well im almost ready for sugaring time. finally got some pics up so tell me if its working or not.

[Sugarmaker]

Maple kid,
Looks like your in business!

I talked to Keith (Neighbor) today and he just ordered a roof jack for 10 inch stainless to go through his garage roof. He said it was pricey! Hope we offset some of the cost by fabing his 6 foot stack base from free stainless sheet!
He wants to get hoods on it too. If he doesn't this year he will have a lot of steam in the building!

I think I better go Cheryl is working on a sugar house puzzle. Its a fall picture of a old sugar house near Peacham Vt.

-12 degrees again last night.

Regards,
Chris

[jrthe3]

was 6 here today try to work outside but nothing would work so went in to build my releaser got a good start just have to order top and bottom caps for main chamber going to use 1/2 inch plexy glass

[jrthe3]

here one more

[mapleman3]

Boyd thats coming along great I'll take one?

Picked up a 400'roll of 1/2 blue for the smaller side of the north bush, I will be putting up all the mains tomorrow and Monday, it will still be cold and the main line will be tough to work with.... I figure to stretch it out best I can with ropes , then tighten it up and let it be and pull tighter on monday when its around 30 deg out(balmy compared to the -15 this morning)

Mass Maple had it's annual Mtg today and a good talk on the ALB, great presentation from Robert Childs of the UMASS Extension. Still looks grimm for the Worcester Ma. area with the possibility of 20-30000 trees that could be taken down.

[peacemaker]

what a deal i got today ....here is what i got 1- 500 gal drum 2 -30 gal drums 2-275 gal totes 3 -5gls jugs 18 ft of 10 inch stack roof jack stack cover and base stack 2x6 leader raised flue lead free 2002 evap.. the pans are mint arch needs a little work ... all delivered to the front door of my sugarhouse with a small crew to move it in all for a grand total of $1800 thanks valley view

[dano2840]

went to the maple school today in hyde park, IT WAS THE BEST DAY OF SCHOOL IVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE!!
it was awsome and i learned alot. for any one whos hasnt gone you dont know what your missing, if i could i would go to it again, i learned all about tubing and vac, i learned that all saddles except for the ipl ones are basically junk and even the ipl ones you have to shim w/ a piece of pipe or it leaks, and learned simple ways to check for leaks etc, the guy who talked about the multi fittings had 4000 taps on a 1 hp vac, runs it all season, and gets 3/4 gal per tap, it was nuts, he also said go w stainless fittings because all of the plastic fittings will cause ice blockage, he did a test which you or i could repeat which u have 2 pipes one w/ a plastic conecter and on w a ss con. fill them w/ water and lett it freeze and keep them outside and the ice in the ss will fall out in 2 hrs where he said it had been a week since the ss ice fell out but he took them to a confrence and the one w the plastic fitting the ice didnt fall out until he was in the autotorium in the middle of a seminar a week later, i couldnt believe it. saw spike vasseure and estman long from in the valley down in my town. cool to be there, was told by many of the people there that "you need to sign up to be the maple king" as they handed me the sign up sheet. i get 500$ if i win and i have to speek at a bunch of places and be at the farm show etc. but i think i have a good shot at it!

[caseyssugarshack93]

Going to maple school jan 30 at miners insutute
my buddy mike parker told me about it and wants me and my dad to go.

[maplwrks]

DanO---There is another maple school next weekend in Middlebury if you want some more schooling. Hey!, aren't you the kid that doesn't like school????

[Dave Y]

we picked up another 5" of snow last night. It is still coming down. another 1-2 today,they say. Last night was 1-3. Doesn't look like anyone will be tapping any time soon. I will have to strap on the snow shoes to work in the woods. At this rate I will need them again this year to set my taps.

[jrthe3]

i with you dave we got about 6" last night yesterday i went out on the snow machine there where places in the woods on the edge of the feild where the snow is like 8 FEET deep a few year back it was like that and i taped with snow shoes when the season was over had to take a ten foot ladder out in the woods to pull my taps

[dano2840]

DanO---There is another maple school next weekend in Middlebury if you want some more schooling. Hey!, aren't you the kid that doesn't like school????

if i can find a ride YOU BET I WILL GO!!!!, are you gunna go???
this is the best school ive ever gone to, you dont have to raise your hand to ask questions, you can get up and leave if you want to, you dont have to ask to go to the bathroom, and you cant get detention or get suspended, (ive never had to deal with either, im just not that much of a badboy) what more could you ask for and you learn about maple all day!!! i <3 maple school!! hehehe, i just wish i had brought money, lappiare had $42 rolls of tubing, uhhhhhhhhhh, and i need to sign up for the vt maple sugar makers assn, plus ive got a bunch of old mercry thermometers and a merc. hydrometer that you can trade in for new ones, theyre all digital and fancy, and you dont have to pay any extra!! just trade 'er in. its great, i learned alot and talked to lapierre about a vac releaser, they are the only ones who have a used one, say does any one have a releaser they are willing to sell???????

[jrthe3]

dan build one i think i got it figured out will find out when i hook up the vac pump and suck some water out of a bucket

when all said and done i have about $300 into it and about 4 hours

[Sugarmaker]

NWPA maple folks and all,
Northwest PA Maple producers are having their annual members meeting Jan 24 starting 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM lunch is free for the first member joining and $7.00 for guests. It will be held at the Edinboro PA Fire hall. Several speakers including Gary Graham from Ohio State and our own Jim Brown.

See you there!

Chris

[jrthe3]

chris it is looking good for me to be there sat hope to get to put some faces with these names

also there is a section for the NWPA on the board

[royalmaple]

Snowing to beat the band today. They were calling for 8-14 inches of new stuff. Really light and fluffy snow. We've already got 10 inches, so they are on target so far.

[Jim Brown]

We ended up with 10 more inches this morning been plowing most of the day.They say 1-3 more today and I think they will get it, snowing like crazy right now(3:00pm)We won't think it was so funny that the guys in Maineand NH tapped on snow shoes last year we are looking at the SAME THING!!we now have over 30 inches on the ground in the woods.Global warming my hind leg!

Jim

[Gary R]

Yea Jim, I might have to plow out my collection route.

Buckets are washed. brought about a face cord of wood into the garage for the evaporator. Homemade canner is finished. Test ran the new sap pump.

Just need to mount my stacks, sanitize things and tap. A little warm weather would help also. Maybe in a few weeks.

Hope to see some of you guy's in Edinboro next Saturday.

[mapleman3]

Got out to the woods today,6+" of fluffy new snow, My Son Jimmy, Clan Delaney and I rolled out about 1600' of mainlines today , it was around 15-18 deg out but surprisingly the mainline rolled out nice and stayed pretty straight.
still worked up a sweat. we cooked the ramin noodles and keilbasa on the tailgait for lunch and made some hot cocoa..... tomorrow my son and I will tighten everything up and side pull.... I am not using mainline wire due to having to remove each season end so getting it tight is interesting.

I'm sitting here in my recliner half thinking about going out to the sugarhouse and finishing the last bit of firebrick and the back of the arch but...... comfort and relaxing warmth is taking over!! a good nap already started that off.

I have tomorrow off so I need to run to tractor supply for a few things and the local small maple supply guy for some grippers(hopefully he has some!)

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Funny you should mention the global warming issue. We are hearing less and less of it each month. I was thinking today when I started college 15 years ago and well before that, the big topic then was ozone depletion and the ozone layer was being killed. Never hear about that now since I think it repaired itself as science says or I say, God repaired it if it ever was much of a problem or just another scare tactic and a big news money maker like so many of these things are, like Y2k, what a load of garbage.

[PATheron]

Guys- I know you guys get a kick out of me being all psyched up this time of year waiting for the first sap run. Im watching the weather like a hawk and weve just come off a week of below zero temps. When do you guys predict I make my first 50 gallons of syrup. Theeeron

[Maplewalnut]

Well its better than Christmas here today. Picked up my sp-22 yesterday and am thrilled with it. Visited with Theron for a while and walked his new bush since I was in his neck of the woods and got home ahead of the snow to boot. Looking to get the pump all hooked up this week, finish the evaporator readiness and hopefully test boil next weekend although I have a date with my wife, two snowmobiles and about 100 miles or so of groomed trails next weekend also. Things are looking great, its one day closer to sugar season and plenty of snow to ride on to pass the time.

[PATheron]

Ought to be perfect riding. Good snow year for the snowmobiles. Theron

[jrthe3]

my bet is feb 7


well just about finished the releaser today just waiting on the end caps hope they are here tomorrow it looking like after this week i will be all ready to tap so maybe i will get everything on vac LOOKING FOR BIIIIIG SAAAPPP

[Dennis H.]

Well it just shows how unpredictable the weather can be.
On Friday it was looking like later this week I might be on board to start taping, well now it looks like it might be a few more days. The temps are still going to be below freezing dureing the day, maybe one or two days will be just above.
With the past week and half of frigid weather it will take a little longer to get to Go-Time.

I think what theron has is rubbing off on me, I can't do anything right now but thinking about making syrup and when I will be able to start.
THANKS THERON.:rolleyes:

Maple Walnut great to hear about you pump. How many taps do you think that the SP-22 will handle?
I have been keeping my eyes open for a vac pump, no luck yet. But I really haven't had the time to look all that hard.

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

PEACEMAKER

that sounds like a very good deal that you got. i am looking for something like that also

RICH

[Maplewalnut]

Dennis- the pump will handle way more taps than I can ever throw at it. I took a walk yesterday and I may be able to hook up 400-450 over time but I will only have 250 on line this year. should be an intereating year equipment wise, first year without a flat pan, very little buckets and now vacuum. Needless to say my wife just shakes her head!

[mapleman3]

What a gorgeous day today... almost high 20's out, sunny... just a super day to be in the woods... between yesterday and this mornings snowfall we got around 8-10" up there in the north Bush! I thought we would use snowshoes but My Son and I trudged all day through it. we tightened the mains up and side pulled where we could. Had lunch and saw a mouse running around the truck, cute lil bugger, we tossed him a slice of pepperoni which he surprisingly accepted immediately! guess he smelled us cooking lunch.... being my son and I are in the boy scouts, I a leader and he's up to Star scout .. we like hot meals and cook on the spot !!! Mac and Cheese and hot cocoa today!!

I still have a few more things to finish on the mainlines but should be ready to pull the 5/16ths next Sat and Sunday! maybe get most run... I want to be complete with Drops and all by Feb 1st.

It feels great to be out doing something in the woods!!

I starting to think that I may leave the 100 taps out back on vacuum out this year to give the trees a break, also want to redo my vaccume settup there, I want to have a tank down in the woods but keep the vacuum up in the back barn. So I will sell my electric releaser and get a small(real Small) mechanical releaser. and just pump the sap up to the sugarhouse when the tank is full. I think for that woods I can get better run without lifting up the sap ladders.

that will still give me 600 taps for this year

[dano2840]

today was a very nice day here in vt, but it was one of those 1 step fwd and 2step back days for me, uuuuuuhhhhhhhhggggggg, got the last of the main line up and done, and finished up the lats, on my middle main line, spent the weekend at dad's, took his snow 'sheen out most of the weekend and made track and ski tracks alllllllllllllllllllllllllllll over the neighbors field, i got onto the road going back to dad's and realized the ol girl goes alot faster on something hard then in powder, ducked back into the field and went to the bottom of the road, and punched it and put the coals right to 'er. man i got up and got going in a hurry, maxed it out at about 95 not bad for a ol 340. funfunfun, hehehehehe, now i gotta get my own sled something i can jump like a ski doo mxz or mxzx atleast a 500

[Sugarmaker]

All you guys hanging tubing has me worried that I may be running behind! I did order some plastic slip rings does that count for anything? Guess not. I have thought about stringing tubing does that count? No again. Well I guess I will have to start getting things rounded up and head out into that big roadside sugarbush soon. Last year I was out in zero weather setting up new lines. Maybe I will be smarter this year and wait till it warms a little and the snow goes down a little too? Not planning to expand but always looking for a new group of good maples.

Chris

[Clan Delaney]

today was a very nice day here in vt, but it was one of those 1 step fwd and 2step back days for me, uuuuuuhhhhhhhhggggggg, got the last of the main line up and done, and finished up the lats, on my middle main line, spent the weekend at dad's, took his snow 'sheen out most of the weekend and made track and ski tracks alllllllllllllllllllllllllllll over the neighbors field, i got onto the road going back to dad's and realized the ol girl goes alot faster on something hard then in powder, ducked back into the field and went to the bottom of the road, and punched it and put the coals right to 'er. man i got up and got going in a hurry, maxed it out at about 95 not bad for a ol 340. funfunfun, hehehehehe, now i gotta get my own sled something i can jump like a ski doo mxz or mxzx atleast a 500

Work first, then play. Good practice. Carry on. :)

[mapleman3]

Chris.. it all falls into place every year doesn't it... somehow we all work it so that we are boiling when it's time!!

I lease a bush, and it's a watershed, so I'm not allowed in to put up tubing until the 15th of Jan... then the tubing has to be down by the 30th of april... every year..... so I am in as soon as I can to get everything set

[jrthe3]

today may be the big day i think i mite fire up the vacuum pump and test out the releaser just have to finish the sap trap and wire it up


jim you would not happen to know the part number out the t stat you got for your vac pump i looked it up there is like 20 different ones

[dano2840]

Work first, then play. Good practice. Carry on. :)

thats the only play ive done at all since i started in the woods, but the woods work isnt work, so have i been playing the whole time?

[maplwrks]

DanO---Did you find a ride to the Middlebury Maple school??

[dano2840]

not yet, i would like to go though, but as of now i dont have a ride:(