Looking forward to this season

[maplehound]

I have told all of you in the past about my new helper. He is here now and anxsious to make syrup. My sons name is Ryder, and he loves to work in the woods and help with whatever project I get myself into. He has already decided that I am no longer alowed to drive my Farmall Cub, since it is now his to drive and expects to inherit it some day. ;) This morning I didn't even have to fight with him to get out of bed ( an everyday experience) I just told him that there was enough snow to plow and he was up and had is carhart,s on before he relized he hadn't put on his shirt yet. With in an hour he was back having plowed our drive and 2 of the neighbors drives as well.
He has made friends with one of the neighbors who's father has a gator. So they now have plans to tap some trees in the woods behind me that we can't put on tubing ( owners won't permit tubing) and haule the sap in with the gator. I like this idea since I think he needs the experience of having to gather the sap and the wind storm we had back in September took out several of my good trees, and I will need the sap.
I expect him to enjoy the work in the woods and hauling in the sap, but I am not sure what to think when it comes to boiling it down. He doesn't like to wait on anything and can't sit still for very long. I will have to keep him busy firing the arch and as many odd jobs as I can think of, just to keep him ocupied.
Wish me luck as it will be a chalange. One that I am looking forward to. Also about the time the season is over we should be able to finalize the adoption and make everything leagal. :)

[Grade "A"]

I started sugaring when I was about 8 with my father. When I was 15 I started to have other intrests so the sugaring stoped. Now I am 32 and last year my father and I started sugaring again and we love it. I wished it did take me so long to get back into it.

[maplenaddy]

So they now have plans to tap some trees in the woods behind me that we can't put on tubing ( owners won't permit tubing) and haule the sap in with the gator.

I am curious why the owners will now allow tubing? (I am VERY new so excuse the ignorant question...)

[Sugarmaker]

Maplehound,
I bet you are going to have a lot of fun having a helper with the sap colecting and sugaring. Lots of moves to make and young folks that are interested really help a lot. Good to see he is interested in the equipment.

Regards,
Chris

[dano2840]

your sons going to be just like me, thats exactly how i used to be, i couldnt sit still and did every thing under the sun and played with the biggest pieces of equipment i was alowed to use, started with the push mower then the rider then the fegie 1233 then i started working on a farm and went to a ford 2120 (big step for me, then a week later i was premoted to tedding hay w a deere 2840 (84 hp) that tractor has 7ft tires and you feel like the world is small and your the king of the hill on that especially when your 10 years old, i had schemes and plans w/ all the nieghors and mowed all theyre lawns for free, (now i charge them) but now i have alot of friends and borrow tractors and brush hogs and various equipment all the time (tanks tubing tools, vac releasers, etc and still do every thing i can find out side, this year im going to buy a load of logs, and sell fire wood, the only thing is make sure your son doesnt have ADD;) because i do i have ADHD which is add w/ "hyper activity" but im one of 2 of the hardest working kids in school, the others my buddy who is also a farmer, every one else in school is next to worth less when it comes to manual labor and knowlage of the out doors, so be thankful your son is gifted w/ a talent for liking the out doors, and i hope he stays like that, we need more people like your son in this world!

[maplehound]

maplenaddy, The neighbors used there woods to walk and picnic in. If I have tubing up in it they can't get around like they would like to. All that tubing makes it hard to walk and drive 4 wheelers. But they don't mind the bags on the trees.
My son does like the 4 wheelers and is looking forward to getting his drivers license as soon as we finalize the adoption (county rules won't permit him to drive, shoot a gun or any type of projectile or run a chainsaw, ect. ect. as long as he is a ward of the county).
yes Dano he does have ADHD and Hyperactivity disorder, that is why it is so hard to get him to sit and do homework or even to watch TV. Today he spent the entire day with the neighbor boy and some new friends, sled riding and being pulled by 4 wheelers on an innertube. He left before noon and didn't return home till after 9 pm. Now he wants to go back again tommorrow. I gues he will have to since he came home with just a t shirt and short pants on. The rest of his clothes and overalls are still at the home where he was playing all day. He says they were soaked and that they were dying them for him. :) OOOOO to be young again

[Russell Lampron]

Ron when it is time to boil give him an axe and have him split wood. Teach him how to fire the evaporator too. That should keep him busy.