November Journal

[Brian]

Well sugar season is getting closser. I still need to line my arch and wire up the oil burner and run oil lines,but I will make it.

[mapleman3]

I moved the oil tank in place still need to level and put back the nearly 100 gallons I took out of it. then run the oil line, mount the burner wire it up and also finish lining the firbox... and so much more to do.. yikes

[Al]

All done and just waiting around. All sugar house work is done, more wood then I need and a wife who just asked me what I want for Christmas 8) . Just waiting for sugaring season to get here. :lol: Now the hard part is staying out to the kids candy from Halloween. :lol: Have a great day!!

[syrupmaker]

I agree with Al on the candy. WOW 8O went trick or treatin in the new subdivision in town. We did both sides of the two roads and thought i was gonna need a loader to get all 4 bags home.(man did i make out) :twisted: ooops i mean, boy did the kids make out! :wink:

Rick

[powerdub]

Can I just one word. WOOD. Seems like that is all I have been doing. Besides camping of course, but since that is over, well, WOOD. I will have to get some pics to mapleman3 to post for me. Maybe next week when I am done.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Hmmm..........at least New England makes good syrup :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

[Brian]

Brandon, My wife and i tried to hold them back, but there were to many of them

[mapleman3]

Brandon whats the matter?? how come so glum? isn't your syrup good too?? and brian what were you holding back...maybe I'm lost here with both your posts..

[syrupmaker]

I'm with Jim guys, clueless, :? as my daughter would put it. Jim and i went left when you both went right i think. 8O

Rick



P.S. Powerdub, You'll have to come down here trick or treatin! The neighbors give out chunks of wood to us sugarers as treats. Always have a nice pile by the end of the evening. Granted some of the pile is beer cans but it's still a pile. :lol:

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

OK, OK at least Brian is with me. We were talking about all the blue on the map last night.

Get it. I think there are some states that Sadaam would carry if he ran. :(

[syrupmaker]

Gotcha.....just a little thick on my part. :cry:

[Brian]

I was gonna spill the beans to mapleman3, but my wife told to let some of the other traders ponder it for a while, lol

Sadaam for pres. & Bin ladin for vis pres. And Bush in crawford asking Dick what should I do ? Drop the ball again.
Please keep the trader for maple talk not your politics or other crap.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Evidently you don't like this talk. I have an idea that you are a trader member but too ashamed to show your ID. If you think it's that important, then don't be embarrassed by it. I can understand why people would vote for Kerry. I have issues and things about Bush I don't like, but at least we know where he stands.

Kerry had to take a poll last Fri to see what people wanted him to say about Bin Laden's tape before he would even make a statement. I am only saying, is that the kinda person we would want for president. If the democratics had run someone like Joe Manchin who is a democrat and won the Gov's race here in WV by a 2 to 1 margin, he would have killed Bush. I voted for several Democrats in this election, I justed can't understand why the Democrats picked the world's biggest idiot to run for President. Kerry will spend the rest of his life trying to pull both legs and probably clear up to his ??? out of his mouth.

We had a hotly contested Congress seat in my district and the Governor's race and there was not a bit of mud slinging from either side on either race and it was refreshing. On the other hand, the state Supreme Court race down here was declared the nastiest race in the entire nation including all canidates for any position.

West Virginia is over 70% democratic, but Bush won it with a landslide because people down here can't trust someone who speaks out so many sides of his mouth that I can't count that high and neither do they want their children growing up under his REGIME. :D :D

[mapleman3]

well, in any case, it's over for now and in my eyes the right man for the job won. it was a close race but not as fun as the world series!!! GO SOX!!!

ok had to come back and edit this.. I got thinking, maybe the guest is right in saying this is not the place to talk politics.. but it is something that affects us all, maybe the election went or didnt go the way we wanted.. who knows but whatever the case, our saftey.. our values..our economic freedom is all we look for, no matter who got in for the high office, we all need to come together as a country as we did in 2001... support the troop as we can hope they can come home... and also support our country , we are all in this together.. I know blah blah blah... ok I'll get off the soap box. hopefully we all can get along here.. we come here for friends and maple!! :wink: 8)

[syrupmaker]

Wheeeewww good thing you quit Jim! I was looking for the transformer on the grid of your street to power you off. Everyone is entitled to there own opinion as we all know. Some beter or worse,plain and simple.

Rick

[mapleman3]

hehe sorry Rick, I'm sitting here in a hotel in NH, to much time to think 8O hope there's something good on HBO :wink:

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I have no intentions of offending anyone and don't mean it that way, just poking some friendly fun. I know politics is probably the worst thing to do that with.

It wouldn't be fair to win the presidency and the world series within a week now would it. :?: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[themapleking]

I'm glad everyone has soooo much free time on their hands to talk about politics. It's done, over, who cares. We all know they ( meaning all of them jerks in D.C.) don't give a rats *** about us, only how much $ they make on their pay offs and kick backs.

On to more important things. It's 3 1/2 mounths till we tap and I'm sure everyone is 100% ready. Brandon has his arch done and his tubing, Jim got his milk tank set up and running and oil burner switched over. Rick must have all his wood dragged over and enough so they don't run out. P.S. if you do run out Rick call me. I have lots of it for you guys - free for syrup making-. I only have to switch out 950 ft of 3/4 main to 1" and level out were the collecting tanks going. I think Al's ready. Seibolds building a new floor. Brain's doing tubing. P.S. let us know what's new at the tubing Demo. And last but not least Kevin's wheels are turning on something new.

Like he said lets keep it at maple talk. That's why we're here :wink:

[mapleman3]

well Jeremy ya better start gettin crackin!! cold weather is upon us.. even more where you are!! 8O :wink:

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

OK, I won't bring up politics again, but there is a ton more stuff discussed on this sight besides maple and most everyone is involved. Either way, it eventually reverts back to maple.

I do agree that 99% of the politicians are in it for what is in it for them. I have an accounting degree and one thing I do know for sure is that my Federal taxes have gone down a ton per income ratio last year! :D :D :D :D

[Al]

Darn Jeremy, sounds like you need a working party up there. Were are you located anyways? We got good news today. Another niece is in the family. Emily Grace is number 6 for Sue's sister. :lol: I think she's done now.
More depressing news. 2 orders for syrup and no syrup to be had at Pumpkin Village. :cry: My wife is starting to think more taps,bigger operation and I haven't said a thing about it. Of course I'm not going to get any bigger you know. :lol:
You all have a great day and to heck with the politicians.
Stay maple stay pure!! Thats what I say.
Have a great day!!!!!

[mapleman3]

I agree with Al, time to head up to maine and play with Maple up there!!! My wife and I may run up there late Sat into Sunday if all goes well and do some xmas browsing!! maybe Kittery

Al, I still have about 10gal in bulk to can up this weekend, folks are startin to ask about more.. so I have to clean up the sugarhouse(canner and countertop) and get a boiling... sure will be nice to smell it again!! :lol: 8) better get it done early if I want to drive

[Brian]

I played hooky from work today to get my truck and plow ready in case i have to plow, the grown is turning white as we speek.

[Brian]

Lobstafari, See the truck and plow are paid for so they have to help pay for the oil and the syrup cans. My plow route takes 6-8 hrs if i don't break down!!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jeremy,

Sure is definitely harder on the free time with little, or should I say real little ones around isn't it. Most of the other guys on here have forgotten what it is like. :lol: :lol: :lol:

It's worth it as they are wonderful. Wish I were closer and I would take a couple of Saturdays and help you get a ton done. I sure enjoy being able to do things like that! :D :D :D

[backyardsugarer]

I have a long few months ahead. My rig is set up and firebricked in my new sugar shack (pictures soon). This shack is an upgrade, bigger and electric run to it (no more extension chords). I still have to cut in the stacks, find some wood and then most important find some trees to tap or sap to buy. My new property only has about 3 maples on it. If any of you know of anyone in the Rochester/Fingerlakes region that sells sap, let me know!! Otherwise I will be boiling water this spring.
Good luck to the rest of you with all your projects.

Chris

[syrupmaker]

Wow was mother nature getting wild or what. High winds killed power throughout the whole valley. The power Co. guys were all happy when i passed out the pints of syrup. Nice thing is though, that we now have about 15 more cord of wood for spring. NI MO guys dropped it off cut in 4' lengths. Thanks Joe but i think we're covered this year. We have 12 cord for the shack and dad almost dropped a loaf when we made a delivery to him. My brother and i figure there was 25 cord we loaded and hauled Sunday with the 10 wheeler to his house. Dang near buried his Buick and S10 in the driveway. Best part was when he called and asked who's gonna stack it? He had most of it stacked when i got there yesterday. I new i should have waited another day. Anybody get any measurable snow yet? Waiting for it down here. That and deer season.

Rick

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Rick,

What size evaporator do you have and how many taps are you planning on to burn that kinda wood??

Sounds like to me you have upgraded a ton :?: :?: :?

[themapleking]

I think he has a 5'x14' right Jim :lol:

[syrupmaker]

Joe....remember your funny, but looks aren't everything. :P

Brandon... added 50 taps is all. Still useing our 3x8 home job. Just had time to make wood after clearing the tops off the neighbors property,so were making it while it's shinning and not blowing. If we use 6 for sugaring wee'll be doin good. Just some extra's for back up if we go crazy,or left overs for next year. Figured if you leave it lay on the ground it'll be rotton in 3 yrs. If its split and stacked off the ground we might get 5-8 with it covered.

Rick

[Al]

Same thing happened to my father-in-law in Watertown. Bad wind and snow. City couldn't get rid of the wood fast enough. He got enough wood for about 75 cord that one month. 8O Not much happening in Pumpkin Village. Getting ready to do snow fence and get the chains out for the tractor. Slow month this November but I'm in no hurry for the snow to arrive. :D Tell Rooster to take it easy and let you young pups do the manual labor. :lol: Heck Rick you need the exercise after seeing you on your last hunting expedition. :lol: :lol:
Take care

[mapleman3]

Yep lottsa wind ... but not much down around here, got to fillin the oil tank finally with what I took out of it before I moved it., can't wait to get more done.. have to stay on wifes good side, I've been away almost every weekend for a month..and this coming weekend too(cancuun) 8O so I'm doing yard work today and maybe can some up tomorrow.. no maine trip after checking budget.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

This info might be useful for you and other traders. There are service companies that service heavy off road equipment with diesel engines. Often, when they service them, they will pump out all the diesel fuel in 55 gallon drums. They normally dispose of it back at the shop in their vat. I am referring to equipment like large bulldozers, loaders, ect. If you can find a service man and keep him in empty barrels, chances are for a quart or two of syrup, he will bring you full barrels and set them off with his boom truck every few months.

Might be something to check into especially with the price of fuel these days! :D

[mapleman3]

Ahhhh the sweet smell of money.. I mean Syrup :wink: Boiling as we speak, canning up 10 gals worth in 1/2 pts.. pts and quarts.. I'll be working till 8 tonight.. but hey Football is on and I have cable in there.. GO PATS!!

[mapleman3]

I am happy to say I'm glad with the results of my bulk packing. the syrup held up well in the 5 gal plastic drums through the summer in the basement. tasted as good as when it went in. maybe this comming season I'll get to use the 15gal stainless kegs I have cleaned out. the only thing will be moving them, I would think if I left them in the sugarhouse thru summer they would be fine. just sold 50 1/2 pints to sis in law for gift baskets for her clients and a gallon last night while canning to one of my egg customers... God I love this maple craze!! 8)

Brandon, thats a great idea.. but with the price now they will grab it up for sure for themselves? I'm not too worried about spending $6 to make a gallon of syrup.. by the time you find cut haul split stack haul fire the wood it's that much.. if you get the wood for free... labor is $$ too :)

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

I am like Ronald Regan, I love to cut and split wood for the fun of it. Never seems to get too old.

Ahhhhhhhhh! Soon it will be time to cut more wood. I can't wait! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: .

Just think, you could start figuring all the hours boiling too and soon we would be losing tons of money! 8O :lol: :lol: :lol:

[mapleman3]

Very true!!!

[steve J]

Well deer season opens Saturday here in Vermont so I will spend 10 days chaseing that big buck and if I get lucky early I will spend the rest of the time putter around the sugar bush

[Al]

I'm going hunting this weekend and hope just to see some decent size horns. :D We have a nice size 3 pointer hanging around the area but there's to many houses for me to hunt here although alot of hunters do. Hope you get one early and get to putter around the sugar bush.
Take care and good luck

[steve J]

Well I have a good size buck scouted out high on the ridge but ya never know with the rut were they will be come opening day. I have a small spike hanging out near camp. But will pass on him . The biggest problem is not in quality of our deer as the trophy hunters would say but rather in the quality of our hunters. Far to many merely walk the roads and see nothing then complain that there are no deer. Most can not read a compass and are far to concerned with getting lost.

[Al]

I totally agree with you. We hunt the Worchester Range near Elmore, Vt. Not alot of deer but some good sized ones around. See alot more moose then ever before up there now! It's pretty uncommon to see hunter tracks besides our own up there. That's the way I like it. A bad day in the woods is better then a good day else were.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I have to agree with all these post. I have off 1/2 tommorrow thru this weekend and plan on bowhunting nearly the entire time. Can't wait even though the weather doesn't look to promising. It's the rut, so who cares about the weather. I have killed a lot of deer over the years, so if one isn't big enought to put on the wall, he is safe around me. Our deer population in the area I hunt is down about 60%, so does are safe too this year. I didn't kill any does last year due to their numbers being down.

More coyotes than deer is a bad thing and this is the 1st year in 4 years we have had any acorns. :cry: :cry:

[mapleman3]

Saw a coyote in mid day sun in a field today. curious he wasn't out at night.. yikes.. big one too!!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Probably out looking for a rabbit for a quick meal. Rabbits and other small animals or rodents will move a lot during the day and they make good coyote meals.
:( :(

[mapleman3]

Chris hows chances we can get an "OFF Topic" area on the forum so when we want to talk about things not maple such as what we are doing now, and not get others upset with us? I think it would be used well...

[Al]

I use another site that has a off topic forum and it seems to cause more heart ache then anything. People inadvertinly bring up politics religion owing guns etc. Peoples feelings get hurt and they leave. We have a good thing here and I wouldn't want to see the chemistry developed on this site get changed over a non syrup topic. The one thing we all agree on is syrup. Maybe not how to do it, what to use or how to get there from here but we all have that great appreciation of
syrup and the work it takes to produce a good product in common. I really appreciate the fact that on this site we can get away from everything and just concentate on the world of maple. Just my two cents. :D and it's not worth much.
Have a great day. Just made muffins and the boys want me to share with them Too!!!

[mapleman3]

Ok Al... I'm Sorry :oops: :wink: your right! Just Maple and nutin but Maple :!:

[themapleking]

Speaking of just maple Jim. Got any new up dates on your web page. Looks the same as it did back in april.
Went to a dealer for supplies and was looking at some pictures from a trip he took in Main of a 150,000 tap operation. Talk about tubing and vacuum. They are running 3 large evaporators with R.O.'s Way Cool 8)

[mapleman3]

Actually Joe I'm still in the redesign stage, I'm looking for software that make it easier, and better picture compression so I can put more pics on... I'm looking to do a whole new look!

[Al]

You know Jim on your trip you should take some syrup to share. Could be a whole new market or at least trade them for some of those umbrella drinks. :D Have a great trip. :D

[mapleman3]

Thanks Al, leaving in the Morning... Customs would prolly confiscate for their own pleasure :wink: :lol:

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Joe,

As for the operation you were talking about, how much syrup do they make in a year and what size evaps are they running?? 6 x 20's??

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Sounds like your talking about Donald Lapierre???Colin Christie set up the tour with 2 tours buses to go there for a weekend in late april in 1996. Yup pretty inpressive (3) 6X16's and (2) 2400GPH R.O.'s and (1) 1800gph R.O with all the taps running into seperate 15,000-18,000 Tap pump stations and then run underground through a 4" pipe back to the sugarhouse with the farthest pump station about 1 Mi. away. Trees almost so close that you sneeze to the next one.They were running 100,000 taps then on 7/16" tapholes. Said it was below average year that year with just under 25,000 Gals. produced and was still sitting on 1995 syrup's crop to boot. Toured his factory where the R.O.'s were made along with the sap Extractors/fittings and the whole 9 yards of sugaring equipment.I took a couple pictures of the pump station an syrup barrels taking up the driveway to the sugarhouse.--I missed the Maine Golden Rd. tour when they had it during the NAMSC meeting in Maine. :cry: Kevin

[powerdub]

I was just at Lapierre's in Canada last year at this time for a tour. He has 140,000 taps with 5 evaporators I think they were 6X16. Each evap had its own RO machine that fed it. He was using health spouts but they were all the insert style. He must have 10, 50 gallon barrels full of those inserts that were all clean ready for the season. If you ever get the chance to go see it, you won't be dissappointed. As far as I know he is the largest producer in the world. As far as the golden road goes I have only heard that those set ups are leased by canadians. I have heard of on large producer in Skowhegan ME. Must be Eric Ellis. Is that right Lobstafari?

[themapleking]

My mistake the 150,000 tap was lapierre in Qc. He also went there on his trip along with pictures from a large Main operation. Maples are Maples either way both operations were cool.
I'm thinking about selling my operation this spring-summer and get a full time job with one of those big guys.
I got alot to sell all 3 yrs old or newer. keep you posted.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Joe,

It's not April fools day, I assume your joking?? You have way too much talent to disappear in some big producer's pockets. :!: :!: :!: :wink:

[themapleking]

Gotta get up pretty early to fool Brandon. Although working 1 year or 2 on the big operations would be a great learning experance. Cause you know they don't share all of they secerts with the little want-a-be guys like us.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Joe,

That might be true, but one thing I have found out is the smaller producers make a better tasting syrup. Some of you may think I am crazy, but I have tasted a lot of syrup over the years and am not even close to an expert, and I think the small producers make the best tasting syrup. Don't know what the big boys do to it, it just doesn't taste quite as good. They can't put the personal touch on it that we can. They operate like a factory and each quart or gallon doesn't mean anything to them like it does to us! :D :D :D

Remember, that's the fun and mystique about all this is learning new things the hard way or by happen chance! :D :D :D :D :D

[powerdub]

Well said Brandon!!!

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Take a look at the September Journal thread posting and go to page 3 and look at the 2nd. posting on that page. Enough said...Kevin

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I am not bringing up this age old argument or debate, I am just stating an opinion. I don't think it has anything to do with RO or anything else, it is just, well, it doesn't have that personal touch in the taste. I just think a small operation has been tasting syrup that the large mass producers. Can't exactly put my finger on it, it's just there.................. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

7 barrels and 7 flavors-I havent't got 7 samples from small producers and 7 from big producers right in front of me at the same time now so i donot know which would taste better?? Although i would like to purchase randomly a half a dozen sample from small producers and 6 from the large producer and send them all unlabled to a panel of 6 taste testers to see if were talkin' smoke here or not?.I'm not quite sure where the line is for small producer and large producer? Is it like the "Middle Class" were the boneheads say that/So it will cover 85% of the population or what?Pretty good margin if i do say so!!!Should be like 5-6 classes in there and not just 3.Low/Middle and High.How about we all chip in and I'll run around the state this sugaring season and buy (12) 1/2Pt. samples from producers and then at maple school we'll try and figure out if it came from a small or large producer??Who's in???...Kevin

[Al]

Just got my Christmas present early. My father-in-law just brought over his old manure spreader. :D Already started to convert it to my sap wagon. It's 30 years old but in good shape. It's 15 feet long! 8O That's one foot longer then my tractor with the bucket on. :D I'm going to use it like it is this year but proberly cut it down next year so I don't have to have legal size roads to turn it on. :lol: Have to wait for him to come back with his torchs etc. No deer yet! Take care.

[JohnM]

Had a super test boil Saturday with Brandon's old 3x7 flat pan :!:


Pics are posted in my album. :D


Thanks to Brandon and Maple Trader forums for all the great ideas!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Be sure to check out the pics JohnM put in his gallery. He did a tremendous job and check out how he lined the arch. I have been giving him ideas since he bought my flat pan a few months ago and he did a tremendous job. He had a couple of inches of water and aprox an inch of ice in the pan on Sat and he had it boiling in less than 30 minutes without firing it very hard and without using his blower.

These pics are really good for backyarders because John has a tremendous setup and it ready to kick butt in about 3 months!

Link to his personally gallery below:

http://www.mapletrader.com/phpBB2/album_personal.php?user_id=163

GREAT JOB JOHN. :D :D

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Smokin' Job-Got a patent for it yet?...Kevin

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Is the fire blanket in there just in case you want to switch to oil in the future? Trying to get inside your head for the reasoning of why one should use fiber wool or refractory for the fire box chamber??...Kevin

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Kevin,

That was my idea. He built his arch out of cinderblocks and the heat will crack them in a year or two. This will protect them for many years and will help retain most of the heat as cinderblocks lose a lot of heat. I think it is a tremendous job and should make it more efficient.

If you don't like the idea, then its my fault. John takes a lot of pride in his work and did a tremendous job! :wink:

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Very good job indeed/thats why i asked if he patented it? Knowing what heat will do with cement-the arch would have to be lined with something to keep the cinder blocks from cracking thats for sure. Now on the other hand he must be real carefull loading the fire with wood otherwise if he tears the wool fiber while putting in wood he may have just defeated his purpose? Refractory holds up to those hits from the wood thats for sure.Many more other reasons but enough said...Kevin

Hi Kevin,

I was looking to reduce heat loss and prolong the life of the blocks.

The block I have used the last couple years tend to crack in the hotter areas. Cinder blocks would probably take the heat better but not available when I was shopping for material.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

John,

Kevin has a good point about damaging your ceramic blanket. I would suggest that you get a couple of scrap pieces of thin or thick gauge metal, either one would work. You could attach these to the two sides of of the firebox where the wood is going to be inside the arch. This would keep the ceramic blanket from getting damaged and you would still retain the insulating value. :D

[mapleman3]

Finally got the wood shop cleaned up this week for the scouts craftsman pin project. we made nice turkey napkin holders! So since it's clean enough to work in comfortably... I started work on the sugarhouse sign! I found a gorgeous sugar maple leaf so I photo copied it, then My wife brought it to school and enlarged it about 400 times it's size.. now I used the pattern and it came out to just over 2 feet in size!! cut it out now out of birch plywood... woodburned in the grain of the leaf, burned the edges for some relief and marine varnish and WOW it came out awesome.. I will do another coat then take a pic. the letters for above and below are next... should be a real nice addition on the side of the sugarhouse!

[themapleking]

Finally done and ready for syrup season. Got all the change over and improvements done with the tubing system. New pump house is ready. Shack power washed and stained, 20 cord of wood in. Evaporator chimmy insulated- rafters started to burn last year- 8O New sap filter system done. New ditch dug and installed drain pipe for sink. And lots of gravel for driveway and parking lot - about 6 cars-.
Not to mention new steel roof on barn, hay fields cut 2xs, 50 more cord of wood sold. Thinning out the sugar bush. All that and more on one of the rainy-wet summers on record.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Not to beat up on ya too bad but i would hope that the chicken wire mesh in the arch holding in the wool is not Galvanised but Stainless???Know what happens??Several Could/Woulda/Shoulda done things a lot differently...Kevin

[backyardsugarer]

I got the rig level and cut in the smoke stack. Cleaned up the pans and suspended my steam hood. The shack is clean. Now all I need is some wood (calling saw mills today) and to cut in my steam vent. It won't be long now guys :lol:

Chris

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Chris,

Have you had any luck finding any new trees to tap. Must have as happy as you seem! :D :D :D

[backyardsugarer]

Yes! :lol: I have 2 major land owners that gave me the OK. The only problem is the trees are a ways in from the road. I will get my exercise this year! Sadly, I waited to make sure I was going to have trees and now I have been working like a maniac. I just started to cut up some wood pallets last night! I want to get about 5 cord put away before the snow hits.


Chris

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

The good thing is that a lot of exercise is better than no exercise at all especially in this case.

Be sure to send mapleman some pics of the new and expanded setup! :D :D

[backyardsugarer]

I will as soon as I get the steam vent cut in.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Well, on a different note for a change. Tommorrow is Thanksgiving and it seems from at the chattering back and forth on here from the people who frequent this sight is that we all have so much to be thankful for. A ton of us have something new in the syrup line and bigger and better ideas of improvement.

But it goes way beyond that. It seems everyone has good health and strength and so many other intangibles that we often overlook such as kids and families. We are definitely glad to the new addition to Jeremy's family and so many other good things each of us have experienced over the past year.

There are so many good people who frequent this website and many of us have become friends without ever meeting each other. Sometimes we agree to disagree, but it doesn't go farther than that.

I would like to say thanks to each of you who frequent this sight and make it the awesome sight it is and for you friendship and great ideas you have shared with me and especially to the Maple Guys for providing this sight for us. I would encourage you to support them whenever possible as this sight is not free. :D :D

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Amen...

[mapleman3]

Good health indeed!!I'll second the "AMEN" and add a "you guys are great friends" and yes very glad to have this site... Happy Thanksgiving!!

[brookledge]

Couldn't have said it better myself !!!!!
Keith

[Brian]

I will raise a cup to that , and to good health!!

[forester1]

Yes to all that. Plus I am thankful for that wonder of nature, the sugar maple tree.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Kids definitely take priority over most things and it is amazing how much joy they do bring into your life. Never is a dull moment! :D :D :cry:

[mapleman3]

Nice day today.. added a few pics to my album, the begining of my maple sign on the sugarhouse.

[JohnM]

Nice sign Jim,

Looks great on your sugar house!

[mapleman3]

Thanks a bunch John.. still need to finish up the letters for above and below it, if I could just stop breaking blades in my scroll saw doing it 8O

[backyardsugarer]

I put brand new pan gaskets on today and new gaskets on the draft door and front door to make her as close to air tight as possible. Also cut a lot of wood :lol: I will be cutting those pallets until the cows come home. Also mixed in some nice dry Pine from my neighbor. A little syrup can go a long way :wink:

Chris

[themapleking]

Well I counted the taps today while I was hunting. Nothing else going on in the woods. :(
Came up with 659 taps. 318 on one mainline to the releaser and 341 on the 2nd mainline to the releaser. So with about the same # of taps on each mainline I should get max cfm & vacuum all the way threw out the system.
I 'm tapping more conservative so I lost a few taps. But better for the trees. I should get a much better flow rate this yr. I'm at 2-9 taps per lat line.
Well I have to get busy this week. Have to make up some cream, candy, lollipops and sugar for the holidays. Should be sold out of everything when it's over.

[brookledge]

Joe,
If you got everything set up the way it sounds and you have a good year you should make 1/2 gal per tap. bet it would be nice to make 325 gallons. Thats about how many taps I have and hope to make over 300 good luck !!
Keith

[Parker]

OHHHHHH my BACKKKKK--I forgot how much work pouring concrete was,,,Today we got the 30X18 slab poured for the shack,,,poured 4 sonotubes on the south end of the buliding for the woodshed (20' long) and 2 tubes on the north end for the tank room (10 feet long)...I dont know if well get her done this year but we got her started.....a real great feeling,,,,of course I was going to have this done in june!!!!!!!PARKER

[mapleman3]

Thats great !!! your closer now for sure!!