August Journal

[Gary R]

Maple work almost finished for the year. Have to finish re wireing the sugar shack. New modifications have worked well on the arch. I performed test boils a couple weekends ago.

I think I am now going to build an ARK!

[Father & Son]

Gary,
Time to start getting syrup ready to enter at the fair so you can defend last years blue ribbon!

Jim

[KenWP]

The sun is actually shining for a change today. Hot and humid. Might dry out enough to cut the grass again.
Can't get into the bush to much right now with the few inchs of rain we got the last two days.

[tuckermtn]

might actually get to finish the roof on the woodshed addition tomorrow before heading over to Parker's for the maplehaulics meeting...

need to get my wood undercover as it certainly hasn't been drying much in the open this summer with all the rain...going to try and use a pallet -n- bag system so I don't have to stack again...we'll see how it dries in the bags (bags hold 1/4 cord tossed in, 1/3crd if its more neatly tossed in)

finally found a good bulk tank- 500 delaval- a little smaller than I wanted, but should work out well. Guy said there was a vac pump out back that I was welcome to if I want it...curious to see what it is...

cheers-

-eric

[Sugarmaker]

Gary,
What do you think the improvements will be on all the changes you have made with the preheater and the air over fire?

Jim, agreed need to start getting syrup/ product ready for the fairs.

Still compressing pallets here in NWPA. Currently at the 6 cord mark and counting. Hope to get all the wood cut for next year by Sept 1.

Syrup sales are off but that's normal for this time of year. Maybe have 10 - 12 gallons of syrup left.

Do have some nice honey medium color for the spring honey flow.

Speaking of bees. I pulled one yesterday. I went to Keith's to put on another super for goldenrod season. I forgot to zip up my veil and got stung about a dozen times. Ouch! but it was my own fault! Some swelling today:) Comes with the territory.

Still looking for a good 3 x 5 steamaway.

Regards,
Chris

[maplecrest]

got things on the move. 2500 tank getting welded today for more storage.roofer comming monday to start taking coop off, to replace roof and get ready for steam stacks and new smoke stack

[Haynes Forest Products]

Married off the only daughter I have Last night. They said I gave a good speech I dont remember doing it. Up early too make breakfast for the out of town relatives hope they dont wipe me out of syrup.

[Amber Gold]

Finally getting some wood put up. Got about 2-2.5 chord of slabs split and stacked. I got some free Norway maple free last weekend and got that split. I split it up real small and hoping it'll be dry enough to burn this coming season, should be 1-1.5 chord there. Would be nice to mix some hardwood in this year. Shooting for 10 chord this year, hopefully it all fits into the 12x20 portable garage.

Unfortunately going to miss the local maplehaulics meeting. My aunt's over from California and there's a big family party to go to.

Going to concentrate on wood again next weekend and should be about done.

Syrup sales have been good, about sold out again. Hopefully next years even better.

[KenWP]

Went out in the woods today to cut firewood. Got about 2 hours in and then it poured rain. Owell good exsuse to do nothing. If this rain keeps up it will be October again before I get wood in again. Like to get it out of the woods and in the wind so it dries a bit.

[3rdgen.maple]

I feel your pain Ken Im cutting wood out of a newly developed lake. Love the mud. I was curious as I dont ever recall such a wet wet summer. I know last summer was very wet here also but nothing compared to this one. Does anybody have any insight on what this will do for the syrup season. I gotta think low sugar content with the lack of sun.

[KenWP]

They say July here had less sun since 1992. I have corn that is knee high and squash that never grew and they did well last year. I would say it can't help much to not get sun much.

[3rdgen.maple]

Well looking back we got all our rain late spring and it drowned the whole garden then we ended up with a decent summer. This year seems to be the opposite dry spring wet summer. Lets hope for less snow.

[Rhino]

heard on the news you guys out east were really getting wet alot. here in northern WI. we keep praying for rain. It was a very cold and dry July. Gardens suffered with those 2 ingredients. would you believe in early july our red potatoes froze. Usually our farm market tables are full of produce along with our syrup but not this year. weird weather. Poor germination also. wonder what the dryness will do with sugar content next spring??? or for you guys all the wetness??? One good thing no high winds to tear the sugarbush apart. (always a fear along with ice storms).

[Hurdhaven Farm]

To put some numbers to just how wet it has been I have one of those home weather stations, wind speed, temp, barometric pressure and precipitation. In June it recorded 5.51 inches, July 6.91 inches and August so far today .19 inches. I live in Northern Vermont an area called the Northeast Kingdom for those not from the area. Very glad I am not milking cows and trying to put up feed this year!

[Rhino]

those are some rain totals!! As saturated as the woods are I would imagine any strong wind would uproot alot of trees. I know the saying be carefull what you wish for but.... as a dock and boat lift installer here, I see every year how the lakes keep going down lower and lower. It probably would take a year or 2 with those kind of totals to see a turn around in the lake levels??? Would make my job easier by not haveing to push things out so far to hit deep water. oh well.

[Dennis H.]

Congrats Haynes on the Wedding.

Yeah it has been a very wet season here also. When it isn't raining it feels like it should be raining with the humdity and all.
It seems that the rain this year has helped the graden for the most part. I just pulled out the potatoes and this is the most that we have ever gotton out of our little patch.

I started to stack the wood that I cut and split a couple of months ago. It just suck with the weather. With this humdity you work for 5 mins and you are soaked from sweat.

I found a milk releaser I am now waiting for it to arrive. Once it gets here I want to set up the pump and releaser to give it a trial run.

[caseyssugarshack93]

did you end up getting a bender washer releaser dennis?

[brookledge]

For me in Western Mass. it seems to rain every 24-36hrs. There are alot of farmers still trying to put in first cut of hay. They are usualy done with first cut by July 4th but not this year. Not only is the hay brown and dead but it covers the ground so that the sun can't reach the ground and dry it out enough to drive tractors on it.

Keith

[Randy Brutkoski]

2 days ago we got 5 1/2 inches of rain in 5 hours. Insane. And it rained all day today. Might mean big sap for this spring if it keeps raining till the end of fall, which wouldnt surprise me.

[sapman]

Two years ago was a dry summer here, and the following season was the best ever. Last year wet, and poorer season this year. So I'm not excited about this wet year. Of course, it seems the weather during the season is the biggest factor, except for sugar content, perhaps.

Here's hoping for a dry stretch for making hay around here, too!

Tim

[Dennis H.]

Yeah Casey I did end up getting the Bender milk releaser from that guy who had it listed on ebay.
Not to crazy about paying that much for shipping but I haven't been to lucky finding anything local.

We'll see I still haven't heard from the guy to know if it was shipped, it's been a week.

It looks like the milk releaser will be the last thing syrup related that I buy for awhile. The BIG BOSS has told me that I have been spending way to much lately and I will have to slow down.
I have a trip planned with my brother in Sept and that has been really eating up my mad money. We are going to be hiking from the north rim to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. We been trying for 2 yrs now and it finally is going to happen this year.

[KenWP]

It's a short hike straight across but sort of gets longer the way you actually have to do it. I was at the north rim back in 1990 and it snowed there the 11 of July.
Nice and sunnny today will see what I can get done for a change.

[Gary R]

Chris,

I think I picked up about 3gph. Looks like I'll save some wood, but not as much as I thought. I also don't have to worry about sap level in the preheat pan now. Only main pan to burn:o Buying a steam away now?:cool:

Jim,

I'm retiring from competition. Thanks for all your work at the fair. I need to concentrate on archery season.

[220 maple]

Finished counting possible taps on the neighbors property. 1650 tap total. All running to one tank, basically two main lines probably 1 inch in size should be able to both hollows. Should easily run 10000 gallon of sugar water on gravity. I base this on the fact I have 820 taps on my property in the very next hollow and they average 5000 gallon per year on gravity. Yea I know that not a very good ratio. However if you do the research my location is considered the dryest place in West Virginia annually. So in the big scheme of things my trees do a lot with nothing to work with. The trees are usually very sweet because of the excessive summer sun. Never been below 2.2 and in fact the spring of 03 it took 33 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup. So it don't I complain, I just hope for real sweet water.

Mark 220 Maple

[vermaple]

220

How long will the mainlines be and does the possibility that you will ever consider using vacuum exist? You may want to upsize your mainlines a little.

[PATheron]

220- Sounds like your doing quite a stroke of business. That vac may really pay off big down there for you If you could do it. I know here the gravity guys really get skunked a lot becouse of not getting good freezes being were kind of south. You might get a pretty big payback on that many holes with a pump hooked up to them. Theron

[mountainvan]

I've been back in the states for a week now. Boy I miss the beach. I was home for 4 hours and had people stop for syrup. Opened up a barrel of dark and one medium last week, bottled most of both. I have not even had time to go fishing since I've been back. It's been wet here, like the most of the northeast. Creek is high enough that I took a ride down the creek on my boogie board. Cold but fun!

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Off to the county fair. I get to push pancakes on the populace for this week. If that doesn't work, we plan on getting them high on cotton candy and maple milkshakes. If all else fails, we will resort to pure syrup!

[220 maple]

Vermaple and PATheron,

I agree men with vacuum I could really increase my production on my 820 tap gravity Bush. I was hoping to set up a vacuum on that system this summer but I got involved with my cousins property and three neighbors who want me to tap their trees. Hopefully I can do something for next spring, the bad news I don't have electricity on that property and will need to use a gas engine to run the vacuum. As far as the neighbor who would have a 1650 tap bush the mains and laterals will be shorter than the mains and laterals on my 820 tap bush. Vacuum is a possiblity there also, electricity is available there but probably would go with gas engine vacuum pump also.

Mark 220 Maple

[KenWP]

I got to put in time cutting around a few maple trees yesterday. I have a few big trees that never gave me much sap and I figure the fact that they were not getting any sun was the problem. On a really hot day they did put out not bad but the rest of the time they just sat there. I have a few more I need to get to and then I will be done cutting down trees for the year and then comes the cutting to stove lengths and hauling them home.

[Parker]

220- I know we sound like a broken record,,,BUT WE HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT,,,in my opinion you are MUCH better off having 1300 TIGHT vaccum taps at 22"(or more) than 3000 gravity taps,,,in a couple of diffrent ways #1 you are going to spend less money for your start up cost,,#2 you are going to get more sap from the 1000 on vac. #3 you will only be tending (tapping-maintaining-dealing with landowners-hauling sap from) the 1 bush,,,In the woods I tap this past spring I got around (dont have the #s in front of me) 9? gallons of sap per tap on gravity,,in my worst vacuum woods I got 19.5? gallons per tap-my best was 21 gallons a tap....
As for the vacuum system,,,its up to you how much $ you want to spend,,,Yes you will have to get a releaser,,this sprining I got a big Lapieere for $850,,,,,,my pumps are sp-22 surge piston pumps (should be able to find one on craigslist in your area from $250-$500),,,run by 5.5 HP hondas,,a couple of pulleys ($350) then a 5 gallon jug as a fuel tank and your in the BIGSAP game......you will spend less in money and time and get much more of a return with vacuum,,,,if that were not the case big timers who do this for a living would all be gravity,,,SET IT UP VACCUM!!!!!

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

A-men, once you try vacuum, especially above 20", you will wonder how you could do it otherwise. Parker is dead on. It also allows you to pick up some of those taps that won't go into your gravity system by using ladders etc. If you don't use vacuum this year, at least set it up so you can. I can't reach any of my bushes with electric but gas powered vacuum does the trick.

[KenWP]

Well we actually had 4 days with no rain and I got a big day in cutting firewood. I worked around a few more maples giving them some room and got a lot of firewood in the process. No wonder some of these trees never did well last year they were in caves of trees. Couple of trees I cut almost a cord of wood to get them standing alone.
Anyone else notice that some trees look like fall already.

[Whitetail24]

Ken

Down here in the southern part of Ontario the trees are starting to change their shades of green. In fact, the walnut trees around the house have started to drop their leaves, golden rod is just starting to bloom, which is a good 2 weeks ahead of the norm.

Whitetail24

[3rdgen.maple]

Black walnuts have dropped their nuts early and are about half the normal size. Got maples turning colors here and there and dropping their leaves already. Acorns are falling prematurly also. Apple trees are ripe. Weird year Get ready for an early winter. On a side note went to our local race track tonight and watched Kasey Khane and Ryan Newman race USAC cars. Got to talk to them after the race 2 very nice people. And Ken 4 days here with no rain and I did not even get any maple stuff done. So use to working in the rain does not seem right so I spent some time enjoying the weather. My dad is trying to talk me out of tapping this fall. He does not want to help and says Im on my own on this one. Hmmmm Oh well pretty much done all the work myself last year anyways. Im still on the wagon with the fall tapping thing but once I get something in my head I gotta give it the old college try.

[dano2840]

fixed sugar house roof, going to get the 40"x12 this week or next week, sugar wood still not all put up, say any one have a 40"x12 wood fired arch they wana get rid of?

[KenWP]

Tried to cut firewood today into stove lengths. First chainsaw had the chain break on me so that I now know what gloves are for. Second chainsaw was cutting good but for some reason the exhaust smells so bad my helper refused to work around it so I had to quit a bit early. Have to figure out how to get the exhaust to not smell so bad. This is a new problem with the last batch of gas I bought. I might not get any firewood cut this year if I don't figure this out. Will change to a different brand of oil .
It feels like fall out there tonight. Last two nights have been way to cold for August.

[3rdgen.maple]

Hey Ken alot of the guys I ride snowmobiles with add some additives to their oil that makes it smell like liqorice or strawberries and a bunch other sweet smells. Sounds funny but it works. Nothing like stopping in a restaurant smelling like a 2 stroke. The stuff actually works pretty good. We get it at our snowmobile, motorcycle shops.

[PerryW]

Ken,

make sure you are mixing the oil at the correct ratio.

My Stihl uses 50:1 ratio, but will smoke more if running the 32:1 Lawnboy gas mix.

And make sure you don't get screwed up by the funny Canadian measures like imperial gallons or liters (litres).

[Maplewalnut]

Got back yesterday from a short weekend trip to Vermont. Beautiful country up there, first time I had spent any time in the state. Stopped at a few tourist traps and a few 'sign at the end of driveway' sugarhouses. Tried to preach my message to make B grade syrup! Took a trip to Bascoms to stock up on glass but never made it as far as Maple Guys. Maybe next time.

Need to get going on stringing some more tube. Have about 100 more taps to pipe in and then a decision to not put out buckets and go with all vacuum taps or still put out buckets and try to do close to 400 taps on a 2X6 ouch!

I know, I need an RO but its not going to happen this year. Decisions, decisions.

[Dennis H.]

Got back from a hiking trip at Black Moshannon (near State College).
Man did that kick my butt! Beautiful weekend to be hiking in the woods but man was that a very rustic trail. About 27 miles in 2 days with a full pack!:o

Well anyway the bright side to the story is that when I got home my Bender Milk Receiver was sitting on the counter that I got off of Ebay!!!:cool:
Now I just have to figure out how I am going to hook the thing up.

[KenWP]

Well they gave me full warrenty on my one chain saw that went haywire yesterday. I never had a recipt for it but they were able to find it some how and turned out the warrenty was up the 12 of August.
I also tried out my new one and it cuts down trees very well. Now to get the other one working and I can get this firewood done for the year. I have piles of wood cut to stove lengths now and piles more to go. I work in full cords and I need at least 12 at the house for the winter.

[3rdgen.maple]

Hey guess what guys? It rained today........... Cut more wood today in the rain and man does the tractor get things muddy in a hurry. Thank you 4 wheel drive. My impossible list is getting shorter but I don't see an end to it anytime soon. Winter is gonna be upon us in a hurry and I have so much to do Im starting to get into panick mode. The funny thing is the wife wanted to know what was left to do before winter and she laughed when the list had only one thing left on it for the upcoming maple season. She said no wonder the house is not done yet. I said but it is fun working on maple stuff. I cannot wait till this house is done. Hey Ken as far as chainsaws I trade mine in every two years for a new one when the warranty is up. It is not cause there is anything wrong with it I just get such a good deal from a local saw shop that It cost me about a hundred bucks with the trade in for a new one. I figure by the time I spent 50 bucks on a new bar I mine as well spend 100 and get a new one. Plus he throws in 2 extra chains, a six pack of mixing oil and a gallons of bar oil to boot. He tells me he still makes money on my trade ins cause of the condition they are in. I just don't know how he can.

[super sappy]

Hot and muggy here for a change left work for the noon break and had Mr and Mrs Fred Henderson pull in for a visit. I think it was a like 180 mile drive so I feel honored. In the middle of nasty day I had a maple sugar visit with the Hendersons who are real nice people from up north . I hope they make it home ok with the sort cut directions that I gave them. I forgot to tell them that I am famous for bad directions. I will wear my Moose Woods Maple Farm and ST.Lawrence Co. Maple producers Assoc. Hats with pride when I go to town - Thanks - super sappy

[KenWP]

Foggy as London today and I have to make a road trip in it. Blackberries are getting ripe so that'smy exscuse to not work on maple for a couple of days. I moved to Quebec for things like that in the first place.
Registered for French class yesterday. Weird to have a student ID and have to rent a locker again. This will be hard for me as I am not allowed to speak english in the school rooms. Ken will have to learn to button up.
Rained so much Monday and Tuesday its like a swamp in the bush again also.
Fred should come visit me and bring me a hat.

[KenWP]

Well summer has arrived. It's 4 days in August this year looks like. Cut wood yesterday untill it got so hot it wasn't funney. Trouble with cutting down trees is they don't give much shade laying on the ground.
Really need to get moving on maple equipment soon but also have to get some wood in while the sun shines a bit. Starting to dry out enough to get the wood in out of the bush hopefully.

[vermaple]

Well summer has arrived. It's 4 days in August this year looks like. Cut wood yesterday untill it got so hot it wasn't funney. Trouble with cutting down trees is they don't give much shade laying on the ground.
Really need to get moving on maple equipment soon but also have to get some wood in while the sun shines a bit. Starting to dry out enough to get the wood in out of the bush hopefully.

Don't count your chickens

[Amber Gold]

Gettin' there with wood. Will have about 9 chord put up by the end of the weekend and will probably call it quits for a bit while I start working on other things for next season.

I have about a chord of Norway maple I got for free. Got it cut/split/stacked a couple of weeks ago. Think it'll be dry for next season??

Has anybody boughten any 3/4" mainline recently? I need to buy a couple 400' rolls and wondering how much it's going for.

[tuckermtn]

picked up the 500 gal delaval bulk tank yesterday- still has the paddle and gear motor on it, as well as the refrigeration unit...looks like it will fit right in- will probably use that as the primary storage at the sugarhouse- with hopes of hooking it up with an RO this season.

Josh- I would be curious what you find out for pricing. There was some chatter on here a bit ago about FW Webb looking to get into selling supplies to maple folks- might give them a shot.

time to get some wood undercover...

[vermaple]

I have about a chord of Norway maple I got for free. Got it cut/split/stacked a couple of weeks ago. Think it'll be dry for next season??




Has anybody boughten any 3/4" mainline recently? I need to buy a couple 400' rolls and wondering how much it's going for.

I was quoted what I thought was a good price at F. W. Webb, but now I cannot lay my hands on it. Some one listed prices on a thread here a couple of weeks ago.

[vermaple]

I have about a chord of Norway maple I got for free. Got it cut/split/stacked a couple of weeks ago. Think it'll be dry for next season??



Has anybody boughten any 3/4" mainline recently? I need to buy a couple 400' rolls and wondering how much it's going for.



I would save it for a year. It would burn, but not well.


I was quoted what I thought was a good price at F. W. Webb, but now I cannot lay my hands on it. Some one listed prices on a thread here a couple of weeks ago.

[Randy Brutkoski]

i am buying 3000ft of 1 1/4 inch and 3000ft of 3/4 inch this week at FW.Webbs. $324 for a 1000 ft roll of the 1 1/4 and $133 for a 1000 ft roll of the 3/4 inch. I want to see if they are open this saturday because it is tax free day in vermont. These are the true prices, i have met with the rutland branch many of times in the last month. But remember you have to have an account with them, and make sure you tell them that you are a sugarmaker. Jeff Smith from Maplecrest farm, more than likely knows about this deal. Good luck.

[Farmboy]

I am picking up my evaporator this week hopefully. It is a homemade one that someone my dad knows is giving me if I dig it out of his shed. That means I need to start spliting more firewood. Tomorrow at my brothers birthday I am going to talk to my grandpa about building a sugar shack. I need to work on setting up my evaporator and sugar shack. I need to get most of this done before school starts.

[3% Solution]

Josh,
Check out Aubochon's, $73 for the low grade stuff and $120 for the higher pressure stuff.
I'm going to be getting some 1/2" stuff soon.
They say it takes about a week to be delivered to the store.
Good luck.

Dave

[vermaple]

i am buying 3000ft of 1 1/4 inch and 3000ft of 3/4 inch this week at FW.Webbs. $324 for a 1000 ft roll of the 1 1/4 and $133 for a 1000 ft roll of the 3/4 inch. I want to see if they are open this saturday because it is tax free day in vermont. These are the true prices, i have met with the rutland branch many of times in the last month. But remember you have to have an account with them, and make sure you tell them that you are a sugarmaker. Jeff Smith from Maplecrest farm, more than likely knows about this deal. Good luck.

Randy,
Maple supplies are not taxable in vermont get a tax exempt form, fill it out and take it with you when get your pipeline.

[Randy Brutkoski]

thank you. Where would i pick up a form

[KenWP]

Well the temp was around 100 degrees in places today and this old man took it easy. Did get the grass cut.
I am really wondering as to what to get done first right now. I start school in a week and thats going to tire me out for a while. I am hopeing that I learn enough french to actually be able to buy maple supplies finally.

[Dennis H.]

Summer sure has arrived here also. In the low 90's with what feels like 100% humidity. It looks like it will be this way for the next few days! Oh Yeah!!

I still got a few things done. I now have all the coal down in the basement for this winter to heat the house. I managed to do that in the morning while the temps were more reasonable. I also worked a little on my vac shed.

I got a few trailer loads of wood stacked, still have way too much still sitting in the driveway! But it is drying so that is a plus.
I went a little wild with the chainsaw this spring and I think I have enough wood for at least 2 seasons!! I have been told that I can not touch the chainsaw until my wood supply is almost out!

[brookledge]

Wow I guess the heat is on, I have been away for a week out on Cape Cod and it was good weather, one day out of eight that it rained. It was nice to be there when it was hot back at home. Stayed in N. Truro and spent the days out on Race Point. Not many places on the East coast that you can drive to, to see the sun rise over the ocean and set over the ocean with out moving. The off road vehicle permit is well worth it and a blast to drive through the dunes and park were ever you want for the day doing anything you want.
Now I need to focus back on the sugar house and get it ready for the new RO
Keith

[Parker]

got a littel over a cord stacked in the sugarhouse yesterday-30 more to go,,definatly have enough to fill the shed by the sugarhouse,,just need to work it up,,,got the exhaust cobbed together and the new expansion tank on the IH 1654,,might try yet another road test-wood delivery with that today and see what breaks,,,gotta get that shed full!!!!! Been SLACKING ALL SUMMER!!!!

[KenWP]

Well I finished registering for school today. I even have a locker been 34 years since I ever had a locker. Teacher was trying to figure out how much french I knew and asked me a guestion. After the dumb look on my face she figured I had to start at the bottom. I can read a lot of it but can't speak much more then the numbers and the swear words.
Spent all afternoon trying to make a chainsaw run untill I figured out the gas hose had dissolved. O well it never cost me anything. Yet

[vermaple]

Ken,

Will you still speak english after you go to school? :)

[KenWP]

Well since most peopel figure I am a Yank anyways since I refuse to use the term EH when I talk I don't figure i will ever actually speak french much. I have family in the US still.

[Sugarmaker]

Back to maple,
Ken hope the French thing works out for you. Takes some guts to go back to school to learn a language I wish you the best.

Made maple cream tonight using the candy machine. I read the book , it said it could be done so I thought why not. I only made 2 , 1/2 lb jars for entry in the CC Fair. I boiled the syrup to 232F set in the freezer until it got down to 75F set in some hot water for 1 minute. and poured into the trough with the worm turning. in about 5 minutes I had change in color and some lighter spots. Opened the spout and out came nice cream.

(Much much easier than hand stirring and scooping it out of a pan!)

The grain was very smooth. I may have cooked it a degree or two to high because it was just a little stiff? Or maybe stirred just a little long too?. Because the last that came out was very stiff. I may use this candy machine to make cream next year if I can make some light syrup again? Not sure how it would work to make like a gallon and a half? I would need to have the syrup in the pig and let it continuous flow into the screw? I think?

Regards,
Chris

[KenWP]

Well today was cool enough that I was able to cut up more firewwod finally. This new chainsaw has a chain that just keeps on cutting. Have cut three days straight with it and its still ticking. It's a Oregeon chain on it. have to keep that in mind for my other saw as the chain on it usually has to be sharpened twice a day.
Blackberrys are ready to pick now. Picked enough to make 4 pies last night and last week she who has to be obeyed insisted I make a batch of wine for her out of the berrys. The smell of it today almost knocks me off my feet. I was working with it and almost licked my fingers by mistake.
Really need to get working on this evaporator before next March shows up on me again. I also have to get labels made for my syrup so we can have a mini yard sale. I have dozens of apple trees in the greenhouse I want to unload plus many lemon and orange trees I started. Plus I have lots of plants I have no idea what they are supposed to be as I forgot what I planted.

[3rdgen.maple]

I did not know canadians grew lemons and oranges. That is something new. Ken be carefull talking about chainsaws you seen how the last post on them went.

Well the rain returns again. Rain yesterday today tomarrow and all weekend. YEEHAW. Have very little left to do for the maple madness and I am still waiting for someone to talk me out of tapping this fall. Just have one more row of wood to put up for the sugarhouse which is only about a cord. Got most of the wood to heat the house done. Misses wants to now why it takes so long to cut a cord of sugar wood compared to a cord of firewood for the house. I guess she thinks I like doing that better and like to milk it. Tried to tell her It is alot more splitting. I dont think she believed me.

[PerryW]

Finally finishing filling my woodshed with 10 cords of slabs.

Now I can start on the 2011 firewood & sugarwood.

[maplecrest]

got a suprise today. my brother had lost is job last winter with the big crash. landed a new job. he is supervising the manufacturing of the check valve spouts in williamstown vt.to be sold to you all by leader.too bad my stubbies are cdl. dont fit the spouts

[vermaple]

Finally finishing filling my woodshed with 10 cords of slabs.



If you are really bored I know where there is a nearly empty wood shed across the river from you.

[Farmboy]

I was given a 2x3 homemade evaporator today. It has burnt pans so I've got some work to do. Now I just need to put up a sugar shack and get the wood in.

[Amber Gold]

All my wood's on hand now...I think. Big question is how much wood do you guys think I should have? 450 taps and high vac. Last year I got over 16 gal per tap on 18" of vac on 370 taps. I'll be burning all pine, mix of slabs and split wood, and my wood shed will be maxed out with about 9.5 chord...should I go for more? I'll have it full this week.

[brookledge]

Josh
The first question I have is how many gallons of syrup you average per cord of wood. If you are not sure then on the low side I'd go with 15 gal per cord. So 15X 9.5 cords, so that wood will make 142.5 gallons of syrup. If you know you get better ratio then ajust accordingly.
Now you have 450 taps and lets say with high vac and a good year you get 1/2 gal of syrup per tap. So 225 gallons. You only have wood for 142. When I had a basic arch and pans with no preheater I used to average 17 gal per cord. Then with an inferno arch and hood with preheater it went up to 25 gal per cord. That was from mostly pine like you have. Hardwood will increase your ratio some.
Keep cutting!!!!
Keith

[brookledge]

Boy with all of this heat and humidity I'm having it is hard to do any work at the sugarhouse after working in the heat all day at work. Can't wait til cool air again.
Keith

[jason grossman]

just a note to add here. i judged syrup at the crawford county fair in western pa. on staurday and best of show went to a grade a dark!!!

[Parker]

Got all the cut and split wood I had at the sugarhouse in and stacked (mabey 3.5 cord) LONG PULL YET!!!
Amber-I am lucky with Marvin to hit 15 gallons a cord,,If I were you I would have another 10 on hand,,,,its alot better to have it and not need it-use it the next year,,,,(I am speaking from experiance on this one)
gonna try to get the crane and splitter set up at the sugarhouse and spend a day a week on wood till shed is stuffed (easy to say-harder to do)

[KenWP]

Hope you guys are talking full cords. I got a lot of wood cut to stove lengths Thursday and Friday finally. I am on the home stretch now and then can haul it in.
I start school today so will only have a couple of hours in the days to cut wood and the weekends now. Will have to start hopeing for clear weather now so that I can get stuff done in spare time.
Some of the maple trees are starting to change colour already.

[Sugarmaker]

Jason,
Yes I was very surprized that the dark syrup won best of show at the Crawford Fair. You guys did a very nice job judging!

Thanks

Chris

[Rhino]

Hauled 1000 pallets to the sugar shack this past month, need around 1000 more. can haul around 200 with my 1-ton dump truck and 16' trailer. Have to rip them in half which is very hard on chainsaw chains. no matter how careful a person is, its hard to miss all the nails. Have to go yet and make dry wood to mix with those pallets. We have 120 acres with no line in that has alot of dead and downed trees, with a good crew should have enough in 4 days of cutting and hauling. idea of oil fired rig always enters my brain when I think of the time and labor. I'm still physically able to do wood but the time will come when i just hit the button.

[mtnmeadowmplfarm]

I also seem to average around 15 gal/cord if using all softwood. This year I have about 40% good hardwood so we'll see what happens. Up to about 9 cord, 2 or 3 to go. Since I'm selling 90% of my sap I can cut all the wood I want and still run out, haha.

[Gerryfamily5]

I used to burn all softwood slabs too, but 6 years ago I started to mix 60% hardwood w/ 40% softwood and I would not go back for anything.It takes just the same amount of labor w/ twice the heat value.It's more than worth it to remove the hardwood that is cutting down on your production,and burn it.I have RO now but made 370 gallons on less than six cords.Just a thought.

[Amber Gold]

Ughhh. Not really the answer I wanted, but it makes sense...better to have too much than not enough. I'd like to take a break from wood for a bit and get my tractor running. Also getting a 120' pine that cut hit last year by lightning, I think part of it's dead. Probably get the remaining wood I'll need finished sometime in November and hope it's dry enough if I run out. I think I'm seeing boxes of palletwood in my future...

With the blower on my arch do you think I can get better than 15 gal per tap?

Pine's free which is the main reason why I use it. I hoping to talk the property owner into letting me thin the woods out and I'll mix in hardwood from that, but that won't help me out until the following season.

RO's looking realy nice, but it's going to cost $2000 to upgrade my house electric to put the RO in the sugarhouse, plus construct a small room for it attached to the sugar house, plus buy the RO. Now that I think about it, I already have a 8x14 shed attached to my house, I could possibly put the RO there, and run a pipe across my driveway to my sugarhouse and into the feed tank. Not an ideal setup, but it'd save me on the cost to upgrade the electric and build the room. Hmmmm. Now I just need the money for an RO...

[Gerryfamily5]

I used to do 20 gph w/ slabs and a blower, but I needed an extra person to move the wood in.I also spent nearly every spare summer minute cuttting wood, now I've had my wood in since May 4,just because I don't use nearly as much,I know it comes down to cash but It might be worth thinking out of the box.The first year I had my RO I had a very poor set up but I was up and running. One step at a time.

[KenWP]

Well for some reason they kicked me out of school today at 11:30 so I cut wood all afternoon. Am actually seeing the end of cutting it too stove lengths only 4 more cords to go. Course would help if I stopped cutting trees down that crowd my maples.
I wonder where you guys get all these pallets. Around here they all have deposits on them and guys keep them. The only pallets I see are broken ones at the lumber yard that they put out for people to take. I stop and pick one up once in a while if it has the MDF board on it.

[3rdgen.maple]

I used pallets one year, my dad decided to bring a crapload of them home when he was a truck driver. All I can tell you is I will never ever do that again. It is so much work and such a pain to cut them up. I only use wood from the land and I get slabwood from the Omish for next to nothing. One thing I did learn from the omish is that once you teach them something they undercut you by half. One day when I was boiling they stopped by to see what I was doing. Ended up showing them how to make syrup from tap to bottle. They wanted to buy a quart and I insisted they just take it. Well they wanted to know how much it was and demanded to pay me. Ends up that they tapped 1000 trees this past year and sold syrup for half my price. Hmmmmm. I like to help people and share what I know but that one hurt. Anyways I got a chance to cut in a road for the tractor this weekend for the bush I will tap this fall. Couple good mudholes that I gotta lay some logs across and cover with dirt. Neighbors love the new trail to get to the river. They rode their 4 wheelers on it all day and I cant wait to see what the mud looks like now.

[Parker]

I know,,,,Hardwood is the way to go,(lasts longer-boils harder),,but,,I sell firewood (all I have been doing this summer-no reasonabel log-pulp markets) and it is hard to see burning wood I can get $275/cord (dry) for in Marvin,,,I am a littel affriad if I stuff the sugarhouse woodshed with hardwood by january I would be down there with the cordwoodsaw buzzing it up for customers!!!!!!!!
As for oil-I am affraid to even do the math on what it would cost me to make a gallon of syrup with oil at $2.44/gallon and no RO or steamaway...
I am a logger so I make alot of wood that is perfect for the evaporator and to be honest I like filling the shed,,,,,my idea of a good time

[Rhino]

Parker, I have the same problem with being in the firewood business, hard to throw those nice hardwood chunks in the cooker. Thats why i suffer with those metal stuffed pallets. Don't have an ro either but do have a piggyback on our 5'x18'. with 4000 taps i also would hate to think how much oil i would go through. I like to think when im cutting wood im putting the money in my pockets instead of the oil companys, and its another reason to spend time out in the woods.

[Dennis H.]

Parker you are messed up!!
Stacking and filling the woodshed as a good time!!!!

Don't get me wrong cutting the trees down and then splitting it is fun but that is about as far as I will go. There is a reason why there is a huge pile in the driveway for the past 2 months. It has been getting smaller and smaller but no where as fast as it got bigger and bigger.

[brookledge]

It is hard to explain to people that I get enjoyment out of cutting and splitting wood on hot days in July. They think I'm nuts, well every aspect of sugaring is labor intense and I love it. The hottest day of the year and I don't mind splitting wood if I know it is for the sugarhouse but if it where for something else I'd say it was too hot to work.
On a nother note I will be taking some time off from splitting wood as I fracture my finger yesterday while splitting wood. Not too serious but with it splinted up it is awkward to work with.
Keith

[Farmboy]

Splitting slab wood will be a lot easier. I just talked to a guy I know with a sawmill and he said I can have as much as I want.

[DaveB]

Hey Farm Boy, is that Kibbe's? He's a real nice guy...I usually get slab wood from him too, but I got about 6 cords of pine all split up from a friend of mine. I'm just down the road from Kibbe's.

Dave

[caseyssugarshack93]

i usally get slap wood in bondels really easy to cut up, but hard wood is where you get the heat i think, but i mix my wood with soft and hard, i have been stacking up some wood in the wood shed getting ready for 2010, hoe to get in the woods soon to run some more pipe

Schools Starting yippie

[KenWP]

It is hard to explain to people that I get enjoyment out of cutting and splitting wood on hot days in July. They think I'm nuts, well every aspect of sugaring is labor intense and I love it. The hottest day of the year and I don't mind splitting wood if I know it is for the sugarhouse but if it where for something else I'd say it was too hot to work.
On a nother note I will be taking some time off from splitting wood as I fracture my finger yesterday while splitting wood. Not too serious but with it splinted up it is awkward to work with.
Keith

It is less painfull to chop wood if you keep the fingers away from the axe when its moving. I had a freind pounded posts one day and got his hand on the top of a post you can imangine the rest yourself.

[Amber Gold]

I also enjoy processing firewood...people at work think I'm nuts, but it's good exercise. I'm at the point where I'm processing 6 chord for the house and 15+ for sugaring and it's taking too much time. I either need to find a more efficient way to process the sugar wood, get some help, or reduce my wood consumption. We'll see what next year brings...this year it's going to be lots of wood.

[Jim Schumacher]

It is hard to explain to people that I get enjoyment out of cutting and splitting wood on hot days in July. They think I'm nuts, well every aspect of sugaring is labor intense and I love it. The hottest day of the year and I don't mind splitting wood if I know it is for the sugarhouse but if it where for something else I'd say it was too hot to work.
On a nother note I will be taking some time off from splitting wood as I fracture my finger yesterday while splitting wood. Not too serious but with it splinted up it is awkward to work with.
Keith

Keith. Let me guess, your pinky was smashed between the handle of the maul and a round of wood while you were splitting the one behind it...? I did that last May and the finger is still twisted and deformed. Every time I have to shake someones hand it hurts like hell. Sorry man.

[caseyssugarshack93]

AmberGold, I think you need a r/o, if your burning 15 cord, I only burnt around 7 cord on a 2x6 with around 2000taps

[Farmboy]

Hey Farm Boy, is that Kibbe's? He's a real nice guy...I usually get slab wood from him too, but I got about 6 cords of pine all split up from a friend of mine. I'm just down the road from Kibbe's.

Dave

No its not kibbie's but he is just around the corner from me too.

[Randy Brutkoski]

Maybe you guys can make a guess for me. How many chord will i need for say about 5000 to 6000 taps, on a 3 by 12 with an r.o, also all of my taps will be on vacuum, 2000 taps in 1 bush and the other with at least 4000 in it and probably more. I am also using the new spout this year as well.

[KenWP]

Not haveing much time getting wood cut or anything else this week. Get home from school tired. The course is all in french and they actually want me to learn to say things with out knowing what it is I am saying. Did learn to count to 20 today . I know how many fingers and toes I have now.
Was pretty funny today as only myself and the teacher had any idea what sirop erable was. The rest of the class speaks spanish except for two english speaking spanish people.
Really have to get a lot of wood cut this weekend so I can do my evaporator.

[PATheron]

Randy- I find that I go throgh about a cord per 100 gallons of syrup if I concentrate upwards of 20% on average. If you ran it to 10% maybe figure a cord every 50 gallons. Theron

[Dennis H.]

Not doing a whole lot with sugar'in stuff right now.
I am tying up loss ends on stuff that I started awhile back and I am planning for stuff that I must get done after Sept.

I will be working on my stack cover though this weekend I hope. It will be the flip up kind. I am going to use a stainless steel pot lid for the cover. I figure an afternoon should do it for completing that task.

I got most of the wood stacked now, I just need one more pallet to stack the wood to finish it off. The wife actually came out and helped the other day, that tells you how baddly she wants the wood out of the driveway!!

[Justin Turco]

What a day for working outside. Cut a little wood today. It is good for your body and good for your head. I think we're in good shape for sugaring. Anybody know what bascoms is paying right now for syrup? Our syrup has been moving slow.

[brookledge]

Randy
Are you prepared for that amount of syrup? Lets say you tap 6,000 and for cord wood estimates I like to go a little over so you don't run out before the season ends. So with vac lets estimate that you will yield a 1/2 gal of syrup per tap in a good year. That is 3,000 gal of syrup. Now as Theron said depending on how much you concetrate the sap, between 50 and 100 gal per cord. So taking the middle at 75 and divide that into 3,000 and that equals 40 cord of wood. I know that it takes a real good year to get 1/2 gal per tap but for wood estimation I'd say 40 cord.

Now my next question Are you going to be able to boil it on a 3X12? If you run sap at 10% and your 3X12 boils around 140 gal per hour that is around 16 gal of syrup per hour. With 3,000 gal of syrup that is a lot of long days.
Keith

[Randy Brutkoski]

I realize i will be real busy, The thing is, I bought the 3 by 12 for real cheap and it is my first rig which i will have help of course. I see myself upgrading after 2 years. But i dont think i am going to boil this year, I believe i will be selling my sap for 1 more year, which will be year number 14 doing so. There is too much to do between now and then. And too many things to buy all at once. It is going to take me the rest of the year to finish my big sugarbush. But at least i have a plan. Thanks again. Also I see fuel oil in the future. I dont want to age from 35 to 50 in two years cutting wood.

[Dave Y]

Randy
No guts no glory. I say cut 40 cord of wood and go for it. 6000 taps w/RO on a 3x12 should be a piece of cake. I ran 3000 on a3x12 last year with out an ro, there were only a couple of days I didnt boil in a 35 day season. I even lived to my next birthday, which was my 53rd.

[Parker]

Randy- get a bunch of tanks to hold sap-set up your RO to recirculate concentrate-set up your press so syrup comes off your pans thru your press into a barrell (get lots of barrels)-and cut 50 cord......THOSE WHO DARE WIN...you aint sugared till you have boiled 26 hours straight....you can always sell sap if you HAVE to.....but you should not need to......

[PATheron]

Randy- Get as much wood as you can without killing yourself. Focus on the bush so that it performs as good as possable. Boil all that you can becouse that is where the money is. Have a large tank to recirculate in and make sure you rinse your ro every 4 hours and do a full wash after 12. Run the concentration as high as you can. Try to boil it all within 24 hours. Whats left that you cant sell. The money is in the syrup that you get in the barrells. You need a lot of wood becouse sometimes you cant get the concentration that high for various reasons. One other thing is if you cant keep up and you run the ro around the clock a couple times without washing it you will kill the membrane. I did that last year and thats all right if your prepared to buy another one. Theyre 1400 apiece so anyway just be aware of that. Theyll probly be able to salvage them when you send them out to clean but you wont get them back to working on your own I dont think. With that many taps youd be well served to have a 600 with an extra membrane or a 1200 gph machine. I did 3600 last year on high vac with a 600 and it was a struggle, but I made some pretty decent money. Theron

[Randy Brutkoski]

Thanks guys. I apreciate the help. Be ready to answer another question, I am ready to pick everybodys brain.

[mountainvan]

Went up to New Hampshire yesterday with a truck 1/2 loaded with my sons stuff. Finished loading it at Bascoms, tubing, bottles, fitting, etc.. Dropped my son off at UNH this morning, my house is a little lonelier tonight, but guess I need to get used to it. The maple business has been very good for me this summer and fall sales are already picking up!

[Sugarmaker]

Man!
All this talk about thousands of taps and all this wood cutting made me tired just reading it! I had to take the night off and rest!:)

Come to think of it I did cut and split 10 cord of mixed hard wood for the house for 2010/2011 season, Helped Eric cut 10 cord of wood for his house this year ( he split it all), Moved 5 cord of split wood across the yard to the house for this winter and hauled home and cut 7 cord of pallets for syrup.


OK I do still have wood to cut, Its getting later each year, pallets are a pain in the but, and yes I have to handle them a lot and yes there is a lot of soft wood in them, and yes I am cutting them up more this year to get more in the wood shed, but they are free! How much is oil again:) Man a R.O would be nice too!

Cheryl and I will be working at the NWPA maple booth at the Crawford County Fair tomorrow. (last day). I believe that sales were down some due to the economic conditions?? Thanks to all the folks that helped!

Chris

[3% Solution]

Mountainvan,
Sure wished I knew you was this way yesterday, we could have hooked up in Concord for a little chat.
If you ever head over this way again give a shout!!
What is your son going for?
Ahh he'll be back before you know it!!
Holidays are coming!!
Stay safe.

Dave

[ennismaple]

We had a big day on Saturday - the old 5x16 evaporator is no more! First we got the hoods and pans off. Second we removed about a ton of sand from the arch and dumped it down over the hill. After it was out we saw that the arch was not in very good shape and there was no way to take it apart without destroying it. It was rotted through in many places and so badly warped the pans barely fit on it anymore. So... we hooked onto it with the backhoe and dragged it out the front door of the camp. It slowly fell apart as it moved. It didn't take long to go from a functioning evaporator to scrap metal! Unfortunately, none of us had a camera. It's amazing how much room there is in the camp now!

Yesterday we got a bunch more wood split. We've definitely got enough for next season but I want to split and stack everything that's cut so it doesn't rot. Next week the carpenters come in to reinforce the roof so we can remove the cross braces that are in the way. The week after that the new 3.5x14 Hurricace Force 5 shows up! <insert happy dance here>

I've still got a really long list of things to do before next season but we're slowly getting there.

[maplecrest]

martin, as soon as your rig is done they told me they were starting mine. should be here at the end of september.5x14 oil fired.

[red maples]

shed/ sugar house is 95% percent done!!! just 2 more windows to finish and install, reclamed them from a JUNQUE store, took the old glass, stripped them and staining them saved some good money there all in total cost $19 each not including my labor. If I remeber right 5 cords of pine and junk wood done split and stacked, 4 cords hard wood cut split and stacked and 2 1/2 cords of poplar to burn in the corner months of the winter. now I have to get some other outdoor projects done before it gets too cold out!!!

ordered some new STUFF for sugarin' taps tubing etc. still need some more STUFF...CAN never have enoug STUFF right!!!!!

then need to ..... well don't want to get to far ahead of myself!!!! but its getting there.

[brookledge]

Goes to show why you should not use sand in an arch. It holds moisture and will rust out faster than other insulators.
I had an arch do the same thing years ago, couldn't believe how rusty it was under the sand
Keith

[3rdgen.maple]

Well the race is on. Nights are getting colder, fisherman are starting to show up, winter is gonna be here soon. Still in the go mode for fall tapping. Run into a little snag that I hope I can get resolved in short order. The sugarbush I want to tap this fall is pretty much flooded in the spring as the river rises over the banks. There are around 400 taps I can get in on all hard maples that I would never be able to tap so I want to take advantage of them. They are nice big healthy trees. Problem being is half of them are on a fisherman's easement. Does not matter that the property line goes to the center of the river. Come to find out I cannot cut any trees dead or alive even though I own them. So I have contacted the State forestry manager to find out if I can tap them. He has no idea but said he will find out and get back to me and we parted with him commenting " I don't have to keep an eye on you do I" I hope I get the okay if I don't it will cut alot of taps out in that area. As far as the sand in the arch I can second the fact that it will rot an arch out in a hurry.

[ennismaple]

martin, as soon as your rig is done they told me they were starting mine. should be here at the end of september.5x14 oil fired.

My rig is done - I'm just not ready for it yet! I'm sure yours is underway already.

Brookledge: You're exactly right - parts of it were almost rotten right through. It didn't help that periodically our back 2x5 pan would leak a bit until it sugared up. The old girl paid for itself long ago - 35 years of service and was used when we got her. I figure she pushed through more than 15,000 gallons of syrup, maybe closer to 20,000. I was sad to see her leave.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Maybe you guys can make a guess for me. How many chord will i need for say about 5000 to 6000 taps, on a 3 by 12 with an r.o, also all of my taps will be on vacuum, 2000 taps in 1 bush and the other with at least 4000 in it and probably more. I am also using the new spout this year as well.

I got about 17 to 18 gallon of syrup per cord of hardwood last year boiling 1.8% sap on a 2x8. I would think that with a 3x12, that would push it up closer to 25 gallon of syrup per cord on 1.8% sap. Run the sap to 20%, and you should be able to push 250 gallon of syrup or more on a cord of wood. This would need to be adjusted based on evaporator efficiency, but 100 gallon per cord of wood seems extremely low unless you are starting up and shutting down in a couple of hours. Full day boils tend to increase efficiency also.