New York Maple Conferrence in verona jan 8-9

[smitty76]

Who all is going to the conferrence? All traders should put their traders name on their name tags.

[caseyssugarshack93]

Ill be there im pretty sure

[Smitty]

count me in

[smitty76]

Casey, i am impressed with your passion and hope you the best. maybe we will see you at the confrrence.

[caseyssugarshack93]

Thanks Smitty76 hope to see you guys there

[DrTimPerkins]

Who all is going to the conferrence? All traders should put their traders name on their name tags.

I'll be there...unless weather seriously interferes with my travel. Stop me and say hello. Glad to meet folks and put a face to the name.

[maple flats]

My wife and I will be there. Look for name tags "maple flats" and "Mrs maple flats" The names will be inserted into the tags supplied by the show.

[maplwrks]

I 'll be there providing the @#%^&! Nor'easter that is predicted for this next weekend stops me!!

[3rdgen.maple]

Hmmm two threads on the maple conference asking the same question.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

My wife and I are planning on attending.

[concord maple]

Heard about the conference from a local Leader dealer. Is the conference Fri. and Sat. or Sat. and Sun.? What are the hours? Are you able to buy equipment from the manufacturers and is open to the public or only for dealers?

[concord maple]

Sorry I do see it is the 8th and 9th.

[briduhunt]

I wil be there Friday night and Sat. Hoping to find some good deals in the auctuion but the list I received was only one tank and a large lot of drops. Oh well still better then sitting home. See everyone there.

[concord maple]

Is the list of items to be auctioned available anywhere online?

[caseyssugarshack93]

might not be going to the confrence now, some things came up,

[super sappy]

Get your butt there nate... come on

[backyardsugarer]

I will be there Friday night only for the trade show. We should all head to Joe's steak house for a beer after it is over (9:00)

Chris

[maplwrks]

Thats too bad Nate--I was looking forward to meeting you. You and your Dad could always come over to the Addison County School--It's not that far for you!!

[smitty76]

casey, you have to be there.

concord, i have been told that the list is online but have never been able to find it. however i have an inside source that tells me that there is only a couple of things on the list. this is the first year for the auction so it will probably have a bunch of unlisted stuff that just shows up. not sure of that just spectulating.

here is the info on the conference. chech the web sites listed below for times. I believe it starts at 6 pm friday night but you should check to make sure.

New York State Maple Conference
WhenJan 8 – 9 2010
WhereVernon-Verona-Sherrill Central Schools 5275 State Route 31 Verona, NY 13478-2913 (map)
DescriptionNew York State Maple Conference Vernon-Verona-Sherrill Central School District, 5275 State Route 31, Verona, New York 13478 Contact: Keith Schiebel E-mail: kschiebel@vvsschools.org or go to www.cornellmaple.info, updates will appear as soon as plans are finalized.

[smitty76]

backyard, where is joe's steak house? and we should.

[briduhunt]

To obtain the list there is a contact e-mail address on the sign up sheet for the conference. I e-mailed him and with in a day I received the list back from him. There were 3 things on the list. 2 different amounts of pre done drop lines, I believe around 500 per item and the other item was a flat bottom open tank.
If you want I can foward my e-mail to anyone who asks.

PS Where is this Joe's? Count me in

[Smitty]

concord maple, (or any body else)
if you send me your email, i will send you a copy of the auction list for the conference(it is not a big list, but keith said it should grow by auction time).
my email is allansmith6@gmail.com

[Smitty]

oh ya
i almost forgot, count me in on a trip to joe's

[Bucket Head]

Guy's,

It's Joel's Steakhouse. Its only about a mile west of the VVS school. Its right at the intersection of Rt.'s 31 and 365. They have a HUGE statue of a bull on the front yard facing the intersection. You can't miss it.

Steve

[caseyssugarshack93]

Smitty76, not quite sure yet if im going, It dont look good, May have to save the money for a new motor for my sap hauler, and i think thats whats going to happen :( well if i dont go this year i deffinly will be next year, well hope you guys have a good time if i dont make it,


NATE

[3rdgen.maple]

Still up in the air for me as well. My dad will kick my but if I end up bailing. Still on call and progress has been slow going so I don't know if the place I am on call for will be done. Dad can't go saturday. wish it was longer than 2 hours on friday seems awful short. I will lwt you guys know and a beer at Joe's sound pretty darn good to me as well.

[KenWP]

I can't imangine a bunch of sugar makers all in one place at one time. The bucket guys on one side of the room the gravity guys in the middle and the vacuum guys locked up one the other side. Sounds like fun to me.

[3rdgen.maple]

I bet you won't even have to ask who uses buckets and who uses tubing Ken. I bet the bucket guys drink right out of the glass and the tubing guys use straws :D

[KenWP]

And the vaccuum guys suck out the bottom real noisey and the gravity guys are silent.

[maple flats]

For those who haven't gone in the past. This show had over 600 attendees last year and almost all are maple producers, from tiny to HUGE. Everyone finds lots of good info and great conversation as well as a dream list a mile long. Many great deals are to be had if you are preparred to buy AT THE SHOW. Saturday is the big day with many seminars taking place all day, you just read what is offered and decide which interests you the most. I used to go alone but the last 3 years my wife has also gone so we can split up and take in 2x the information. Friday has just one presentation which is usually very good and of course the trade show in always hopping busy. I'll be the guy with the silly grin on all the time (but my name badge will also help identify me)
For those going to Joals Steak house, just follow rt 31 west, cross rt 365 at the light and Joals is the first on the rt past the intersection. I don't know if I'll make that part because I very rarely drink anything (alchoholic).

[concord maple]

Smitty thanks for the offer on the list but I understand the list is very small anyways. Not sure if I'm going to make it.

[Smitty]

concord maple,
just got an updated auction list, it has grown trifold. still can forward if you want it.

[Bucket Head]

Is the updated auction list posted somewhere?

Steve

[smitty76]

To obtain the list there is a contact e-mail address on the sign up sheet for the conference. I e-mailed him and with in a day I received the list back from him. There were 3 things on the list. 2 different amounts of pre done drop lines, I believe around 500 per item and the other item was a flat bottom open tank.
If you want I can foward my e-mail to anyone who asks.

PS Where is this Joe's? Count me in

here you go Steve. try this

[backyardsugarer]

smitty,

As you take a right off route 365 there is a bar/restaurant with a big bull out in front of it. That is Joe's Steak house. The atmosphere is perfect for maple producers. Only about 1 mile from VVS.

Chris

[KenWP]

Perfect for Maple producers. Thats scary as it must have wood stoves and steam and log piles sitting around. Plus the decor is all SS and black cast iron. They probbably serve the drinks in mason jars. Hmmmmmm sounds like my kind of place as long as they have non alcohol beer.

[backyardsugarer]

Very rustic, open fireplace, you'll see. By the way it is Joel's Steakhouse.

[smitty76]

sounds great, see yah there

[Smitty]

to all,
I hope i do not get in trouble, but to get the auction list email Keith at
kschiebel@vvsschools.org (Keith is the FFA coordinator for this event).
he will send you the list.

[3rdgen.maple]

Okay guys I am off call and will be there tonight. Gotta skip Joel's daughter wants to go. So I will be the guy with the 15 year old daughter and my dad. See you all there. I just gotta remember all the darn trader names though. lol

[maple flats]

I just got back from this eve conference. At it I saw a $2000 diaphram pump called a sap sucker. The guy said it needs no releaser and can both suck and push sap. He said it was for 300-400 taps and will give about 17" vac. Does anyone have anything on such a set up? Pro's and cons.

[KenWP]

There are other threads on the sap sucker pump. Seems the hoses cost a small fortune for one. Brent had one I believe . Do a search.

[3rdgen.maple]

Was it just me or did it not seem like there was alot missing this year. I don't recall all the tables where there were maple stuff in the past. Darn I walked through the whole place and not one vendor had a sap hydrometer. I was a little disapointed that the guy I usually get a heck of a deal on for all my filters and prefilters was not there.

[brookledge]

Any chance the vendors would only be there on Saturday?
I wish I could have gone today but with the RO room not done I need to be there. Oh well next year.
Keith

[caseyssugarshack93]

didnt make it this year:( o well next year

[3rdgen.maple]

I m not sure brookledge but I really wanted to go today instead of yesterday. The seminars is the big thing.

[KenWP]

Did you find any Traders when you went yesterday 3rdgen. I hate going to a trade show to see a certain vendor and find out he decided to not come that year.

[maple flats]

I just returned from today's session. I also thought there were a few fewer vendors but it was still great. I always learn at least something and see a few fellow traders. The seminars offer a wide array of topics, 4 seminar session time periods and 8 or 10 choices at each, some of the more popular topics are often given 2 or more times. Last nights speaker talked about being at a great point in the business of maple to be involved with maple. He talked about expanding markets world wide and even though 09 was a record production year for the maple industry, there is not an adaquat reserve, the domestic giants as well as the Quebec Federation all have inventories below the level they want (even though Maple Grove is not buying domestic syrup and Cracker barrel dropped 3,000,000 lbs in demand). The forseeable future keeps prices high and we are encouraged to expand. He claims that if the industry were to suffer back to back poor seasons many markets would dry up and could take years to re develope. There is a real need for higher reserves to buffer the possibility of 2 poor seasons in a row because of poor weather.
Today I listened to presentations by Dr Peter Smallage of Cornell and among other things the head of the Cornell maple program about controling beech in the maple bush. How to identify a problem and control it if it is a problem. Not all beach is a problem but when it is we should control it but should not totally eradicate all beach. The next 2 seminars I went to were both by our own Dr Tim Perkins of the Proctor Maple Reasearch Center. The first discusses the check valve spout adapter (yes he gets a "small royalty" omn each one) and anti Microbial spouts and tubing, (silver). He showed results for improved yield in many different senareos but that tests showed the silver stuff only was effective for 1 season, and tests show the adapters so far show good improvements even with used drops but new adapters. He said they are doing another experiment right now. At the end of 09 season they did not clean the tubing. This upcoming season they will simply use new check valve adapters on the dirty tubing. He did say that when they clean tubing they only use clean water and air, no chemicals. Their testing with the CV adapters was only on vacuum. I bought 600 and will test them this season on gravity. (Steve Childs, cornell maple specialist has tested check valves with good results on gravity but not with these CV adapters as reported at a class given at Bascom's open house last May)

[maplwrks]

I just got back from Verona. The school was well run, food was excellent, and the speakers were well prepared. I agree with Dave, I don't think that there were as many vendors as last year. What's up with Matt Williams?? Very little stuff at Lapierres booth, not even a catalog.

Will I go back next year?? I'm unsure. It'll probably depend on the program.

[Farmboy]

I didn't go this year. I hope to go next year. I did work on my sugar shack though. Next year I will hopefully go because I hope to expand again. LOL I need to make a trip to the one of the local maple suppliers for some jugs and filters and a few other things.

[3rdgen.maple]

I definately think you go for the seminars more than anything. I asked at every leader booth if they had a cv spout cause I wanted to see what one looked like and not one of them came up with one for me to see. Thought that was weird. Did see Bascom guys walking around but they had no booth their either. The thing that I took home with me was that your permanent grade kits will still work as far as the new up and coming changes go.

[maple flats]

You must not have asked early enough. I bought 600 Fri eve and was surprised at least 2 booths still had them as of the break between seminar 1 and 2 on Saturday. Those booths were the 2nd right around the corner from Glen Goodrich's booth. Also the one about in the middle of that wall had at least one bag at lunch time. I commented to him that I was surprised and he said he had brought a lot with him but I don't know how many he had left at that time. I had bought Friday because I knew supplies were limited and wanted to be sure to get them if I could even though I will be using mine on gravity and they have not been tested on gravity. I still think they should keep the bacteria from backing up into the taphole and keep flowing longer. Relative pressures still change back and forth, they are just smaller swings. My view is that except for a sudden loss of vac they should act the same as when on vac. Dr Tim Perkins did say that a sudden loss of vac will close so fast that it will sound like a 22 going off. It seems like under normal operation vac or not the change is rather slow and should be the same whether on vac or not. Time will tell if I am right.

[Brian Ryther]

I listened to Dr Perkins lectures on the CV spout / silver spouts and tube. I also went to the lecture reguarding the effects of ro on maple flavor and color.
The CV speech was very good. It showed clear evedence of it's effectiveness. For me they should be an effective tool for my operation. I run three mechanical releasers on one vac pump and my tubing is three years old. I have good production data from last year so I should be able see if they make a difference.
The lecture on the effects of RO on maple flavor and color should have only taken three minuites to present. RO does not effect flavor or color! The end.
I did enjoy listening to Glen Goodrich. Both during his tubing speech and during the panel discussion on filtering. For those of you complaining that you are at your limit with 4-5 thousand taps for on man production need to talk to Glen. He said that he runs 33,000 by him self. He said that way when something goes wrong he has no one to blame other than him self. I like the way he thinks.

[PATheron]

Brian- I dont think Glen works a full time job in town either. Be a whole diferent story if you were home everyday. Glen does an awesome job, I got to see his setup this year. His lines are very nice. Theron

[DrTimPerkins]

The lecture on the effects of RO on maple flavor and color should have only taken three minuites to present. RO does not effect flavor or color! The end.

Thanks to all for the comments. I do agree with the comment above -- the short answer isn't terribly exciting and needn't take a lot of time. But after spending $450+k on a new building, four new evaporators and equipment, personnel, and lots of laboratory analysis, giving the three minute answer to the question isn't terribly fulfilling. Some people want/need the full answer. Thanks for your interest.

[Brian Ryther]

Tim, I am one of those who wanted the full answer. As a new RO owner this year it is important for me to know that the quality of my syrup would not be changed by the RO. I am also interested in hearing the results of this years study where your control will not be re constituted but actual raw sap.
Theron, it is time to stop coming up with excuses. Quit your day job and go big time. Yes, Glen is a good speaker. His excitement for what he does shows.
BR

[PATheron]

Brian- Cut me some slack buddy. Ive got to work my way up for a while. That town check is pretty darn reliable. Some day Ill get to stay home and make syrup all the time. Just have to keep working up to it. Got the tanks and releaser set up at Booy bush today. Also got a tote dragged down over the hill to the other bush. Gonna set up that releaser tomarrow night. Gotta keep keepin on. Should go back out tonight and work on mainline connections but kind of pooped from all the cold. Mountain Van- Whats your setup consist of now with all the additional taps? Are they all on vac? Theron

[wglenmapler]

You do the math. Some things aren't possible. I'm sure there was a misunderstanding. There has to be help with something and I know that is a family operation.

[KenWP]

How many taps can a tapper tap if a tapper has all day to tap. That is one guestion I guess. I would say after your tapped it could be a one man show. There is a add up here for two guys to do tubeing right now. But for some reason it's only 20 hours a week for 3 months.

[maplwrks]

Glens sugarhouse is the only thing that is a 1 man operation---he has a bunch of family members working in the woods with him. His wife drives the milk truck that hauls the sap. His daughter is also part of the operation. There uis a crew that does the tapping.

[moeh1]

My wife didn't have it until the show, pretty sure she caught it from mingling with all the addicts. Thanks!
Marty:lol: :lol:

[Smitty]

marty'
it was great meeting you at the show. i wish my girlfriend had been able
to attend, i think it would make things easier some times if she had the
bug as bad as i do. Do they make some kinda shot or a pill i could slip into
her ice cream or something. She is great most of the time, but can be a
stingie finance adviser.:o

[moeh1]

Smitty,
great meeting you also, its always nice to put a real person with a name! I find with most folks that hearing it from another "expert" beats your boasting for years and years.....Need to get her to one of these events sometime so she gets an independent opinion on these important matters.:D

[wglenmapler]

In case some of you still need them, we have about 16,000 on hand. We had them at the show also. You can get them at out place in New Hope or in Watkins Glen.

[smitty76]

well, just finished fixin my car, lost an oil pump drive on thursday and had a family emergency on friday so I did not make the conferrence. I am way dissapionted about not being there. I guess it will have to be next year.

[smitty76]

well, just finished fixin my car, lost an oil pump drive on thursday and had a family emergency on friday so I did not make the conferrence. I am way dissapionted about not being there. I guess it will have to be next year.

however my dad and twin brother Smitty made it with out me.

[Smitty]

I just got back from this eve conference. At it I saw a $2000 diaphram pump called a sap sucker. The guy said it needs no releaser and can both suck and push sap. He said it was for 300-400 taps and will give about 17" vac. Does anyone have anything on such a set up? Pro's and cons.

Dave,
is the sap sucker an air powered diaphram pump? i might have a cheaper way to purchase one.:)

[smitty76]

the nice thing about a diapharm pump is that it will pump air and liquid without missing a beat and no matter how hard you push it it will only pump what is avalible to it and not burn itself out. really nice but 2,000.00 is tooooo much $


by the way my twin is in my avatar.

[Smitty]

Smitty76,
it is easier and cheaper to push air than it is to pull it. this pump is not the
best for a large amount of taps, but for a smaller amount, in a poor location.
ideal for drawing vac on a small area and than pushing it up the hill, rather
than trying to suck it up ( no sap ladders need).:cool:

[smitty76]

that is what I meant, sorry.