Willow Creek Sugarhouse taped!!!

[red maples]

Got all the taps in on the vacuum line. Was running like crazy then the sun went away. Turned on the vacuum and all I have to say is WOW. got about 40 gallons sap in less then 10 minutes. has 25 "Hg from releaser to end of the line couldn't be happier. Can still put my hand on the vacuum pump for about 30-40 seconds. The new hobby releaser seems to be doing OK. it only stuck in the open position 1-2 times but we'll see!!! should be boiling tomorrow!!!! gotta get the rest of the taps and buckets in tonight!!!

[PARKER MAPLE]

Hey redmaples where abouts are you located in northern or southern n.h. i was over by the sunupee area today looks like very nice wodlots over there.
what did you have for temps today???

m/r

[red maples]

I am in the south...seacoast, about 10-15 minutes west of Exeter I think its about 1 1/2 hours or so from sunapee. got to 41 here today

[PARKER MAPLE]

awesome, will why dont you blow some of that warm air up are way. made be it will jump start our season.lol.:lol:
m/r

[smitty76]

good luck Red, on the rest of your taps tonight. We hope to have our 400 in this weekend.:D :D :D

[red maples]

Got almost the everythign tapped a few more here and there will have 300 when I am done

Got about 80-90 gallons sap already want about 150 before I start should be no problem tomorrow 40 again 10 day forcast looks great for sap !!!

[caseyssugarshack93]

Redmaple's GO MAN GO SUCK ALL THE SAP YOU CAN!!!! KEEP THE VAC PUMP ON TILL IT FREEZES HARD

[morningstarfarm]

Nice! Brad...glad to hear you got them all in..Now to get the hydros and make some gold!

[morningstarfarm]

stopped by tonight to see Red's first firing and to pick up the hydrometers..What a nice rig! He's gonna make some really nice syrup with that setup.

[Mac]

175 tapped Reds, Sugars and Silvers.... One eastern Hop Hornbeam.. Some running some not, had about 50 gallons last night but looks to be in the 40's till monday. Fingers are crossed and I think I am ready to go..(which means I have forgot something)

[red maples]

Thanks morningstar, Got things under control after you left. figured out Ihad to much air coming into the sugar house so closed up a few windows and steam column/ copula was working great.

boiled about 200 gallons or so and OH!!! so close to a draw off. got to about 50 brix and had to shut her down. I stop boiling at about 3:00 am and let things cool a bit hada lot of loose sugar sand but not alot on sticking to the pan but put in a vinegar solution in the syrup pan anyway. was still up at 4:30 so I went to the gym for a quick work out. wife thinks I am officially crazy!!!

After my daughter got on the bus I fixed my son some breakfast(pop tarts and OJ) and crashed!!!! but I have to go do some cleaning and stuff!!!

not to much of a run today temps are right but very very windy. should get down to the 20's tonight and 40's again tomorrow. Perfect.

3rdgen your right this thing boils like a freight train. I am still playing around with sap depth and firing times but 7-10 minutes seems to be the norm. I bought a cheap little egg timer to remind me about firing times and it lasted about 3 hours. I guess thats what you get for $3.50 I guess I 'll get another one. maybe pay $7-8 and have it last 2 days.

[red maples]

Finally after months and months of hard work and running wire and tubing and stressing out over all the little stuff and the money spent.

Finally paid off yesterday boiled about 200 gallons down and was able draw off 4 gallons in less than 5 hours...nice US Grade A Light!!!!:D

Sap combined with reds and sugars is around 2% sugars right about 3- 3.5 % and reds about 1.75% (I have a lot more reds than sugars)

shortened the firing time to 6 minutes...my daughter was the offical timer clock resetter. and of course the offical taster;) when she wasn't coloring.

over about 5 hours on average from start up to shut down about 35-40 gallons per hour. at peak was just over 40 GPH sap not running yet time to clean some stuff before vac goes on...love that VAC:D

How hot are the first row of bricks at the back of the firebox when they are glowing red??? stack temp (exterior about 6-650F)

[red maples]

got about 75 to 100 gallons of sap today started out runnng hard but slowed up a bit around 2-3:00PM. temp dropped a few degrees and the darn wind picked back up.

good and cold should be a great run tomorrow. Lines froze up about 6:30 shut the pump down. I love that little BB2 it pulls great vacuum and doesn't get real hot I can still hold my hand on it for about 30 seconds after it has been going all day!! and no fan on it but I might throw one out there anyway. hopefully I wil get abunch of sap tomorrow will be boiling again on Tuesday!!!!

[caseyssugarshack93]

how many " you pulling redmaples , I got 2 bb2's now i bought a other one for a little 200 tap bush i got,


hey redmaples you should set up a photobucket and take some pictures of your set up, It sounds real nice,

[red maples]

I have a photo bucket I have to fix a few things first and add in a few more pics got web site too but its not done yet as soon as I have time to update everything I will get it on here.

I have about 250 taps on the bb2 all reds except for 5 sugars. pulling 25 "Hg end to end and it doesn't get that hot either. running HARD so far today good hard freeze last night expecting 150 + gallons today. Last few days were very windy still ran OK but today should be GOOOODDDDD!!!! gotta break out the swimmies soon!!!:)

[red maples]

got about 200 gallons of sap yesterday and still needed to round up buckets and empty gravity tubing acroos the street. ended up with another 30 gallons from that. running hard yesterday. little releaser was dumping every 2-3 minutes. got some sap today anout 50 -75 gallons.

Boiled for the 3rd time yesterday drew off another 5 gallons.
got a shot of hot wood though I was firing away and keeping things going good runnign pans low and mean and then wow things started to spike a bit had to use a little emergency sap and shut the ash door to cool things off "NO burnt pans for me"

everything so far I thought was light. I invited the NH dept Ag in today to check my syrup Janis Conner very nice lady. She said it was borderline light and to go medium and it had medium characteristics. I was happy when she said said how well the syrup tasted and looked.

I drew off a little thick and had to thin it a bit(well alot) So If I would have been a little better on the trigger then it probably would have been light. but hey not bad for my first 2 times on this rig. hopefully it will only get better with experience.

[red maples]

boiled again yesterday. 6 more gallons:D

Sap has been running since monday although sometimes very light but still running. running pretty good right now.

Man did we get rain yesterday and more today the creek backed up into the swamp...ice dam at the pipe under the road cleared that out and the water is starting to go down. creek is up 2-3 feet and my totes are on the edge of the swamp and since I boiled everything I had yesterday the were floating. but since the water is starting to go down they are fine. is has gone down about 8 inches from last night. hope today's rain hold off a bit so the water drops even more.

[Amber Gold]

Sounds like things are working out pretty good for you (minus the water). Isn't vacuum great? Mine are still running too.

[red maples]

yeah it is. if I didn't have the vac who knows I wouldn't have much syrup at all. especially with the reds!!!

man is it nasty out wind is howling and rain wow!!!

[red maples]

Finally back after a few days of no power!!!! still no power but cable is back so here I am via generator.

OK I am late on this one but holy cow!!! damage report...

lost 1 maple tree crown...tree snapped in half
going to loose 2 more they are leaning at about 45 degrees.

2 trees on main line only broke side ties:)

Big pine up rooted snapped 2 laterals
had to fix several other laterals after water level droped!

had to fix some other little stuff here are there. flood control was a little scary but we made it. Hooked vacuum pump up to generator for now So I am getting some sap.

Power should be back tonight...I f-ing hope so. talked with everyone and there mother at unitil!!!! everyone on my street has power but me!!!:mad: :mad:

Hope everyone else fared ok with this last storm!!!!

[red maples]

got power back last night at 8:30. yeah!!!! a shower in my own house!!!

anyway got things all back in order now.

had a good run last night. and all day today light frost last night. got about 275 gallons sap since yesterday afternoon.

boiled for 3 hours today. finished off the rest of the cloudy made 3 gallons a DA. so I'll boil for 3-4 hours tomorrow. and thursday friday and marathon boil on saturday to stay caught up!!!:)

season total 18 gallons. 15 medium/ 3 dark

[red maples]

decided to boil everything today sap was still cloudy so boiled off everything and scrubbed out tanks now everyhting is nice and clear!!! got about 75 gallons sap today. and was able to draw off another 5 gallons probably all dark but hey thats what folks want!!!

Already for the next heavy run now Friday looks like the day!!!!

[red maples]

holy cow try to get through all the new posts everytime I come on here geez!!!

nice to see nice crystal clear sap in the tank this morning. Sap ran better than I thought, yesterday thought I got 75 gallons looks line 125 gallons sap!!!! sugar is low though hopefully its still medium!!! need more medium.

season total 23 gallons syrup!!!

Had my wife sell some at work the last 2 days sold about 5 gallons already!!!
Sent her in with a sample bottle:) !!! once you taste it your hooked!!!

need to get bottling see ya!!!

[dart96]

Wow, I didn't realize that some people in EK were out of power for that long! I live on Sanborn Rd, and fortunately for us we never lost power for any length of time.

I've had about 30 buckets or so out since the 19th of Feb. Collected a good amount the first week, but with all the crazy weather for the last week or so, my trees haven't done much. Hoping that it will run well over the weekend!

[Dill]

My wife sells almost all of our syrup the same way. She usually has a couple of qts in her desk. Lots of people in Pearl Harbor are eating pancakes with NH syrup now. Her desk is a destination before a group of workers from other shipyards leave.

[red maples]

Dart96 your my neighbor I live on willow rd literally 2 minutes drive I just sent you a Private message. I had a lightning arestor thing whatever go bad on my transformer. and everytime they drove by to check it out they saw lights on and thought I had power but it was the generator they couldn't hear it because I my house is 4-500 feet from the road.:mad:

Got some sap today no much pretty nasty out!!! but Got the oil changed in the vac pump so it all ready for the marathon big sap coming up this weekend!!!

Bottled up another 4 gallons of DA today.

Gotta a friend who doesn't like grade A anything. keeps asking for grade B or comercial!!! thinks anything grade A Is thick sugar water. So I got a buyer when I get junk syrup!!!!:) He wants me to make him some birch syrup too said sure but it will cost you he said what What ever!!! SO we'll make some if I have enough wood left just a few gallons and thats it!!! I'll be boiling it forever that stuff has such little sugar will take about 400 gallons just sweeten the pans!!!

[red maples]

not really much of a run yesterday. didn't get cold enough here at night but today look out!!! was 24F last night and 50 today holy cow big sap here it comes!!!!! got the sugar house cleaned a little yesterday put some shelves for bottle syrup ...finally!!!! made a little bench. put a gutter inside the for the drips. today boiling all day got 300+ gallons sap + maybe another 250 today:D :D :D gonna sleep good tonight!!!!

[Stickey]

A guy was at my dads garage for some welding tonight and he saw my evaporator project. He's from E. kingston and started telling me about the big shed this guy built that he drove by and thought was on fire. Where? I asked. Willow road he says. I bet it was you. Small world.

[red maples]

holy sap today!!! boiled for about 5-6 hours and shut her down...I'm tired now. sugar content sucks now so didn't get too much syrup today only 3.5 gallons. "DA" need some more medium before it s all dark I hope anyway. but I think that s gonna be it!!!

man I hit one part of my wood pile and everything is huge I must have been tired or somethng when I was splitting and stacking. gotta split a bunch down I'll doit tomorrow morning before I fire it up again.

see ya for now!!!

[red maples]

yep thats me.

funny thing I had a cop pull up my driveway the other day when it was nasty out rainy (twice as much steam) wanted to check to make sure everything was alright!!! he thought my shed was on fire.


A guy was at my dads garage for some welding tonight and he saw my evaporator project. He's from E. kingston and started telling me about the big shed this guy built that he drove by and thought was on fire. Where? I asked. Willow road he says. I bet it was you. Small world.

[red maples]

sap didn't run as good as yesterday. SO I was able to get caught up a bit boiled for 5 hours had my baby humming for a while boiling close to 40 GPH had some some good hot wood.:rolleyes: drew off another 3 + gallons getting close to the 30 gallon mark I think. have about 175+ gallons left and I'll finish that up tomorrow the sap will run a little tomorrow but temps aren't quite cold enough for the moster run like yesterday. upcoming day temps are good but night temps don't look cold enough...we'll see I live in a valley a few degrees cooler than everywhere else around here.

finally had a few visitors dart96 and his wife stopped by with their cute baby...should stop by when you have a few extra minutes does she think your nuts yet. It only get worse form here!!! you must be right at home next to the smith's dairy farm dairy farm!!! you know when its late spring around here when that manure spread is out and about!!!!yeah stink

and my next door neighbor stopped by I don't think he realized I was this serious about the maple thing he was kinda blown away.

time for a shower and a sitdown and TV for a minute or two before I fall asleep!!!!

[red maples]

not much running today need a good freeze man.

too hot in the sugar house today upper 50's today!!! boiled most of the sap I had needed 1 more hour to get the rest with about 25 gallons left to cool the evap. , but had to shut it down ran out of time got about 75-85 gallons sap left. maybe a quick boil tomorrow. or on wednesday!! probably wed. boiled for about for about 15 hours(not including clean up and shut times) the last 3 days and drew off about 10 gallons or so. would have been better if the sap was better.

at about 34-35 gallons so far for the season

[red maples]

had a little run this morning but pretty much stoped this afternoon got a little cold last night hit about 29 for a few hours but need a good cold one. maybe tonight should be 20 somthing at night and 40 something in the day!!! 50's too warm!!!

[red maples]

hoping for the big sap today!!!!!
9:30 everyhting is still frozen up hoping by 10:30 things start flowing...I hope
trees should be recharged a bit

Going to attempt a small batch of candy this morning. wish me luck

[red maples]

AH AH!!!!! releaser was the main problem. cleaned out the releaser really good took it all apart cleaned everything good and sanitized and the rinsed it out good. cleaned the tank. gotta boil through some junk and then clean everything else.

Got another 150 gallons yesterday.

another pretty good freeze last night things are just startiong to thaw out now. run a few errunds then back to boiling!!!!

[dart96]

does she think your nuts yet. It only get worse form here!!! you must be right at home next to the smith's dairy farm dairy farm!!! you know when its late spring around here when that manure spread is out and about!!!!yeah stink


In a word, yes!! Somehow an outlay of $300+ on equipment to get started up to make maybe 4-5 gallons of syrup just doesn't compute to her, especially since we'll end up giving most of it away.

I really like the neighborhood, and the Smith's farm does make me feel right at home, but I sure don't miss getting up at 4 AM every day to milk the cows!!

I'm beginning to wonder if some of my trees are done for the year... with the good solid freeze we had on Wednesday night I was expecting a nice run yesterday... A few ran really well, some a moderate amount, but some of my taps barely ran at all. I think next year I might try tubing to plastic buckets on the ground and see if that works any better. At least I'll avoid having to dump sap when it rains!

[red maples]

wait unitl your spending thousands!!!!

wiping yesterday off the books!!!!! I like visitors inthe sugar house but it tough when your by yourself!!!! usually the first thing that I do when I see someone come down the driveway is dump some raw sap into the syrup pan so I have a few extra minutes!!! but I forgot.:cry: :mad: so got a small scortch about the size of quarter but thats enough to ruin a batch!!

and the rest of my day just continued bad after that.

but I really haven't had any problems yet this season except for alot of bacteria to try to keep up with. So I guess it was just my turn.:rolleyes:

but I did get alot of sap yesterday and trees are still running got another 150 gallons, and its still running little vac. is still going!!

[red maples]

Well trying to stay out of the sugarhouse today!!!! except for checking tanks. Still running and not running too badly either. 30 hr marathon run. and its clear!!!:) light breeze but for the last 30 hours I got about 250 gallons on 300 taps and still have some stuff to collect around ! didn't check the sugar but I will be boiling tomorrow:D

Got kissed on the forearm by the arch front loading wood last week!!! could hear the sizzle!!! but its getting better now!!!! had my sleaves pulled up because it was so warm out. and right about the gloves!!!!

Now we'll see how long the sap runns without a frost.

just got a new Dell lap top. love it but need more time to play with it. when maple is over which will probably be soon:cry: I will tap a few birches and make some birch syrup. but then spring and clean u p and what ever else is in store for that time!!!!

So much for maple weekend in the southern part of the state!!!! unless we get back to normal temps the end of the month!!! everyone will be boiling water!!!

[red maples]

boiled out everything but 45 gallons today. And had first chimney fire yee ha. just let it burn out. was strange things got a little quite I looked at my strack temp and it was on the rise about 250 degrees real quick went outside and saw some nice flames. then it was over and all was back to normal.

I don't know guys the weather forcast doesn't look good for maple!!! this might be about it!!!!

not a good year year over all. OK for my first but I was expecting lots more!!!

have about 38 gallons total I think!!! I have to go through all the containers.

5 gallons of which I would have to say mersh maybe just a slight off flavor. stuff that was sitting around between boils....that is one thing I have had alot of bacteria this even though I tried my best to stay on top of it!!!

[red maples]

well I think I am gonna call it quits for this season. The water is now 5+ feet above as my marker(slege hammer handle) is below about 6-8 inches of water. my last 1-1/2 cords is now floating around. and the water is about 6-8 inches from creeping into the sugarhouse. I have never seen rain like this before. somehow there is no water in my basement. I guess I did the french drain right even though the end where it drains out is cover by 2 1/2 feet of water. besides my sap has no sugar and there is really no good weather is site!!!! it was fun while it lasted. I guess I will have to suppliment my syrup this year if I want to do the farmers markets and stuff....not happy about it but hope for a better 2011!!!

[dart96]

Hey Brad, I'm going to empty my buckets in the morning and see if I get any sap over the next day or two. The weather isn't promising, so I'm probably going to pull the plug too.

My backyard is now a swimming pool, but like you, my basement has stayed dry (knock wood). Crazy crazy weather!! Hopefully the warmer weather will help things dry out!

[3rdgen.maple]

Red sounds like you had a pretty good season for your first time with the new rig. Been real warm here for a few days. Gotta do a count but I think I am around 50 gallons made thus far. Unless this season turns around which it should seeing the future forecast calls for cold nights I should fair out pretty well. With the 800 I have out I would like to be around a quart a tap but last few years has been below that. Knowing that I wanted around 150 gallons so I shot high on the tap count and glad I did but man I am wearing this rig out and myself. Hate to say it but it has been nice with a few days off to get cleaned up and back on track for the next run. I think we have had about 10 days of so so sap runs back to back with below average sugar content which made for some long nights. Next year I am hoping I can work a deal with Patrick and get this one swapped out for a 3x8 or 3x10. Started that process. Good thing is if it is late I still got a rig to boil on. I did scorched a quarter size spot my first year on it as well. Only thing it affected was one you first sweeten the pans that spot likes to pop and it drives me nuts hearing it. If I rotate it to the front it goes away. Good luck on the birch tapping. Would like to try it some year but man I cut enough wood now to feed the little beast for maple.

[red maples]

From what I am hearing on here 3rd gen you better plan on a new evap from patrick for the 2012 season that is if you order it today!!!

It wasn't a bad year for my first I expected more syrup not really happy with .126gpt I will get a little more but not much. I don't think I will be doing the birch thing. All my wood is wet I have enough dry popllar to finish out the the next few days and thats it and that has to be split smaller first ...try to get to that today. we'll see how things go. I have a lot of things to do over the next year to make things better and more effiecient, tubing more effiecient, better storage situation (thats first foremost), and find a better place to put my wood:rolleyes: thin out the trees a bit...well at the very least some release cuts. So it can only get better from here. Good learning year!!!! I won't add any new taps this season maybe a few here and there. hopefully will be at 350-400 for the 2012 season.

So the national weather folks say we got 10 inches of rain...man if that were snow holy cow!!! for those that know the area many roads closed the only to get in to exeter from my house is rt 111. water in the yard gone down 1 1/2 feet since yesterday. should be way down by tonight!!! and start to gat ready for chickens !!!

[michelle32]

Ha Brad, Sorry about the bad luck. Don,t give up. Go to the dump or any where you can and get pallets or scrape wood. We have a cold snap coming in next week and it will get better. Or maybe you could sell your sap. I know maplesapper was looking for some. Keith

[red maples]

I am still excited about maple we'll make it happen I was just discouraged I think. wet wood does burn not as hot but we'll get r done. the good thing is my laterals are full of sap and I don't csre how down and out you are thats always good to see!!!

so once the water drops a little more and my tanks stop floating I will be able to get them cleaned out and sanitized, get the vac back in and releaser back in place and be back in business as long as the sap runs!!!

[red maples]

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[red maples]

OK water level was down enough I could get to the tanks!!!:) srubed 1 out got the releaser back in and hooked the vac back up waited for the first couple of super cloudy gallons of sap to come out dumped that and rinsed out the releaser and things are running pretty good!!!!

now just have to get some wood together and clean out the other tanks and we are back in business!!

hopefully we get a freeze tonight too so things keep goin!!!

[3rdgen.maple]

Red I am rethinking my stratedy for next year. I might cut the 2x6 in half and make it a half pint then tap a few thousand trees just so I won't be disapointed again lol. Seems unlike some others Patrick has taken good care of me and he kept his word and even added some extras at no charge to me. I personally have no worries about him getting a new evporator to me. I did him some favors and seems we have a good understanding of each others expectations. On a better note said the heck with everything today and spent time waist deep in the Salmon river catching steelhead. What a blast and a needed break.

[red maples]

I am jelous...I vow this year to get back into fly fishing. I am gonna go out soon and spend some money on a new fly rod and some new waders...if I had time to tie flies I would but I have to buy some more which I hate to do because they are easy to make and they are so expensive. I haven't done it in about 8 years( daughter is almost 8) SSOOO its time. I think its time you move away from those bucket and do some tubing and vacuum!!! then try and boil out 800 taps on a 2x6 forget it!!!!! you will going for and RO and a bigger evap too.


Feeling better about things!!! got 100 gallons of sap today would have had more but couldn't really get to tanks until about 1:00 today. but it did run hard for most of the afternoon. and still going pretty good. Got enough wood split to boil for about 3 hours so I can get rid of 100 gallons or so tomorrow. ah things are looking up!!! :) now if we can get a frost tonight then some more sap tomorrow and all will be good again!!!!

[Dill]

You did better than I got then. I collect maybe 70 gallons in Northwood. I think it got too warm too fast today. Wife said there was ice on the puddles this morning, then 58 by 11am.

[3rdgen.maple]

Lets get the important stuff out of the way then I will talk sap.
www.flydealflies.com best priced flies on the market and they tie them when you order so you are not getting old dried up and flattened out flies. I tie my own and have for many years but when I get behind or lazy I will place an order with them. Last time I ordered I got 10 dozen. Think minimum order is a dozen but their flies are only 50 cents. Only down side since they tie them once they are ordered it takes a few weeks to get them but the quality is very very good. I think maybe this summer we should meet up on the West Branch of the Ausable River near Lake Placid and hit the pocket water and pull some big trout out. There is no better place in my mind to flyfish and my daughter will agree and argue if anybody says its not. About a 4 hour drive for me and great thing about it is I end up meeting up with some other flyfisherman just by chance that I have shared a beer with and a fishing hole a time or two. Nothing like a hard day of fishing and dinner and a few drinks with people who share the same passion.

Okay now the sap. I was gonna start running vac this year but spent funds on other needed maple crap. Thing is I have said many times I will not spend money that I did not make from selling syrup. Problem I have is the land is so diverse and since I own land on both sides of the roads it is gonna take about 5 vac pumps and 5 tanks and 5 releasers to get it all online. I did get one vac pump, and bartered for a brand new more than I will ever need diesel generator to power atleast 2 sections. So since this year was a bust I gotta dip into the savings and make it happen. Plan is that All the sugars will be on vac next year and still put out atleast 600 taps on the reds. Will put me way over 1000 taps. I have as many as 5000 trees available to tap. I also have absolutely no desire to get an RO. Reality is Im not sure at this point what to do. It might end up being 300 an vac the rest on buckets and make some money with the 2x6 and then get the larger evaporator for 2012. Really hard to explain to she who must be obeyed I need to spend a few thousand more on an operation that yeiled a loss. Even harder to convince myself it is the right thing to do. Looking back regardless if I was on vac or not this year it wont stop the early buds I am seeing and customers don't want buddy sap. Was going pretty good first week then the weather killed me. If I hear another person say oh well there is next year I am gonna puke.
How about Oh well time to flyfish anyways LOL.

[red maples]

I didn't get that warm here. hit like 50. but my place is in a valley so even though I am south of you a bit I still get pretty cold if I drive a few miles in any direction most of the time its warmer and can be as much as 5-7 degrees difference and a about 1/2 of my trees are ina hemlock stand on a north slope so they didn't get that warm stayed a good temp to run and those trees are still running pretty good. the full sun trees aren't giving up any sap right now.

I have to tighten my mainline a little 1 big oak tree that I have a side tie on is leaning a bit so I have a few dips in the line. I know I tightened the mainline good but WOW:D no just kidding root ball is coming with it. so it will come down like a few others this year!!! I have 1 maple broken clean in 1/2 and a small group of 3 maples leaning and are at about 45 degrees now. but I have some release cuts and thinning to do so that will help!!!

[3rdgen.maple]

Red forgot to mention that if you don't want to spend the big bucks on high end rods and want a nice one with a top notch warranty look at Temple Fork. Reall nice rods for the money. I am a Sage guy but bought one just because I did not have a 3 weight and had to have it type deal. Broke the tip off in the door before I ever strung it. Sent it back to temple fork in Texas and had a brand new one in 2days. They have a lifetime replacement regardless of what you did to kill it. The best waders are Simms with the new diddymo boots. Big buck though but worth every penny. Oh and when the wife ask why do you have so many flyRods just say honey it is like golfing you need a different rod for every fishing hole:D

[red maples]

3rdgen thanks for the web site I will check them out!!! when I was living in jersey our trout unlimited chapter used to go to this place out on the end of long island...it was a hatchery and we rented the whole section of river and we used to call the rainbows and big hook jaw browns sub marines because they would brush your legs when they swam past you. huge talking 10 -12 and bigger lbs. connequot river state park reserve. I was therein the mid 90's but I just saw a n article on the river have the IPN disease there in 2006. yikes


I wish I could remember the name of it. the forest ranger that works there said at night he goes out to the pond on the end of this stretch and uses a jitterbug...teased because we couldn't do it and caught some of the biggest brown and rainbows he has ever seen. We caught some BIG fish on light tippets you have to fight them forever or they break your line easy. I fought a 7# rainbow for 35-45 minutes on a 7X tippet on a littLe bead head phesant tail american that was the best day and the biggest trout I ever caught. I caught a few more that day but not as big as that.

OK now getting excited for trout season!!!!

[morningstarfarm]

DUDE we use bigger fiah than that for bait....15lb blue with a 16/0 hook bridled....150lb tippet....ok now I'm jonesing bad to get the boat back in and looking for tunas....

[red maples]

hit 28 degrees last night Yes!!!!

yeah salt water!!!! but large fish on a light tackle I love it. I also use an ultra light rod with 4# test line for stocked trout I love it when you get a 2-3 pounder. nice fight. and caaught a 6# large mouth and a 4 # small mouth on that same rod last year talk about a fight!!! or Bass I usually use my med weight rod with 20# braided line. I go striper fishing in the swampscott river too. thats coming up right after trout season. the alwives usually run 3rd week in may and spawn in the brackish waters just below the dams and the stripers chase them all the way up the river. caught a few schoolies last year and 2 keepers the year before. newmarket has bigger and more fish but not as much shore line so it can get elbow to elbow and I hate that!!!

[SV Sugarer]

Thanks for the tip on the flies 3rdgen. Good prices compared to the fly shops and others. I tie my own, but don't have the time to make as many as I would like. Looks like a good source when I get low on bugs.

I agree with the TFO rods. I took a fall in the CT River in Pittsburg last year and broke the tip of my rod. Sent it back and there was a new tip section on my doorstep a few days later. For that reason, my next rod will be another Temple Fork.

With the warm weather, it looks like I'll be hitting the Swift R. soon instead of boiling sap! It hit 28 degrees last night here too - I hope there is sap to collect after work this afternoon. Hope everyone else is doing better than we are - the buds are really starting to swell here......

[3rdgen.maple]

No problem but if you guys are gonna order some flies I may have to give you my info. If you recomend anybody to buy flies from them they give you a free dozen for every new person. Gotta love that. Guys it got cold last night and I am not gonna look at the buckets I am heading to the river:D can you say big fat steelies.

[SV Sugarer]

If I decide to order some, I'll be sure to get your info. first. Can't pass up a dozen free flies! Taps are running today, but very slow. It's way too warm - 62 degrees here - perfect weather for fishing! Good luck on the water.

[red maples]

Happy st patrick's day everyone make sure you have a green boilin' soda today!!!

boiled for a few hours today. got 2 gallons. I have to go through everything that I have and finish some stuff. have to bottle some stuff up tonight I sold most of the 9 gallons I bottled up have a few quart jugs and and a few 1/2 pints and thats it!!!!

and Have to ship some stuff off to the family can't forget them!!!

heard the first peeper of the year justa few minutes ago....first day of spring coming this weekend.

Its 64 dgrees here right now...

Got another frost last night sap ran great for the better part of the day. but I think Its just about done!!! what ever sap I get the next few days I think that will be it.
I think I need a vacation!!!

See ya

[3rdgen.maple]

SV if you decide too in the checkout section it will ask you a few questions and at the bottom if you put in my name and email (Darrick Hilton dbhilton@netscape.net) they will send me some flies also if you do this they will give you some free flies to boot so it is a win win for all. Just to let you guys Know they have a sale right now too with 15% off all orders. They also have a bundle package sale too where you tell them the area you live in and they will select the prime flies for your area with a 15% discount then another 10 bucks off if you have a promotional code. 15 dozen flies for under 100 bucks now that is a deal. By the way steelies were hungry today. Got back and managed to get a measly 100 gallons of sap.

[red maples]

the sap stop flowing last night for the first time without the lines freezing. except when had no power and was flooded out.

hit 64 degrees. I put on the man-kini and laid out to get a tan. (just kidding:rolleyes: ) had peepers saw the first mosquito and bugs holy cow!!!! flies, moths at the porch light, moth in the flue pan.

only got to 37 last night I doubt if I get any sap today but I need to keep it separated because I looked up at the trees and I the buds are swelling already, look like they doubled in size since yesterday.

SO I think I have a few hours of boiling today and I might be done!!! but after the floods last weekend, the swamp swelling and wind storm a few weeks ago, wet wood, I think I am glad its over. I didn't get as much as I wanted I hit 40 gallons so far with I think about 5-7 more gallons in pans and in sap. SO estimates 45 gallons gives me .15 gpt.

missed 2.5 days flooded out and 4.5 days of no power so missed 7 days of sap of an already short season for me.

I do want to thank everyone on here who helped me , michelle32 for the vac pump(without it would have nothing for syrup) Amber gold for the stock tanks(getting stainless for next year) and 3rdgen for the tips on the evaporator, Sweber for parting way with his evap. morningstar for buying 100 pcs candy and picking me up some pre filters. Russ for introducing me to the term Boilin' Sodas. and everyone else to helped me with advice and answered my rookie questions. great bunch of folks

1st year is under my belt!!! I think (at lleast hope) it can only get better from here.

and I will be looking for some syrup to buy from you local guys if you want to sell it. I have alot of dark. didn't make much grade B have 5 gallons of medium left and no light!!!! just don't get affended if I taste it first:) and if anyone is heading to bascom's to buy or sell let me know I will car pool with you!

Off to the sugarhouse.

[red maples]

boiled for 4 hours yesterday without a draw off. sugar bottomed out .5% might as well be boiling water and I was still getting sap but has a very woody flavor to it and it extremely cloudy almost milky color to it. I shut off the vacuum yserday. Iwill still collect from the buckets hanging on sugars but otherwise I am done even if we get a frost there is no more sugar left in in my reds I think with the recient floods here the trees are sucking up so much water its just diluting the sugar so much!!! I was just over 1% before I got flooded out.

the buds are growing very quickly now with this warm weather. And there is so much foam I am using too much defoamer and making funny tasting syrup. and the steam has a woody aroma to it almost like if you smell a fresh sharpened pencil.

I miss the days in the beginning when I was drawing off a gallon an hours!!!:(

[Russell Lampron]

Yup sounds like you are getting buddy sap. How many sugars do you have tapped?

[red maples]

Hi russ...I only have about 6 sugars on the vac. and the rest are road side buckets and gravity tubing which haven't produced much at all. just like yours I maybe collected 150 gallons of sap out those 40 or so taps. and they haven't had a drop since wednesday
.

[red maples]

Buds are opening on a few trees!!! Just like a true Red Sox Fan ...Well there's always next year!!!, except for 2012 when the world blows up!!!! ;)

[red maples]

So what I might do is pull the taps on trees that have budded because its only a few and see if I can get enough sap in the next few days for maple weekend so I don't have to boil water!!! if I have to chase it with water thats fine but with the cold temps it might be OK!!! got down to 28 last night and with vac it might be enough to get some today and if we can get a frost tonight and its suppose to go down to upper teens low 20's Friday over night...I'll try anyway. even if its mersh. I can still sell it right!!! hopefully the steam will smellsweet enough and not funky!!!

[red maples]

mmmm I don't know I have more trees budded than I thought...and did a quick rinse and turned the vac back on and I am waiting there is some sap coming in but its yellow milk.yummy..dumping it into a bucket as it comes in if it clears a bit maybe if not forget it!!!

[red maples]

ah forget it...I took a gallon and started to boil it and it actual smells terrible!!! and sugar well none of that either everything going into buds I guess!!. So I guess I will be boiling water this week end!!! oh well!!

[3rdgen.maple]

Hey red what I had to do one year when I had guest coming over (boyscouts) is I took the leftover syrup from years past threw it in the pans diluted with what sap I had and water and boiled it back down. Got 2 things done. Refreshed some older syrup and taught the scouts and parents a little along the way. Hey don't feel bad either I think we are done and it is not from buddy sap. Trees won't let go of there sap.

[red maples]

I don't feel bad I wish I had sap but it'll be fine. I'm sure it has happened to alot of folks. I'll have the rig boiling, steam and stuff, with samples and candy it will be a chilly day too so some hot cocoa, I got coloring books it will be fun days and best of all I don't have to worry about burning my pans because it will only be water;)

[red maples]

So I finished off everything cleaned and what ever else still have a few things to to do but. final numbers 46 gallons gallons syrup. I still have to grade some stuff but I think the remainder is 7 gallons dark and 6 gallons B and 4-5 gallons mersh. and with 45 taps on gravity and buckets that produced nothing compared to the 255 on vac. it comes out to .15 gpt of syrup and with the 7 days I missed I probably would have been closer to .20-.25 but nothing you can do about the weather!!!!but it will be enough to get some more stuff for 2011 including insurance and stuff without spending non-syrup money. and I am still debating on wether I should do the farmers market or not being I have to suppliment syrup if I do that!!

[red maples]

not a bad day I would have liked to see some more folks but had about 12-15 people visit. Sold about $95(had to change amount I added wrong) worth of syrup and candy. and just paid $8 for some foam poster board for a sign. thats a good return on advertising!!!

sold mostly quarts. I am botlling some up did some more medium and doing some dark right now can't figure out why its taking so long to heat up... duh forgot to turn the burner back on. :rolleyes:

anyway hope everyone had a good day we'll see what tomorrow brings!!!:)

Hope Amber Gold did OK with the Suits and political type folks???:)

[red maples]

Well thats it!!! sap ran nice today when ever I saw some body comeing I went and turned on the vacuum to let people see the sap and I don't think people beleived me when I said it was all sap!!! 3 people said now thats water right? :)

so I took them over to a lateral and let them see the sap trvel down the lines.

anyway had about 13 or so people visit today and its funny when people come in expecting a little thing and I would consider a 2x6 a smaller rig compared to alot of them but I love the wow factor when people come in and you exceed their expectations by that much!!!

sold more grade B today people love it. I let them taste and compare the the different grades and always tell them start with the med. (beacause I have no light) and work your way through because if you start with Gr B the med tastes like nothing!!!

Overall I was happy with the turnout!!! around 25 people total over 2 days open from 11-2:00 was as informative as I could be. I only had a sign at the end of the driveway. and sold about $160 worth of syrup and candy. so I have topped about $700 so far this year (mostly thanks to my wife for selling it at work). So next year I will advertize more a few more signs and a flyer at the general store and do a little more STUFF!!!

Hope everyone else did well. I will be looking forward to reading your threads

I will be pulling taps and taking down the rest of the buckets and cleaning stuff out dumped in another 2 gallons of vinegar in the pans to get the last of the niter out let that sit for a few days and pull them off and power washer everything down. and clean the lines finish bottling everthing up. then start on wood for next year:( yeah!!!

[Dill]

One more advantage to vac.
My lines where just starting to run when I checked at 2. Battened down the covers on the tanks and hopefully I'll be boiling the last batch tomorrow night in this weeks rainstorm.
Started pruning the apple trees before they bud out in a week or 2. And its time to start working on firewood until the fields dry out.

[red maples]

I am gonna enjoy this rain today and do nothing I have been running around all month tryng to keep thing together so today and part of tomorrow thats it R&R. then I will get back into things and get things wrapped up!!!:)

[red maples]

Got pans off evap today and powerwashed inside and out nice and sparkly clean vacuumed out arch everything looks good. get the pans back in there tomorrow. started pulling taps today have about 75+- left to go and get things all flushed out and sucked dry tomorrow and close everything up. as I was pulling taps realized I tapped 3 ash trees oops thought they were red maples!!! still getting things cleaned up after the floods. have a lot of non-maple projects to do for this summer and a few maple projects but they re aren't too bad maybe 20-30 hours worth of work and about $1500 not to bad this years the main part of it (not included in the hours is thinning and release cuts. I have alot of clean up to do in the woods lots of branches down, a few trees down just makes it hard to get through the woods so I think alot of my time this year will be spend cutting in the woods!!!