2010 Village Mapleworks Season

[maplwrks]

I'll try to keep this up a little better this year!!

Momma and I finished tapping tonight. She really doesn't like watching sap run on the ground. I keep telling her that this is nuisance sap---all it does is freeze solid in your tanks and creates headaches!! She don't care---just make some !@$#^%&! syrup! 802 Maple and his Mrs. came down yesterday to help pound spouts. It's fun to get them out of the hills for some "flatland" tapping!

We will be at the 3500 mark again this year with what we tap and the sap we buy. The only thing new this year is a new vacuum pump that I put in a woods that was previously gravity. I'm in hopes of mking 450+ gallons on the 1000 taps I've got on vacuum.

My biggest concern this year is the lack of moisture in the woods--I tapped tonight in my hikers and didn't get wet feet! I probably could have tapped in sneakers if my feet would stay warm. Looks like we've got some snow coming for this week, I think it will be a good thing, if it will last.

All I've got left to do is to set my new 900 gallon tank, hook up the pumps and releasers, put the membranes in the RO and wait. HA!
YAGOTTAWANIT!!! Mike

[Brian Ryther]

nuisance sap---

I was having a hard time with the idea of rinsing the ro with sap but I think that the sap that ran today will work great.

Good luck this season Mike.

[paul]

well mike looks like you got your moisture.

[maplwrks]

We got blessed with 20" of snow yesterday--Man am I glad I tapped before we got it!! The heavy wet stuff, lots of moisture! I've working marathon days at the power co. and can't wait to get out of here to WORK ON SOME SUGARING STUFF....

[maplecrest]

well i bet your at work today. trees down every where. spouts pulled out of trees. froze up here now cold east wind. but sun might change things before power back and leaks fixed. what a great three days

[jtbucket]

what weather! Was real fun driving that big brown truck!!!snowpants one day raincoat the next sunglasses the next!! Can t wait to get in the woods and just relax. Be in touch this weekend.

[Randy Brutkoski]

Well I started taping tonight, till 9 oclock. 200 in and about 6000 to go. Mike, on your way to your bush stop at my vac. pump house and see if i hooked that monster up right. thanks

[maplwrks]

Well---I'm still stuck at work, and the freakin sap is running on the ground! Hopefully, today will be the last of it. I haven't been home since Tuesday. I'm taking 3 days off next week to get everything running. Expecting up to another foot of !@#%^@ SNOW TODAY!!

[Parker]

"Careful what you wish you just might get it,,,,careful what you wish you might regret it",,,,,Enter the sap man,,,,,Matalica :)

[maplwrks]

I was finally allowed to go home last night. 46 hours of OT since Tuesday. Got most everyones' power back on. Now it's time to make syrup!!!Things are going much better today. We've got 1 vacuum pump up and running. Tomorrow, I'll get the other 1 fired up. The sap is running decent tody and the forecast looks favorable for at least a couple more days. I agree Parker---be careful what you wish for!!!!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Something is wrong when guys in VT and NE are making syrup and it is too cold down here to even think about it. One small run so far and normally the first week of March is my best week of the year and no sap in sight for this week unless something changes. We are probably at 150+ inches of snow too. LOL

[maplwrks]

Most guys up here have tapped, not much syrup being made. I did here that Bascoms had made some syrup, but not much considering their size. I had the vacuum running today, but once the sun went down, things locked right up. Yhat tells me that it is still early for any real runs,

[maplwrks]

Most guys up here have tapped, not much syrup being made. I did here that Bascoms had made some syrup, but not much considering their size. I had the vacuum running today, but once the sun went down, things locked right up. That tells me that it is still early for any real runs,

[PARKER MAPLE]

Most guys up here have tapped, not much syrup being made. I did here that Bascoms had made some syrup, but not much considering their size. I had the vacuum running today, but once the sun went down, things locked right up. That tells me that it is still early for any real runs,

YEAH I WAS IN BASCOMS ON SATURDAY. SHE SAID THAT THEY WERE AT 63000 TAPS AND MADE AROUND 1250 GALS. WICH TO ME ISNT ALOT FOR THAT MANY TAPS. SO PROBABLY A BIT TO EARLY STILL EVEN DOWN THERE.

[maplwrks]

I had another good day today, got a vacuum shed finished so I can set that some night this week. I've got 1 bush that is running gravity now, and will be on vacuum this weekend. The weather doesn't look too promising this week, but this weekend looks like things may break loose. A couple of guys in town made syrup last night and I've got to help a good friend of mine get his RO going tomorrow. He's got almost a 1000 gallons of sap, so we will make some steam tomorrow morning!

[maplecrest]

sap wanted to run here today soo bad. but wind keep freezing up the releasers. toned down vac but no go. wind chill too much.sap ran on gravity

[paul]

Hey Mike I See You`re Keeping Up With Your Journal Like Last Year.

[farmall h]

Wow, perfect weather. 12 above this morning..froze up real good today and Saturday morning. Must have been in the 40's. Tapped the remaining trees this morning and was in a t-shirt @ 12:30. More than 1000 gal. of sap today. Boiled for the 2nd day...30 gallons syrup so far. Hope it lasts.:)

[maplwrks]

Today was a little stressful---Started out the day chasing leaks, we won that battle as the woods are now on 24" of vacuum. 2200 gallons of sap to haul 14 miles. 3 trips with my truck, and 2 with my sons' truck. Put the RO togetherand started processing sap. Looks like I need another recirc pump for my other column, as she's squeeeeeeling!! I processed the sap right up to 22% and started boiling. 3 hours later 25 gallons of Medium Amber in the jugs. NICE!!

Tomorrow, after work, it's back to squirrel patrol, I have 1 woods that the vacuum is almost nonexistant. We'll shoot for 15" tomorrow and fine tune the day after.

[maplwrks]

Spent the day yesterday fixing leaks---my second bush is now up to 24" vacuum. We had a good freeze here last night, so the sap should run decent today. We'll see!

[802maple]

We need some weather, all this bright sunshine and breeze is screwing us. We aren't going to get the big one until mother nature lets us have it. Pray to the weather gods everybody.

[Big John]

made 1600 so far, got the vacuum at 27" and the sap has been flowing steady not setting the world on fire, but it is running.

[maplwrks]

Not a good day--Sap ran Ok, The RO didn't. I had just concentrated 1500 gallons down to about 600 gallons of concentrate when the high pressure pump threw a bearing. That brought everything to a screeeeeching halt!! We were making a real nice Medium Amber when we had to shut down. 15+ gallons in the jugs tonight.

For all of you guys in Vt. that are thinking about buying a Lapierre Ro, consider buying it from Dave Mayotte in Fletcher. You won't get the low ball price like you would from Matt, but when I called in a panic tonight, he assured me that he would be in my sugarhouse, with a new pump, tomorrow morning by 9:00 am. You won't get that service from anyone else in the state.

I guess I'll get a good nights sleep and get ready to attack it tomorrow! Looks like a day off for me!!!

[802maple]

I guess he gets to see how he likes changing a pump with your setup now doesn't he.

[maplwrks]

Dave Mayotte arrived just like he said he would, 9:00am. We had the pump all changed out in 15 minutes and I was off and concentrating!! I should have a good boil tonight, with about 600+ gallons of 12% already.

[farmall h]

made "Fancy" today and yesterday. Ka-ching!!

[maplwrks]

I had 2 real good friends stop out and boil tonight. These fellas own a small sugarbush on the other side of town. When my son was real little (22 years ago) I started helping them out with their operation. I really learned a lot from them, and really enjoy it when they come over for an evening. Both of these guys are old school sugarmakers and they really get a kick out of boiling 20%+ sap.

The sap didn't run well here today. It froze hard, and when it warmed up this morning, it started off like gangbusters. By noon it had hit 48 degrees and the run had slowed significantly. I'm hearing from other sugarmakers in the Champlain Valley that they are experiencing the same problem. I think we are very dry here, and need some wet sloppy snow to get things going. I would even settle for some rain. The frost is still not out of the ground and the ground is very hard---not real good ground conditions for sap production. We need some cloudy crappy weather to get this season kicking here.

We had a good boil tonight, made 55 gallons of Medium Amber

[Randy Brutkoski]

Mike is right. Froze really hard and I only got 3000 gallons on 4400 tap bush on vac. Thought for sure i would get 6000 gal. anyways. Also need some rain to feed my 180 gallon an hour vacume pump. I would hate to suck that pond dry.

[algersugar]

hey mike pussywillows are out over on this side of town

[maplwrks]

It rained all day here in the Champlain Valley. We're starting to see mud, now maybe the sap will run. Many guys in the area are discouraged with the weather, but it's only the 14th of March, I think we've got a long way to go. To counter the discouragement, these guys all say that they have never made so much syrup this early in the month.

I spent most of Saturday on leak patrol. Got vacuum right up there in both bushes so when it runs we'll take full advantage of it. I got my wifes sap platform finished on Saturday also. This platform stands 6' off the ground, and has my 1500 gallon tank on it. My wife hauls sap for me, so all she needs to do now is to drive under the tank and open the valve! I boiled on Friday night, made 40 gallons of Dark Amber, and made another 10 today. I'm up to 150 gallons so far.

[maplwrks]

I was starting to get a disappointed with the season---Looks like tomorrow and Wednesday will be OK. We looked at the 2 week forecast today at work, and it looks like we will get some snow on Sunday, and then all next week temps will be in the low 40's and lows in the low 20's. That week is always the biggest week for us in this area as far as production. So --- I guess I should just get some sleep and rest before the big week.

[Russell Lampron]

Mike I hope you are right about that big week. I will finally be on vacation. This one doesn't look as disapointing as it once did. I should get a freeze tonight and tomorrow night although they won't be hard freezes. Should be enough to keep the sap flowing though.

[802maple]

Hang in there guys, I can't count the times in the past when I had my own bush and I wouldn't tap before the 20th of march, that people told me I had missed it and I might as well save my money and not sugar. I would tap and make my usual 1/3rd of a gallon of syrup per tap.

As you said Russ, Maples won't get hurt as far as buds go when the temperature is only 50 degrees.

[farmall h]

Funny..the weather this year. But, it ain't over. Still March. Ready for round two. Sap didn't run well today, vac on all day=200 gal. sap. May get a frosty morning. Fingers are crossed.

[maplwrks]

My buddy Pete and I hit one of my bushes tonight to chase vacuum leaks. The guage at the releaser was on 17" when we headed in. It took us 3 hours and alot of fittings and patience but it was worth it. The guages in the woods and releaser all read 25" when we were done and the sap was pouring into the releaser.

I was able to pick up 500 gallons of sap tonight, and left 300 there---I'll get the wife and grandson to haul a couple loads tomorrow while I chase more leaks in the other woods. I would like to think that I will have 1500 gallons to boil tomorrow night.

[maplwrks]

One of the better runs of the season for me---I don't know if it was just the higher vacuum, or if finally all the frost is gone and the trees are starting to run.I pulled 1300 gallons off 1000 taps today, whizzed it through the RO to 24% and made 26 gallons of Grade B. 175 gallons to date---a long way from 700!

[Breezy Lane Sugarworks]

Mike, Good to hear it's still running for you. even after that freeze here the sap ran but nothing special. i hear there are people down your area that are considering calling it quits? our last 30 gallons have been commercial. I'm still going to try and make it down sometime. good luck!

[sapmaple]

Had 25 degrees last night Hoping for decent run today but looks like way to warm My new lines are running real good under 22 inchs of vac. but the west side not to good they are the oldest lines. last boil making dark amber but tonight probably B we are at 2/3 of crop

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Mike,

Are you running 1,000 taps or 3,500 this year?? You guys need to hang in there in VT, should have at least another 2 to 3 weeks.

[maplwrks]

Brandon--I have 1000 of my own and buy in another 2500 taps of sap. My tubing is all on vacuum, running 22". Gravity systems up here have been struggling big time, Most of my production #s have been my own.

The sap ran good here today, 1200 gallons off 1000 taps. Pete and I chased vacuum leaks tonight and made pretty good headway. The bush we were working on was at 16" when we started, and was up to 22" when we got done. I've got one main that we just can't seem to find a leak on. The sap isn't very sweet, but should make 25 gallons or so tonight. This puts us at about 1/3 of a crop.

[maplwrks]

VACUUM RULES!!!There are a lot of long faces around town this week. Many gravity systems just aren't running at all, and some of the experts in town don't think they have vacuum leaks! I make their faces even longer when I drive through town with 2 loads of sap a day!! It has been taking me longer to haul my sap each day than it does to boil it. The woods give up another 1000 gallons today and I pushed it through the RO to 24% and boiled for 1 hr and made 25 gallons of B. This puts us at around 225 for the year.WE"RE GAININ'

[Grade "A"]

Same here with vacuum. Last year was my best year at 56 gallons, this year I am over 80 gallons and still going. Buckets are dry but vacuum is making the trees run even without a freeze.

[maplwrks]

4th day in a row without a freeze and I am still getting 1 gallon per tap. It was 65 degrees here today, flies all over the sap tanks, momma wearing her spaghetti strap top....oooops! Hard to believe the sap keeps coming. Hoping that the cool down this next week along with some precipitation, we may improve grade. I will boil tomorrow,and clean everything up.

[maplwrks]

The trees finally give up today. They ran pretty good over night, but they cashed it in at around noon. I can't understand it, only 5 days since our last freeze! I boiled in the sap I had, made 30 gallons of good Grade B. We're at 255 gallons so far.

[802maple]

It seems like good attire for her, I guess I need to come down to keep abreast of things.

It was 65 degrees here today, flies all over the sap tanks, momma wearing her spaghetti strap top....oooops!

[driske]

Got passed on Lake Hayward by a couple sport bra wearing cuties 3 weeks ago while skiing the Birke.
Nothing like that in the Sugar Bush though.
Temps dropped to 17F last night. Sap is pretty milky after the 4 days of 60+.
To "B" or not to"B", that is the question.

[maplwrks]

I got everything cleaned up on Sunday. I made 30 gallons of B on Saturday and another 10 Sunday while cleaning out the rig. I put the pan acid to the rig and cleaned her up good. I'm still hoping for a cool down and a couple more sap runs, Maple Open House W/E is this weekend and I would really like to make some steam.

[maplwrks]

We're getting some much needed moisture today. It's supposed to freeze here tomorrow night and every night for the next 5 nights. I'm really hoping that we can bring the grade up and make some decent syrup. The evaporator is all cleaned up and ready for fresh sap.

The vacuum pumps are still pulling away at the trees, I pulled 800 gallons last night and will need to boil again tonight. Momma and I are also canning a bunch of syrup for the Maple Open House Weekend coming up. I'll make a couple of batches of maple cream tomorrow night to have on donuts this weekend also!!

I was feeling pretty bummed about the season, but since momma removed all the guns and ropes from the house, I think my chances of surviving the season are getting better!!!!

[802maple]

Mike, I think it was more the spaghetti string top that brought you back around.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Jerry,
Are you suggesting there is something else in this world that might outdo maple:lol: ?

[802maple]

I plead the fifth on this one, or should I say drink the fifth

[Randy Brutkoski]

Because of that long heavy downpour 2 of my releasers are dumping every 1 minuite and 45 seconds. I think me and Mike have been the only ones in this area that have been collecting sap every day. All because of the big suck.

[paul]

first freeze in about a week 1/2. running sap threw ro today will boil tonight and get ready for the new sap to come for open house weekend. were at 575 right now hope to get a little more before it`s over.

[maplwrks]

Here's one for you---Yesterday I gathered what was in my tanks from a day and a half of running,about 1200 gallons. Test was very low, 1.3%. I ran it through the RO YESTERDAY, to about 10% concentrate. I had about enough to fill my CLEAN flue pan and fill the feed tank. I had dumped 15 gallons of Medium Amber into the syrup pans to heat up to can for open house this weekend. I fired the rig up, and got the syrup hot enough to can and ran it through the press and into cans. I then opened the valves and let the hot sap run into the syrup pans and refired. After about 2 hours of boiling, I started making the LIGHTEST syrup I've made all year. I went from making a good B syrup to a high grade Medium, with 2 day old sap!!! Granted, with the low test, and empty evaporator, I didn't make much, 5 gallons, but who'd a thunk it???

I've got to make some maple cream tomorrow for maple cream donuts, and a lot of cleaning to do in the sugarhouse.

[maplwrks]

Open House Weekend---lots of freinds and company around. Good sales and not much sap. The sap I'd saved made a nice Medium Amber color, and a nice commercial taste--metabolism! Everything now is going into the barrel commercial sale. The wind is out of the south today and it's only 38 degrees at this time. One of my vacuum pumps burned up a capacitor yesterday, so now I'm down to 500 on vacuum. I could probably get it fixed and back in service for Monday afternoon, but, I think the season is going to come to a screeching halt on Wednesday, with temps expected to push 70. I just think that I would go through alot of undue stress for nothing, with sugar levels at around 1.2. This has been the season from hell for alot of guys around these parts, and I guess that I have to admit that I'm in the bunch also.

[farmall h]

Supposed to get in the 40's today..quite a stiff wind though. Gonna turn on the vac and see what happens. I believe it is time to empty everything and do a good cleaning. Sap was looking kinda yellow yesterday as it sat for 2 days. Will give the syrup pan a good washing today. Hopefully the coming week will be good.

[maplwrks]

We are in probably the best run of the season right now. Trees are giving up 1-1 1/2 gallons sap per tap per day. I had some metabolism this past weekend, and I'm hoping that it will pass and start making some good PA Fancy!! I will boil tomorrow night, if I can find some barrels to put the junk in.

[802maple]

Mike, I can come up with a couple for you. Let me know

[farmall h]

yuuh baby.....sap a runnin good as we speak! The releaser is dumping 4 gallons in ten minutes or less:o :) . Gonna run vac all night. Looks like the last big one!

[802maple]

Hey Mikey, have you got those barrels full yet?