new guy from mass

[sapbrush]

hi all i have been sugaring for over 15 years, small scale, did it when i was a kid on my familys farm in northern canada, and when i bought this property in belchertown, i started again, not a high tech sugar guy,im 58 years old and my kids are all grown and moved away, like i see mostly on here, sap vacums, revers osmos, miles of lines and evaporators capabile of doing what i do in a year in an hour, i usually put 30 to 50 taps all sugar mapels around the house and in the woods, all buckets, and i have a half pint evaporator standard no add ons, i like to keep thing simpel as my grandfather did, i think we have gone to high tech, maybe its just that we have made something so simpel more compictaed, nature gives us a gift each year, and some of us have the foutune to be able to collect it and boil it down to a sweet syrup,we do it cause its in our blood, its a love of labor, good site, hopefully we all have had a good year. just keep it simpel.

[mapleman3]

Welcome Jim... to the Trader AND to sugaring in Belchertown! we have a nice town, glad to have you on and I'm looking forward to meeting you soon. Maybe we need to have a meet and greet soon with all the maple traders in our area at my place this spring/summer!

[Ausable]

hi all i have been sugaring for over 15 years, small scale, did it when i was a kid on my familys farm in northern canada, and when i bought this property in belchertown, i started again, not a high tech sugar guy,im 58 years old and my kids are all grown and moved away, like i see mostly on here, sap vacums, revers osmos, miles of lines and evaporators capabile of doing what i do in a year in an hour, i usually put 30 to 50 taps all sugar mapels around the house and in the woods, all buckets, and i have a half pint evaporator standard no add ons, i like to keep thing simpel as my grandfather did, i think we have gone to high tech, maybe its just that we have made something so simpel more compictaed, nature gives us a gift each year, and some of us have the foutune to be able to collect it and boil it down to a sweet syrup,we do it cause its in our blood, its a love of labor, good site, hopefully we all have had a good year. just keep it simpel.

Hi there Sapbrush - Until this year with Your Half Pint - to me - You were one of the Hi Tech Guys. As I used Open Pan Batch method for the past 15 years. Then One of my Sons and Grandsons decided it was time to update the old man a little bit and built me a 2' by 5' arch and evaporator - have only been able to do a single boil do to hardly any sap here this year - but - it was fun trying something different. But - at my age - 55 trees is enough for me - and my Son started tapping this year and has brought some of his sap up to boil. That being said - this is a great site and I have learned a lot = from the Brotherhood of Maple Syrup Makers both large and small. We all have a common interest - and everyone has been helpful.. Good Luck Sugarin this year ---- Mike

[sapbrush]

no a couple years ago i bught the half pint always done it outside on a woodstove, i dont consitor myself high tech at all, none of the fancy gadgets here just syrup tested on the back of a spoon a lost art i think jim

[sapbrush]

i will look forward to that jim jim

[Ausable]

no a couple years ago i bught the half pint always done it outside on a woodstove, i dont consitor myself high tech at all, none of the fancy gadgets here just syrup tested on the back of a spoon a lost art i think jim

Hi again Jim - Years ago - Some Friends taught us how to make Maple Syrup and to this day they still use a large open pan and make a very good syrup.
We started like a lot of other folks - In the house - on the stove and my wife was a good sport - but - finally had enough and chased me outside. So started to experiment - Gas Grill - Nope. Old cast Iron Log Stove - Nope. Turkey Fryer - might be ok to finish on - but - too small. Block Arch with a 2' x 2' open pan - ok for a few years - but - rain, snow and wind finally won out. Found an old Barrel Stove kit at a lumber yard and picked up an Oil Drum and I was finally in business - framed it in with angle iron and sheet metal and lined the inside with fire brick and sand and the drum neved did burn out.
First year we used it - had about three foot of snow and ice on the ground - Started our boil and kept leveling as it melted thru the snow and ice and made it to the ground - next year I built a Sugar Shack around it and that was good - it could rain and snow and I could boil away. Used a Hydrometer for the first time this year - that was ok. Jim - I tap 55 trees and hang Coffee Cans from the tap hooks - slit the plastic lids to keep rain and snow out. I have never heard of anyone else admit to using Coffee Cans to catch their sap in - not traditional enough - but - it works.
When I started making syrup - my adult kids gave me a copy of "Backyard Sugarin" by Rink Mann and he became my hero - I believe he said "The idea is to make Maple Syrup, not see how much money you can spend" and as a Back Yarder that applied to me. If You are one of the big guys and make it to sell - then it is a different ball game and you have to be very efficient. But - I'm a little guy and do it for fun and Maple Syrup......Hey - we still use the spoon test too - till I learn to trust the hydrometer..........Mike