July Journal

[Russell Lampron]

Where did June go? It was such a busy month that it seems like it was Memorial Day just last week!

[red maples]

yeah and the 4th coming this weekend. its like back to back holiday weekends:D

Almost got my 6 cords done for maple. I was working on other projects and house wood and finally got back to it yesterday. when I am all done I shoould have 7- 7.5 cords when all my sugain' wood is done, but as long as I have the 6 I am all set!!!

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Happy Canada Day!

[tuckermtn]

Doug beat me to it...we are actually in British Columbia today so indeed happy Canada day to the toque wearing maple addicts this side of the border...

[ennismaple]

Happy Canada Day to all the Canucks and ex-pats out there!

[PATheron]

Been working a little on syrup stuff everyday down here. Getting to where the sugarshed is just about ready for Big Daddy. Revamped the kitchen into an Ro room Blew out all the walls in the main part for the evaperator. Lot of work done in the shed. Upgraded the pump lines from the releaser in the shed to 1.25" into the tanker trailer. Trying to make a nice fast dumping station by the road. Hope to have the shed all done this month and then I can finally head to the woods. Going to do a lot of finetuning on my taps. Want to have everything absolutely perfect with no leaks by season. Helping my buddy put in 1200 taps up the road on high vac. All that sap should come here so should be somewhere around 6000 taps on vac coming here come spring. Sounds like other people want to bring their sap too so Im telling everyone to bring it up, more the merrier. Really looking foreward to seeing the steam come off that big rig. Want to do the best job I can this spring and not miss a trick. Sounds like everyone is having a good time. No more wood for me so Im going to have LOTS of time on my lines this year. I love doing that work. Going to be some VERY BIG SAP THIS YEAR. Theee( GOING TO HIT 3000 GALLONS THIS YEAR OR IM DOZING DOWN THE SHED WITH THE STUFF IN IT AND TIMBERING THE WOODS)rooooon

[maplemat1]

kind of slow here got all the trees cleaned up from the recent storms , just sitting around waiting for tubing to come from leader usally have drops done by now but supplier did not stock as much with everyone in a buget crunch .im just chomping at the bit have 2000 drops to do and no material .it will be a rush when it does come in .just want to thank all the active and vets for what they are doing and what they have done to make this country the land of the free and the home of the brave.HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!!!!!

[Yellzee]

finally got the trailer finished for hauling out wood, have a couple cord to split for the house and on to the sap wood.

Haven't been out back in the sugar bush to check on the lines for a few weeks, may do that this weekend. Need to decide if I'm really going to move the taps to a new area of my bush for this year to give the trees I've been using a break.. major work required if that is the case to clear a path thru the cedar bush for the pipeline.

Looks like a great weather weekend here so our neighbors across the lake should have a good long weekend.

[ADKMAPLE]

I hear you there, June, skipped right by me! July, the one month of summer around here! Just got back from a weeks camping North of here in Saranac Lake, NY. Had predominatly rain unfortunatly. Not doing anything maple for awhile I would imagine, too busy.:(

[red maples]

just wood for me....not much else maple too busy here too.:( got 10 mice so far this year and thats 8 more than the cat...she loves to hunt but rarely catches anything!!! she has the heaviest feet I have ever heard on a cat!!!

I will have more time in august!!! I hope and even more in Sept. bugs will be gone 1 kid back in school. the other one isn't quite old enough yet. me and my little helper in the woods!!! but need a little more summer for beach and vac.

looking forward to lots of sugar this year...lots of sun for those trees to make sugar but a little rain would be nice. the grass is getting brown in some spots...no fireworks at the house this weekend tooooo dry!!!!

[gator330]

Hey guys all is good but nothing done, going backwards still. Not shure I can get it back together before March???? Rebuilding the hole set up, Way behind on the cement work and the larger evaporator is out for now. Going on a Elk hunt to Colorado instead. Be lucky to get the little one set back up in the "new" Sugar house. No wood up for house or arch and wanting to go camping more then any thing!!!! Took the kids up north (Indian lake) canoeing. Now they want a canoe and Kayaks. I kinda forgot how much fun it was myself. Great fishing and pure living for a few days was great!!!! Every thing else is spinning out of control July and I still doing my May list!!!! Better grabe a beer and put my feet up somemore!!!! It's going to get ugly soon!!!!! Have a great summer.

[Parker]

Happy 4th!!!Wow-time flys,,,I just gotta get started filling the shed,,have a bunch of wood home to work up,,,need to get after it,,takes a minute to cut and split 50 cords...

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Parker,
You gotta get an RO...Give both you and Marvin a break;)

[maple flats]

My wife and I just looked at a new sugarbush where one of the owners invited us to see if we are interested in tapping. All roadside trees, 74 mature sugars, all but 6 or 8 tappable on one streatch of road. Then another side road where I'm not sure, it is a north-south road with a high bank to the west (prevailing wind) and the owner says the town plows the banks up about 10' high. I'm not sure how tubing would stand a chance in that. I think I may hold and observe that road and just tap the main road with 66-68 tappable mature sugars. I told him I'm interested and he has to run it past his parents (they still have lifetime use of the farm) before accepting my offer.
I seem to be treading water on maple. I bought a vac pump and a 1000 gal tank for my biggest bush but have made no progress because my spring-summer chores keep me real busy. Too much rain slows that too. I have lots of work to do in the blueberries (4.5 acres), mowing and cultivating) along with putting in about 6000 more feet of drainage tile in the blueberry fields. And my excavator is at the sugarhouse doing a septc system, should be done with that in 2-3 days. I also ordered more solar power for the sugarhouse which will need to be installed. Then I should be able to boil about all day on solar [lights, high pressure blower and filter press as needed](but will still need the genny for after dark). Eventually I will have enough to run it all on solar (and a gasifier powered generator [ still to be built] using my sawmill slab for making elec). I will get into good cash flow in a couple weeks as the blueberry season opens and I can then buy the tubing needed for my expansion. (Maple season left no disposable cash to expand my set up.)

[Amber Gold]

Parker, I thought you are buying an RO for next season?

Yesterday, I spoke to the owner of the new bush I was supposed to tap until he changed his mind. He's not interested in continuing to tap his trees at any scale and is going to be done with it altogether. He's also not interested in having someone take it over and being hands off. This one is off the table completely.

Still no word from the owner of my current bush about my offer. It's the owner's son and he's never been one to answer his phone or return phone calls. Avoiding the issue doesn't make it go away. I'm thinking about dropping some candy off at the parents house and ask them what they thought about my offer.

Need to start making some phone calls and walking some properties. Sales are going great and I need some sap for next season.

[Gary R]

Well I fell off the fence; landed on the side full of maple bugs:) Small expansion project for this backyarder. Bought all tubing supplies for 125 taps. Mainline is about 900' and has three lifts in it. I installed it yesterday. Also bought a 200 gal. SS tank. I think it was a pastuezation tank. Vacuum pump and releaser will be in my garage, with the tank just outside. Sugar shack will be a couple of feet away:D My releaser is a homemade unit. It will be made out of 6in. PVC. I'm going to get it together in a few weeks and run it for days using water to test. I'll probably have to sell or dump sap this coming season. Evaporator only does about 15gph and I've got a full time job.

[Father & Son]

Gary,
No dumping sap allowed!
Just one more addition and everything will be OK. BIGGER RIG !!!!!!

[Jim Brown]

Don't buy a bigger rig ,Sell the sap or syrup to Me!!!!
Hey Jim did you make it to the picnic?


Jim

[Father & Son]

Did not make it to the summer picnic. I had to work. I heard the attendance was down, people must of had other plans.
I have been in the process of trying to decide between factory or custom built hoods. It all came down to $ so custom built has won out. If timing works out maybe completed by the end of September.

Jim

[Sugarmaker]

Gary R, yes Bigger rig 15 GPH is not going to cut it! You need at least 50 or 60 GPH.:) Maybe bigger shack too?

We had a great fourth with family and all kids visited. Water in Lake Erie was very coooool as we spent part of the day on the beach.

NWPA maple picnic was good. Got the insulation blanket from Scott Durfee and was able to get the front pan in place.

I have the WRU in place. May need to glue the 2 inch tubing together since I have some air leaks at the joints. Waiting for the weather to warm a tad befor I try it.:)
Pressure washing the house today to stay cool.

Chris

[Jim Brown]

Jim; Could be that the invites arrived in the mail only 10 days before the date.
Justa thought!

Jim

[brookledge]

I went camping for the long weekend and the heat is on. Not looking forward to working this week. After working all day on my paying job I doubt I'll get anything done afterwards. I must say the fireworks I saw this weekend where very good. I don't know where they came up with all the money for them but they where great.
Keith

[3rdgen.maple]

I hope everyone had a good 4th. I spent mine working 12 hours a day since earlier in the week. Did manage to get enough done to sneak away to pick up my daughter and head to the speedway. Nothing like watching the bigblock supers roaring around for a double header then a live band and fireworks to boot. The only maple related thing I have done is make some maple sticky buns for she who must be obeyed to take to work tomarrow. Cant wait for a break in work to get in some much needed flyfishing and wood cutting and laying out tubing and never mind the list is too long. It is nice we have not had any rain in 4 days. River is back to seasons norm after they opened the gates and were running 4500 cfs. That is alot of water. It was about a foot below the bridge in altmar.

[red maples]

geez I don't remember when we had rain last...grass is starting to brown. and the garden needs watering once a day. and Hot... holy man!!! it was 72 at 6am and it 92 right now104 in the sun!!!sucks too hot for me bro!!!...but I have to clean the chicken coup and do some stuff outside for a little bit then after lunch I think its basement cleaning day!!! nice and cool inside!!!

[Sugarmaker]

July, "hay makin" HOT!
Moving split wood from the stack to the house today. About 4 cord should do it.
Lowered the rain collar on the rear steam pipe this morning and added some silicone caulking. Picked up a 1/2 inch copper fitting to build a drain pipe for the WRU. I hope to get lots of hot water.
If it cools towards the end of the week I may begin to cut syrup wood.
Setting in the basement taking a break from the heat:)

Hope things are good in maple land!

Regards,
Chris

[3rdgen.maple]

Well I decided I was blowing the day off. It is a rare thing for me but that is one of the perks of owning your own business. It is well over 90 here too. I am gonna spend the rest of the day in the sugarhouse doing something cause it is nice and cool in there.

[Yellzee]

too hot to even be outside here for the 2nd day in a row. we are about 90 on the scale, but humidity takes us up about 105.

Tried to split some wood on Sunday night as it got dark/cooled off but the sweat started pouring out of me.

Will go sit in the pool with a beverage this evening and stare at the sugarshack for a while planning.

[brookledge]

We need rain in my area also. With the heat the grass is brown and it crunches when you walk on it. The weeds under my maples are also drying up. I hope we get some soon before it affects the maples. All that is forecasted is chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon for the next 3 days other than that the 7 day has no gentle rain.
Keith

[red maples]

NEED RAIN!!! BADLY!!! yeah grass is getting crunchy...woods aren't wilting yet canopy still provides shade and leaves help too. but a good soaking would be nice!!! hit 96-97 yesterday and today 91 forecasted but more humid yippie!!!

[jgrenier]

This is not helping the lawn mowing and landscaping buissines at all. We realy need some rain

[stoweski]

Only 166 days until winter! :D

[red maples]

so that makes it what 171 shopping days left until X-mas?

not thinking about winter thinking about lake winnisquam in a few weeks...can't wait if its this hot I think I will just sit in the water with a nice cold adult beverage perferably one of the girly frozen ones with the little umbrella for 6 days !!!:)

[maple flats]

Even thou we had very high temps we still don't need rain yet. We had over 7" in June and the crops still look good. Our soil holds moisture real well, both in our 1 acre commercial garden and in my 4.5 acre blueberry farm. I can go long times without watering except for newly planted crops. Once established they are good.
If anyone out there needs some irrigation equipment, send me an email. I have thousands of feet in 2",3" and 4" for sale.

[collinsmapleman2012]

well i wound up doing hay yesterday in this heat and the mow was worse but im not complaining 7 bucks a load... spending the next 3-4 weeks out of town... a whole week in D.C. with dress pants and a courdoroy jacket but o well then off to virginia for the 100 year anniversary jamboree for boy scouts... hoping to maybe go to empire farm days after that and buy some tubing... got an offer for a 200 tap bush! just need a bigger evaporator... hmmm...$$$$$:o

[morningstarfarm]

WOOOOOHOOOO!!!!! just finished getting in the first crop of hay....now I can focus on getting things done in the sugar shack. Gotta plumb in the new sink and water heater, new feed tank, couple pumps to move everything around...hmm anything else I can think of?? oh yeah gotta remove the tv..almost burnt up a pan last season watching a movie..Hmm...anyone think AC in it right now would be unreasonable??

[ADKMAPLE]

I am still not doing anything. Need to continue putting lowned limbs into piles s oI dont dop buckets on my way to dumping them..Havent even started to do any release cuts either! oh well, thank god it will only be a HOBBY:D

[red maples]

I am still not doing anything. Need to continue putting lowned limbs into piles s oI dont dop buckets on my way to dumping them..Havent even started to do any release cuts either! oh well, thank god it will only be a HOBBY:D

hobby??? Pfft!!! thats what we all said one time!!!!

[adk1]

Yeah I hear you Red. Once I actually tap a tree I might change my tune, but that doest look like it will happen for a few years at best!

[Jeff E]

Here in Wisc we are having a great growing season. Trees are looking great, no real bad storms.

I have to figure out how to get 5 400 gallon bulk tanks under cover and connected to the system, more sap storage. Plumb the sinks, and I should be getting the new piggyback in a few weeks.

I suppose a lean-to of sorts is the best answer for the tank covering...on a slab. Thoughts?

[Father & Son]

Yesterday was spent working on the honey-do list. Over the last couple of years I thought that water had made it's way under the front porch concrete slab and the one side of it settled about 6". Worked with a contractor yesterday breaking it out and re-pouring new concrete. Figured out why it settled. It wasn't a water issue and all which was a good thing. Improper prep work caused it to settle. What we thought was a 4" thick pad ended up being 8" thick concrete sitting on just the dirt. There was never any gravel put under it. Breaking out that 7' x 14' x 8" pad took close to 5 hours. The electric jack hammer we were using had a very limited effect, most of it had to be done with a sledge hammer. Thank goodness we started at 7:00. The temperature by noon was 93 and still climbing. Finished and cleaned up by 2:00 pm and the wife was happy to see a completed project. One down, ?# to go!

Jim

[red maples]

the honey do list never ends!!!!

[Yellzee]

I have my own list I can't get through already without hers on top of it.

Friday afternoon at last, rain is coming down and humidity falling.

Soon a beverage on the porch out of the rain.

[morningstarfarm]

Gotta love honey do lists.....I always feel like I've accomplished a ton when I dont work on it....:rolleyes: :D

[Dennis H.]

I get a 3 week break form the honey do list:D
I am heading to Oklahoma for training for work.
The down side is that it gives her 3 weeks to add to the list!!:o

[Thad Blaisdell]

I have to figure out how to get 5 400 gallon bulk tanks under cover and connected to the system, more sap storage. Plumb the sinks, and I should be getting the new piggyback in a few weeks.

I suppose a lean-to of sorts is the best answer for the tank covering...on a slab. Thoughts?

Personally I would sell the 5 tanks...... $1 per gallon= $2000. Then I would buy a CDL tank, 5'x4'x16=2133 galllons. I bought mine new for $2700 then you would only have to cover and plumb in one tank. A lot less work and a lot less mess. Just a thought.

[stoweski]

Raining as I type. Humidity is sky high but at least some relief is on the way. If I wanted to live in the tropics I would have moved there! First time in 19 years that we've had a stretch of five 90 degree + days with a sixth day at 89 but the heat index was over 90 too. Both of my lists were put on hold - although we did tend to the bees and extract over 100 lbs of honey this week. :)

Down to 163 days until winter. After this week I can't wait!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Been extremely hot down here the last 2 weeks and way above normal. Funny thing, don't really hear hardly any complaining after the winter we had. I would guess we probably had about the worst winter in the entire county and by far the worst on record. Most of NE was like summer from Dec thru March 6th compared to down here which is totally crazy.

[3rdgen.maple]

I just heard some very disheartening news on tv. Apparentaly they have shut access of to the Oswego river in Oswego from fisherman and pedestrians cause the DEC found excessive pollution in the river. They are saying it is a possible raw sewage leak from the city. Makes you wonder how long that has gone on. I also ate at the Raging River BBQ on the river last night in oswego and I am not sure what hapened to that place but darn the food was bland, service stunk and prices were not cool. Im sticking with the Dinasour.

[red maples]

yeah 3rdgen I hate when that happens...espeically when you remember a restaurant that was very good but haven't been for a while and you get all excited to go and it sucks...

Polution...sometimes I just hate people!!!! We ruin everything!!!!

Ah rain... finally to bad it had to come today though. my wife has a tent with her art work at an upscale geen house in town. and of course its raining poor woman whenever she puts money and time into setting up for a show it rains on her. hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Funny thing though there is a guy there from southern VT who has beautiful furniture. He has some stuff made out of 250 yr old tapped maple beautiful bench with a hinged seat with a cabinet under it. $1000 trying to talk the wife into it...who knows?? anyway we got to talking and he used to work for coombs maple years ago and used to boil form them and is good friends with Bruce from Bascom's and this guy sold him all his tapped maple wood for his show room.

Got his name today...Mark Sprague. any body know him? nice guy!!!

but I do want that bench!!!

[Farmboy]

Finaly got something done today. I cleaned up most of the "stuff" in the sugarshack. Then I graded off the gravel in half of it so I can pour concrete. He second half will be easier because I can do some of it with the bobcat. Next season I will get to stand on a nice level dry hard floor. Also someone is paying me $20 to dump the logs from 3 good sized sprice trees all bucked up to 18". More firewood. By the end of the summer I'm going to be 2-3 years ahead.

[Amber Gold]

I walked two property over the weekend. Both property owners are interested in having their property tapped.

Property 1 is about 10 min. from my house. It's an 80 acre lot with a band of reds that runs across his property in the middle of it. I could run a pump and vacuum line from the house to the tank location, but that would be 800'+. Ideally I could get approval from his abutter with a house and driveway near the low point of the property. Easy tank access and pump electricty. All trees are reds and tap count T.B.D. A rough guess would be ~500.

Property 2 is 5 min. from my house. It's a 60+ acre lot with lots of sugar maples and some reds. They are really nice looking trees with great crowns on them. I don't know the tap count aside from it looks to be a lot, I bet 500+. This one would be tricky to setup as the house is at the high point, so I'd either run a vac. line to the low point or put a gas powered pump...probably former. The only issue is his horse has access to the fields so the tubing would get rolled up every year to the mainline and the mainline could stay up. He's also open to an agreement.

If all works out, I'll start in property 2 and get as much of that opened up as I can this year, then next year open up the rest of it and expand into Property 2. There's also another property of sugars that may be an option as well if the current producer moves. If these properties work out, this will be a huge load off my shoulders for next season.

[Maplewalnut]

Keep plugging away Josh, sounds like things may be truning around for you!

[red maples]

Good to hear that!!! I was feeling for you...but things are def. looking up.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Hauled all the equipment back to Wisconsin that has been building up in the garage. Spent the week in hot rainy tropics with swarms of small skeeters that about ate the kids. saw my new pans from CDL and they are a direct match to the Lapierer Waterloo Small ones I set fire to. Put some money down on a new auto drawoff. I think Im going to order another pan so I can shut down and quick change during the day. Doing the drain and soak at the end of a long day is pushing the niter build up past the limit. Ripped out the boiler preheater set up and will be working on a steam away idea along with a tube preheater. Was at Roths on the way in and they had a 3 X 10 Intenso fire that broke lose in the truck and dented the back pan and some minor damage to the arch covers :mad: Still sold quick

[Dennis H.]

I am now stuck out here in Oklahoma for a few weeks.

The funny thing is that it is raining cats and dogs out here right now. Back home it hasn't rained in like 2 weeks and everything is dry and brown, here things are nice and green. Usually July out here is hot as the face of the sun and brown.

I did get someone lined up to make my roof jack for the new evap before heading out here. It won't be done for a month or 2 but I have the time.

I have to now call Chris at The Maple Guys to line up shipping of the evap. My original idea was to drive up and pick it up but with the 1200 miles out to Ok and the the 1200 miles back I don't I will be in for the 8 hr drive up there to pick it up. Anyway the amount I would save in shipping fees I will paying that much almost for gas and one night stay up there.

[Amber Gold]

Thanks guys. I'm going to try to keep from getting too excited until something's in writing. It'll be hard to do though.

[Farmboy]

I finished grading off the gravel on my sugar shack. I also compacted it. I forgot to put in a floor drain so I will do that tommorow hopefully. Someone dropped of over a cord of spruce already cut up into 16" lengths. I need to get splitting I have about 4 to 5 cords of pine and spruce now. I will be ready for a few years ones I get it all split.

[brookledge]

The nice thing about being able to burn soft wood in the sugarhouse is it is easy to get free wood. Many times contractors, town crews, or band saw mill operators are more than happy to deliver it to you because it saves them time and money to get rid of it.
Will the American League win another one??
The Angels ball park is a nice venue.
Keith

[tuckermtn]

Keith- while I think the AL will win again tonight, it sure would be nice to have the NL win one once in a while.

[3rdgen.maple]

Spent the evening at Utica Rome speedway watching Tony Stewart and Jessica Zemken wheel their 410 sprint cars around the track. Ended up sitting next to Jessica's main sponsor by chance and him and his wife took a liking to my daughter and loved her passion for racing. They invited us into Tonys and Jessica's pit for some food and to meet Tony and Jessica and hang out for a bit. How cool is that. Hanging out with Stewart and Jessica Zemken for a few hours at a local dirt track. You guys should have seen the smile on my kids face when we walked up there and the security guards lifted the fence up so we could walk under it and hang in the pits. I never seen anyone text her friends so fast in my life. Man sorry to get off the maple topic but had to share our excitment.

[Yellzee]

pits with Tony Stewart would be pretty cool. My boys would go nuts. (and my wife as she is a huge Tony Steward fan)

[red maples]

Go big papi!!! but NL wins for first since what oh geez '96...AL can't win em all right!!! ha finally got a bit of rain the ground and trees are just soaking it up!!! good summer weather for trees making sugar!!!!;)

[driske]

A vigorous troupe of 3 thunder storms moved through Central Wi yesterday starting around 1PM and ending around midnight.
Neighbors reported burntout TV's, chunks of concrete blown from their silos and the usual trees over power lines. Anybody with tubing knows what this means for them. 2" of rain locally helped lodge the forage crop of oats and peas, that doesn't seem to want to get harvested on our farm.
Fiddle sticks! Throwing the bikes and toys in the van and heading for the UP for a couple days anyway. The mess will be here when we get back.:rolleyes:

[Farmboy]

Got some wood split today. I split a heavy 1/2 cord of spruce and hemlock today. It was dumped at my house already cut to lenght but it was cut to like 12". It sucked because that's twice as many peices of wood I need to split and stack per cord. Oh well you can't beat getting paid to have wood that's already cut dumped in your yard.

[3rdgen.maple]

Spent the day skidding out logs for the house and sugarhouse today. Sure was hot. Don't really need much for sugarhouse neighbors got that covered for this year. I love my neighbors they get bored and just start cutting and splitting wood that they dont want to burn in their house so they send it on over and even stack it inside sometimes.

[red maples]

WOW!!! nice I wish I had neighbors like that!!! just send over a little syrup done!!!:)

[3rdgen.maple]

Yep they are good ones to have. Heck they even tap their trees and bring the sap over. Never even asked them. They are sticking out 200 taps this year they tell me. In return all they ask is I keep stocking their shelf with syrup they sell for me and to give them about 4 gallons for their breakfast they serve their angling customers who stay there. They are a B&B. I asked what the heck they get out of it and the response was "you would be suprised how much my maple syrup contributes to there high customer base" they said they are booked for the next few salmon season and the number one question they ask is always about the syrup.

[brookledge]

I split some wood this morning. To hot and humid to do a lot so a little a day will have to do. I got enough for next yr but I got a lot of logs that where delivered from storm damage a yr ago so I want to split it up before it begins to rot
Keith

[Farmboy]

I used the upside down splitter on the bobcat to bust up some huge pine down in my grandpas woods. Now I can lift it onto the normal splitter. Some of the bigger rounds looked like a 1/4 cord each. I busted them into 16ths so I can lift them. Then I split some spruce and hemlock. I started digging out the floor drain and the pipe that leads out of the sugar shack. Hopefully I can finish that tommorow.

[Yellzee]

must be nice to have all these toys to help with the wood,

split about 1/2 cord (bush cord that is) by hand in the mornings on the weekend before the sun got at me. I figure with all the beverages being consumed due to hot weather I should get a little exercise anyways.

cheating and splitting the ash first which is pretty easy going though.

Depressing thought this weekend that with vacation coming up there's only a few weekends left for work before september... better get at that trail repair soon.

[Amber Gold]

I walked the property with the sugars on Sunday...got a pretty good idea of the maple tree limits...have an idea how I'm going to run the mainline...pretty sure I'll need a couple of lifts to get everything...will need to run a 250-300' line from the end of the sugar bush to the road...electricty may be an option at from the property owner but it would be 110V so I will need to see if the pump/VFD will run on 110...if it does then I'll need a 800-900' vac. line...otherwise I'll need to put an electric drop in at the tank location.

I will need to contend with a horse...should just involve rolling tubing up to the mainline and leaving it for the off-season.

Also talked about the agreement and it looks like everything's going to work out. His wife is a paralegal and is making changes to the standard VT agreement...should have a draft to review in the next week or two.

I'm holding off on talking to the other property owner, but will in a couple of weeks and see if I can get something lined up for expansion next year and get an agreement in the works for then.

[Paddymountain]

Finaly got time to work on the new sugar shack. Put siding up tonight, man it's way too hot! But I'd like to get finished and get my evaporater moved in.
I still have firewood to cut for house and sugar. Fortunately I don't need much for the house, I only burn wood in Nov & Dec and then switch to coal.

[driske]

The neighbor dropped off a 5 cord load of bigger pulp wood . Time to get at refilling the wood shed. Not as an appealing prospect as it would be if it were 20 degrees cooler. The extreme heat of this summer is an often repeated theme, on this website and some others I frequent.
Seems like the local "cheap" syrup must be selling out. My stores are starting to call for restocking. A bottling,: I must go.:)

[Yellzee]

Big hail storm blew threw my yard last night, lots of leaves down but don't think there will be any significant maple damage... imagine a few corn fields took a beating.

Most hail I've ever seen, was essentially pouring quarter sized ice cubes for about 10 minutes. Got a few pics if I get a chance maybe I'll post em.

my kids had a great time using them for ice in their drinks after they got out from under the beds where they were hiding from all the noise.

[Yellzee]

here's one pic, if you zoom in you can see the sugar shack and the hail in the background!

[3rdgen.maple]

I remember getting a really bad hail storm years ago in the summer. Ground was comletely covered in the stuff couldnt even see the grass. The hail was easily the size off golf balls and broke some windows in the house and caved the cap on my truck in and there were alot of dents in the truck everywhere. I remember thinking this is it the world is gonna end. Never have I seen anything like it again and hope not to. I kept a bag of the stuff in the freezer for years to show everyone how big the stuff was.

[Dennis H.]

You want hail storms you should come out here to Oklahoma. I think 1 out of every 10 cars or trucks have really bad hail damage. I know I am not looking forward to any storms while I am hear. So far I have been lucky. And I have just over a week till I head home.


Anyway, its doesn't look or sound like anyone is doing much with maple right now. I guess it is way to hot to do anything.

Once I get back Chris is to get ahold of me on shipping arrangments for my evap, then I will be busy.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I got a new roof this year from hail. Then about 2 weeks ago it hit again but I got the truck under a gas station canopy. It was funny having people pull up behind me at the station beeping with hail denting everything is site saying they need gas:cry:

[Dennis H.]

Heck I would gotten out put gas in my truck. 1 gal and I didn't want it splash in the tank!! Very Slowly!!

[220 maple]

The owners of the the tourist trap that sells my candy and syrup decided to raise the price of the candy, she said they never look at the price on the package. I guess she was right, they called thursday evening exactly one week since I delivered them 72 packages of candy. They were getting very low and did not think they could make it thru the weekend. They also had sold 1 gallon and 1 half gallon of syrup. Second time that has happened, the owners didn't think large items of syrup would sell, I agreed that I didn't believe they would sell either. We were both wrong! But thats good.

Mark 220 Maple

[jrthe3]

Was down to the sugar house last night juging up the last of my syrup to fill an order had the canner going and i think it was hotter in the shack then when i down there boiling

[Farmboy]

Tommorow I'm going to mass maple producers annual summer picnic. Who else is going. Can't get anything done today because it's pouring rain thundering and lighting.

[Sugarmaker]

Hot!
Hope folks are tolerating the heat well.
Having some rain every day or so and the garden is doing well, Yellow squash, Zucchini few tomatoes and some cucumbers already.

Spent the day at the state bee meeting held in ERIE PA at Asbury Woods Great time, Good food, and met some knew friends. Cheryl brought a nice fresh fruit mix and Maple dip, Very good!

On to wood cutting.

Regards,
Chris

[maple flats]

How much did you get for the gal.? I hope it wasn't sold too cheap.

[red maples]

back from the lake vacation...lots of fishing caught 4.5 # small mouth among many others winnisquam down almost 2 feet from lack of rain...lots of props getting damaged from shallow spots. They at least 10-12 props lined up on wall just from this year!!

back to work on the TO DO list. lots to get done before the leaves fall!!! garden is really good though.

Something attacking my tomato and pepper plants caterpillar poop around but no caterpillars. and I don't see and horn worms, or deer tracks?????:confused: still looking

[Yellzee]

Something seemed to be attacking my climbing peas as they kept disappearing... then I caught my 5 year old stuffing them in his mouth on the weekend.

Starting stacking up household firewood when I ran into a pile that seemed awful light now that it's dried a bit, .. no idea what kind of wood it actually is .. was guessing red oak it was so dark and heavy before splitting... so it goes from the house pile to the sugar shack pile and I'm a cord further ahead there than I thought.

We keep getting rainstorms run thru the area keeping the ground wet and the humidity up.

[red maples]

The Good news is I fixed the dishwasher the bad news is I fixed the dishwasher and now I can't get a new one!!!

GOT MY FIRST 2 EGGS TODAY!!!! little starter eggs tiny for RI Reds. they seem a bit early 19 weeks old wasn't expecting them for another couple weeks. now I have to build some nesting boxes...oh so much to do before the snow flys!!!! and before I start on maple stuff!!! at least my sugarin wood is done. just a little more house wood togo.

[220 maple]

Mapleflats
I let them have a gallon for 40 dollars they mark it up to 52. Yea I know way to cheap, however it's West Virginia maple syrup for god sakes. If it was made north of the Mason-Dixon line it would be worth more money!!!!

Mark 220 Maple

[driske]

I'd be real happy with $52/gallon in these parts. Last fall one of the locals was still offering quarts @ $6.50.:cry:
Hang in there Red. My washing machine fix only made it 2 months and then a bunch of other stuff crapped out on it. So the new one may still be in the pipeline for you as well.
We've got 48 hours rain free under our belts. The haymakers are going fulltilt.

[Thad Blaisdell]

Just secured purchasing sap from my neighbor..... another 2000 taps for next year, I have to haul it a whole 1/4 mile. This will put me up to 10,000 taps for 2011, I will be busy next spring.

[Farmboy]

Started power washing my flue pan today. I dont think its been cleaned in the last 5 years. The power washer wont get it all off. Im thinking of trying oven cleaner after I power wash it let that sit then power wash it again.

[mapleack]

Just secured purchasing sap from my neighbor..... another 2000 taps for next year, I have to haul it a whole 1/4 mile. This will put me up to 10,000 taps for 2011, I will be busy next spring.

Congrats on the deal. I can only dream about having access to 10k taps. I'd have to move for that to happen!

[3rdgen.maple]

Guys I think I either just found the deal of a lifetime or one major misprint. This guy claims he has a 3x8 oil fired evaporator that he used one season and gave up. Claims everything is in working order and he is asking........... you ready for this......... $75 yep it says $75 I am calling the guy in the morning asap for confirmation and even if it was suppose to be 750 Im on the road like flies on #(*^.

[Dennis H.]

Today is moving day, well at least for me. I am finally heading back east after 3 weeks in Oklahoma. It is way to hot here anyway.

I have one heck of a list of things to do, that doesn't include the honey-do list that I will be handed once I walk in the door!!

I have to talk to few more neighbors about using some trees. I think this is my biggest problem down here, getting permission to use trees. I got a hold of one guy and talked to him for awhile. He seemed ok with what I would like to do with the trees on his property and he asked if I could fax him something describing in detail the "lease" agreement. He never called back. I have tried to get ahold of him but no good.
There are a few other neighbors that have some trees but thses are most likely going to be buckets. I was hoping for a small tubing setup.
I still have the stand of sugar's up at my dad's cabin though, just a little far to drive to collect. This stand would be on tubing and could be even on vac if I wanted.

Not sure what to do.

[Amber Gold]

Farmboy, so long as you get the chunks off you should be fine. It doesn't need to be spotless like your sap side.

Talked to the property owner last night about the progress of the lease agreement. His wife (paralegal) is drafting it and dragging her feet. I told him I'd like to order materials and start stringing the woods in early September. We have a kid on the way so I need to get as much stuff done now as I can.

I've decided once I get a contract I'm going RO. It'll save me so much time during the season it'll be worth it. Also, I have 6 chord of wood leftover from last season, that with an RO I have all the wood I need for this season. This will free up time this fall from processing wood to string more tubing. Maybe I can get the woods I mentioned above tapped out in the first season. I'm estimating 500-700 taps total. If no RO I'm stuck at 400 taps. Seems to make sense to me.

Also considering tapping roadside trees. I estimate at least 300 taps around town that are in groups large enough w/out having to deal with too many property owners. Does it make sense to pay someone to collect buckets? I don't have time to do it myself and would rely on someone else.