APRIL JOURNAL

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Hey guys, April is 3 days old and no journal. 8O 8O Syrup season is over for most and won't be long for the rest of us. Everyone has big plans on their minds and might as well spout out what the wheels have been turning about and what is on your minds.

Well, here goes. I was finally able to buy the piece of property that I have been working on getting for my new sugarhouse. I have all my stuff set up on my dads property now and he is in the process of selling, so I need a new place. I torn down the fence on it this past week and yesterday I cut down the only 2 trees that were on it which were two locust. One was huge, so I have already got a good start on firewood for next year. The excavating and footer will hopefully be dug this week and over the next couple of months, I have to work on getting the footer in and several courses of blocks laid and the concrete floor poured. We also cut around 4,000' of white pine yesterday on my dad's new property so the lumber for the new sugarhouse can be finished up. Will probably be around the 1st of July before I get to putting up walls and etc due to the fact the lumber needs to dry some first. Still sticking with the plans to build a 24x56 sugarhouse with a kitchen and bedroom on one end, sugarhouse in the middle, a garage and then 8x24 wood storage on other end.

Kinda exciting and hopefully will have it finished by end of August.

Also, we have a new addition to the family on the way in Nov, so gotta get on the ball. :D :D :D

[forester1]

Congratulations, Brandon. :D You must be excited to get going on this.

[sweetwoodmaple]

Wow, 24 x 56! Your evap is going to look tiny, guess you'll have to get a bigger one. :wink:

If you want to see an interesting setup and are up in north centeral PA, stop in and see Dave Mainus in Lawrenceville. He doesn't have a bedroom, but has a give shop and eating area, plus full kitchen in the evaporator room plus a candy kitchen off to one side. All cement floor and board and batten plus green tin roof.

He does have a good bit of $$ wrapped up in it, though. It's like building another house! Got to have insurance and everything.

Good Luck!

Brian

[themapleking]

Lets get cleaning.
Started cleaning up the shack. Drained the evap. filled with water & cleaner finish cleaning it monday. Got my home made tubing washer compressor pump going. Start that job next weekend.

[Dave Y]

I am hoping to build a 16x20 sugarhouse this summer with a10x 20 wood shed. But thats latter got to get through this season first. We have a good snow storm brewing here in NW Pa. I have left my buckets out in hopes of one last run. I think it may pay off I was out about an hour ago and most of the trees where running hard. Had to dump some due too lids blowing off, and full of rain water. However I think this last run will be a good one.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Dave,

Buckets might be full, but probably only less than 10% is rain water. A little rain water won't hurt anything and will boil out just like everything else. Hate you dumped some good sap. :(

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Brian,

The sugarhouse is only going to be 20' x 24' wide, so the evap will do just fine. Might pick up one later on, but better stick with what I got for now. :D

Besides, I need plenty of room for the open house days and the visitors I have! :D

[mapleman3]

well boiled off the rest of the near syrup in the evap, all said and done 60+ gallons.(still have to can about 8 gals of it) ran some water through the evap but will clean through the week and next weekend. time to rest a bit.

Brandon, Glad you DID end up buying the land, it makes one feel better that it's theirs and won't have to move anything due to anybody else.

And now that you spilled the beans about the new little one on the way, I can Congratulate you here!!! CONGRATS .... Job Well Done !!! (hehe, though I had the inside info :wink: )

[brookledge]

Congrats Brandon. Definately need to get it built before November. Also looks like you will have alot of slab wood from all the logs you cut. Good luck to you and your family.
Keith

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Keith,

Guess I won't get much slab wood from the wood they are sawing since there isn't a lot of waste they are cutting a lot of the scraps for strips to dry the wood with. Besides, it is pine and don't want all that resin building up on the bottom of the pan. :?

He has already sawed 20,000+ feet for my dad's house and it looks nice. :D

[themapleking]

Selling syrup like crazy. Already tapped into my 1st drum tonight and bottled it up. Gotta big order going out sunday. Already have about half my crop sold.
Gona need more tapps. :lol:

[chris]

Joe,
Sounds like your going to need a bigger rig

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

There ya go Joe, better sell the evaporator and give Chris a call! 8O :lol: :lol: :lol:

[mapleman3]

Got most of my buckets cleaned today, canned up 8 gals , man I can't keep the syrup here anymore, everyone is buying it!! may have to talk to someone in Ma. about selling me some bulk, out of 60 gals I only have 15 left and 10 of it is in bulk now. more taps more taps more taps !!!!

[mapleman3]

isn't it funny that the urge to clean up is not as much as it is to get ready for the season.... I still have some cleanup to do but just can't get my mind to it 8O :wink:

[brookledge]

When the weather is nice and the "honey do" list that has been growing since winter started, seems like cleanup of the sugaring season always gets put a side. Just have to keep plugging away.
Keith[/code]

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

The main thing is to get the lines flushed asap. Most of the other stuff can wait! :)

[TR Hardwoods]

Finished cleaning all the buckets, taps, misc. items. I still have to clean out a few storage barrels, but other than that I've got everything put away till next spring. WI is sure starting to green up. Maples have started to shed those red buds and I can see some new leaves just starting to poke thru. Hey, one good thing about not making much syrup this year.....my wood supply is still pretty much intact!

[Mike]

Looks like Algiers has been bought out by Lapierrie....

[mapleman3]

Hmm no kidding? wonder what changes they will make? how does that affect the dealers?

[Al]

Went to the open house at the old Algiers dealer. More Waterloo Small stuff and more small stuff. :D Alot of tubing and several sizes of releasers. It was real busy so I'm going to stop in next week and get the skinny on whats going on. Had some nice prices on some 2x6's but didn't see any really big rigs like I did at Leader today.
Boy, the boy's had a good day with treats and pens galore. :D There ready to go back tomorrow but I'm working the mobile sugar house at Taylor park tomorrow and Sunday.
Take care.

[Mike]

Jim, I hear the dealers can remain dealers........|I checked the prices, A lot cheaper on some stuff......

[Maple Flats]

My pipeline, evap., all tanks, equipment are cleaned and ready for next year. Yesterday and today I put in some more counter in the sugarhouse, with a sink. Still no well, must haul water or recapture condensate. Not sure if I will run sink into a dry well or what yet but the used counter had sink and it went in, added 20' so far, have 11 more feet if I can figure where I need it. Still hoping to get bigger next year. Will add 150-300 taps depending on what I can come up with. :) :) Decissions, decissions, what's a guy to do?

[gearpump]

I also went to the old algiers dealer today. Walked out with a nice 16x16 pan with the water steamer and cover for way less then I have seen it at other dealers. The prices had to be converted from Canadian dollars to American. They also have a good special on their R.O.'s. Also stopped into D&G. Did anybody see the the 4x14 rig they had in there!? Looked like something Donald Trump would heat his bath water in!

Marty

[Parker]

A new evap? How much were they asking for it??
Steve started on the wood shed last week,,commimg along nicley,,it will be nice to have dry wood next year,,,,,we are building 20 feet now then another 20 feet sometime in the futcher

[brookledge]

Parker
Having dry wood will definately increase the GPH for you. Even with a blower wet or green wood is frustrating to use.
Keith

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Yesterday was the first time in my life I can remember mowing grass in the snow. This weather sure has been weird. This is the weirdest first 4 months of the year I can ever remember. I would have told you that you were crazy if you told me the first 17 days of March would be a lot colder than the 17 days from Dec 29 thru Jan 14th. 8O 8O Second Sunday this month we have woke up with snow on the ground. 8O

I did get the footer laid off for the new sugarhouse yesterday. The guy who is doing the excavating is going to dig it and set the grade stakes in the next few days. Hopefully I can get it poured right away as I have to lay about 800 to 900 blocks to get it up to grade due to how the property lays and it being close to the road and about 6' below the road level. Going to cost several thousand $$$ extra to get it up to within a couple of feet of road level with all the blocks and aprox 200 ton of gravel, but that's how it goes since that was the only piece of property I could find. :?

[brookledge]

Brandon,
I know its no fun to spend alot of money in sitework and building but remember what you do now you have to live with so do it right the first time and don't say "I wished I did it this way". Sounds like you are already doing it the right way though. good luck and get it done before the little Bambino arrives.
Keith

[Mike]

Brandon, Is it cheaper with blocks than a poured wall????

[sugaring42long]

Brandon, Make sure to use durowall every other course and a bond beam at the top course is pretty cheap insurance against having the blocks move on you when you backfill. Rebar and grout every 4 feet is not overkill either.
I just finished my addition last fall and used about 1500 10" block. Being a novice block layer I did a lot of research on what was really required to make a block wall last without breaking the bank. I looked close at a lot of block walls last summer and was shocked to see many relatively new block walls with huge cracks and shifting blocks. I knew the owners of a couple of the foundations that were cracking and they both just kept saying " I wish I could do it over with reinforcing this time, I only saved a few hundred bucks".

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I am going to fill the entire inside of the foundation under the concrete up with 57 gravels, and the only fill will be on the upper side, so I think it should be ok. Also, will have a 6" concrete floor inside just above ground level, so should be extra reinforcement. My dad is a carpentar and a mason and has built for years, so he wouldn't let me do it if it wasn't right. I do agree it is better to spend the extra $$$ and do it right the first time. I want this building to outlast me and I am 29. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Parker]

Brandon- I have done a lot of concrete floors,,here is my 2 cents,,use fibermesh in the concrete,,rebar and wire mesh,,make sure the wire mesh and rebar are in the middle of the concrete,,not on the dirt (support it with bricks),,makes a big differance,,,,,for my 18x30 slab it cost an extra $350, but I used a lot of rebar,,,,good luck

[sweetwoodmaple]

Just remember that rebar and/or wire mesh it meant to take the tension load. Concrete is very strong in compression but very weak in tension without mesh, fiber, rebar.

Unless you are driving a heavy truck over the pad, the main bending load comes from frost heave in the winter. If I had a choice with a cement floor, I would do fiber and also some rebar on the top half of the pad, say 2" from the surface. With frost, it puts the top side of the concrete in tension, which is where you need the rebar the most.

Good luck, Brandon.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Guys,

Thanks for all the help. One thing I don't have to worry to much about is frost, but I plan to use the concrete wire and bricks to support it as Brian suggested and will reinforce it with other items also. :D

[brookledge]

Brandon,
Just curiuos, What is 57 gravels? Tons?
Keith

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Keith,

It is a type of gravel that is not supposed to settle any and it is what nearly everyone uses for fill underneath concrete. I have about 4' of fill, so I guess I will be buying a lot of it. Don't want to use dirt or crush gravel due to it settling over time. :?

[gmcooper]

Brandon,
sounds like a good plan on the sugarhouse. Never heard of 57 gravel but am guessing you are going to compact it as it is filled? If you compact well settling is not a problem with most any gravel. Is you dad building the sugarhouse or just supervising?
Good luck on your project!
Mark

[sweetwoodmaple]

http://www.martinlimestone.com/mli/stone/default.htm

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

From what everyone that I have talked to that know what they are talking about is that you really don't have to compact 57s and they normally don't settle at all after install. We don't have much problem with the ground freezing much down here and my footers are going to be 18" deep which is below frostline.

As far as my dad, he is going to help me with most everything as he is a mason and carpentar and is going to lay all the blocks and help with concrete as long as I am helping him. I may pour the blocks full of concrete on the upper side of the building and also use some rebar inside them when I pour the floor. :)

[Brian]

Brandon, sounds like you are on your way. Good luckon your new sugar house.

[brookledge]

In mass. that type of product is like a dense graded trap rock. The key is to have enough larger stone to support the weight but enough smaller stone to fill in the voids to reduce settling. But anyways I know what you are refering to now. Still might help to run a plate compacter over the stone if you are putting down alot of depth. Most small contractors have them and would probably let you use one.
Keith

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Keith,

I will probably compact it some. I figured I might run the four wheeler over it some and that should help. Don't want to compact too much with 4' cinderblock walls or you can shove the blocks right out of the walls. 8O

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Don't look like I am going to get much done for a while. Time is beginning to be an issue with a baby on the way in Nov. My wife checked herself into the hospital on Tues and they found she had appendicitis and she had sugery around 11:30 that night. She is not going to be able to do much for at least a couple of weeks or more and we have vacation one week the later part of this month, but it's been that kind of year. :?

[brookledge]

Brandon,
My thoughs are with you and your family. Hope things get better.
Keith

[Parker]

Brandon- Good luck with your family and sugarhouse,,plenty of time till next saeson ,,,,heck,,I did not pour my concrete until last november 30th


I went up to Hill and talked to the owner of the sugarbush,,Super nice fellow,,,Said I could tap there and he was super into thinning out the bush,,There is one large (5 acre) side hill that is rockies 3-7" and around 15-20' tall,,mixed in with beech, oak and ash,,,there are some larger rockies scattered in that area that were tapped,,,,I am going to thin that area befor I rehang the lines,,,,,,,I was not planning on using any of the tubing up there,,Did not want to take the chance,,but I went up there with Kevin,,he said run it,,,did not look that bad to him,,,on closer inspection the mainline and tubing do look O.K.,,,,the fittings are U.S. Maple,,,you can grab a T and bearley move it and it breaks in half,,,super brittle,,,I will replace all the fittings I guess ,,,Plenty of time to figure it out,,,the best part is there is a conservation easment on the land so no subdivision or development worries there,,not to worried about investing my time if I know I can tap there for a while...

[Al]

Sorrry to hear about the wife Brandon. She'll be down for a couple of weeks. Tell her not to left anything. Don't worry about the sugar house it will come together. Just taking care of the family will be more then enough for now.
Take care and keep us posted.

[Maple Flats]

Best of luck Brandon, show your wife how much you love her, the sugarhouse has lots of time and everything will come together in due time.
Maple Flats

[themapleking]

Ya'come sugar shack raisin party :idea:
If you don't mind being seen with a bunch of crazy yanks :wink:
Just play dumb around your friends :?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Come on down but I would hate to put you to work. Rather have fun instead of work. 8O As far as getting things done, I wouldn't be in too much of a hurry if we didn't have a child on the way in a few months. Oh well, worse case is I won't make syrup next year but I can't see that happening. Wife has been feeling really tough so far the past few weeks with the baby, so we'll see how much time I have. :?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Had to make a trip to the emergency room this morning around 3:30 am as wife losing blood externally from around the baby. They did an ultrasound and found the baby was ok, but at this point all we can do is pray and rely on the Lord as they stated she could lose the baby or she could carry it full term. She is only 11 weeks, so a long ways to go. The baby was kicking and moving everywhere on the ultrasound and was fine on the ultrasound, but time will tell.

She is on bedrest now for a few days, and so far this evening, she it feeling better. Haven't been getting anything done as far as syruping goes, but 1st things first.

Thanks for all the concerns expressed by the trader members, I appreciate it! :wink: :wink:

[sweetwoodmaple]

Those middle of the night ER trips are no fun. My wife had preterm labor starting at 20 weeks and lasting to the very end of the pregnancy, so we were very familliar with the ER.

We'll be praying for you and your wife, Brandon.

[mapleman3]

Brandon, Hopefully she will pull through without any more complications, Charlene and I are praying for her, I'll call you soon but will let her get rest first. as far as the sugarin goes... that can wait 10 years if needed...

[Foster]

Brandon,
Our thoughts are with the two of you .

Race in Wisconsin

[Maple Flats]

We are praying for her, hopefully everything is alright.