Bigsap Warning 2011

[PATheron]

Working steady down here at Pierce and sometimes Sons Maple. Trying to get as much as I can done in the woods now with it still nice. Making good progress. Cut a bunch of dead trees out in one woods that kept messing me up last year. Have to kind of fix the lines up here and there as I do it but its worth it not to have the leaks in season. Just trying to perfect everything. Bought a heavy trailer to haul sap. Hoping that makes things faster and easier. Still working in the shed but kind of on hold there untill the weather gets cold. Bought a used second high pressure vessel for the cdl machine. Now both of the 600's will be 900s. Hated to spend the money but seems that Im always waiting on the ro's to be done and Im hoping with two two post machines If I single pass I can match the evaperator. Im thinking each one will do roughly 4 gallons a minute of 8%. That would be 480 gallons an hour and that would feed the evaperator. Much easier if I have to go to work. Also bought two lapierre sap filters that plumb in line before the ro's. Really hated to spend that money but my big goal this year is to do a better job of maintaining my membranes and that should help a lot. Sounds like everyone else is gearing up. Lets hope for a good season. Theron

[Maplewalnut]

Pierce and sometimes Sons Maple.

'SOMETIMES'....isnt that the truth. I have the same problem all of a sudden. would rather be out shooting squirrels! Can't say I blame them but its pretty funny when you have shotguns and 22's leaned up against trees while strecthing laterals. My one son even chastised the older one when he leaned his gun against a MAPLE tree! Leaning is for pines he says....

[wglenmapler]

Theron, It was nice to meet you today. Sounds like you have a great set-up over the border. It's always nice to meet someone else who is passionate about maple----and you are all of that!!!!!

I hope it all goes well and that you guys aren't too sore from the hill!! That ones a slope for sure.

See you soon!

Dan

[PATheron]

It was a lot of fun to come up and check out your operation. Ive never seen more maple or better lines I dont believe. What a spot. Nice to have pals that arent too far away. You meet a lot of nice people in the maple industry. I getting to where I have as many friends north of Pa as I do in Pa. Theron:)

[Paddymountain]

wgmapler,where are you located? I have a cabin on the hill above Burdett, and I would like to see your operation also. I'm coming up this weekend to hunt, and could get to your place probably during midday.
thanks
Paddymountain

[wglenmapler]

I am working a show this weekend, so I won't be around. Too bad cause I always enjoy to meet new people especially fellow sugarmakers.

Maybe we can get together sometime.

Thanks
Dan

[PATheron]

Bigsap alert!!!! Bigsap alert!!!!!- testing,, testing,, 123- weve got a time and date check of dec 4 0540 hours, less than 2 months to operation tap in. You genetically defective, moose huntin, snowmachinin, bucket dumpin, tree borin, best we can come up with for sugarmakers in this country need to start getting ready. No more talk of hunting season!! No more of this spending time with the families over the holiday season bull crap!! This is serious!! Ive already tested trees down here and this isnt even sugaring country and theyre at 2 % in the fall. This is the big one!! If it has maple bark it needs to have a hole in it!! If you can buy a pump buy it!! If you cant have someone out there sucking on the spile!! Whatever!!! Just try to act like your taking this stuff serious for once!!! Im not kidding about the sugar either, i wouldnt kid about maple,, its too serious!!!! Thee( if i dont hit 2500 gallons this year im pouring it all on the ground!!)roon

[PATheron]

Hows that Randy? I tried to capitalize everything but it didnt take, Im kind of a computer numbnut. Theron

[Revi]

Thanks for the pep talk Coach. We'll get out there and get some stuff done now!!

It's not too far away, even here. If it starts in February like it did last year we have about 2 months!

[PATheron]

Heres my update from the BIGSAP guy. I need to take my own advise. Been pretty easy to watch the history channell nights and waste valuable maple time. Got the Ro room ALMOST done. Been doing a ton of plumbing in there with having the two ro's and adding a hotwater rinse tank and new sap filters and such. Got the new to me evaperator ALMOST done. Need to hook up the floats and plumb up it and the piggy back to the head tank and also hook up the oil tank. Dads got the shed ALL done as far as closing it up around the evaperator (he seems to be the only one completing anything so far). Got the wiring in the shed ALMOST done. Need to put in some more lights. Got the new sap trailer ALMOST done. Need to get the electric brakes working. Got almost all the taps on the house pump ALMOST done. Need to still fix a few hotspots. Need to get up to the Booy bush and put a couple days in on those 400 or so taps. Need to get up to another bush I started and finish up those 4 or 500 taps. Probly 2 days on the Booy bush and three on the other. Need to run three mainlines at my buddys place to the tank spot and hook up a liquid ring pump and a releaser. Then Im ready. Not tapping till feb first. If Im ready earlier Im just going to keep cruising the woods for damage, Keep adding taps and tweeking mainlines. This year Im not going to be happy with BIGSAP anymore now I want SUPERSAP!!! Probly going to be around the same taps. Ive added probly 4 or 500 but removed a lot of second taps in my existing system. They were big enough trees by the old guidelines which I figured 15 to 18 inches but they were just big enough and I change to only two on the really big trees. Want to do this forever and dont want swiss cheese trees so anyway not sure how many taps Ive got but this year when I tap Im going to try to figure it out and keep track of bags. Theron

[Parker]

The History channell???? TTHHEEstraightenupandflyrightRROONNNN!!!!! What, are you getting a littel soft? Take a page out of my play book and GET RID OF THE T.V... Kids havent been real thrilled with the idea for the last year..BUT..they can wacth it at momies! WE DONT HAVE TIME FOR T.V.@ MAPLE MANOR!!! FOCOUS MAN!!!! Plug in the charger for that headlight of yours!! Dust off the maglite...Get a couple cases of REDBULL and start checking stuff off the list!!!!! I want to see you posting at 2AM on your way out the door heading to the sugarwoods!!!! SLEEP FAST AND GET IN THE WOODS!!!!
Sounds like you are ahead of me for being ready :)

[TapME]

Theron: new study reveils that a heated pressure lines to the tree and a vac attached to the tree and you can get maple sap during the winter months. Sounds right up your alley Theron. :)

[Thad Blaisdell]

I think I will wrap every tree with HEAT tape.

Wanted: any spare electrical cords lying around your house. Need for Sugarmaking.

Just a thought I could take a break the week of christmas and put lights in all of my trees too.:lol::lol::lol:

[PATheron]

Tapme- You kidding about the study or are you serious? Dont mess with me about something like that. Theeron

[PATheron]

MAYDAY!!! MAYDAY!!! BIGSAP!!! BIGSAP!!!- WE'RE GETTING CLOSE AND THE BIGSAP WILL SOON BE HERE. MAKE SURE YOUR GETTING STUFF READY. DONT WAIT TILL THE LAST MINUTE. WE'RE ONLY ABOUT A MONTH FROM GO TIME HERE AND NOT TOO MUCH LONGER FOR YOU GENETIC DEFECTS UP IN THE NOTHERN PORTION OF OUR SUGARING REGION. CLEAN THE TANKS, GET THE RELEASERS READY AND HAVE THOSE LINES RIGHT!!! THIS IS GOING TO BE THE BIG ONE I CAN FEEL IT. Thee-ron

[farmall h]

You been watching the re-runs of Dirty Jobs on the Discovery channel haven't cha?:rolleyes:

[PATheron]

Havent seen that back on. Saw it the first time. I have been guilty of going to youtube and watchin releasers dump though. Im getting pretty excited. Im hoping for the BIGSAP. Im starting to freak out a little inside. I think were going to be ready. I just like to run the BIGSAP warnings to get you guys psyched up a little for season. Theron

[tuckermtn]

I hear your warnings-

spent yesterday in the shop mounting up the new subaru/sp-11 combo and getting the gas powered sap sucker back put together. Mixed up some of the Gov.'s special vac pump oil recipe and will run all the pumps today to get them cleaned up and ready to suck...

need to pull the 8" membrane out and re-do the o-ring on the end cap- that's todays task.

but I hear your warnings man...

[tuckermtn]

should be ready to go...

I hope the sap goddess will be stop by...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9iHr-JIeug

[Dennis H.]

Just checking, hasn't been checked in awhile.

Where the heck is Theron!!!

The weather is awesome down here, This has been the longest cold spell weve had in a couple years. I am hoping that this is a GOOD sign.

[michiganfarmer2]

Tapme- You kidding about the study or are you serious? Dont mess with me about something like that. Theeron

thats too funny lol

[PATheron]

Alert- a preliminary bigsap warning is being issued for the southern reaches of the maple sugaring areas of the united states!!! February 14th is the standard tap in date for this area of bigsap region. Those with buckets and gravity tube may want to wait till closer to the expected sap flow to maximize their results. The vacuum producers need to start acting like theyre at least trying at this point in time. All releasers need to be tested before deployed into service. All tanks should be relatively clean. Evaperators need to be operable, ro membranes need to be handy. Should be at least two syrup hydrometers ready for service, becouse you know your going to break at least one, sap transfer pumps ready, vacuum pumps operable and plenty of clean barrells or jugs. This is only a test but heavy sap flows have not been uncommon in these southern regions in february. Do not be fooled by the 30 below weather. Could be a trick. As soon as good sap weather is predicted a promt warning will be issued. Theron

[Jeff E]

Here in NW Wisconsin, we went from minus 30 last week to plus 20 today.
With that warm up, the old sugar men get a twinkle in the eye!

We are gearing for end of Feb tapping. Working out the details with the bucket brigade ("no really, you should tap 500 more"), getting the sugar house in order. Time to go is just a month away!

[PATheron]

This is a full blown BigSap Warning for the southern regions of the Bigsap area. Week after next February Ninth on could be an early warm up. Accuweather has 40 degree weathe predicted. This time of year that could change any day and they could say its going to be 20 below but you never know it could happen. Get your stuff ready if you want to. Normall tapping time hear is Feb 14th anyway so what the hey. If your using new plastic you might want to start sizing trees up charging up the drills. Theron

[Farmboy]

Theron hasnt done an update in a while, he must be to busy working on vacume pumps and running a nuclear reacter. BIGSAP WARNING FOR CT MA AND SOUTHERN NY WEDNESDAY TRHOUGH SATURDAY. GET YOUR TAPS IN, YOUR EVAPORATOR READY AND CLEAN YOUR TANKS BECAUSE NO ONES BUYING MERSH ANY MORE

[collinsmapleman2012]

havent been hearing much at all from him, i feel unwarned:o

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Theron was getting behind on drilling holes (one of the drawbacks of expansion:)) and brought in the Northern reserves to assist. They have him so busy, he hasn't got time to post!

[802maple]

I heard he was at a girl scout meeting

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

If his weather is anything like it is here, he is probably swimming up to his eyeballs in sap.

[Dennis H.]

Someone really needs to check in on Theron, I am getting worried about him.

I am not sure if he knows how to swim or not!:lol:

I can just imagine him running around between the woods and sugarhouse like a chicken with it head cut off.

[Maplewalnut]

Either that or he had to go to work like some of us. In that case he is probably drooling at the mouth like a rabid dog.

I took off tomorrow though!

[PATheron]

Bigsap!!!!! Bigsap!!!!! Mayday!!!!!Mayday!!!! The emergency Bigsap system has been experiancing technical difficulties. The main head quarters has been devistated by an abnormal early Bigsap event. Early warm temperatures have made the trees run crazy. Hope everyone is prepared.. Strap on the snowshoes looks like this is going to be a good season. Keep the vacuum high and the tanks handy. Theron

[sapman]

Great, and I'm still trying to get the vac pump to run, then tap where the lines aren't still under ice! Never ready in time!

[danno]

You'll be OK Tim. It's running here, but not gangbusters. When things freeze up tonight, I'd guess we'll probably be at about 1.5 gal/tap for the entire run starting earlier this week. I have not tested, but sounds like sugar is low as well. And your taps will be that much fresher for March. If anything, this early run is helping me get the bugs out. I made allot of changes this year, so had allot of bugs;)

[Dennis H.]

Made my 1st 2 gals of syrup for the season. It is really nice to crack open the valve and just watch the temp gauge. So much easier than a batch boil.

Temps are still really unseasonable. Almost 70!!
This weekend we are to get a nice freeze up so that should get the trees going again.

Good to hear Theron is still kicking!!:D

[Jeff E]

NW Wisconsin was warm, great sap weather this week. BUT TO EARLY!!! Yesterday it went from 44 to 15 in 8 hours, and is not to go above freezing for the next 10 days.
THEN IT WILL BE GO TIME.
Thanks for the warning. This is the week to get all your ducks in a row, Badgers. No excuses, get ready.

Theeerooooon, got any of those 70 taps on one lateral this year? You know, sneaking a line way out there where no mainline lives?

Jeff

[Tithis]

I think I got a fair amount in the last two days. Total for last week is 15 gallons. Yesterday I was scrambling to find a good second cooler since my 10 gallon was full.

I know storing sap isn't generally considered the best idea due to possible spoilage, but there was ice floating in the 10 gallon as late as yesterday, so I figure it should still be good.

Gotta go now and get everything ready to start boiling. Hoping the sugar is high so I get a good amount of syrup today

[mapleack]

Looks like the PA catastrophe sap is here!!! Yesterday afternoon and this morning I've got the biggest streams coming in that I've ever seen!!! And all with a non functioning RO! Looks like a late night tonight boiling!

[mapleack]

Just got a report from home. Buckets running over, tanks near the top, still running! Ask me how I feel about not being able to RO.

[Sugarmaker]

Andy,
Sorry, but how do you feel?:)
Get that thing working!
Chris

[waysidemaple]

Doesnt look like we will have a good run up home again till the end of the week then another freeze up till med next week. Think its okay to let the sweet sit in the pans for a week? I lowered the hood down over the syrup pan and drained the flue pan into 5 gallons pails. Debating whether or not to chase the sweet with water wednesday or leave it be till i get sap again?

[Russell Lampron]

Wayside unless it is a drop flue evaporator it is ok to just leave the sweet in the pans and wait for more sap. Mine is sweet now and it is supposed to get to -2 tonight. I have done it before with no problems.

[upsmapleman]

Scott,
It is ok to just leave the sweet in pan. If it gets down in the single digits I sometimes put a light bulb in the fire box. Don,t chase your sweet with water you will just turn your syrup dark and not get much. If you have drained your back pan I like to fill it with water and start boiling and add the sweet from back pan to front pan. When you get it all in just let fire go out and when it cools drain front pan and finish off. also wanted to give a heads up on fire wood. Check with the place I get mine around the 1st of May and they should have lots. At lease that is what they told me the other day.

Dale

[waysidemaple]

Dale,

Thanks that took a few readings to understand but that make sense. I will do that on wednesday when I go home and then ill just be waiting on more sap.

[PATheron]

Update from Pierce and Sons- As of tomarrow looks like around 5500 trees with holes in them. Vacuum pumps and releasers all over the place. Next week there calling for 50 degree weather. Let the chips fall where they may. I think BIGSAP coming my way. Now its wait and see. Thee(busted my crack all year long now were going to see what happens)roon

[waysidemaple]

Good to hear from you theron, starting to wonder about you. Road snowmobile from gillet to roseville and back thought about stopping in to make sure you were still kicking but i figured you would be sleeping...guess we should have stopped in haha.

[Thad Blaisdell]

Give it hell Theron......

[220 maple]

Theron,
BigSap coming your way, Bigsap hit my corner of WV started Thursday and is still gushing, wave rolling up the eastern seaboard, batton down the hatches, suit up in scuba gear if necessary. Tie yourself to your evaporator, you will need to take every precaution not to sweep away in the BigSap Flood of 2011

Mark 220 Maple

[PATheron]

BIGSAP UPDATE- Mark was right!!! BIGSAP!!!!! BIGSAP!!! MAYDAY!!! MAYDAY!!!! Code blue from the emergency Bigsap System!!!!! This is not an alert!!!!! Sh#@astrophie Sap coming to much of the Bigsap Viewing Area!!!! Be ready!! Dont miss any if you can help it!!! Just went out and checked the house releaser and its running HARRRRRRRD!!!!! Theron

[mapleack]

MAYDAY MAYDAY WESTERN PA! Over 1,400 gal of sap so far, just got the call that a main tank had ran over, can hardly haul it fast enough!!!!!!

[waysidemaple]

150+ gallons in the 300 gallon tank on only 130 taps.....Buckets over flowing as we speak....all collection crews called in.....BIGSAP!!!!!

[220 maple]

BIG SAP WARNING,

Rumor has it that Somerset County,Pa is in a state of emergency, all producers are stressed to the max.! RO machines are being pushed to the limits. Second hand info from the effected area, my friend and equipment supplier Henry had 12000 gallons of sap at the sugar camp and all his tanks in the bush were near over flowing, he was having issues with his RO. The sad part is all his neighbors with RO's has no available space or time to cut his water for him. They had a big snow pack there this past winter and now they are having the perfect BIG SAP storm.

Mark 220 Maple

[220 maple]

It's been 24 hours since I posted on the Big Sap Thread, not a responce one from Therron, or other producers in the BIG SAP Alert area. This means only one thing, they are being hammered by the SAP GODS, When they finally catch up the stories they will tell us will be talked about by generations of syrup makers to come. Daily and Weekly records will be shattered! I can't wait. I predict it will be as good or better than the Spring of 1977 in Wisc. Someone posted that story on Mapletrader, truely amazing.

Mark 220 Maple

[Gary R]

I'm thinking either his computer was taken away or he switched over to the dark side;).

Here in NW PA, it has been too cold. Were getting some sap. Today it should happen. Mid 40's, rain and low pressure for two days! Good luck to all!

[Low budget maple]

For those of us in the old school bucket world wind fr the south wind means dry holes. Low expectations for a big run here.

[pamaple]

We have been boiling for 3 days non stop 24hrs per day and cant catch up. tanks are all sitting around full. the weather is supposed to stay warm tonight so it should slow down right? We could really use an RO now but saving our money to build a new camp after the end of the season. The current on is 25 years old and in poor shape.

[mapleack]

We have been boiling for 3 days non stop 24hrs per day and cant catch up. tanks are all sitting around full. the weather is supposed to stay warm tonight so it should slow down right? We could really use an RO now but saving our money to build a new camp after the end of the season. The current on is 25 years old and in poor shape.

Welcome pamaple! We got a little over 1,400 gal of sap today, not as good as monday. It's still running tonight but pretty slow, not the flood I was hoping for. Sap total is just past 9,300 gal for the season.

[pamaple]

well we should catch up today and give me a chance to drain and clean the evaporator. They are calling for 1-3" of snow and down to 17F tonight so tomorrow it will probably run good again.

[PATheron]

Been pretty hectic at Pierce and Sons and havent had time to get on the trader in quite a while. Plenty of problems to work through like usuall but were plugging along. High pressure pump went bad on my cdl ro machine. Got that fixed and had a problem with the vessell on the seprotech machine and got that resolved. Evaperator had a leak on the piggy back unit which will be easy to fix at the float box but have to pick it up to do it. Didnt like using it anyway so pulled it off and now were boiling open pans and loving it. Finally kind of getting in the groove with it now. Makes a lot of syrup pretty quick compared to the 3 by 10. First hour takes a little while before the syrup pans come up to temp to draw but then it comes off nice. Lost both dairy pumps last night on my little bushes. Dad said they locked up and Im not sure why but thats how it goes. There going to be gravity now, didnt like running gas to them all the time anyway. Releaser probs and think got them fixed now. Looks like I have everything working at once now so Im going to cross my fingers. Working on my fifth 55 gallon drum. Not sure if that is good or not but were doing our best. Hope everyone is having fun. Theron

[Brian Ryther]

5, 55 gal drums. That sounds pretty good to me. Making maple syrup can be pretty dam stressfull sometimes. Sounds like you are making the best of it. I have a BB4 and a Massport M5 not doing anything if you need a pump to get you through.

[PATheron]

Im good Brian- I think Im going to just let them run gravity for this year and focus on my ring pump taps. Theres 4600 on it and thats enough to make a bunch of syrup. I need to come up with a better fix for those other spots if I do vac there. Not enough time in the day to keep up with the gas pumps I guess. Theron

[220 maple]

The potential exists for a Big Sap Alert for Eastern Panhandle of WV again. We recieved a inch or more of rain then topped off with two inches of wet snow, with over night temps in the twenties the next three nights. I had to make a quick run to Somerset County for filter aid and filter papers plus some odd size jugs, the rumor that I heard about Henry B. having 12000 gallons of water and all his tanks was not true, he told me so! He had 24000 gallons of water, He said some producers turned off their vacuum pumps because they could not keep up. Thats what I call Big Sap my friends

Mark 220 Maple

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Mark,

Is Henry back up and running with his RO? You and him need to send some of the good sap weather down here. It has been missing us by 100 miles north all season.

[Maplewalnut]

Hang in there Theron. Sounds like your doing well, roll with the punches because if it were easy everyone would be doing it.

[pamaple]

I am going to see henry in an hour or so and see how things are going. I need to get some more bottles and stuff.

[Dennis H.]

Had a nice freeze up last night after the 2" of rain yesterday. We also now have 4" of snow to go along with it.

Witht the sun being out today the trees ran reather good. Tomorrow is to be the same.

Theron it is good to see you are getting the hang of that new rig. Thats a bummer with the SP's though. Something to work on after the season. I wonder what caused them to seize up?

[220 maple]

Brandon,
Henry solved his RO problem and was catching up, he had hot packed 200 gallons saturday, an had boiled three other days before then, I believe he said he made over 600 gallons so far.

Mark 220 Maple

[802maple]

Theron,
Sounds like they pulled in some sap. I have done this before, drain the oil, pull the heads and spray the pistons with WD-40 or Marvel Mystery Oil and let them stand for a day. Then take a block of wood and gently tap the piston with a hammer and the piston should let go. You will probably notice some scoring, but I have run mine for the rest of the season with no problems. Then I rebuild them in the summer.

[PATheron]

Thanks Jerry- I think with everything going on I just didnt have time enough to keep proper track of them. Got everything in the shed working good now so I think Im on track. I think the evaperator is working right now. It seems like it takes about an hour to get it up to full speed and Richards guy Todd said that would be how it would be with it and it takes a while in that first hour to get the front syrup pan to where your ready to pull syrup becouse most of the heat is directed away from it so it seems like it takes a while to get going but then syrup pretty much pours off it after that. The other day the first draw was over half a fifty five gallon drum. then it was pretty steady with continuous draws up to 20 minutes long or better. Were still learning. I think with the potenteometer set at where the other guy had it a bit over half way its probly running 3-400 gallons per hour and Im sure it would do way more if I turned it all the way up becouse if you even breath on it it really speeds up the evaperator. Were getting there. I like having no hoods becouse I can speed it up and tweek the floats to run the flue pan shallow and feel good about it becouse I can look right in the pan. Dad says if I run it wide open hes going to have to leave becouse he doesnt think his heart can take it at this age. I just cant imagine it either. Question- Does anybody know how many taps Mister Brennamon has? Theron

[Dennis H.]

Theron open pans?? You like sticking you head into the steam also.
Its funny but I find myself looking up and watching all that steam go up thru the cupola.:D

I want to add a hood next year for a preheater but I will have to leave the syrup pan uncovered to have some steam flying around the sugarshack.

[PATheron]

You ought to see the steam come off that thing. Like Parker says "OLD SCHOOL!"

[220 maple]

PATHERON,
Don't have a clue how many taps Henry has in this year. Mrs Brenneman said they boil for two other families in the Somerset County area plus their own.

Mark 220 Maple

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Theron,

Last I knew he had about 3,000 taps. He is in Salisbury, PA and is my equipment dealer and about 4 hours away. He is Amish but a great guy to deal with.

[220 maple]

Theron,
When my wife and I was there Saturday, a tandem Mack showed up with what I believe to be ca. 4000 gallon stainless tank straped to the bed, another load of the sweet stuff that Henry was going to run thru the RO. The driver brought in two small bottles of water for Henry to test, both was 1.5% sugar,not that good but ok for someone with a RO. I asked Henry if he ever remember a season like this before? His responce 1989, however he stated that the trees ran the hardest he had ever seen the previous Sunday.

Mark 220 Maple

[PATheron]

My trees are running the hardest Ive ever seen for early season runs here. The runs are very brief though becouse of the weather so it doesnt add up to big numbers. Its just a lot of little hard runs. Yesterday across the road it did very little and they are some of my biggest trees and behind the house on my side it just cranked. Ive seen some pretty big equipment go down to Mr Brennemans as far as releasers and such, at least I thought they were his, I thought he had a lot of taps but maybe the stuff was for his customers or something. Were really finding our groove now with the evap. Were pulling syrup off way faster and Im running it pretty hard and its great. I love the open pans and am never putting hoods on. Its great to see the syrup roll off so fast. Im going to up the concentrate tonight some. I think Im going to go to 15% and see how I make out. Last night I think we boiled an hour and a half roughly and made a 55 gallon drum. So nice not being up late. Typical sugaring though had to work on every releaser yesterday and then had a hose come off my ro while I was recirculating and run unknown amount of concentrate down the drain. Thats sugaring, As long as Im barrelling more than Im spilling I figure were doing good. Gotta WANNNNNNN IT!! SLEEPIN FAST AND WORKIN HARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Theron

[PATheron]

MAYDAY!!! MAYDAY!!! SUNAMI SAP!!! SH&%ASTROPHIE SAP!!! Sap really is running pretty good here. Been raining like crazy and no frost in the ground and it seems like its really made it run. Getting 2% sap or close to it most of the time. Gotta go to work today so looks like next boil is tomarrow. Got one ro ready to rock and roll in case Dad has to fire it up to keep the trailer from running over. If I had a little more time I could maybe do a better job but you do what you can do. Real happy over all with quite a bit of syrup so far at this point in the season. Hope things going good everywhere else. I think everyone is going to have a good season. Down below me its been real good and now its hitting here and in a week itll be cranking up north. Hopefully everyone will make all the syrup they want. Theron

[Jeff E]

WISCONSIN-BIG SAP WARNING!!!!
There is an significant chance that next week will be major sap week. Clean all available tanks, pails and jugs. Move fuel to evaporator location, and notify local fire dept. to stand down, it is just going to be steam!!!

For those on vacuum, find all leaks this weekend, double check pumps, because you cannot afford to miss next week.

[WI Sugarpop]

Will do, I'm ready. Let er rip!

[PATheron]

Guys- My buddy came over yesterday and took some youtube videos of my stuff. Its on youtube under "bigsap maple". Theres like 5 short videos. They came out pretty darn good. Check them out but dont you guys pick on me about my stuff being half@#$. Just remember I have a full time day job and a limited budget. Theron

[waysidemaple]

Theron- Looks good I enjoyed the videos. Still trying to get over there but its been hectic with learning the new evap and getting through all the sap with my measily 300 taps.

[danno]

Theron - thanks for posting these, fun to watch and great to see part of your operation. Nice syrup draw! Bet you gotta feel pretty sticky after spending a night in the sugarhouse:)

[Yellzee]

very nice... looks awful steamy in there.

[PATheron]

Its not as bad with the steam as it looks. It vents out good and we are normally mostly out of it at the sides of the evaperator. That being said it is a big rig to run without hoods but I like being able to see what Im doing with the open pans and its working good for us. Like I was saying on the video were only running it two thirds throttle but with the 16% its really efficient and dad and I are comfortable and happy with whats happening. I figured last couple boils I believe were at around six tenths of a gallon of fuel oil to a gallon of syrup which if thats the case Im very happy with everything. The fuel consumption is an important part to me and also being able to work through the sap quickly enough and it seems like were kind of finding whats working for us. Theron

[Thad Blaisdell]

Sounds like everything is in a smooth swing. The videos were pretty slick.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Guys- My buddy came over yesterday and took some youtube videos of my stuff. Its on youtube under "bigsap maple". Theres like 5 short videos. They came out pretty darn good. Check them out but dont you guys pick on me about my stuff being half@#$. Just remember I have a full time day job and a limited budget. Theron

you tube link? we don't pick on any one here cough ADK1 cough:mrgreen:
FLS<Blind "bigsap maple"

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

MMMM I think you tube has smell-a-vision! I could smell the syrup pouring into that bucket

[mapleack]

Awesome videos Theron, just need longer ones now! I've got some new vids of our small operation that I'll get posted when I get time.

[Yorkholomaple]

Videos were great. Gonna try to get over and see ya soon and Check out the new rig

[Dennis H.]

Go get them Theron! I have to look at the videos yet.

My season is over down here so you will have to continue to carry the torch for us. I ended up making right under 27 gals. Not bad from last year when I made only 4!

[PATheron]

Nice Job Dennis! Now you can take it easy. This year was a huge step forward for your operation. Now Im probly getting your guys weather and in a week or two theyll get it up north. Be fun once its all done to take a sigh of relief and stop and relax for a minute and talk about a good season for a change. Theron

[TapME]

hey Theron, a syrup total update would be nice. Just the number of 55's. Thanks

[PATheron]

Right now were at 690 gallons near as I can tell. I think Ive got 3 or 4000 gallons of sap from yesterday and it looks like its going to take off and run hard today so we should be hard at it by tonight. Im thinkin this should be a real good year for us becouse were at half the syrup we made last season and we should still have a couple weeks left hopefully. Theron

[Russell Lampron]

Hey Theron nice videos. Makes me wish that I could be down there again. I am thinking of buying a releaser like the one that you have. At the most I will be running about a 1/4 of the taps that it can handle but it looks to have fewer mechanical things that can screw up than a double does. It is only about $200 more than a double as well. Do you like yours or have any problems with it?

[cvmaple]

Cool videos. Nice stainless trailers you got there. Are you sure you have a day job? just joking!! have a good season!!

[PATheron]

BIGSAP UPDATE- Saps running hard at Pierce and Sons still. Looking like we could have two more weeks of good season. Im usually done by first of April and last year we went to that even with the warm weather so Im feeling pretty good. Ran a lot better last night than I thought it would. Shut down for a few hours to get a little sleep and got up and my tank was full again. Putting a batch of 16% in the head tank right now and will soon have a section of the tanker trailer empty and ready to clean up for fresh sap and then Im back on track. Hoping to maybe go over a thousand gallons tonight for the season. Had some bad vac leaks yesterday and called had a thought and called all the kids in the family and we spread out and drove the woods just like hunting deer and found them in a big hurry. Now vac is real good on the house stuff. Got some school kids coming out today to do a little field trip and learn about sugaring and such. Trying to get my heavy lifting work done before they arrive around noon and then were going to shut down and show them everything. Were also going to fire up the evaperator with something and let the fog roll for them. Looks like its going to be a good year everywhere. Once everyone in the far north starts getting these big runs everybody will have a banner year. Hope everybody makes tons. Theron

[PATheron]

Russ- Your welcome down anytime. You wouldnt be happy with the state of my evaperator though. I love the horizontal releasers and have all the verticle ones off my ring pump. They are just way easier to clear the ice out of in the morning. Also the big older gilles bernards like in the video are my most reliable ones. I may have them mess up maybe once a season and thats it. They just work forever. Theron

[Thad Blaisdell]

Theron, glad to hear everything is rolling smooth for you. We are going to hit 1000 tonight as well. Reminds me of a Christmas song (remix) Let it Flow let it flow let it flow.

Good Luck with the 16% Thoughts on that for you.... you can adjust the pump pressure as well to lower the oil consumption a whisker and raise RO more.... that is what I am going to be trying, I am having pressure gauges installed on the pumps so that I can play with them. Pressure as I understand it needs to be no lower than 100, hope that gives you some ideas.

[PATheron]

Thad- My evaperator has pressure gages becouse it runs on a rehostat of sorts. Its completely adjustable with no high or low I can kind of make it whatever I want. We run it two thirds and then I pretty much concentrate as high as time allows. I think were in the groove now pretty good. My only problem is I have to recirc a lot to get through the volume I get with my two ro's. What would be nice is an extra high pressure pump on each machine. I may look in to that down the road but for now I am getting through all my sap. Theron

[Thad Blaisdell]

Maybe instead you should think about a new RO. Sell the 2 you have and buy one bigger one. That may do the job you are looking for easier. The 2 you have are they true 900's or do they have added on towers?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Theron,

Great looking setup and gotta love the rate that beast is dumping syrup!

[220 maple]

Theron,
How far are you located from I-81? You are on my short list of producers I would like to meet. You hustle every season and have a fulltime job like myself, and from your posts on the message board I can tell your one of the good guys in the maple syrup world, your BIGSAP WARNING thread is one of my favorites on here. Thanks

Mark 220 Maple

[PATheron]

Brandon and 220- Thanks for the compliments. Im not sure how far I am from I 81. If Im thinking right and thats down near Harrisburg maybe 2.5 hours. Im 45 minutes north of Williamsport. Brandon- It is amazing to see the syrup come off that evaperator. It does really pour off. With our press were pretty happy running two thirds throttle. It seems to be pretty efficient and comfortable for us. Im sure if I turned it all the way up it would be easy to make a 55 gallon drum per hour and I would probly do that if I had a ten inch press. Thad- I think your right about the ro. Both of my machines were 600s and I added second towers so they run around 900. They work real good for what they are. I kind of need bigger ones with the volume of sap I get but everything is so much money Ill probly stick with them and add second high pressure pumps myself. My whole operation is kind of a garage sale of equipment Ive bought used but we do pretty good with it overall I think. I went over to my buddys last night and I thought I had been making some pretty dark stuff due to the recircing but found Im kind of making what everyone else is so I think were doing things right. I think I want to maximize the equipment I have for now and start making money. Im really sick of spending it and now its time to start making some. Thats my hope anyway. Theron

[802maple]

220, you will be surprised about Theron, if you ever meet him. He is really a Jerk. Just kidding.

[Dennis H.]

One thing about Theron that makes me laugh evertime I'm up his way is his coffee cups!! We go walking thru the woods and there beside a tree is a coffee cup, Little while later there is another, and another, and another.:o

Man the dude is so hopped up on coffee that he runs full throttle all the time.8-O

Just wait, you think he is a screwed up individual here on the Trader! Wait to you meet him. :lol::razz:

He's a great person to meet you do really need to make an effort to go up his way.

[PATheron]

BIGSAP!!!! BIGSAPP!!!! MAYDAY!!!!MAYDAY!!!- Runnin pretty good again today down here in northeast Pa. The big gilles bernard in the sugarhouse is dumping every minute and a half. Lots of sap coming in but not a lot of sugar in it. Whatever, bring it on Booy and Brother and I can use the moola. Brother needs ammo and Boo needs some ipod thing-a-ma-jig and hes also going to need a new cell phone if he keeps taking calls on leak patrol. May have to do bad things to it. Word of the day is Reverse Osmosis. You guys know I dont care how anybody does anything but Ive got to say if you ever decide to buy a liquid ring pump you better have money enough to buy the ro the same day or your going to be totally screwed. I cant imagine boiling down 1.4% sap. Thats WANTTTTING it like Parker says. Looks like were getting more good weather for a while down here. Are you northern sappers starting to kick in yet up there or whats going on? Jerry says its been a little cold. Maybe your going to get two days run every run day once it starts. Theron

[802maple]

The lowland Northerners got a good run today, but us high in the mountains didn't start running until mid afternoon and now they are froze up again.

Theron, did you get that pan cleaned and ready for the big sap?

[PATheron]

Were ready. Gettin the BIGSAP as we speak. Misspoke earlier though. Your releaser is dumping every two and half minutes. We are getting a pile of sap though. Got both ro's clean and running and looks like they are going to pump out water steady till tomarrow afternoon. Then we might be dangerously close to last years crop. Gonna hit two thousand gallons this year unless I die first from my chest cold. If I do Booy and Brother will have to get the BIGSAP. Theron

[GramaCindy]

Hang in there Theron….that cold is NASTY! I know, I had it for a good 3 weeks. Mine wasn't so much in the chest though, you may need to go in, sorry to say. :rolleyes:

[Brian Ryther]

Did you pass last years totals today? I did. New mile stone for Mill Hollow, I am now in the 700 club. Hope to be in the 1000 club soon. Dad did surpass the 1000 degree stack temp for the first time ever today. That is 1000 degrees about 20' away from the front of the fire. I was making syrup in a hurry. 3600 gallons of sap processed in 2 hours. That includes start up and burn down.

[markct]

well this year looked like it was gona be another bad one, started with just a few medium size runs, then all the sudden the sap started coming, i boiled every day for every minute i could, 15 hours or more a day on the weekends, for over 2 weeks! made 105 gal of syrup and then the buds came out. but it was by far my best season so far, the new vac improvements paid off for sure!

[PATheron]

BIGSAP WARNING!!!! BIGSAP WARNING!!!!- Wrong month, false alarm. Kind of in the off season at Pierce and Sons. Got the taps all pulled and things picked up pretty good. Got to jug some syrup. Been camping and goofing off with the kids. Not to much maple going on. Bought another older R.O. machine. Taking a bunch of parts and going to try to make one big butt kickin one. Got a lot of damage in the woods this year with tornadoes here. Tipped over a lot of big ash trees. No biggy, cut them down and new stuff will come in. Mother nature is in charge. No thoughts of more taps. No gas pumps this year and may run 800 less taps. Gonna try to do a top notch job on the ones I run though. Got a lot of work to do improving my lines the way I want them. Always trying new things. Gotta try to get the R.O. stuff really cranked up. Trying to come up with a low budget fix to make 6 gallons per minute of 15% by just turning on the machines with no recirculation. Taller order than it sounds. Hope everyone is having a good summer. Theron

[Acer]

No thoughts of more taps.

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

[Randy Brutkoski]

Has anyone heard from Theron. We are way over due for an alert.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

He is probably trying to get electric service back to Pa.

[PATheron]

BIGSAP!!!! BIGSAP!!! BIGSAP!!! Been pretty busy down here at Pierce and Sons. All holed up at home, turned into a recluse. This is the year of storms for us here. We had a terreble wind storm a few months ago that did a lot of damage to two of my bushes. Tipped over real big ash trees all over the place and Ive been busy just getting them on the ground and then fixing my tubing system. Also this last storm really put a lot of people out of power so Ive been pretty busy with all that too. No huge changes for us here this year. I did buy another used ro machine that Im expanding to 1200 gallons. Going to try something new this year and instead of so much recirculating Im hoping I can two step everything and feed the evaperator. Im thinking I can run two of the ro's open flow into a tank and then feed the evaperator with the third one and almost match the evaperator with 15% sap. Thats the goal see what happens. No new taps this year. Actually going to run fewer and not tap in the two remote bushes. Too much trouble keeping the gas pumps running etc. Going to just run the 4500 or so on the house pump. Working real hard on them though currently. Want some real perfection. Once I get my lines all fixed Im putting my vacuum pump on this fall on everything and fixing leaks before snow even hits. Ill have more down the road but the ones I get ahead of time will be a big help. Thats about it. Cant wait till season. Gotta be ready for the BIGSAP. Im wondering if were going to have a humdinger winter. Tons of apples on the wild trees this year. Theron

[PATheron]

Attention 1,2 3 mayday!!!! Mayday!!!!! Bigsap!!!! Bigsap!!! This is a test of the emergency bigsap system. Should this have been a real alert there would be critical information following pertainint to the particulars of the bigsap event. Areas, duration, etc, etc instead of my normal stupid bullcrap. Gearing up here in northern pa. Turned the 130 on yesterday and starting operation tighten up. Finally have all lines in the air that are on the house pump. Now gonna finetune. Lines are starting to look like im trying at least. Should be pretty nice by season. Quality work takes time and even the kind of work i do takes time too. Like parker says gotta wan nnnnnnnnnnnnnit!!! Two months till go time ,,,, need to be ready. Theron:)

[PATheron]

BIGSAP ALERT!!!!! BIGSAP ALERT!!! CODE BLUE!!! CODE BLUE!!! Warmer than normal early temperatures have made it possable for some early season January runs. Been a warm winter here so far and doesnt seem to be much frost so saps running in our area currently. Havent been on the trader much lately been working in the woods all fall on my lines and as of just recently been tapping. Been tapping the last 10 days and have had three runs. First one got 1000 gallons of sap on 1600 taps. Second one got 3000 gallons on 3000 taps and looks like today 5000 on 3800 taps. Trees not froze ready to run. Been doing most of my tapping nights under the cover of darkness. Spent one whole night working on releasers, etc, etc. Think Im getting about ready to tackle the season. Still have another 600 taps to go. Looks like I have less taps than I thought I did. Trying to keep track this year. Tomarrow firing up my homemade six post ro and giving that sap the big squeeze down and firing up the rig and making some quality product for Bruce. Like a wise old sugarmaker once told me, Parker, Gotta WANNNNNNN IT!!!!! Theron:-|

[nymapleguy607]

BIGSAP ALERT!!!! BIGSAP ALERT!!!! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!!!! Theeron must be swimming in his sap tanks...Freezing temps over the past few days followed by 40 degree temps have setup for a possible sap monsoon. All sap tanks should be clean and ready, vacuum systems leak free and the evaporator ready to boil. In the event sap tanks reach full capacity swimming pools may be used to store additional sap. Again THIS IS NOT A DRILL!!!! man your battle stations and remember You Gotta wannnnt it!!!!!

Sorry theeron couldn't resist :)

[Turtlecreek]

I have the kids kiddy pool cleaned an the two bath tub in the house cleaned, just incase I need them for storage!!! Bring it on I'm ready!!!!!

I hope the state inspector doesnt read this!!

[PATheron]

Mayday!!!! Mayday!!!!! Alert!!!!!alert!!!!! Bigsap!!!!!bigsap!!!!! - warm temperatures everywhere in the entire northeast have created the perfect bigsap storm. Most places have very little to no frost in the ground. The trees will not be frozen much. One good 24 hour thaw and its go time everywhere. Have the kiddy pool ready. Make sure you have a mountain of wood piled up and get your vacation requests in at work, here it comes!!!!!!!!theron

[Russell Lampron]

Theron isn't it time to start a 2012 Bigsap Thread?

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

I think he is just going to add the season totals together so he looks better:lol: