September journal

I am not up for fall tapping, but people who do it have made some syrup.

I think fall color is the thing to harvest this season.

Went to the auction yesterday in Lacona. Lots of "stuff", much of it outdated went over the block. Prices were quite high, certainly not a buyers dream. I just shook my head (and not at the auctioneer) as items went higher than catalog prices. Highlight was definitely meeting Tucker Mountain and Bryan Ryther. Always nice to put a face with the names and personalities on here.

I have found over the years that an auction buyer really has to know his prices. I know what it cost me to go to lake George and buy buckets. The last auction I went to and bought buckets they were cheap I thought.

yes was good to connect with Doug, Brian, and Mike at the auction yesterday. Stuff was going for retail or higher - probably one of the cooler things was looking at the older Grimm and Leader catalogs- some from the mid 80's-

as the bucket washer I was interested in went for more than $400.00, its time to get to work on making my own. I think sugarmaker chris has a set-up with the drive motor from a bulk tank- I think I'll try that route...

still need to get some wood undercover...and find an RO...and 400 more taps...and....

I have to yet go to a auction in Quebec but I wonder what prices would be like here compared to other auctions. I know Garage sales here have low prices and high prices and the high prices seem to have more then one sale trying to unload things which seems like a waste of time.
In Alberta where I come from you could go to some auctions and buy all the tools for next to nothing as the Auctioneer wanted to get to the machinery and really work on that and others it took all day to sell the small stuff and buyers actually left before they got to the big stuff and you could get better deals then. I have seen more pipe wrenches go for more then the store price its not even funny.

went out for a walk to mark trees to cut down in the spring had to get out there before the leaves fall. good cold snap here on friday night. fired up the woodstove a little to take out the chill.

Since I started using thewoodstove I have cut oil used to 2 tanks a year. the new windows helped a ton too. When we first moved in to our house the woodstove was not useable missing tomany parts. and the windows were cheap 30 years alluminum, most of them broken with duct tap on them. we must of went through a tank per month that first year. spent about $500 on glass, blower, door handle and other little parts and peices. And made the mistake of calling a company to clean the chimney because I didn't have the poles or brush yet. $175.00 for 25 minutes of work!! what a rip off!! second year better but learning curve with the wood stove. I grew up with one. my dad still uses it. but it takes a little practice to get it right. then we got new siding and windows WOW what difference, best money we ever spent on the house. went from about 5-7 tanks of oil a year to 2.

now this year I want to go down to 1.5 tanks of oil is my goal. We need it for hot water and use the boiler on really cold nights and to remove the chill once in a while. we are going to run this boiler into the ground the oil guys recommended we get a new one 5 years ago still running good and is still over 80% eff.

The auction was interesting. Some highlights for me were meeting Doug Mike and Eric. One guy got away with a barrell of grade C syrup for $300. Things happen to fast for me. If I had thought about it I would have driven the price up a few hundred more. There were too many of us there that knew what items were worth so it was difficult to make good purchases. I only went away with a box of 1/2 gal jugs. I figure what I saved on the jugs paid for my gass.
I only have room for four truck loads of wood left in my barns. So far I have brought home 78 truck loads. That sould cover me for the season. Other then the wood I havn't done any work in the woods. I have been to busy with the move and setting up my welding business. After This week Is over I plan on dedicating at least one week day to the woods and most of the weekends.
BR

Brian-how much wood in a truckload?

It is now time for me to get my act together and start finishing up stuff that I need to complete for the coming season.

I took a week off to do some hiking at the Grand Canyon with my brother and several friends, what a trip.

I will need to run the tubing for the trees here at the house, make the hood/preheater, firebrick grates, and, oh crap there is way to many things that I have to do!!

Parker, since I am a New Yorker, a truck load is a face cord. (apron 1/3 full cord)