Printable View
Hey Brandon,
let me know when you get some fresh syrup made. Id like to buy a half gallon off you. Sorry to say, but We are not tapping this year, but next season we will be. Im going to purchase a smaller rig. Gotta pay my 750 JD off this year first..
Do you take pay-pal??
Thanks
Charlie
Charlie,
Sounds great and you can paypal me. Hate to hear you are not tapping this year but congrats on the great tractor purchase. About April or May would be a good time to pick up a small used unit as a lot of people are looking for upgrades.
Great to hear from ya, I had been wondering where you were.
Brandon, Just let me know when you have it and give the the cost with shipping..
Use USPS PIORITY 2-3 DAY..
and what address to paypal it to..
I will be looking around june ,july for a unit..I still have the home made rig, but tossed all my milk jugs out, oh well, been meaning to get some from you anyway..
Thanks
Charlie
Seems like the longer I make syrup which has been a long time, the less I know or can predict. I gathered between 250 and 300 gallon of sap yesterday that had ran from Mon to Wed. Temps have been 40 to 45 all week with no freezing at night since Sunday night but the sap isn't hardly running at all. What amazes me the most is that the sun was out nearly all day monday and again today and the ground is still frozen as hard as a rock. Mud, mud, mud would be an understatement. Lots of rain Tues night and 12 inches of snow in place when the thaw started and you can't even imagine the mud. There is water in places I never knew water could exist and no it is not flooding any.
We seldom ever get much freezing of the ground and if so, it normally thaws in 2 to 3 days. In places where the ground has been exposed since Monday and the sun and rain have hit, it is still as hard as a rock. The ground was super satured before the deep freeze hit about 6 weeks ago, so I guess the ground is just one big huge chunk of ice and at the rate it is going, it will be April and past syrup season before it thaws. By this Sat last year, season was 1/2 over and I had made half of last years crop or more. Usually by this time, the sap has ran for 2 weeks and we are well on our way. We will have to wait and see, but it is supposed to be cold tonight thru Sat and then warm back up. We normally get 15 days in March and 20 max, so it is not looking good at this point and sugar content seems very low.
If you have a lot of frost in the ground your sugar will be low for a while. Hang on, it won't be long before all he-- heck breaks loose and you will get more sap than you can ever imagine. (at least that is my prayer for you) I hope you have an awesome season, it sound like it is off to a good start. Lots of moisture in and on top of the ground for the trees to make lots of sap.
Scott,
Thanks and I hope that is the way it happens, but it's up to God now as I am ready and have done everything I can. I am only concerned as the season is over here about the time most of you are just getting cranking.
Kind of a side note, I went up add some weight to my tank covers on Monday and saw a squirrel running from one of my trees as I was driving up on the tractor. Didn't think much about it and then yesterday I went up and checked my lines as I had extra time and low and behold I found something I have never seen. I had about 10 to 15 taps that were chewed off or half off at either the shank, below the shank on the tubing, the entire head off of one or two Leader taps and a couple on the spout just outside the tree. I have never seen anything like it, but it devoured them to an extent I have never saw. I borrowed a gun and went back later yesterday evening, but no avail. Today, I got off a little early and went over with my trusty 12gauge model 10 and slipped in undetected and was standing there watching when Mrs Fox decided to jump on a tree. She saw me about the time I started to raise my gun and tried to run, but at about 50 yards, she got a rear full and then I went down and knocked her in the head with a stick. I hope she was the culprit. She hadn't done any more noticeable damage since I repaired everything yesterday. Guess it is because she could get to the ground for food. I went over to my north bush later this evening and slung 2 rounds at another fox running about 60+ yards. Don't think I killed him, but hopefully he got the message.
Brandon, by this time last year I was about a week to ten days from being finished. yesterday and today was the first two days I collected any sap. Only about forty five gallons. Hopefully tomorrow will be the first real good run.
I guess those stainless spouts are starting to look pretty good. I'll bet those little varmits will have a tough time chewing through them.
If you want to really reach out and touch them, try a turkey load.
Somthing like a 3 3/4 or 4 dram 1 1/2 oz load of #4 or #5 shot with a full choke. I've killed them out to 75 yards with that load.
Gerry
Brandon,
I agree with Scott,
The weather conditions sound just like normal good season conditions up here. If I were you I would get some rest between squirrel hunts and get ready for some awesome runs!
I did get my first run of about 40 gallons of sap. I dumped some and some is Frozen solid at this time since it was zero again last night.
Regards,
Chris
no sugarin weather here. Even the ski area was only half open due to the wind. Temp didn't get above twenty today and with the wind it felt like twenty below. Odd thing was if you could get out of the wind and in the sun it felt like fifty out. I hope your getting runs down there now. Someone has to be.
Well Brandon, I hope you get a monster run, Sorry I was busy when you called, I had someone who has horses talking to me asking me to move a bucket so they could get to their water hydrant, I got out about 150 today, finish up the next few days, maybe boil tues night if the sap runs.. I'll talk with you soon.