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Folks,
Have one row of wood in the sugarshed, and when I have this second load buzzed up Will have another 1/3 of a row.
https://i.imgur.com/4z06yFD.jpg?1
So as I thought about 3 bundles of slabs should make approx 40 gallons of syrup. Will pick up a third load on Monday at the sawmill. Yes practicing social distancing there too.
Weather is back to snow today with a little more expected.
Several folks have called and stopped by to purchase syrup, using social distancing, I set the syrup out for them to drive in and pick up.
Need to can up some more gallons of syrup to stock the shelves too.
Picked up a small freezer to store the rest of the maple syrup in 2.5 gallon bulk. Thanks to Matt H., local sugarmaker up near Lake Erie.
Speaking of bulk, it sounds like one of our local buyers are pushing their maple bulk syrup buy day out into June.
We eat good too! Stack of pancakes and sausage with plenty of maple syrup:
https://i.imgur.com/xqFlBDA.jpg?1
Regards,
Chris
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Chris I was looking at some of your previous pictures and your tubing looks really good. What is your method for cleaning. I am just wondering as next year I plan on having some for my sugar bush, to help increase my syrup production.
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Nice pictures Chris. You don’t have a tractor problem, you can never have too many tractors, especially of that vintage. I use my Farmall H to gather sap. I really like what you did to your saw rig. Nice setup all around.
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Thanks guys,
I just back flush all my lines with low pressure water rinse. This is the same pump that I pump up into the tank on the truck. 12 volt (Rule brand). Then I take out the first tap, let it rinse, then plug it into the tee and go to the next one. It takes some time but has worked pretty well in controlling visible yuckies in the lines from season to season.
BAP,
Thanks for the positive comments. We keep trying to make improvements. This is the first year bringing slabs in, on my own trailer, then cutting and stacking in the sugarshed. So far I like the minimized handling. Trying to get a little more tech savy here, see if this very short clip works.
http://youtu.be/EYGL98y122A
Regards,
Chris
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Folks,
More wood today as we continue social distancing. i didn't have anyone crowding me at the buzz rig? Hummm Funny how that works!:)
https://i.imgur.com/GMaPs7e.jpg
Mostly red oak slabs, should make some syrup next year!
https://i.imgur.com/xR4eztV.jpg
I miss spoke, one row in the sugarshed will make about 30+ gallons of syrup.
Now we need to market what I have.
Hope things are good out there.
The wife, our pup, and some of my toys too. Yes its time to mow the lawn if it dries up for a couple days!
https://i.imgur.com/A4MNUxr.jpg
Regards,
Chris
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The slabs were no match for the Jubilee and buzz rig!
https://i.imgur.com/3PAf90w.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/YJ9SEar.jpg
Weather was snow, rain, wind, and sunshine! Perfect!
https://i.imgur.com/YWoYhNT.jpg
Regards,
Chris
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Chris,
Is that an old Gravely parked under the fifth wheel? My Grandfather had one of those and I was to little to use it when it was operating.
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Pdiamond,
That is not a Gravely it is a late 40's David Bradley. It has a set of cultivators on it too. It was my wife's great grandfathers. I drug it home and rebuilt the carb on the little "N" series engine and it purrs right along. I also had to replace the guide wheels on the cultivators. I am hoping to have some better shelter for all my toys by this time next year. Wondering if I can claim a new building as part of the maple business??:)
Regards,
Chris
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Chris, is the N series a Briggs engine? I had and used an old unknown make open station cultivating tractor in 3.5 acres of strawberries, it had a Z engine. 3 hp. I later found an old Allis Chalmers G and sold the other one. After my 4.5 acres of blueberries got into full production I quit growing strawberries. 8-10 years later I sold the G to a guy from Indiana who later sent me pics of him driving it in a parade, fully restored.
For cultivating I now use a model 4200 weed badger behind a 1981 Ford 1500 compact diesel. It is 3 point hitch but I never remove it from that tractor. The Weed Badger has a set of tines mounted vertically, rotate and do a wonderful job, as I drive the aisles I steer the 2" diameter tine head in and out between the bushes. Back before I initially retired at 52, I got way behind in the blueberries and lots of brush and trees grew in the rows, I kept cutting them, but then a cluster grew back. When I bought the Weed Badger, the Manufacturer told me to just run the tiller there 3 times a year and in 2-3 years it would pull the stumps out and throw them in the aisle. That sounded too good to be true, but in fact that was correct.
