November Journal

That's it=We're in for the free ride. Lovin' every minute of it come on...

This one would work for a theme song for team sap too...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwx5F...eature=related

So funny= about 2 weeks ago i watched that video...lol

My new Atlantic Fluidics A5 pump arrived today. Its pretty small (only 1 hp)
but should provide that elusive high vacuum. It will be nice to not worry about burning up the Delaval 73.

Doug- Id love to come up and give you a hand and Andy. Ive got one mane problem stopping me, town job. Last year I used up all my vacation to do the syruping. Actually the last of my vacation was up to Matts cutting all that brush down. Ive got a half hour left. Do have sick leave though. Got quite a few ailments so maybe I could just come up there and recuperate. Im not quite done yet. I just have all the big stuff done. Ive still got to put in roughly 1000 drops, 400 saddles, make up a bunch of mainline connections, install a crate of hose clamps, plumb in a releaser, clean tanks, install a sump pump, plumb up tanks, cut and split more wood, get buckets ready and maybe run two lines to collect sapsacks and buckets. Gonna try to put in at least 1000 buckets like I was saying and if I can get the money Im thinking now of putting in another thousand of them in another bush. Gonna see if I can sell my antique truck and if it brings enough Im going to do it. You run two thousand buckets your starting to take things seriously. I dont really know if I can afford to do the buckets but if I get the money I will. Its all a matter of what I come up with. I have one goal this spring and thats to FILL BARRELLS, LOTS OF THEM. Theron

Theron,
Somehow, I knew that when you had all the big stuff done, you would find some more trees that "waaaanted" to be tapped. Does your Dad have any idea of the hours he is going to be boiling or are you gonna surprise him?

I think he has an idea. He actually has less time off this year than last year. Im going to have to probly do a lot more myself. The year after though he wont be working and itll be a cakewalk. Im kind of banking on the recirculation thing. Thing is though you dont get a big run every day. Ill be up against it on those days but usually I dont think it will be too bad. Ill just do the best I can. I just want sap to boil. Once I reallized last year that those dinky little barrells were worth a grand a piece it shined a whole new light on this syrup making for me. I might have to even get mommy involved, maybe train her to press or something. Wont hurt her any. Everybody is going to have to pitch in. Dad will be albe to help quite a bit and if I have to Ill get more tanks maybe some plastic ones. Theron

My Dad has been the chief sugar maker here for a long time. He can remember "helping" when he was 3. When he was 21 they went from flat pans to an evaporator and he took over the boiling. His uncle said he was too old to learn to boil on "that thing". He is now 87 and still looks forward to the sugaring season. He still will watch the evaporator when I have to step out for a few minutes but prefers not to fire or to draw syrup. It still helps out a lot and it is a great reward to watch his enjoyment of the whole thing. Couple weeks ago he made my day by telling me how My Grandpa would have liked to see what I'm doing with the woods.
Doug

Jim Brown,

Friday looks like a good day. Want any help with your tubing? Give me a call if you want it.

I think my dad is going to be kind of like that. His dad made syrup when he was my boys age. Grandpa made a lot of syrup and dad can remember gathering with horses. I kind of wish my grandfather was still around to see how I make syrup today. I dont believe he could ever have imagined the technology. Im sure he would love it. He had the love of syruping and did it when he retired in town and thats where I first saw it done. I can remember dad and him making a barrell evap and we had a lot of fun with it. Grandma even made cream for us. You want to hook a kid on syrup give him some of that stuff. Theron