November Journal

I went to Somerset co. today to see Walnutdale's Force 5. There was a good turn out to watch the rig boil. There are a lot of sugarmakers in Somerset Co.
Joel, you and your family hosted a very nice event today. Thank you for having us. It was informative and very friendly. hope to see you folks again.

Gary R and Sugarmaker I will make it convenient for you to come I am going to boil for 4-5hrs. The reason I am doing it the 19th is there are no hunting seasons and it will probably take me that long to get everything set up.

Nice day for NOV. Squirrel hunting, Bee meeting, visiting with neighbors, Kids and grand kids visiting us, Worked on 8 hp Cub engine (gas being pumped out of breather?? Not sure what that's about?)

Not much maple stuff today, Oh yeah bent some samples of stainless in thinner gauge. Brake worked better on the thinner material for sure. There would be no problem bending 5 foot piece.

Chris

Back to thinking maple, hard to beleave it's just four months away!!! Going to start cutting wood in the morning. (After I get down out of my tree stand) Some for the house some for the evaporator. Logs have been down for some time should season up fast. No major increases for this season in mind other then a few more taps. Clean up and get to it is all I have to do.

Have the team driving well lots of fall hay rides this past month. Going to start plowing with them as soon as I hitch again, that sould be fun. Also lots of logs to pull out, just waiting for the beans to come off so I can get to the woods.

Sold all but a few jugs, I'm going to be out soon. I have a few locals that come to the house now to get syrup. Did a farm market this past summer that built a nice group of buyers.

Was up a maple last night, took a nice doe. Was mapping out about 100 taps worth of tubbing as I sat there. Lots of maple on that side of the hill. To bad it is on the wrong side of the hill for easy pick up. That was just what I could see from the stand, lots of maple up there!!!! Some day they will all have a hole in them. With vacume and a pump house with electric. And a line to the road for pick up and I could go on for hours with this thought.

Well it's good to be back on the trader after being away for some time. with all my seasonal habbits it's been hard to do much more then check in a little here and there. Good to see your all still here.

Today. Got hopefully the last of 3 cords of wood cut. It was all pine. My total is going to be one cord of hardwood and two cords of pine for this year. I mite split more pine for next year or many this yea if I really crank out the syrup. Then I started "log mauling" he big rounds which is most of it. The "log mauler" is basicly and upsidedown woodspliiter that goes in the front of a skidsteer. It splits the monster pieces down to stuff I can lift. It will save my back. This week I'm getting more gravel then I can start building my sugar shack.

I worked a half day today to pay the bills and keep the boss happy, then went home and my brother and I put up 600ft of wire and then tied up 500ft of the 1.5 vacuum supply line. Should get alot done tomorrow too since it's supposed to be nice! Chris, is the float stuck in the carb on that cub motor? Rap on the top with a hammer and see if that works!

We are framing the walls for the new sugar shack today, putting a 12x20 commercial kitchen on for finishing ect. Hopefully the new kitchen will be used for other uses as well. Was talking to some aquaintences of ours and they want to tap about 100 trees but they don't have an evaporator, I offered to trade sap for syrup and they seem preety interested. If that all works out it should take some of the labor out of my operation, having sap delivered to me.

GaryR; I know a fella who will take all that extra syrup off your hands(LOL).I have your quarts too just got to get them back over there.I have seen as many legal buck as you and have only been drivng to work!
Well the new tranfer pumps works fine and we are increasing taps in our main bush.Getting ready for the Christmas rush of qift baskets and syrup orders. Got to work a couple of other things in and then its; get ready for tapping.
Hope all Traders have a very Blessed Thanksgiving season as we all have a great deal to be Thankful for!!!


Jim

Been reading GaryR's post to do with every thing under the sun. Took a while to load any PDF files with dial up. I figured out the preheater on my own now I have to figure out a good reliable preheater that one dosn't have to adjust every 20 seconds.
Have to really get working on my evaporator here in the next while. Looks like a great day out there to finish cleaning up the yard for winter. I hate shoveling around things come snow time. The woods are off limits to me untill after the 16th of the month due to hunting season. Then I can wander around out there at will.

I shure do hate when good hunting gets in the way of cutting wood!!! Took a nice buck this morning with the bow. By the time I got out of the woods hanged and skinned out, there just wasn't time to start wood. Still have to go to work (3-11) today. No sence in being tired there.

tessiersfarm, How is that team of OX doing??? Thought about you a few times this summer woundered if they were working out ok.

Managed to give my 1/2 pint a coat of high-temp paint. Took a wire brush to it first then got three thin coats on it. Looks better than new!

Also got the pulley system hooked up for my cupola doors.

Only problem is that I have 1000 more things to do before February.

Sure is nice to sit outside this afternoon. Man I like Fall... and my bees love this weather too!

Enjoy!
Keith