Sweet and Sour Dill 2012

Its valentines day. Or known as the day that I usually give in and tap.
Just going through the last 3 years of tapping threads, I usually start today. I put out 60 taps this morning on a gravity run in Northwood. They are stonewall trees and the squirrels had a field day chewing, a couple drops chewed right off, plenty of nicks in the tubing as well.
Hoping to put out a run in Lee tonight as well. It wasn't running much, the holes were wet but not gushing. Still can't tap the vac bush, the owners seem to be on the worlds longest cruise, I really don't want to run a generator over there, due to the proximity to neighbors but I might have too.

I ran the front section of tubing down at my folks yesterday afternoon. The lack of snow meant that was the fast that piece of tubing has ever gone up. I have 2 more woods sections to put back up down there. I tried to leave them up last year but the cows thought it should come down.
My little brother is working his tail off finding bucket trees at some other local farms. He's going to be hauling a bit of sap if all goes right.

I think I'm going to concede a section of tubing to the squirrels. They are chewing a drop off a night. And the neighbor's have an issue with me shooting.
Or I'll try trapping them.
Still nothing on the vacuum bush, gravity is running alright not huge. Hoping to do a cleaning and test boil tonight and start actually boiling this weekend.

Dill a small dish of good old antifreeze will take care of that problem. Make sure its high enough so neighbors pets can't get to it.

Oh, I love the antifreeze idea! These tree rats just love chewing up my barn. Shooting, poisoning, drowning, and they still thrive. Antifreeze dispersal will take place tonight. Any other sweet squirrel eradication techniques to share?

I was thinking rat traps on trees with peanut butter. I have some subsonic 22 shells, that I think are quiet out of my single six. I've just never seen squirrel damage like this. One drop got chewed off yesterday, then the rodent started gnawing on the tree branches, sap everywhere. I hope he doesn't find the tank.

On the subject of tree rats, this is the unfortunate end of one who tried to exit a hollow pine tree and managed to get her head through a hole that her butt couldn't pass through. These are NOT appropriate for the faint of heart. I first noticed this when I saw the whitish area on the tree. Apparently the rodent tried, in vane, to claw her way out, thus the lack of bark. I took these last year and forwarded them and a bunch more to a buddy of mine who posted them on Youtube. This is NOT photo-shopped.

Attachment 5418 Attachment 5417

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I thought this might be of interest.

Back on point: ethylene glycol poisoning is a bad way to go. It's a nasty way to die and it isn't species specific so songbirds, housepets, bats, etc can be harmed. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a tree hugger; I happily shoot every coyote, porcupine and beaver that I can. Try something like a #50 conibear or a #40 round body grip trap for the squirrels; it's a humane kill and the hind quarters can be breaded and pan-fried and served with maple gravy.

I have had alot of tree rat chews as well this year. worst I had since I installed the tubing. I think it might be due to lack of nut crops this year. very little to no acorns or hickory nuts this year!!!

Finally done tapping. Still hanging a few buckets with my brother this afternoon. That 7/16s bit really sucks down the battery drills. Put another 40 out with old brace but that gets old fast. Don't know how the old timers did thousands of buckets.
Ended up running the same RV2 vac pump that I used that year. The SP11 I bought is setup for 220 only and I just noticed and don't have time to wire the owner's house.
I tapped yesterday without the pump setup and had some ice in the mainlines today. But that little pump was chugging along pulling 23 inches at the releaser.
Not enough sap to boil tonight so I have the work light crammed into the evap hopefully it stays off a hard freeze.
The annual pancake breakfast at my wife's church is tomorrow and I had buy in syrup from Amber Gold.

What is it about vacuum leaks that get your blood pumping? I find myself trying to work way too fast when I hear that hiss.
Finally got the mainline thawed out. I tapped sunday without the pump and plugged it in Monday, unfortunately the mainline froze up hard. Its not running hard tonight but it should tomorrow.