Dill 2018

I think I used a roll of black tape today. Both my thumbs are wrapped from hose clamp cuts. Had a tree come down and break a main line at the Northwood bush. Then I was wondering why I was hearing a whistling at the releaser. Turns out there was a giant crack in the top of the releaser. Taped both sides and its holding mostly. Got a new cover coming in. I've hauled 600 gals of sap out of there this year and it seems like a constant stream of breaking stuff. On the upside, I'm pulling 24 here at home. And I've got a full tank of sap ready to go for tomorrow.

Had good turnout and the hits just keep on coming this year. The well pump motor decided it didn't want to work anymore. Basically the bottom cap on the motor came off and without support the shaft wrecked itself. So that left us stranded with a full woods tank and more coming in. Luckily I talked a friend into opening up his well shop and setting us up with a new one. Lost some sap as overflow but we got a full tank pumped up. They also stopped and check the northwood bush. The releaser there sprouted 2 new huge cracks in the top. So that pump is off until the new cover comes in.
And the worst of it. Somehow we have a bad taste in the filters. And we've got 15 gals or yesterday's complete production with a really bad off flavor. Heading up to sunnyside for new filters today.

Wow today made up for yesterday. Busiest sunday we've ever had it was busy from 10 when I got out of the woods right til 5.

Got a decent freeze that I wasn't expecting last night. Ice in the releaser and crust on the mud. Home woods is slowing way down.

Hardly froze up here. Whats the syrup count so far? Your vacuum pumps behaving?

175ish. No vac in northwood til Lapierre sends the correct releaser cover. I pumped the 150 gals that ran on gravity between saturday and today. That place doesn't work without vac.

Nice. Yeah our Griffin rd bush stinks. We might put a guzzler there next year for the time being til we get that set up right and expand it.

Got another 250 gals up to the sugarhouse. Thinking I might hold it and do 1 "big" boil wensday. I've never seen this situation where the weather is right but the trees are done. Picked up a filter press today so that's the big mapley news.

Ran pretty good yesterday. Well compared to the last few. Dumped what had been up to the sugarhouse for a while. It was starting to smell, where as the woods tank wasn't. Should be boiling tonight.

It ran a little better here yesterday too. Today not so much. Planning to boil tomorrow night.

I might be done. Head gasket blew on the woods generator yesterday. I've got maybe 200 gals down in the woods. And its running slow, if you can call it an actual flow. Which is odd since the weather is textbook perfect.

I'm doing my last boil tonight. If the trees were running better I would hold out until they stop running but the sap is coming in so slow that I'm going to boil what I have and call it a season.

Ya same here. I pumped up the 300 or so gals since friday. Made 2 gals of decent syrup. Maybe it'll run wensday but I doubt it. Borrowed a neighbors much newer generator it was quieter and the pump ran better turns out the old plug had a loose connection on one of the wires which I think was what was killing pumps.

We're all done. The vac pump started squeaking yesterday so we figured we'd can it with just one more decent running day anyway. Pans are de sweetened and soaking. 345 gals. all totaled.

Well I called it today and turned the vac pump off. Had about 300 gals down in the woods and its not looking/smelling great. Boiled that and I'll drain the rig this weekend. Also shot a couple tree rats today.