Red Roof Maples 2011

[Russell Lampron]

No easy chair Alden just a cold metal folding chair. The maple bug has bitten Richard so hard that he decided not to wear the air cast. Yesterday and today he strapped on the snow shoes and was tapping trees. We've got all of the tubing done, 638 taps total. The buckets will wait until March unless there is a significant break in the weather.

I am taking Wednesday off from work so that I can hook up the releaser and do the first round of vacuum leak fixes. Hopefully the weather forecast is correct and we have a nice 4 day run starting Wednesday. It would be nice to have the first boil on Presidents day weekend.

Kieth I will have to get over there to check out your new place. Loon Pond Road isn't too far from here.

[Russell Lampron]

Alden forgot to mention that it is Josh who is selling his extra blue jugs. I am keeping all of mine.

[red maples]

Why is he switching to barrels? 600 taps, .5gpt thats 300 gallons!!! that would be 60 blue containers!!! I would take a few as well!!!

[Russell Lampron]

He bought a bunch of 15.5 gallon beer kegs. I bought 4 of them myself. With the kegs drums and blue containers that I have got I have 300 gallons of storage myself. I would like to fill them all too.

[Russell Lampron]

Took today off from work to get the releaser hooked up and fix the known vacuum leaks. It's still a chilly 9 degrees here so I won't be going out for a little while yet. It's supposed to get to 37 degrees this afternoon. Things should start to thaw out then so that I can turn the vacuum on for a little while.

[red maples]

Yeah pretty chilly seems to be warming up pretty quick. accutally birds singing outside thats a good sign.

Gotta work on the sap lift today. Don't like the adustments I did so when I am done it will take out about foot of it. and it will hopefully work better. getting pretty good vac transfer 22* at the releaser and 18* at the end. I think its a little bit wide too. and I have to fix a few leaks here and there too.

[Russell Lampron]

Got the releaser hooked up and the vacuum turned on. Looks like I am going to miss the first run. The vacuum motor on the releaser wont push open the valve that releases the vacuum when it dumps. Vacuum is leaking by the seal and out of the bottom hole which is only supposed to be a vent when the releaser dumps. I'm glad that I tapped early and had a chance to find this out before we had a 2 week run or something. I'm going to call Lapierre and order the part tomorrow.

The sap started to run a little this afternoon. There was still some ice in the lines for most of the afternoon. I got some vacuum leaks fixed but ran out of daylight trying to fix the releaser.

[red maples]

Yes alway lucky to find it early!!! sorry man!!!!

[SSFLLC]

Sorry to hear that Russ, We should be up and running by friday afternoon. Spent all day and half the night yesterday running lines and mains. Today ran the rest of the lines escept three or four. They will get done tomorrow. Should be able to hookup releaser and vac pump also.

[Russell Lampron]

I called Lapierre and ordered the part for my releaser. They had it put on the truck from Canada today and will ship it to me tomorrow. I should have it on Monday. The sap started flowing kind of late today but the trees are starting to thaw and run. I wish I could leave the vacuum on.

Brad how did it run for you today? If it stays above freezing where you are it could run all night. It is supposed to get to 45 here again tomorrow before it gets cold again. It will probably be a little warmer than that for you.

Kieth it looks like I won't be as busy this weekend as I had originally hoped. Maybe I can come over and check out your new place. Let me know when you will be around.