Pumpkin Village

[Al]

Not worth a hoot!! Got my last sap about a week ago. Just enough to sweeten the pans but no draw off. Now I'm wondering since it looks like at least until the end of the week before weather improves if I should just dump it and start over with a clean rig. I'll have held the sap over a week and a half.
How are you doing? Are you up at the sugarhouse this weekend?
Take care.
Al

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Al,

Leave it in the pans, it will be fine!

[vermontkyle]

Hey Al,
Yeah, I understand your quandry with the sap. I live in So. Burlington and boiled last sunday (9days) ago. It ran a little that monday and tuesday then froze leaving an inch or so in the buckets. I've been wondering whether to dump them or not. I checked the sap today though when it warmed up and it looked o.k.
I think if it is warm enough we'll gather tomorrow and boil thursday then hopefully again this weekend. It was running well for a couple hours today-at least on the trees in the sun.
Anyway, I've read enough of Pumpkin Village I feel like I know you.
-Kyle

[Mike]

Al, If the sap runs this weekend ill be there sunday......And probally monday and tuesday.....Its been a slow start......

[Al]

Kyle, come on up and see us. Were are you in South Burlington? I get down there every couple of weeks.
Al

[vermontkyle]

Hey Al,
Im in Mayfair Park which is off Williston Rd. by the Ethan Allen Motel. ACtually if you drive down Williston Rd. youll see some sap buckets on trees kind of across from the Ground Round-anyway those are my buckets-my family ownes the Ethan Allen Motel and I tap around that too-also in colchester at my parents and at a friends out in Williston-101 taps in all this year (wanted that 100 to join the VMSMA).
I will stop by some time-my father in law lives in Fairfax and we get up to Brannons every now and then for their sunday breakfast.
I collected today and not quite enough to boil yet-sap looked good thoug-probably sunday as I have to work saturday-thinking of putting up some cardboard signs on Williston Rd. dircting people to the boiling in an attempt to do my part for the maple open house weekend. Most of the neighbors are from down country anyway and boiling usually attracts an interesting group of onlookers.
PS-I also grow giant pumpkins-if you are interested I've got some good seeds.
Nice Chatting,
Kyle

[Al]

Hi Kyle. Know right were the motel is. Pumpkins seeds are a hit here. My oldest boy Warren sales pumpkins in the fall for college money. Of course he's only nine but with the price of school better to start early. It's alot of work but we help him out. He's pretty happy around Halloween though.
Well we gathered around 90 gallons today and will boil tomorrow. Checked the sap in the tanks and it just looks a little milky to me. Going to clean everything tomorrow just to get off to a good start.
Take care.

[Al]

Well collected some more and had around 150 gallons. Cleaned everything and started over. Boy that sweetening pans deal takes awhile. We drew off about 2 gallons of fancy. Front pan is almost ready to draw off. Well have to run. Wood to put in and the boys are ready for maple open house weekend. They love to go to other sugarhouses. Of course almost all of Warrens classmates have someone in sugaring. Heck the schoolhouse even has it's own sugarhouse with a 2x6 in it.
Take care

[mapleman3]

Glad to see your getting sap Al, the way things have been going north of here it just seems real late. 8O

[Mike]

Hey Jim, I think where about the same as last year as far as starting, but im way ahead of last years crop.. ...66 gals so far and it look like the sap will run good for the rest of the week......Hey Al, I noticed the sap yesterday was a little cloudy......Hope its not a sign of things to end.. 8O