January Journal 2013

[Yellzee]

Ok, feeling guilty i've done nothing maple. Didnt even get the new collection tank installed in the hole i dug that is now buried in snow. Should be at least 6 weeks before anything loosens up. That's lots of time right?????? (I'll never learn)

[Farmboy]

Im last minute with stuff like every year. My evaporator is in pieces and my buddy is supposed to fix my flue pan this weekend. Hopefully Ill have it set up more efficiently this year. I might add another blower. Last year I could have used more air. I stacked some pine and covered it the past few days. It was standing dead when I cut it last year and split it this summer so its pleanty dry. Plus I have a few hundred pallets for backup. I still have to set up the entire sugar shack and fix all my lines in the woods.

[red maples]

man it was cold this morning. 0*F I waited until it was 10* to go outside. but had to do some other stuff didn't get to do much on to the lines!!! Tomorrow I run some errunds in the AM then back in the woods.

[Tweegs]

The woods are almost done. Mains up, laterals all strung, drops in, everything graded out. Need to install about 40 saddles and I’m done out there for now.

Still need to lay in another cord or two of wood, clean up the shack and build a pre-heater.

Should be able to coast into the season….That’ll be a first.

[red maples]

Alright, taking advantage of this warmer weather. Finished re-bricking the evap today. its just drying now. I put my heater buddy under the arch to keep it warm. tomorrow I will install the blower and get the wires run for that. then seal up the draft door get the pans back on and sealed up fill with water and get a little fire going to cure the cement. Hopefully I will have time to do all that shouldn't take me long I am sure I forgot something and will have to run back to the store again. but hopefully I can get it all done and cured. tomorrow!!! we'll see.

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

Test boiled last night and it was AWESOME... I figured I was getting about 40gph or so... Speechless as all I can say is I am very impressed with this rig, and give a "nice job" to Patrick Phaneuf.

[heus]

Clark thats a heck of a nice rig you got there.

[Bruce L]

Drove through the roads in the bush with the 4 x 4 tractor yesterday,today lifted the new mainline wire up that a large limb took down over the winter,ready to tie the mainline to,ran mainline wire through the big "o" in the trench I dug before freeze-up,framed the walls for the new vacuum pump building tonight,tomorrow will be putting the walls together on the platform,then the roof,then running mainlines,etc,etc,etc.

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

Finally recieved my new canner. Lapieree 16x16 with the rack, lid, and stainless valve. Need to get a thermomether still... Also got my 4inch scoop. I am very pleased with the work from Lapierre, although I can say that it did take a while, as I orderd it with the dealer in August, but it was worth it.

[Paddymountain]

My plan is to hold off to Feb 14th or so. I'm pretty well ready, but just came down with the flu yesterday, and am heading down to Belize next Saturday. I won't be home til the 29th. From my point of view anytime after the 29th will do!!! If I had a small 30-40 tap operation I'd tap , but extended deepfreeze is a major hassle