2013 Season WEST VIRGINIA MAPLER

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Yes, I am still alive even though I haven't been on here for months. Put in 250 taps on 02/06 and 140 on 02/07 and put in 10 on 02/14 and 200 on 02/15. Tap count is down about 40 due to the severe storms we had June 29th. Never seen sap start this fast. Thru yesterday, I collected 1535 gallons and still had about 50 in the woods. Too cold now and looks cold next week with some sap. Only had one day it got above 44 and most of the days it has been a few degrees above freezing but sap has ran. All light syrup so far. Not sure when I will get back on here but try to keep update. 7 degrees tonight and 10 tomorrow night.

[heus]

Brandon its nice to hear you are still around and making syrup. You were one of the active guys on here when I first joined in 2009. I think I even started a thread asking where you and some other guys had been.

[tuckermtn]

good to see you still at it Brandon- best of luck for a continued good season.

[mountainvan]

hope you have a good year.

[TapME]

Good to see you post Brandon. That is a fair amount of sap and should keep you busy for a few minutes. Look forward to seeing more post.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Collected 585 gallons saturday that ran over last week and boiled it off Sat evening and made light syrup with it and collected another 625 gallons this afternoon and boiled it off this evening and made more light syrup. Canned 46 gallon all light so far and another 10 gallon waiting to can that is light. Pushing 60 gallon with what is in the evaporator and another 300 to 500 to boil off in a couple of days before it quits running wed night and cold until next Monday or Tues. Hardly any buildup in the pans or steamaway. Boiled 2750 gallons so far and haven't cleaned evaporator or steamaway and it is still rolling right along making light syrup which is amazing. Last 3 boils running close to 95 gph with startup and shutdown with the steamaway which is pretty amazing.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Collected 840 gallons yesterday most of which ran overnight and boiled off 650 gallons. 13 more gallon of light syrup and collecting again this PM and should have another 700 to boil off tomorrow and then cold until end of next week. So far little over 70 gallons all light syrup

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Collected another 480 gallons Thurs even and boiled off 680 gallons yesterday. Lost about 40 taps to bad storm on June 29th so tap count is down this year but have canned 68 gallons of light and 13 gallon of light med. So far 81 gallons bottled and about 5 to 6 more gallon. Close to 90% of normal crop in Feb and really cold Wed night thru next Thurs, so should get at least one more big run worst case scenario. Hopefully will get 2 or 3 more good runs. Sugar content above normal which goes in hand with day temps in the 30's to low 40's. Only 2 days above 45 so far in 3+ weeks.

[Dennis H.]

Brandon it sounds like a good year so far considering the lost trees and temps that are not that high.

Good luck.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Collected 530 more gallon this afternoon that ran from Tues this this afternoon and boiled it off. Canned another 14+ gallons of medium syrup. Up to 95.5 gallons of syrup and aprox 4 more uncanned and in evaporator. Looks like another big run from this afternoon thru Monday and more cold weather and sap weather last week.