The sugar house at Morningstar Farm 2014 season

[morningstarfarm]

Finally in from the sugar house...spent the day chasing down a couple leaks...finally got both bushes up to 27".. One running well...dumped about 400 gals on the ground...kills me to do that...but what was coming out I wouldn't put in my pans...the other is a new bush...nice and tight but the lines finally got filled enough to run a bit just before dark...hoping tomorrow is a better day..hoping to sweeten on sat...tonight I managed to get the tandem vac pumps up for the last bush...took a while to configure them as the two 1397 pumps are running on a single 3 hp motor...getting both tensioned with 4 belts took some doing...but got her done...pulling 29" at the expansion tank...will set the releaser and vert releaser on that bush tomorrow....then start tapping...only 1200 left to drill...hopefully it goes as planned...

[red maples]

Hope you got some sap today!!! ran pretty good here. Sorry I didn't get over there today. My Daughter got a stomach bug last night and my wife had here art show today as well so I ended up staying home with her. she doing better now. went to help my wife break down (Rollinsford) stopped in to see Josh on the way home and pick up some stuff he borrowed. he was thrashing a bit to get going!!!

[morningstarfarm]

Hehe I bet he is...I certainly am here...ended up with about 400-450 gals today...ran pretty good all day...got a bunch of small leaks addressed and am finally back up to pulling 27"...hopefully tomorrow is as good...into the last sugarbush tomorrow...setting releasers and charging system in the morning...then I will begin tapping in....as I get each side line done I will charge them...should have a couple hundred in by noon hopefully...And enough to have our first boil..

[red maples]

You still alive over there??? You drowning in sap or tangled in tubing??? Probably a little of both huh??

[morningstarfarm]

Yes, I am alive...have been scrambling to get everything finished up....still have 300 drops to put in and tap then I will be able to catch my breath...

The past couple days have been frustrating...the temps here have been about 2-3 degrees off...31 for an hour or two doesn't recharge my trees...grrr...ended up with 1100 gals tonight to boil...was able to finish sweetening my pans and made about 8 gals of what appears to be light med...will know better after I finish and filter it tomorrow...was great to actually make some syrup this year...was getting a bit concerned about maple weekend...last year we sold about 275 gals...fortunately the weather looks to be good this weekend into next week...