We were short on snow until mid/late Jan. but it sure has caught up since. Last Sat. we could not bust trail with the ATV wearing super lug tires, and the trail model snowmobile kept getting buried breaking new trail, then to top it off we had 14-16 inches more since Sun afternoon. It can quit now!
Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.
You won't have missed much this week. Even yesterday at nearly 50 degrees, I found only about half of the new holes running. Tomorrow we'll have a deep freeze, and then perhaps get a real start next week.
The boys and I are going to put the taps in this weekend. Still plenty of cold weather up here. Im two weeks away from getting sap
2012- 200 buckets 2 by 8 woodfired leader evaporator with hood and pre-heater. 2013-400 taps with cheek valves and new tubing system. 2014-600 taps with cheek valves and wesfab short bank filterpress and a 16 by 16 canner from Leader and a Kubota L3200 sap hauler.2016- new 250 gas powered Ro from Deer Run Maple. New Airablow 1000 tap gas powered vacuum pump and 1000 tap duel releaser and 1800 ft of sap transfer line to sugar house and down to 540 taps.
Yeah we were low on snow, but I've measured 15.1 inches since febuary 1st. Seems like that should help the sugaring season somehow, maybe make it last longer than it would with less snow because of more soil moisture and cold soil temps. That's a bummer you won't be able to run your full setup cpmaple. I keep my operation small because I have to work a job for steady money too. At least you'll be able to make a little syrup with the kids. good luck.
The village workers were out on my street last week digging to fix a broken water line. The earth was frozen solid all the way down to the pipes at 48 inches. I'm sure it's not so deep in the woods where there's cover, but I wonder how deep the frost line is this year. Anyone out there digging lately?
Cold, cold, cold! Seems like it's never gonna break up. At least it gives more time to get my operation together for the year. Hard to get much done today with the wind though.
I think this will be similar to last year where it took 4 consecutive days of above freezing to really get anything going since it is so cold. Hopefully that happens before April this time.
Was talking with rotor ruter guys at work the other day up here in northern new York near the border And they were saying that they have had to thaw more out door pipes this year than they have had to in the last decade. Was telling me they have been finding frost in the ground at between 4 and 5 feet. Yikes!!!Originally Posted by Michael Greer
MATT
2013 - 35 taps
boiling on a revamped wood stove. 3 1/2 gallons
2014 - life stepped in. Made a little
2015 - Around 45 taps. Homemade barrel evap. 6 gallons made.
2016 - made 4 1/2 gallons of syrup
2017 had to take a break this year
I was in the bush all weekend clearing the sugar bush road with the tractor,and the snow is 4 and a half feet and the spots I hit the ground have only an inch or so of frost. Its been 25 below here a lot this month.
2012- 200 buckets 2 by 8 woodfired leader evaporator with hood and pre-heater. 2013-400 taps with cheek valves and new tubing system. 2014-600 taps with cheek valves and wesfab short bank filterpress and a 16 by 16 canner from Leader and a Kubota L3200 sap hauler.2016- new 250 gas powered Ro from Deer Run Maple. New Airablow 1000 tap gas powered vacuum pump and 1000 tap duel releaser and 1800 ft of sap transfer line to sugar house and down to 540 taps.
Worked all day yesterday on the tractor clearing roads,going back up today and spend the day finishing. We are going to tap next weekend and get the sugar house ready.
2012- 200 buckets 2 by 8 woodfired leader evaporator with hood and pre-heater. 2013-400 taps with cheek valves and new tubing system. 2014-600 taps with cheek valves and wesfab short bank filterpress and a 16 by 16 canner from Leader and a Kubota L3200 sap hauler.2016- new 250 gas powered Ro from Deer Run Maple. New Airablow 1000 tap gas powered vacuum pump and 1000 tap duel releaser and 1800 ft of sap transfer line to sugar house and down to 540 taps.
Cut my hand pretty bad on Monday night and ended up in the ER to get 8 stitches. The doctor said to stat away from work till Thursday. That might push my tapping back to a week from tomorrow since I still have a few odds and ends to do around the sugar house and about 15 lateral lines to run. Guess that's the price I pay for not having every thing setup ahead of time.
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