Willow Creek Sugarhouse 2017

[red maples]

Hi everybody, guessing it is about time to get this thread underway. Crazy January weather. Could have made some syrup but decided to hold off and work in the woods. Ran a separate vac line across the street to get more taps on vacuum. So setting up a separate released and tank over there so I can turn 25 gravity taps into 75+ taps on vacuum. There another 50 or so taps over there but not enough time to get them on line. Changed out 200 drops in the old woods which were about 6 to 7 years old and pretty beat up from squirrel chews. So lines are nice and tight now. Glad the pats got #5.

Speaking of squirrels I gave myself a new semi auto .22 with a high powered adjustable smart scope and was able to take out about 12 squirrels this year. so that will help out with damage. There are still more around too. There are a lot of them here lots.of hickory and acorns in my woods.

Did a walk through with chainsaw yesterday it wasn't too bad. Mainly branches, and had a small oak up root and fell over 2 laterals and a standing dead.something fall and lean against one mainline.

This morning I put in 50 drops across the street and picked up 20 on gravity all big sugars. I can get another 15 on gravity but debating if I want to do that.

Planning on tapping this weekend hopefully get in 500. Weather isnt gonna be the best but gotta get em done. Sugar house just need a little pick up and need some slightly warmer weather to get ro going.

Hope everyone is enjoying the snow. I am in the jackpot zone here down south.

Good luck with the new season everybody.

[Russell Lampron]

Hey Brad, I was wondering when you were going to start your new thread. I started mine and Josh started his this week too. Good luck with the new season.

[BAP]

Brad how much snow did you end up with? 11" here in Walpole. Looks like a lot more headed our way this weekend.

[red maples]

we got about 12 to 13" difficult to measure because of the wind. over the next 3 days we are supposed to have 12 to 18" more so hopefully I can get in most of the taps in the next 2 days but I will chasing leaks in snow shoes for sure. Heading out shortly its only 12*F out I wish it was a little warmer!!!

Thanks Russ, looking forward to a good season I need candy machine and hopefully upgrade my vacuum pump and as usual add more taps.

I got a CDL 1 gallon gear pump cream machine last year it is awesome. honestly takes longer to clean the machine than it does to actually make and jar the cream. I put in one batch that was too cold and it jammed the machine that sucked but I learned to not do that again. saved a nice chunk of money on it too from bascom's spring time open house. Thats pretty much when I stock up for the year and the following season. 10% off that weekend. He's a smart guy too because he knows everyone has money to spend on maple at that time!!!

[sugaringman85]

Looks like you have the same idea as I have. Gonna try to get some serious tapping done before it snows over a foot, on top of the 8-10" we got the other day. If i can have half of the taps in before heavy snow i'll be happy. That is if there are no huge breaks in the orchard. Have not been in the orchard since well before Christmas.

[Amber Gold]

Don't hold back get 'em all in! You've got plenty of time.

We hit a solid 14" here the other day, and they're showing 16-25" (this storm keeps going up) tomorrow with another storm.mid-week.

[red maples]

Well... between 2 basketball games for the kids, a pot luck bonfire I couldn't get out of and snow didn't even get close to getting anything done on Sat. Got a bunch in on Sunday but it was.slow going until I got used to snow shoes again. Got about 12 to 15 inches here since yesterday. So been working on getting that cleaned up most of the morning.

Gotta get out and get some valentine's stuff for the wife. Then see if I can get some more taps in. Just shoot for some everyday.

[red maples]

been trying my best to get my main woods tapped in. MAN ITS TOUGH GOING!!! all on snow shoes since last weekend. a little at a time few in the mornings and few in the evenings before dark. Not fun in snow shoes!!! Also been tough with the weather and had a little stomach bug yesterday which was a real quick passer probably something I ate. didn;t want to be in the woods on snow shoes if an emergency hit!!!

but the plan is to get the last 100 in first light sat morning. Then get the vac pump oiled up and turned on then start chasing leaks for a little while I have a few longer sections to replace and looks like I might need couple rolls of electrical tape for all the little nips here and there. hopefully get that mostly tight tomorrow. then sunday morning get the RO put together and get a wash going for that to get that all freshened and check for leaks and re seal anything that needs resealing and and get all the tanks scrubbed up. hopefully I can get the new section ready to tap by sunday evening / monday morning need to add another 20-30 drops and cut in about 15 to 20 saddles.

gotta dig out a spot for the tank and get that all set hope to have it online by maybe tuesday or wednesday then on to the buckets!!! FFEEWWW..... busy times!!!

once everything defrosts and the lines are cleaned up hopefully have the first boil by maybe tuesday night pending sap and weather. fingers crossed.

Good luck everybody!!!

[red maples]

got all but but 15 taps in before I ran out of daylight. this last 100 took longer than it did the 200 from the other just from fixing stuff. had 2 chewed off lines that I had to replace (all the lines were up before the snow came) had 2 sections of lines that had tooth punctures for about 15 to 20 feet. one section that 1/2 the line was chewed through about a foot long. multiple dropline replacements. man it just took forever. and sweat my butt off.. at least I hope so need to shed a few pounds!!!

shoveled out the collection tank spot, got the vacuum all set up with fresh oil, cleaned the releaser. got that reconnected. turned it on 6" could hear a few leaks pretty close to the releaser treaded out without snow shoes ( i don't recommend that!!! ) and found 2 hold about 1/4 inch in diameter about a foot apart ion the top of the main line. very wierd. guessing a wood pecker but I have never seen that before. a little tape anddoubled it up to 12" .

So we'll get those last few taps in and starting patroling for leaks once I can get it up to a respectable level we'll get a a few things ready int he RO room including the RO. then off to get the other woods finished up. hopefully get those taps in shortly.

[red maples]

Well finished up my woods yesterday and walked the woods for about 2 hrs and found a few bigger leaks and fixed a few smaller ones before lunch and was able to get the vac up to 22.5" still need to get out and find more I know they are out there. but its good enough for now. let it run for a bit to clear the lines. while I cleaned the tanks started collecting about 3 PM and we didn't get a freeze last night, sorry to say. but I have about 225 gallons of sap this morning. So thats nice.

Got the RO put together cleaned and washed. and everything is running pretty good at this point.

Went over to Chris Hicks' place to see his "sapzilla" and it is alot of stainless steel let me tell you. just missed the boil though... I will see it sooner or later.

Got Some new big sugars on gravity this year only about 20 taps but they always bring in good high sugar so looking forward to those. gonna get those on line this after noon. and hopefully get a little time across the street.