November Journal

[maple flats]

Lots to do to get ready for the 2018 season. First I've got to finish prepping the site for my new storage barn, almost ready. This Sat. I'm going to the maple presentations at Countryside Hardware, Deruyter, NY. The first will be tubing and tapping, showing newer concepts and fittings in both 3/16 and 5/16, Then after the FREE lunch is a presentation on RO's, small and large.
Even though I've tapped every year since 2003 and a few more years before that but not every year, and I have about 1/2 or a little more of my taps on 3/16, I still like to see new ideas and fittings (and a free lunch is a bonus).
I've got to pack more syrup, both grade A and bourbon barrel aged to have enough to get thru the Christmas season. Then, in the woods I'll check for trees and limbs down. Then I'm changing my leased bush from a vacuum tank operation to a releaser design so I can run the vacuum higher. Then I'm changing the pumps, from an Alamo 30 to an Alamo 75-100. It now has a 6.5 Honda on it but I'm changing that to a bigger size, the 6.5 won't turn it at any higher than 18" or the double belts slip, and when I change the engine pulley to any larger it bogs down. It now has a 2.25 double A belt. I think on the bigger engine I'll run a 3" double A. Then I have new after market adjustable drippers for the oil. Hopefully those changes will let me get 23" or better.
I'm also changing more taps to 3/16, in the end for the season I should be at about 65-70% on 3/16. I also will be adding a moisture trap, using that tank as a vacuum tank I never had the tank get full in a day's time, thus I had no moisture trap, going with the releaser, I'll need one. I plan to start tapping about the first week in Jan., depending on the repairs needed I'll be tapped in 1-3 weeks (we have had lots of wind events this year).

[Maple Man 85]

We're finishing up the last of our laterals and then putting up the wet/dry lines. Need to pick up and install a furnace Saturday to keep the sugarhouse toasty warm while making products through the winter months (happy wife happy life ). We've got our inspection on the new sugarhouse 11/6 and will be working in the pump houses finishing up electrical. From there cutting wood and making sure we are ready to run in 2018.

[minehart gap]

I’m running late. Got my site preped for concrete today. Weather permitting, floor will be mixed and poured next weekend then cut more firewood for 2 weeks waiting for the concrete to cure. Then assemble and stand up my timber frame and roof and siding. Oh, I still need to do a little more work on my evaporator. With a little luck. I can have everything ready just in time to tap.

[maple flats]

My new storage shed site is ready. The shed (14x28) arrives later this week. Next I have 2 fairly large dying trees to drop so they can't end up falling on the new storage shed, but before that I need to drop 4 other trees that they would get hung up in or at least get knocked down by. 2 are good size hemlocks that I'll saw to make my loft floors, walk in cooler and blacksmith shop out of.
Then as soon as gun season is over it's into the sugar woods to get ready for the 2018 season. We stay out during gun season for safety reasons. I need to bottle my last barrel of Dark and my last bourbon barrel aged maple syrup so I don't run out for Christmas sales and hopefully have stock until my new season starts.

[VT_K9]

We are still working on the shop in the garage, but will be getting back to the bush soon. We hit the woods and started clearing trees for the new mainline run during a dry spell. The majority of the work is done. Still need to thin out some smaller trees. Then we can put up about 4 telephone poles to support a high run of the mainline and run the wire to the new sap shack. The sap shack site is prepped and ready to be built. It's going to be a 10X12 building to house the 788 gallon tank. We'll build the shack out of pine since we dropped a lot of large white pine to clear the site. We will probably finish up a couple weeks before the start of the season. We had minimal storm damage from last week, one tree on a mainline.

Mike

[minehart gap]

My new storage shed site is ready. The shed (14x28) arrives later this week. Next I have 2 fairly large dying trees to drop so they can't end up falling on the new storage shed, but before that I need to drop 4 other trees that they would get hung up in or at least get knocked down by. 2 are good size hemlocks that I'll saw to make my loft floors, walk in cooler and blacksmith shop out of.
Then as soon as gun season is over it's into the sugar woods to get ready for the 2018 season.

Dave, how did the tree removal go? And how do you like the new storage shed? Is it too small yet? Mine always seem to be too small before I even start.

BTW, what is there to do in the sugar woods before tapping? Other than maybe double checking the existing lines or adding more. I’m just trying to make sure that I’m not missing anything that I should be doing, not questioning you.

[maple flats]

[QUOTE=minehart gap;337159] And how do you like the new storage shed? Is it too small yet? Mine always seem to be too small before I even start.

It's still fairly empty, while I get a few other things done. The shed is in addition to a 12x16 I already had, plus 2 10x10's. I will out grow it in a year or 2. My plans are to get another the same size next year and set it about 12-16' away from this one, then join them and have my tractor storage under the roof between those two.

[Dennis H.]

Took advantage of the week off from work lets not forget that the temps were in the mid 50's so I was tank cleaning mode.

Now all the tanks are cleaned and should only need a quick rinse when the season starts.

Also gave the evap a little love'in too. Gave it a good rub down, so it is ready to go also.


about 2 months till go time, if it is anything like last season it might be just over 1 month!

[maple flats]

Dave, how did the tree removal go? And how do you like the new storage shed? Is it too small yet? Mine always seem to be too small before I even start.

Tree removal went OK, but it wasn't pretty. First I had a dying maple which after cutting the stump measured 36" the at the widest. I ended up having to remove 6 other trees to then take that one down. Not knowing how sound the trunk with a line of fungus growing in a "seam" for 13' up, I left the hinge much thicker than a tree that size would usually be. I left 6" rather than 3-3.5" (10%). That hinge turned out to be solid. After I made the cut, I pushed the tree over using my excavator. Then I studied to other tree, a very tall cherry with a large open cavity in the trunk, which was a void up until about 10' off the ground. That tree had a lean in one direction so I decided to use gravity. To remove that one (it measured 32" in the widest direction at the stump) I again left a thick hinge, about 6" again. Then I plunge cut to define the hinge, put a little pressure on the trunk about 10-12' high and then cut out from the hinge out the back. When the saw cut out all except the thick hinge, it still stood there. Not trusting what might happen, I pushed a little more with the excavator, with me standing on the ground for a fast retreat if needed. The tree started to fall, and I moved back, as it had gone about 5 degrees it barber chaired at about 10' up. With the excavator bucket still there, as the trunk raised, hinged on the top of the barber chair, the trunk lifted the excavator bucket, and one end of the excavator so the tracks on that end were about 15-18" off the ground, held up by the butt end of the trunk. Then as I started to lift the bucket to let the tracks touch the ground again, the trunk slowly started to move towards the excavator. I put a little more pressure down with the excavator bucket and the movement stopped. I then raised the blade just enough (the blade was on the side away from the tree, had it not been I'm sure the excavator would have flipped over backwards) to slowly drive the ecxcavator away. The trunk moved with it for about 2-3 ' and then I was able to lift the bucket and get away. I drove the excavator to the safe side of the trunk, perched on the 10' high barber chair. From there I pushed the trunk off and the back of the barber chair broke as the trunk fell harmlessly to the ground. The good part, no one was hurt and nothing got broke. I did have to drop 6 or 7 other trees (hemlocks, a birch and the rest beech) to make room to drop the rotten cherry. In hindsight I should have chained or strapped the trunk together to prevent the barber chair split, but hindsight is 20/20, foresight is nothing close. I'll have lots of firewood for maybe 2 seasons.
However, I might end up selling it, I'm thinking of switching to oil for the 2019 season, maybe 2020.
The storage shed, looks great. I have it set so I park my 36 HP tractor inside at one end. I had the end doors made high enough to drive in even with a full cab.
The shed will get 3 additions next summer, a full length lean-to for farm equipment storage on one side, a walk in cooler on the other and a blacksmith shop out the back end.

[DrTimPerkins]

The good part, no one was hurt and nothing got broke.

Sounds like success to me.