Dill 2018

[Dill]

Its raining and gross out so time to post. Only big news around here is we've added 6 more branch lines to the home bush. Hoping to be around 800 when I'm done here. And there are still plenty of trees to expand too.
We had some damage out of the windstorm this fall. Mostly tops snapped but a few uprooted trees. This was the worst. Hit all 4 mainlines and was the anchor for a long branch line. Figuring that out took some time.
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Also got the milk tank patched. I thought I had fixed it with putty last year but that corner of the sugarhouse was always wet. Hate to think how much concentrate we lost. Took some time but I found a good Tig welder who put a patch over it.
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The other thing that I go back and forth on every year is if its going to be worth tapping in Northwood. It took a lot of damage in the wind storm. I probably will end up tapping but not until I get everything tied in here.

[Russell Lampron]

Hey Alden it's good to hear from you. I've been trying to get tapped in here. Richard and I tapped yesterday afternoon after I got out of work and managed to tap until noon today before the rain got bad enough for us to have to stop. I've still got about 200 more to drill. I keep telling myself that it is still early but can see that the sap should run a little bit this week.

[Dill]

That rain was nasty out there today. I hung out in the house, watched the Olympics and made drops. It does seem early but the forecast keeps getting warmer.

[Russell Lampron]

Other than the taps that I still have to drill I'm ready to go. The new arch is all bricked and wired and the pans and hood are on it. We did a test boil a couple of weeks ago and can't wait for some sap.

[red maples]

Good to hear your moving along Alden. I have some damage to the woods too. not too bad but still enough to keep me busy getting stuff cleared. At least there wasn't 4 feet of snow cover everything this year. Hoping we can get some sap this week.

[Dill]

Started drilling today. Got in 275 or so. The big issue so far is the streams in the middle, that I have to cross constantly have some weak ice. Which leads to really wet feet. They started leaking a bit when the sun came out but nothing great yet.

[Ridgeland Farm]

Glad your making progress! It was definitely on the wet side in the woods yesterday! We had major damage from that big storm! Lots of mainlines down! It was a mess! But it was nice to not have to scramble to tap in mid January this year! We tapped Saturday and yesterday. Got about 1500 done Another 1500 or so to go! Hopefully be done by the end of the day tomorrow. We are in an east facing low spot so still fairly cool and lots of snow. Holes were just barely wet when we drilled. Next week looks like all 40's though so we will see! I'm definitely going to try and get over to your place this year Alden.

[Dill]

Was hoping to get more done today. But my batteries decided they aren't good anymore. Only got 150 in. Taking tomorrow off to ski while new batteries come in.

[red maples]

yes I have to admit it was nice to get out and do a little more ice fishing than I normally do. the early ice was a bonus this year!!!

[Dill]

Wow one of those busy days when you look up and its almost dark. Got the RO setup and rinsed and an LED light strip in the RO so you can actually see everything in there. Got the releaser hooked in, and the vac pump fired up. Had about 50 taps to finish off. And suddenly no vac. Hiked all the way down to the tank and nothing there. Turns out there was just enough nasty stuff that had cooked in the vac line all summer to suck up and activate the moisture trap in the sugarhouse. Glad it worked. Fixed that, finished tapping and had a cleaning/test boil of water in the rig. I've got a 300 gals or so down in the woods tank now, but I'm hoping it doesn't freeze solid tonight.
I've got 650 taps out now, and tomorrow's plan is to run laterals and cut in the last 4 mainlines, I'm guessing I'll end with somewhere in the 750 to 800 range.