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Thread: Another Great Sugar Maker Gone

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    Merrill, Wi
    Posts
    341

    Default Another Great Sugar Maker Gone

    With a heavy heart I have to say my mentor, friend and Grandpa passed this morning. Grandpa was a hard working man that loved the woods his family and sugaring. This was going to be the first year using tubing on high vac in our new sugarhouse and I was hoping he could see everything work. Grandpa now has the best view for the upcoming season. RIP Grandpa...
    Maple Man 85
    Anthony & Rebecca Renken
    2017=200 taps
    2018=4000 taps (goal) 3000 taps (actual)
    2019=7000 taps (goal)
    30x45 Sugar House
    4x16 Leader Vortex
    www.northwoodsmaplefarm.com

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Caledon, Ontario
    Posts
    1,930

    Default

    My condolences Anthony. Have a bountiful season in his honour.
    ~ Karen ~

    2012 - 10 taps, 1 turkey fryer - 169.5L sap 4.2 L syrup
    2013 - 23 taps, 2 turkey fryers - 748.5 L sap 17.56 L syrup

    2014 - 22 taps, 509 L sap 12.5 L syrup
    2015 - 28 taps, 1093.75 L sap 25.1 L syrup
    2016 - 25 taps, 1223.5 L sap 28.25 L syrup
    2017 - 21 taps, 518.5 L sap 12.7 L syrup
    2018 - 28 taps, 2 turkey fryers & Denali 3 burner propane stove - 798L sap 16.9 L syrup
    2019 - 28 taps, 1409.5L sap 40.12L syrup

    Sugar, Norway, Manitoba, Silver and Freeman Maples



  3. #3
    Haynes Forest Products Guest

    Default

    When the pain subsides you will become the mentor and love every story you share with others. Carry on.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,544

    Default

    Sorry for your loss. It will take time to heal, but keep your fond memories of him forever in your mind.
    While my father never made syrup after he moved away from the farm he grew up on, I started making it in his last year with us. I would have liked it very much if he had been able to see my sugarhouse just 1 year later, but he was looking down to see it then and that thought gave me some peace of mind.
    Treasure the times you had with your grandpa and then resolve to be like him and mentor others as he did you. The cycle of life never ends.
    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.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    Merrill, Wi
    Posts
    341

    Default

    Thank you everyone for the kind words. Grandpa had the opportunity to help with the blueprints on the sugarhouse and see it go up along with all the equipment move in. Most of my construction, electrical, plumbing, fabrication and mechanical skills came from him and he was very proud to see those skill put to good use even though he wasn't physically able to help. Grandpa's got the best seat in the house for the 2018 season and I'm dedicating this season to him.
    Maple Man 85
    Anthony & Rebecca Renken
    2017=200 taps
    2018=4000 taps (goal) 3000 taps (actual)
    2019=7000 taps (goal)
    30x45 Sugar House
    4x16 Leader Vortex
    www.northwoodsmaplefarm.com

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Sanford Michigan
    Posts
    182

    Default

    May the sap flow in higher sugar quantity than ever in the past.
    Its hard to lose our loved ones especially grandpas.
    Soon you will pass all the knowledge on to other younger ones yourself.
    43.6728° N Sanford MI.

    2015 100 3/16 taps/buckets. 540 gallons of sap = 12 gallons finished. grill side burner (propane)
    2016 100 3/16 taps/buckets 315 gallons of sap = 11 gallons finished Turkey Fryer/ grill side burner (propane)
    2017 100 3/16 taps /buckets 797 gallons of sap = 8 3/4 gallons finished. Home made brick arch (wood)

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Rock Creek, NC
    Posts
    5,807

    Default

    Sorry to hear of your loss. My father who is 94 years young came down to my sugar house last night to share maple stories and drink some hot syrup. My grandpa died when I was a teenager but I'm sure that he would be proud if he were here to see my sugar house.
    Russ

    "Red Roof Maples" Where the term "boiling soda" was first introduced to the maple world!

    1930 Ford Model AA Doodlebug tractor
    A couple of Honda 4 wheelers
    Four chainsaws and no chickens!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Presque Isle, WI
    Posts
    22

    Default

    My grandpa talked of sugaring for 20 years that I can remember. We never did it. It wasn't until long after he passed that I "pulled the trigger", and started creating the most expensive syrup on the planet. I think of him often. Many fond memories.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    Merrill, Wi
    Posts
    341

    Default

    I'd think he'd (grandpa) be impressed with what we've done. We are making the same great small batch quality syrup we had back in the woods but on a much larger scale and there's is no difference in the taste profile. I've had people ask me at trade shows if we RO our sap and we just say "try some and tell me what you think". The people that said they did we quickly asked what was different and then tactfully explained what they were tasting. Consumers in large are not educated in terms of what makes syrup taste different.
    Maple Man 85
    Anthony & Rebecca Renken
    2017=200 taps
    2018=4000 taps (goal) 3000 taps (actual)
    2019=7000 taps (goal)
    30x45 Sugar House
    4x16 Leader Vortex
    www.northwoodsmaplefarm.com

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Princeton, MA
    Posts
    495

    Default

    Condolences to your loss, Maple Man 85. I just lost my dad 2 weeks ago at age 92. He helped spark my interest in sugaring and built a sugarhouse for my cousin and I when I was a youngster. He and his brothers helped my grandfather sugar back in the 30's when they use wooden gathering tanks and buckets, which we resurrected and used in the 70's. Brings back fond memories, he was always very supportive of maple sugaring.

    Dave
    Mountain Maple farm
    2022 NAMSC award winning dark amber syrup
    2023: 320 taps, 70% red maples. Mountain Maple S4 diaphragm pump controller with automated sap transfer and text messaging
    Website:
    https://www.mountainmaplefarm.com
    https://www.facebook.com/MountainMapleFarm/

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