+ Reply to Thread
Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 26

Thread: December Journal 2018

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    2,223

    Default

    Congratulations General on your new baby. Truly a gift from God during this Christmas season. I hope you get a .6 again this year. I'm so jealous. haha.

    Spud

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Covington, New York
    Posts
    1,680

    Default

    Took a 4-wheeler ride down to the property yesterday and saw that I still had 80-100 gallons of frozen water in the milk tank. Went down this afternoon and carefully got that ice out of the tank while it was somewhat warm out and not stuck to the metal. I feel better about that!

    Also, eyeballed most of the tubing and saw no major damage to repair before the season. I'll walk all the lines after the holidays checking for chews and other damage, and put new taps on all the drops at the same time.

    Made about 10 pounds of sugar yesterday too
    Noel Good
    1998 to 2009: 15 taps on buckets, scavenged fire pit and pans
    2010: New 2x4 SS flat pan w/preheater
    2015: New to me Lapierre 18x60 raised flue, new shack, new everything!! 59 taps 23.75 gallons
    2016: 85 taps 19 gallons
    2017: Purchased 2.5 acres and tubed half with 3/16. 145 taps total 49.25 gallons
    2018: 200 taps (162 on 3/16ths 38 on buckets) New NextGen RO 63 gallons
    2019: 210 taps 73.5 gallons
    2023: 210 taps 89.75 gallons
    www.wnybass.com

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    I'm doing some work around the sugarhouse, will tap that first, then between Christmas and New Years we start doing the lease. If all show up, I have 4 "volunteers", my oldest son, my oldest grandson, a close friend of my oldest son (he is working this year on my maple just to learn, then next year he wants to start his own) plus my brother in law. That's the most help I've had in about 4-5 years, back when I hired 3 college kids, all good workers from tapping thru the end of maple season, working around their classes and study time.
    The extra help will be great, the lease did not get tapped this past season, thus it has 2 years worth of damages/trees/branch down. That in addition to changing the vacuum set up at the lease. Before it was on a vacuum tank and was held to 19" to protect the vacuum tank. This year I'm putting a double vertical releaser and swapping the pump from an Alamo 30 to an Alamo 75-100. Taking the 6.5 HP Honda off it and swapping it to a Honda 9HP? (270 CC). Going from 1 gas tank 4.5 gal to 2 at 4.5 gal each. Would like to get 400+ gal of syrup, time will tell.
    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.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Covington, New York
    Posts
    1,680

    Default

    Spent a few hours in the main woods and got all the new taps installed on the drops, roughly 140 there. Along my pump-out pipe to the road, I have it attached a pretty large black locust tree that has really taken on a lean the last couple years. The roots around the tree really move during the wind and it is a matter of time before it comes down. I REALLY need to move this pump out line to a post or something on the other side of the tree so when it comes down it won't take the pipe with it. Because you know it will happen at the worst possible time! I'll have some time right after the first of the year to get that done.

    pumpout.jpg
    Noel Good
    1998 to 2009: 15 taps on buckets, scavenged fire pit and pans
    2010: New 2x4 SS flat pan w/preheater
    2015: New to me Lapierre 18x60 raised flue, new shack, new everything!! 59 taps 23.75 gallons
    2016: 85 taps 19 gallons
    2017: Purchased 2.5 acres and tubed half with 3/16. 145 taps total 49.25 gallons
    2018: 200 taps (162 on 3/16ths 38 on buckets) New NextGen RO 63 gallons
    2019: 210 taps 73.5 gallons
    2023: 210 taps 89.75 gallons
    www.wnybass.com

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Rock Creek, NC
    Posts
    5,807

    Default

    I finally finished cutting and splitting wood for my OWB yesterday. I'll finally have a chance to get into the woods next weekend and start getting ready for sugaring season. After a slow start the sales for the month picked up and this is going to be one of my best, if not the best ever.

    Merry Christmas!
    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!

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    December sales for me have been my best ever, by a lot. I will have to get my final sales figure from my one retail outlet, but I'm guessing I did at least 30% over my best previous, counting sales from my home, online and that one retail outlet. There I have 12' of shelf space and I had to re-stock 2x each week, and 3x last week. Still, by a good amount, I sold more units of bourbon barrel aged maple syrup than all grades of maple syrup combined. That does well for the bottom line, I take syrup that would sell for an average of just over $60/gal (averaging all sizes) and turn it into $225+ /gal value added syrup. Before I started making the bourbon barrel aged maple syrup my best sales were when a customer bought 4 gal, or 6-10 half gal or 6 qts at a time. Now I have customers buying some of that but then they buy a nice quantity of the BB aged maple syrup too. I think it helps too, for gaining new customers that my retail outlet keeps samples out of the BB aged syrup and each grade syrup too.
    Next Thursday my brother in law (BIL) and I are going up to my lease to assess the damage. That was not tapped this past season because of my cancer surgery, thus it has 2 years damages to repair. Then on Saturday I have 6 volunteers coming to start those repairs and change drops..
    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.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Covington, New York
    Posts
    1,680

    Default

    Made a plate of candy this morning for the dessert table at our dinner later today. Only the second time making it.

    candy.jpg
    Noel Good
    1998 to 2009: 15 taps on buckets, scavenged fire pit and pans
    2010: New 2x4 SS flat pan w/preheater
    2015: New to me Lapierre 18x60 raised flue, new shack, new everything!! 59 taps 23.75 gallons
    2016: 85 taps 19 gallons
    2017: Purchased 2.5 acres and tubed half with 3/16. 145 taps total 49.25 gallons
    2018: 200 taps (162 on 3/16ths 38 on buckets) New NextGen RO 63 gallons
    2019: 210 taps 73.5 gallons
    2023: 210 taps 89.75 gallons
    www.wnybass.com

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Brockport, NY
    Posts
    253

    Default

    Made some Cream and some Candy for family members. I do both infrequently... and the Cream was too soft the first time...took it back to syrup and did it right the second time. Candy was the opposite, too hard the first time, took it back to syrup and did it right the second time. I do like to make both, and don't mind "learning lessons" but the time it takes is a bit annoying. lol...
    Others probably know this already, but as long as its not burnt or scorched the first time, its not too hard to bring the stuff back to syrup and do a re-do.
    I'm ready to tap now as most all supplies are in. At least here, days like today with sun and no wind make me want to tap RIGHT NOW but we'll wait a bit.
    take care, Mark

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Granville, PA
    Posts
    403

    Default

    My wife made maple chocolate chip cookies for everyone and a few of the guys had maple old fashioned's. My son started the maple clothing line for our syrup "business". He got a really cool sweat shirt made. Really neat.

    Merry Christmas everyone.
    Hope we all have a wonderful 2019 maple season.
    Matt,
    Minehart Gap Maple

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Millmont,Pa
    Posts
    563

    Default

    Have been taking advantage of the nice weather the last few days. I have all my tubing done out along the road. Just need to look over
    the vacuum at the house. Two weeks ago we finished the ceiling in our kitchen area with ship lapped white pine.
    Also installed two LED flush mount lights. Backed it up with one inch Styrofoam. It will be great to not have any
    water dripping while bottling. I had done a few things to my evaporator late this summer. Hoping to squeeze out a couple more
    GPH. Very close to being ready. Only around 50 buckets this year.
    115 red maples on vacuum
    100 taps on 5/16 gravity
    35 taps on 3/16 gravity
    50 taps on shurflo vacuum
    about 60 buckets on giant roadside sugars
    neighbor bringing from 45 taps
    30'x 8' Aof/Auf Evaporator
    Homemade 125gph Ro
    Lots of Homemade Equipment!

    http://s848.photobucket.com/albums/a...%20Sugarshack/

+ Reply to Thread
Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts