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Thread: January Journal 2019

  1. #11
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Chatham NH
    Posts
    1,308

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    Sounds like you've been busy Russell, I've been busy also, still bottling syrup and getting things setup for spring. I plan on tapping in 6 weeks. I still want to get down there to see your bubbler setup but I don't know when it will be.
    Nate Hutchins
    Nate & Kate's Maple
    2022 1000 taps?
    3x10 Intensofire
    20x36 sugarhouse
    CDL 600gph RO
    A wife and 2 kids.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Leeds County,Ontario,Canada
    Posts
    1,038

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    My wife and I have been busy running new mainlines,replacing 20 plus year old stuff. Have got 900’ done so far,new wire,mainline,ties etc. We have probably over 1000’ to go yet,but we will just do whatever possible,and not bother tapping a section of bush again this year if we don’t get it done. Too many bugs,and ticks in the bush to do it in the summer,plus with sudden death of her twin sister last summer we have decided to enjoy life more camping,touring etc when the weather is nice
    7th generation maple producer in sugarhouse built in 1892
    2x World Champion Maple Syrup Producer
    1250 taps on cv adapters
    Leader Vortex 3x14 with Max Flue and Revolution Syrup Pan,Enhanced Steam Away
    www.leggettmaplesyrup.com

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Rock Creek, NC
    Posts
    5,807

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    Quote Originally Posted by n8hutch View Post
    Sounds like you've been busy Russell, I've been busy also, still bottling syrup and getting things setup for spring. I plan on tapping in 6 weeks. I still want to get down there to see your bubbler setup but I don't know when it will be.
    Like you I've got too many things to do and not enough time to get them done. I'm happy with the progress that I've made so far but it seems like it will be time to tap and I won't be ready. Somehow I always manage to be ready when it time to go though. I want to be ready to tap by the first of February. I normally tap on Presidents Day weekend but have started sooner and later depending on the weather. Let me know when you can fit a visit in and I'll plan to be here.
    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!

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Thetford, VT
    Posts
    450

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    My Dad and I just put up the fourth side to the new sugarhouse and have to finish leveling the top plate. Then we are ready for the trusses...with 1200' of vacuum line, pump line, and mainline to put out for the expansion it seems time is running a little close. It will be nice when it's done. I am hoping the trusses will be up next week and maybe a good portion of the sheathing.

    Mike
    Tapping since 1985 (four generations back to early to mid 1900s). 200-250 taps on buckets and then tubing in the mid 90s. 2013- 275 taps w/sap puller 25 gal. 2014-295 taps w/sap puller 55 ga. (re-tapped to vacuum theory) 2015-330 taps full vac. 65 gal, 2016-400 taps 105 gal, 2017-400 taps 95 gal. 2018-additional 800' mainline and maybe 400 new taps for a total near 800 taps. 2x6 Leader WSE (last year on it) supported by a 250 gph RO.

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

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    I finally made it back into the woods this morning and finished the mainline that I was working on. It was cold and I was pretty much chilled through by the time I got back to the house for lunch. I had to replace the recirculation pump on my RO and the inside flapper on my releaser. I got both of those done this afternoon too. It was nice to work in the heated RO room after the cold morning in the woods.

    I was planning to go to Bascom's today but decided it would be best to get the work in the woods done before the big snow storm tomorrow. I'll go to Bascom's next Saturday to sell my remaining bulk syrup and buy the taps and other supplies that I need. It wasn't looking to good at first but I will be ready to tap when it's time to go.
    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
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Peru, Maine
    Posts
    1,041

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    4’ of snow in the woods. 2” of crust on top so you have get the snowshoes all the way up each step. Then you miss one step on a 45 degree incline going downhill and it’s 552 pickup of spouts, tees, straight connectors and whatever else you were carrying. What an awesome day!!! More snow Wednesday, can’t wait! And I do this for fun, what a moron

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    WNY
    Posts
    471

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    Finished rerouting the head tank and plumbing in the shack today. Still want to wash the pans but that shouldn't be too bad of a job. I have some work in the woods left to do as well. Seems like its 0-5 degree wind chill each of the past two weekends, so I've put that off and done other projects. Hopefully I will find a decent day soon, and I only need an afternoon I think.

    I am looking forward to boiling this year. Should be the first time I have most, if not all, my sugar wood split before the season. That will make life easier.

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Corinth, New York, United States
    Posts
    557

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    I have spent all my free time over the last few weeks in the woods ahead of the snowstorm. I have shortened all my long laterals and added many new entries to the mainline to try and get to 5 taps per lateral. I have built 2 new small releasers to replace my aquatec pumps at my parents property and set up the new gast pumps on balance tanks and added temp switches and hour meters. All three releasers this year have dump counters on so i can kind of track what sections of woods are doing what. I have epoxied the floor of the sugar house and fixed the warped top rail of the evaporator. I switched all the drops on my 3/16 to 5/16 taps and drops and all remaining taps are new waiting to be drilled in. I am getting the utility sink ready to install and my tankless water heater is going to be delivered on Wed. Thursday i plan on setting up the pan washer i have built to hopefully make pan cleaning quick and painless. I have also added a winch and cables so i can raise and lower my hoods by myself if needed. i would like to find a small (20 gallon) tank possibly wall mounting to put my sweet into while washing pans if anyone has any suggestions on that. I would like to mount this high enough so after cleaning pans i can gravity feed the sweet back into the sap pan. i have to still replace the 3/4 hp motor on the RO procon pump and run 220volt line to RO closet for new 1.5 hp i got for it. Its going to be cold and snowy the next week so i should be able to get most of this done. Still plan on tapping presidents week unless something changes weather wise. Jeff
    2021 230 Taps on vacuum
    Smokylake 2X6 pan set with auto drawoff
    Homebuilt 2 4x40 membrane RO
    Homebuilt filter press
    Rebuilt arch with under and over the fire air we have named V 2.0
    Smokylake steam bottler
    Hoods and preheater
    500 gallon vertical polytank to store sap for RO
    Adding a laser eye to my bottler for autofill/stop

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Leeds County,Ontario,Canada
    Posts
    1,038

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    Been pretty well bedridden for a week now with a slipped disc. Doctor asked on a scale of 1-10 about the pain I would give it a 12. Good thing trees aren’t tapped yet
    7th generation maple producer in sugarhouse built in 1892
    2x World Champion Maple Syrup Producer
    1250 taps on cv adapters
    Leader Vortex 3x14 with Max Flue and Revolution Syrup Pan,Enhanced Steam Away
    www.leggettmaplesyrup.com

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Rock Creek, NC
    Posts
    5,807

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bruce L View Post
    Been pretty well bedridden for a week now with a slipped disc. Doctor asked on a scale of 1-10 about the pain I would give it a 12. Good thing trees aren’t tapped yet
    That sucks! Are you going to be able to tap this year?
    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!

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