+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 5 12345 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 44

Thread: Willow Creek Sugarhouse 2019

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    east kingston, nh
    Posts
    4,148

    Default Willow Creek Sugarhouse 2019

    I guess its time since I started tapping yesterday. wanted to start on Saturday but windy and cold not worth being that miserable in the woods. Only got in about 150 on Sunday but I knew that was all was gonna get in late start and then had to call it quits to grab a quick bite at lunch and get my son up to portsmouth for basketball. so the rest of my day was shot. Got right in the woods after work today and got in about 125 more. Could have done a few more but had a couple of fixes to do but getting there. Will hit it hard again after work tomorrow snow or no snow. then again on Wednesday should have the house woods done wednesday at dark hopefully I know I have a couple more fixes. get the vacuum running and releaser set up and stuff too. Hoping for a snow day but I don't think its gonna happen. would be nice though I could used a full day in the woods.

    Woods across the street look pretty good except for the one end tree fell over Friday night from all the wind... GREAT. wasn't expecting that. Was a nice sugar maple too but the roots on the back side of the tree rotted out which I didn't notice when I installed it 2 years ago.... have to dig the mainline out of the ice too. oh well so have to fix that and fix a few laterals as well. then we'll get that on line.

    Sugarhouse is in pretty good shape not much to do there. Just have to do a quick straighten up. Clean tanks and install the RO membranes when the sap runs.

    Looks like the weather is gonna be kinda up and down the next couple of weeks we'll see, there is definitely PLENTY of moisture in the ground from this past year with all the rain we had. More ice in the swamp than I can ever remember having at this time of year. Hoping to get the first boil out of the way this weekend sometime. that is if we get some sap. looks like a little cool down to mid 30's for next week but you never know forecast could change tomorrow and probably will!!!

    hopefully get buckets up the following weekend.

    Looks like this year is gonna be a strong march season. Hope its a good one!!! good luck everybody.
    may your sap be at 3%
    Brad

    www.willowcreeksugarhouse.com
    585 or so on Vacuum, about 35 on buckets/sap sacs
    Atlas Copco GVS 25A Rotary Vane vacuum pump
    MES horizontal electric releaser
    2x6 ss phaneuf Drop flue, Leader woodsaver blower, homemade hood
    300gph H2O RO
    husquvarna 562 XP
    Its Here!!! 2024 season is here get busy!!!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Rock Creek, NC
    Posts
    5,807

    Default

    Hey Brad, It's good to see that you've finally started your blog. I was thinking that you would have started tapping before yesterday to catch the early runs. Hopefully March will be a sap tsunami!

    I tapped yesterday too. I concentrated on the harder stuff to get to so that the coming snow doesn't slow me down too much. I wanted to tap on Saturday too but didn't think that the tubing would slide onto the taps too good with it being as cold as it was. We missed a little sap last week and we're gonna miss a little more this week. If we don't get rained out on Saturday I think that I can finish tapping then.

    Good luck and happy sugaring!
    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!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    east kingston, nh
    Posts
    4,148

    Default

    Yeah we missed a little but honestly I don't think it was too much maybe enough to sweeten the pans and a couple of gallons. not too worried. this only looks like about a 3 day warm up. but the ground is so frozen. even the warm up last week wasn't enough to melt the snow in the woods and not enough to melt the ice in the swamp it did a little but you could still walk on it. So not too worried. If the extended forecast holds true we aren't gonna make much syrup until the first week or so of march.

    I didn't tap in earlier this year it didn't pay off last year so I figured I would go back to watching temps again. I am also working more hours now and hip is bothering me a little it runs in the family so been putting off going to the doc. got a little behind on house wood and stuff this year just no time. But all in for the season. We have winter break for the last week of Feb. So looking forward to that week to get a bunch of stuff done!!!
    may your sap be at 3%
    Brad

    www.willowcreeksugarhouse.com
    585 or so on Vacuum, about 35 on buckets/sap sacs
    Atlas Copco GVS 25A Rotary Vane vacuum pump
    MES horizontal electric releaser
    2x6 ss phaneuf Drop flue, Leader woodsaver blower, homemade hood
    300gph H2O RO
    husquvarna 562 XP
    Its Here!!! 2024 season is here get busy!!!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Rock Creek, NC
    Posts
    5,807

    Default

    I was and still am a little behind on the wood for my OWB. I did the smart thing and filled the sugar house woodshed first so that I have plenty of dry wood for the evaporator. I have the oil furnace to heat the house when I run out of wood for the OWB. With as much rain as we had last fall I was lucky to get as much wood done as I did. I should have enough to get me through March though.
    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!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    east kingston, nh
    Posts
    4,148

    Default

    yeah mine is in a pile covered never even got it stacked. I usually do sugaring wood every 2 years. I have a bunch chunked and covered just in case but should have plenty. If I use 2 cords it is alot I generally use as much for maple weekend as I use for the season. Nice high concentrate uses way less wood!!!

    I have about 230 holes to drill give or take left behind the sugarhouse. man it was soupy going today heavy wet snow huge snow and water puddles we got alot of rain on the over night last night on top of 7 inches of snow. what a mess. but got a few laterals rerun that branches knocked down and froze under ice. 2 more lines to tap in and thats all done well tapped anyway still have to chase leaks etc.

    man yesterday was tough going only really got in a few with an inch of snow in the woods couldn't see where ice was and fell a few times. First step in the woods and whooooop on my a$$. all my crap went flying. luckily had enough clothes on it padded my butt a little. caught my boot laces on a stick for another one and fell forward that one hurt a little. Let out a "what the F" that apparently echoed though the woods and my son heard it back at the house as he was bring in some wood.

    back at it tomorrow. only have 1 more lateral to fix and then just tapping. I know I need to change out a couple of drops destroyed from squirrels but they go pretty quick.

    this weekend will be chasing leaks and getting things up and running and tightened up I think. then will be ready to go for when the season really starts when ever that might be. As much as I don;t want to loose sap I also hate getting the pans just about sweet then have it sit in the pans for a week or more but we'll see how things go.
    may your sap be at 3%
    Brad

    www.willowcreeksugarhouse.com
    585 or so on Vacuum, about 35 on buckets/sap sacs
    Atlas Copco GVS 25A Rotary Vane vacuum pump
    MES horizontal electric releaser
    2x6 ss phaneuf Drop flue, Leader woodsaver blower, homemade hood
    300gph H2O RO
    husquvarna 562 XP
    Its Here!!! 2024 season is here get busy!!!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    east kingston, nh
    Posts
    4,148

    Default

    Had more fixes than I thought really slowed me down tapping. but should be able to finish my woods tomorrow morning. Sap was running really hard today. Freeze up for the next few days the long range forecast changed a bit and has things warm up and should get the season humming along by thursday/ Friday just in time for February Vacation!!! perfect Timing.

    after I finish my woods I will get the releaser hooked up and and wait for a thaw so I can start looking for leaks.

    in the mean time I still have to fix the main line across the street and re-run 2 or 3 laterals. then tap that in its only 75 taps but more sugars over there.

    Thursday/ Friday I can start to get tanks clean and stuff. If the forecast is correct then we should be boiling next weekend I hope.
    may your sap be at 3%
    Brad

    www.willowcreeksugarhouse.com
    585 or so on Vacuum, about 35 on buckets/sap sacs
    Atlas Copco GVS 25A Rotary Vane vacuum pump
    MES horizontal electric releaser
    2x6 ss phaneuf Drop flue, Leader woodsaver blower, homemade hood
    300gph H2O RO
    husquvarna 562 XP
    Its Here!!! 2024 season is here get busy!!!

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

    Default

    Sounds like you're getting things done down there. I've found some things that have slowed me down in my woods too. It's just part of the game I guess. The forecast is looking better for me too. I should be able to turn on the vacuum Thursday to flush out the lines and start saving sap on Friday. If all goes well we could both be boiling on Sunday or Monday. I'm hoping for Sunday.
    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
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Barrington, NH
    Posts
    2,762

    Default

    Brad, are you ready to go yet? I'm all tapped in, lines flushed, pump working, releaser working, RO primed and ready...It's party time!

    There's always something to do in the woods. There's more taps to add, lines to fix, leaks to find...something.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    east kingston, nh
    Posts
    4,148

    Default

    just about ready but sick as a dog. nasty head cold. got in all but 70 taps on sunday but that was about it. Still got out in the woods last night though to finish those last 70 taps. I was up at henry's across the street from your woods Josh. had to get a pallet of pellets. just finished unloading those.

    I will get the vacuum pump ready to go tonight. Then turn it on tomorrow afternoon and just work on chasing leaks and get the lines cleaned out a little. not expecting too much tomorrow its been a cold few days and only 8*F this morning. over cast for the warmer part of the day. so really not expecting too much tomorrow friday should be better hopefully and saturday sunami?

    and if I have the energy get the RO going and flushed out on Friday night is the goal. if not I will do it on Saturday.

    I got my loan paid off in December that I took out a few years ago when I added on my tank and RO room, new releaser, a 200 amp electrical system installed, SS tank and a few other things. so thats nice so this year maple weekend will pay for candy machine finally and I think I am gonna save up for a brand new Vacuum pump and electric releaser. for the 2020 season. These older vacuum pumps are good for what they are but way too many little issues. If I was home all the time and could be hear to watch them that would be one thing, but I need to have them run and not worry about things going down when I am at work.

    How do you like your new vacuum pump josh? now that you have a little time on it now.
    Last edited by red maples; 02-20-2019 at 05:36 PM.
    may your sap be at 3%
    Brad

    www.willowcreeksugarhouse.com
    585 or so on Vacuum, about 35 on buckets/sap sacs
    Atlas Copco GVS 25A Rotary Vane vacuum pump
    MES horizontal electric releaser
    2x6 ss phaneuf Drop flue, Leader woodsaver blower, homemade hood
    300gph H2O RO
    husquvarna 562 XP
    Its Here!!! 2024 season is here get busy!!!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    east kingston, nh
    Posts
    4,148

    Default

    in the same boat. not enough sap to float.

    Last night was able to get 2 sections tight at 28.5".

    this afternoon got the 3rd and 4th section turned on and stayed pretty good for the 3rd dropped to about 26" found a few little chews and 1 big one and got it back up to 28".

    4th section was pretty bad. Dropped all the way down to 19" yikes. had to replace a 20 foot section was riddled with little fine holes. guessing red squirrel. had about a 4 inch section that was basically chewed 1/2 the tubing off that top of the 4 inches. got that fixed. had a few other little fixed here and there and we are back to 28" at the releaser. hopefully it stays at 28" but I sure there might be ice around too.

    I did an experiment this year and used mostly solid clear seasonal spouts. Last year I noticed that the CV2's kept leaking at the seam in the tip where 2 sections fit together. the only CV2 I used this year are where I tapped below the lateral line(went to a talk about tapping below the lateral line minimal sap loss when using the CV2's) so anyway I did notice that the CV2's were leaking. zero leaks with the solid same tap just not CV. you could see little air ripples coming from the seem. I was able to tap them a little until they got past the seam. but this is the highest vacuum I have ever had. granted some of the woods are cooler and sap isn;t really running but still 28-to 29" not using CV2's hmmm. we'll see how much sap I get this season and how hard the runs are with the higher vacuum.

    I have 1 more section to get turned on tomorrow let that clean out then start saving sap. Things are very frozen in the woods not sure if we are going to get a boil out of this one. but we'll see.
    may your sap be at 3%
    Brad

    www.willowcreeksugarhouse.com
    585 or so on Vacuum, about 35 on buckets/sap sacs
    Atlas Copco GVS 25A Rotary Vane vacuum pump
    MES horizontal electric releaser
    2x6 ss phaneuf Drop flue, Leader woodsaver blower, homemade hood
    300gph H2O RO
    husquvarna 562 XP
    Its Here!!! 2024 season is here get busy!!!

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 5 12345 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