Wow, it looks like post season really dropped off in activity, I noticed a lot fewer posts but never noticed we missed the June Journal until right now, nobody ever even started a June Journal post all month.
Well, here goes July. Getting ready for the 4th. We finally opened our pool last week, and I just got my ATV back. I had to change a front drive shaft on my 2004.5 Polaris and because I had put very agressive tires on the atv I'd had to add spacers on the front. That made it necessary to get longer wheel studs which I did, but then when I test drove it and the carb was screwed up and I don't do carbs, so I took it to a shop. $190 later it runs as it should. I still need to check out the winch relay, maybe need a new relay and I need to re-attach the rear rack.
In maple, online sales were slightly slower for the first time all year, but they continued good at my only retail outlet as well as from my house. My next batch of bourbon barrel aged syrup will be ready in about 2 more months. It still remains my best seller by far, not in gal sold, but in dollar sales.
I've lagged on finishing my firewood for 2020. The logs are stacked and have been for 3 years, but not all I'll need for next season is bucked, split to wrist size and stacked yet. I'm still deciding if I will change to oil or keep with wood another year. I have more than enough wood, but the advantages of oil for an evaporator do appeal to me. I need to make that decision soon.
I will likely do wood 1 more year then change to oil. I'll then start selling some wood to homeowners, but no delivery unless I do 1/2 cord lots. I can borrow my brother's small dump trailer which can only carry 1/2 face cord of 16" wood in a load. That trailer is only built on an old boat trailer and then he added the hydraulics off an old slide it truck dump box. It works great but is limited to 1500# max payload. I'm not sure I want to do any deliveries.
Plans for 2020 remain unchanged. I only plan at this point to tap the trees around my sugarhouse. That will put me to between 400-450 taps, with all sap going right to the sugarhouse. No more hauling sap. I will continue to buy sap from a few local producers and to meet my sales needs will likely buy some local bulk.