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Thread: Is it going to be a good season?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Skowhegan, Maine
    Posts
    1,299

    Default Is it going to be a good season?

    I don't know about you, but I am asked this all the time. The truth is that I have no idea whatsoever. But I always say "Yes! I think it will be good!" Sometimes I add in something like there was a lot of rain, and that's good or something. What do you say? I know that if you add too much detail to the answer most people's eyes glaze over and they move on to some other subject.
    325 taps
    2x6 Phaneuf
    Illegitimati non carborundum

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISbkO-NKA9o

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Bristol, VT
    Posts
    16

    Default

    Just tell them to ask you again on May 1st.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Peru, Maine
    Posts
    1,044

    Default

    That's an easy one. Every season is a good season so of course it will be! Will me make any syrup?..........who the hell knows but we'll have fun trying! Some things I know will happen and can look forward to:
    1) I will trip in my snowshoes, fall upside down and have taps, tees, connectors and tools go flying. If I'm lucky, the tubing tool WON'T smack me in the head and it will only take me a half hour to get back upright.
    2) I will get the snowmobile stuck at least once and curse, punch and kick it a few times before finally getting it out.
    3) I will stand on the mountain on a beautiful winter day and proclaim that this is why we do it.
    4) My wife will call me a moron and ask why I couldn't have taken up carpentry so I could fix stuff around the house.
    5) I will stand on the mountain on a miserably cold and windy day and wonder why the hell we do it.
    6) By May I will be ready for something different but still smiling about sugar season whether we get a 0.10 yield or 0.50

    Sugar season starts this Sunday, heading in to the bush with a chainsaw for a couple days. Hoping like heck we have less snow than last year. So far, so good!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Wind Lake, WI
    Posts
    520

    Default

    mainebackswoodssyrup has it right!

    Good:
    - Get to spend a lot of time outdoors and away from the office.
    - Use things I've put lots of effort into making; incredibly rewarding.
    - My son helps and he learns and experiences something pretty unique and can find pride in the help he provides. Maybe he'll pass it on to the next generation.
    - Spend some quality time watching water evaporate; some of that time I'm alone and there's a lot of good in having that time to focus on you and what you enjoy. Some of that time is spent watching steam rise and wood (and beer and pizza) disappear with a gathering of friends.

    Bad:
    n/a
    42.82N
    2015 - Small operation. 25 buckets. One excited 5 year old and one 35 year old that feels 5 again.
    2016 - One year older. New Homemade 2x4 Arch, Smoky Lake Pan and looking at 52 maples, 17 box elders and 2 walnut trees.
    2017 - Shurflo 4008 hooked to 42 stingy silver maples and a few Norways. A couple buckets on sugars and Norways. 10 box elders.
    2018 - ...a few more taps.
    2019 - ...more taps on 3/16 gravity. This spiral is heading downward in a hurry.
    2020 - 4x400 RO - RB20 (uh-oh!)

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    I do like VT Maple, ask me in May.
    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.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Albion PA
    Posts
    5,099

    Default

    Folks,
    Cant remember a "bad" maple season! Just some are better than others. Always good to have the rebirth of spring, sap flows, wood makes a warm fire in the arch, syrup boils and the sugarhouse smells so good! Family and friends come and set and visit in the sugarhouse. Yea it will be a good season!
    Regards,
    Chris
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
    2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
    One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
    Too many Cub Cadets
    Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
    1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck

    www.mapleandhoney.com

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Skowhegan, Maine
    Posts
    1,299

    Default

    I like it! We're going to fix a few spots where the beasties chewed and where trees fell in the last 2 windstorms this weekend, so the sugar season kinda starts for us too. It's going to be a good season!
    325 taps
    2x6 Phaneuf
    Illegitimati non carborundum

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISbkO-NKA9o

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Rock Creek, NC
    Posts
    5,807

    Default

    It's always a good season for one reason or another but if I run of wood it will be a great season!

    The trees had plenty of sun and moisture this summer so we should see a high sugar content like we did last season. If the temperatures will cooperate we could have a record season this coming 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!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Skowhegan, Maine
    Posts
    1,299

    Default

    The only thing I know is that if we have a warm January and February then we lose some of the sap that would have shown up in March. So I may be able to say if it will be a good season just before the season. Maybe...
    325 taps
    2x6 Phaneuf
    Illegitimati non carborundum

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISbkO-NKA9o

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Skowhegan, Maine
    Posts
    1,299

    Default

    It could be a good season if it stays cold during January and early February, then warms up nicely, but not too much into March. We'll see...
    325 taps
    2x6 Phaneuf
    Illegitimati non carborundum

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISbkO-NKA9o

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