Tapping in Kentucky- 2008

[Russell Lampron]

Any forward thinking maple producer has to include an RO machine into their plans. The energy savings alone will pay for it in a very short time. It is important to make all of the little changes that will make your evaporator more efficient. When it comes to big ticket items like a steamaway it is better to spend a little more money and buy an RO.

With an RO if you concentrate to 8% you will remove 3/4 of the water before it gets to the evaporator. That also means that you will use 3/4 less fuel in your evaporator. My RO uses less electricity and filters etc in a season than what a cord of wood sells for.

Russ

[andrew martin]

WE are all OK here, slept straight through the tornado sirens. My mom had four persons killed in her town near Hardy, AR. She is OK and the house is OK. Made 5.5 gallons on MOnday and boiling off another 600 gallons of sap today. Up to 45 gallons of syrup as of today. More later, need to stoke the fire.

Andrew

[andrew martin]

Still boiling - 10:00 pm - and we are making Grade A Dark. THe weather was exceptionally warm the last three days, up in the mid-60's. I am hoping to get one more week of sugaring.Then I will pull the taps.

Last week was a busy week and this week has been muddy and not much fun. PLus, I have clients asking me when I am starting their remodel projects.

I think for next year I want to switch to tubing on at least half my taps. THat will save me three hours of collection time, and will give me three more hours to boil. In addition, I want to purchase a blower for my evap, which will increase my boiling rate and save some firewood. I might try to perfect these things before I expand any more, and take whatever money I make this year and re-invest it back into the syrup business. I have several sugarghouse improvemets to make, but those can wait til spring.

Andrew

[andrew martin]

The weather was favorable last night - about 30 degrees, so we had a small run today. Brought firewood from the farm to the house today. Will collect tomorrow morning and boil in the afternoon. Bottled up another four gallons today (52.5 gallons for the year). Sugar content is still holding well after the warm spell, 2.4% WE are already selling a lot of syrup, sold two quarts today to the cashiers at Lowes. I always carry several pints and quarts in my truck, I just never know who will want to buy some, and the people who say, "I will stop by." never do. I sold a 1/2 gallon last week to a lady when I went to give her a roofing estimate, thankfully I had it in the truck.

Hope to get in a few more boils while the weather is fair, and we'll just see how long we can stretch this season.

AKM

[Parker]

Andrew- What is the latest?

[andrew martin]

I pulled my taps two weeks ago after we had five days of 50-60 degree weather. Today the high was 26 degrees and we have 5" of snow on the ground. THat's the way it goes sometimes. Seems like winter doesn't want to let go this year. We made 72.5 gallons this year and it was a very good year. I believe I could have easily made 100+ gallons if I had left my taps in two weeks longer and I did not run out of jugs. Next year I will have more jugs and four 5-gallon bulk containers. We are having our third boy in June, and I will either go to tubing on most of my bush or cut back on my buckets. I hope to have at least 300+ taps on tubing by 2010. I just can't find the time to do everything it seems, especially not with three small children at home. These are good times though. We are selling a lot of syrup here very quickly, and I imagine we will be sold out by JUne if all goes well. OUr FM opens the first week in May, and this is always a good draw for us, and we never turn anyone away who comes to our front door. The newspaper article was great advertising for us, and it certainly stokes people's curiosity, usually enough that they will purchase at least a pint and perhaps a quart.

Work has really picked up this year, and we are already booked until mid-JUly. I did not think the remodeling business would be this busy this year, but such an influx is OK by me. Part of the reason I "quit" early this year was because of work, yet on a good sap day, I make more $$ doing syrup than remodeling work. Guess I'm not charging enough for my labor.

Blessings to all,

Andrew