Southern Ohio 2021/2022 Tis the season

[buckeye gold]

Not the run I hoped for. Got just under 50 gallons of sap off 110 taps. Really slowing up today, so probably not boiling again until late next week. Looks likes another 2-3 week boom at the end of Feb and then done. This gets old every year.

[buckeye gold]

Getting clobbered here with a huge ice storm. Just got everything tapped three days ago and boiled yesterday. Limbs and tress coming down all around. Looks like a lot of line repairs next week. Why can't we just have a normal winter for once.

[buckeye gold]

Absolutely got clobbered. I still am running off generator power and only got internet back a while ago, because it comes across land line and the ISP providers booster station finally got power. MY sugar bush is an absolute disaster. I counted 14 trees down and almost every line is down. I had one small cherry on my shack which I got off without serious damage. They say we might get electric back tomorrow. Having wood heat and back up generator means we're doing fine, but a lot of people are really having a tough go. No electric is tough enough but highs in the teens make it miserable with no alternative heat. I can't post pics or I'd show you the carnage.

[bmbmkr]

So sorry to hear of the ice damage Buckeye. We didnt' get ice too bad, but the rain. 100 yds of my driveway has been underwater since Thurs night. I have 750 taps in as of last week, had a few small runs this week just letting the lines flush out. Thurs night I ran up to my folks and moved my collection tanks(2 330gal IBCs) up the hill. They would have floated on down here to my house if i hadn't. The creek went down some but came back up yesterday. The OH river hasn't crested yet in Huntington WV, where my creek empties into the river- it's goin to be up for a while. The bad part about that is more than half of my sap, I can't get to, I can't even get up there to move my tanks back and put the mainlne into them let alone haul sap out. And Thurs night came down with a head cold- thought for a minute I had the covid, but I haven't been anywhere but the maple woods in two weeks. I think the non stop hill climbin in the snow, rain & teens to 30s finally got the best of me, been laid up the last two days. Goin out here in a minute & look for squirrel bites. Found a few already. Sap should run for us every day this week if the water will go down so i can go get the other half I'll be VERY happy.

[esetter]

Sounds like you guys have had a rough week! Some of the best sap flow I've ever had down here. All bags and buckets but man we've had the rain! An absolute muddy mess everywhere I tap. SOOOOO tired of climbing hills that are covered in grease!!!

[buckeye gold]

got all the lines back up and sap was starting to run. Electric came back on last night around 9:00PM. Back in The game.

Got another call from the FDA today asking about how much I sold and made and where I sold it. They said it was to verify I was exempt from registering and being inspected. If they hassle me I'm just going to quit selling any and only make enough for friends and family. My gosh, I'm not Kelloggs, I'm a little old hillbilly working in an Amish made shed on a small evaporator, selling to local yocals, and making 20 gallons a year. Surely they have bigger fish to chase after. Here's my advice: if you have never registered and sell less than 50% of gross sales wholesale or in retail stores, DO NOT EVER REGISTER! I thought I was doing the right thing when all this started by registering and then was told to unregister, but once they got your name they always have it. It doesn't matter if you unregister. They been bugging me for two months

[buckeye gold]

Well most all the ice is gone and all the repairs are made. Had a couple good runs this week and a couple small ones. I am up to 7.5 gallons and counting. Next week ought to be a good week. Sugar is coming up and nitre is low so I am not complaining. My fear now is a quick warm up that sends everything to the slimy side. Filtering is some of the easiest I have seen in years and good flavor. Hope this continues.

[buckeye gold]

Big run today, 130 to 150 gallons. I fear this warm weather will be the beginning of the end for me

[Redbean]

Well had a pretty bad start this year! Had to dump about 160 gallons of sap at the beginning because of an unknown contamination. I dumped to just be safe! Then I had a barrel fall over and lost about 40 gallons of sap. On good news my 116 taps are really running swell. I have made a little over 11 gallons of syrup since Feb 10th after the restart! I think the weather is looking good!

[Redbean]

The sap flow is epic last night and today. Had about 40 gallons in the tank after we pumped up 100 gallons around 5 last night. As of 10 am today I have 285 in the tank that needs to be pumped up. Going to be a good day!