Just wondering what folks thought of the conferences this year in both Syracuse and Vernon? How were the seminars, the attendance and the vendors?
Just wondering what folks thought of the conferences this year in both Syracuse and Vernon? How were the seminars, the attendance and the vendors?
Randy
Toad Hill Maple Farm
http://ToadHillMaple.com/
3650 Taps on Vacuum for 2010 & still expanding
56'x64' Timberframe Sugarhouse - New for 2011
3x10 Leader Vortex w/ Max Flue Pan & SteamAway
1000 gph Leader Springtech RO
777 Acres in the Adirondack Mountains
Embarrassing. We went to Syracuse. I think there were 6 maybe 8 vendors. 2 with maple products. I personally go to see the new toys and developments. The manufacturers never showed, so that was a disappointment for me. Supposedly the Canadians were worried about the border getting closed due to covid. A valid concern, but Leader didn't send anybody, to Syracuse any ways. As for the presenters, I cannot say as I didn't stay long enough to find out.
shrunken producer, from 8,000 taps to 4,000 to 5800 to 9500 to 11,000 vac
5x16 woodchip fired evaporator with 5x10 max flue and 5x6 revolution front pan
CDL 20+ RO
Double 10"filterpress
sp-11, bb2, airtech L63, L160, L230 vac pumps
CDL low profile electric releaser
MES 8000 electric releaser
CDL 4000 tap mechanical releaser
Four of us growing maple hobbiests including a maple trade show newbie from Mass attended the Vernon Downs conference and I would say we all thoroughly enjoyed it. It was much smaller than previous years but several of the major vendors and some smaller vendors were there. The workshops that I attended were very good and there was a decent selection of topics. We scrambled at the last minute to pull together a table and gave a talk on diaphragm pumps and controls in the PM (in place of Bosworth) which had a good attendance. The venue and meals were outstanding, good evening entertainment. And one armed bandits are aptly named . Just my thoughts... Hope things get ironed out for next year.
Dave
Mountain Maple farm
2022 NAMSC award winning dark amber syrup
2023: 320 taps, 70% red maples. Mountain Maple S4 diaphragm pump controller with automated sap transfer and text messaging
Website:
https://www.mountainmaplefarm.com
https://www.facebook.com/MountainMapleFarm/
I attended the Vernon show and was glad I did. I would echo Dave's review of Vernon. Many factors affected the size of the Vernon show this year, but with all things considered, it was organized as well as it could be and was well done.
Hats off to the organizers and the F.F.A. It was great to get out and talk maple with some of the best in the business.
Steve
2014 Upgrades!: 24x40 sugarhouse & 30"x10' Lapierre welded pans, wood fired w/ forced draft, homemade hood & preheater
400 taps- half on gravity 5/16, half on gravity 3/16
Airablo R.O. machine - in the house basement!
Ford F-350 4x4 sap gatherer
An assortment of barrels, cage tanks & bulk tanks- with one operational for cooling/holding concentrate
And a few puzzled neighbors...
http://s606.photobucket.com/albums/t...uckethead1920/
Steve, next year give me a heads up. I just went to look up the date and - yeah. MISSED it again. Not that I haven't had a lot of distractions of late, though!
"A free people ought not only be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government." - George Washington