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Thread: Mark Bowers (aka 220 Maple)

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Canaan Valley, WV
    Posts
    221

    Default Mark Bowers (aka 220 Maple)

    Sadly, the WV maple community lost one of the most enthusiastic and friendly sugar makers there was last week. He was a great inspiration to all who he came in contact with and his passion was real. I had the chance to meet him when Mike Rechlin brought him by to inspect my operation and we became instant friends and he would always text almost daily during maple season to ask how things were going up here on the mountain because he was intrigued by the climate differences and how it affected maple production compared to most of the state, etc. Hopefully he is swiming in 4% and endless runs!

    here is the obituary for anyone interested: https://www.dnronline.com/obituaries...e030c3c79.html

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Peru, Maine
    Posts
    1,068

    Default

    Oh man, sorry to hear that. We all looked forward to his updates and stories on here.
    305 taps on 2 Shurflo's, 31 taps on 3/16" and 229 taps on gravity. 565 in all
    Mountain Maple S3 controller for 145 of the vacuum taps
    2x6 Darveau Mystique Oil Fired Evaporator w/ Smoky Lake Simplicity Auto Draw
    Wesfab 7” filter press

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    Nashville, MI
    Posts
    976

    Default

    That is a very sad loss to this community. My thoughts and prayers will be with his family. RIP Mark it was great knowing you.
    2004 - 2012 2x3 flat pan 25 to 60 taps
    2012 2x3 new divided pan w/draw off 55 taps
    2018 - didn't boil surgery - bought new evaporator
    2019 new SML 2x4 raised flue high output evap. 65 taps
    made 17 gal. syrup
    2020 - only put out 53 taps - made 16.25 ga.l syrup
    2021 - Didn't work out
    2022 - 25 taps on bags / 8 taps on 3/16's line - late start

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Cabot Vermont
    Posts
    637

    Default

    That is sad news, I always enjoyed his posts. I will say a prayer for his family.
    Blaisdell's Maple Farm
    started on a 2x2 pan in 2000 with Gramps buckets
    custom built oil fired 4x12 arch by me
    Thor pans Desinged by Thad Blaisdell
    4500 taps on a drop flue 8-4 split

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2022
    Location
    Essex Junction, VT
    Posts
    300

    Default

    Very sad news. Thank you for sharing. Clearly he was planning on more maple seasons, judging by his March and April 2024 posts. He'll be missed. Neat to learn more about him in the obit.
    2024: 28 taps, 7 gallons. RB5 purchased but not opened :-(
    2023: 30 taps, 17 trees, 11 properties, Sugar Maple & Norway. 2x3 flat over propane & kitchen finish. ~11(!) gallons.
    2022: 9 taps, 5 trees, 4 properties. 3 hotel pans on 3 Coleman 2-burner stoves burning gasoline; kitchen finish. ~3 gallons.
    2021: 2 taps, 1 sugar maple. Propane grill then kitchen finish. ~Pint.
    All years: mainly 5/16" drops into free supermarket frosting buckets. Some plastic sap buckets hanging on 5/16 sap-meister.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Walpole, NH
    Posts
    1,393

    Default

    So sorry to read this news. I looked forward to hearing about sugaring in WV. He certainly did a lot to advance maple in WV and elsewhere.
    Sugaring for 45+ years
    New Sugarhouse 14'x32'
    New to Me Algier 2'x8' wood fired evaporator
    2022 added a used RB25 RO Bucket
    250 mostly Sugar Maples, 15% Soft Maples. Currently,(110on 3/16" and 125 on Shurflo 4008 vacuum, 15 gravity), (16,000 before being disabled)
    1947 Farmall H and Wagon with gathering tank
    2012 Kubota with forks to move wood around

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