February journal

[maple flats]

this is shaping up to be a lot like our 2008 season. Summer before was dry, fall was wet, winter snow was deep. Much like this year.

We made .32 per tap that season (with only 1/3 of our taps on vac)

This year we should have 2/3 of our taps on vac. So hope to do better than that...

if so, need to buy some more barrels

08 was my best year ever, I made .38 gpt (gal per tap) with no vacuum. This year I have vacuum on about 550 and 200 more taps than 08 total and I would like to get another 08 (gpt and prices wholesale (for what little I do wholesale).

[Dill]

I'm going to need a ladder to pull taps in the spring

Thats an important thing to remember. The first year, I was warned about tapping too high by a couple of old timers. I didn't listen and tapped at a comfortable waist height. Well those buckets just kept getting taller all spring. And I dumped more than a couple on my head.

[flyfishbob]

5 Hours from the storm of the year.... 2 foot + there calling for sure... Good thing my brother and I got the sugar house all ready last weekend.

[maple flats]

I just got my motor mount installed on my vacuum pump. My machinist does good work. Now I just need to get a 1.5" pulley for the 3/4" motor shaft and a B size belt the right length. Net I need to get a 6 gal gas tank and make a stand for it. The pump will be a job getting it into place but not impossible. Still need to add a few more taps at that bush and build sap ladders. Then I need to plumb the wet/dry to the Zero tank. I'm thinking of putting a roof over the pump to keep direct rain and snow off, but will leave sides open to ventilate. I hope to be ready to test the system the week end after next, then tap as soon as weather calls for it after that.

[shane hickey]

I havent been on in a while, I just finished my last woods for the year that had 1600 taps, I guess I'll just be waiting for the weather to break for Michigan and ae'll be ready to start tapping. I going to fire the drills up this afternoon other then that waiting for the season start. so good luck to everyone, And thanks thad for the help on the ro it works and is ready to start seperating sap. shane

[Dennis H.]

Just waiting for the ice to come. They are say about 1/4-1/2" of ice over night, oh yeah!!

The weather is staring to look better for me down here. This weekend may be the start of my season. The temps look really good.

I will have to wait and see.

[Thad Blaisdell]

I worked in the woods alllllllll day. I got all of my manifolds in and all the rest of the pigtail attached to the saddles.... Very little left to do. I will start tapping on Monday. My father will help me every day and my nephew (16) is going to co-op out of school on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. So with three of us going full tilt we should be done in a week. That just leaves a ton of plumbing in the sugarhouse, and get power connected at the pump shack, and finish building my out building for my tank on the other side, and then there is the..... and the..... and the..... It will never end.

[BoarsNest]

5 Hours from the storm of the year.... 2 foot + there calling for sure... Good thing my brother and I got the sugar house all ready last weekend.

flyfishbob - You're lucky your sugarshack is close to the house and road. Mine is 1/2 mile off a main road. Good thing I have a snowblower on the Kubota otherwise carrying 5 gal. buckets from the road would be a killer.

[Revi]

We don't have a huge amount of snow on the ground, maybe a foot and a half, but with the foot and a half we're supposed to get we'll be digging our mainlines out for sure.

We may not be needing the ladder to tap this year. The good part is it didn't thaw in January, so we haven't missed any sap so far this season. When it does warm up it will be the maple season.

[3rdgen.maple]

It completely amazes me how long it takes to setup a bush on vac. Been plugging away at a 200 tap section on tubing for a couple weeks. Not constant but some good hard days on it. Almost done and snow cleared out for the tank and releaser. I will be right down to the wire Im thinking coming tapping time to finish everything from the tubing to cleaning tanks and evap. plowing and just plain getting ready. After working so much on a small scale vac setup It gives a new meaning of appreciation to the guys with thousands. Right now Im liking my buckets a whole lot better, well atleast right now. Worried about wood supply as it seems some has come up missing, so going to take a trip to the local sawmill and see what I come up with or haul out some more dead standing pine. Neighbors telling me they want 200 taps on there place so got to get that all in order as well should be at 800 total for the season. Next year I want 1000 will just need to upgrade evaporator either with new or some good enhancements. Yeah this year isnt here and IM talking the next season already. Got to love this mess we all got into. Good note I kept pretty quiet about this but I completed my milk tank releaser and test ran it different times for about 4 hours each and not a single problem to report. Total cost was about 100 bucks as I had most everything I needed. Some day I will post some pics and explain the details. But it is all mechanical and dumps about 3 gallons at a time so Im pleased very pleased actually.