New December Journal

[PATheron]

DaveY- You better cut more wood you have the power of the buckets on your side. I still question if 27" will beat a bucket on the right day. Definitely will on the wrong day though. Theron

[mapleman3]

I wish you were right. with the storm that hit, many will be scaled way back on taps...IF they even tap at all this year. I'm getting some rough reports from some Ma. members and it's not good.
Please anyone post your thoughts on your future tapping this year after the damage, keep us updated.

Theeeron, lets hope the BIGSAPPPP happens for sure!!!

[dano2840]

well if the season is going to be what you guys are saying, maybe i shouldn't put the vacuum to my super maples (18"-4ft) that are spaced properly and havent been tapped in 45 years!!!!
i might have to borrow some of the mexicans from my friend davey Defreest from his farm to run my rig 24/7.

[PATheron]

Im really sorry to hear that. Weve got some bad Ice here before and it makes your heart sink bad. Hope the best for everyone. Theron

[PATheron]

Dano- That vac is your best friend. We usually get bad years here and that really saves the guys. If you can do it make it happen, best thing you ever do if you want sap. My buddy came buy first run last year and hes sugared all his life and looked at my releaser running and I asked him if hed ever seen anything like it. All he could say was no. He bought a ring pump the next day and thats no joke. Just before season he told me he didnt think the vac payed. He was totall flabergasted as was I. Coolest thing you ever see. Theron

[dano2840]

here in waitsfield we had a little ice on the trees for a day but you wouldnt have seen it if you werent looking at the trees. we hardly got any ice, its windyer than you can believe right now, i didnt go into the woods after school because of it, im worried about walking up there tomarrow and seeing the damage. probably not to bad the bush is pretty prottected a burm at the bottom w hemlock hemlock on the 2nd side and some soft maple then hemlock and pine on the 3rd side and on the forth a small stretch of hard woods before it turns to you guessed it hemlock.but there are fields on 2 sides beyond the hemlock so idk until i get up there Wish me luck! and good luck to the people who were affected by the ice.

[Revi]

We had a bit of ice up by our sugarhouse, but none in town. I noticed that there was ice on one hill, and none on another.

Ice storms are awful, but they sure are beautiful. The sun shining through the trees on Saturday was amazing.

We still have 50 taps or so to install over X-mas, and then we're ready.

I don't plan on having as many buckets this year. Everyone else is very enthusiastic about tapping, but not as enthusiastic about collecting.

We'll have one little loop of 10 or 15 taps and the rest on tubing.

I love doing a little collecting.

[gmcooper]

Dano
Either of those evaporators should work for you. The 4x14 is more common. I have friends that make a lot of syrup on a 4x14! My thought would be go with what will best fit your budget. With maple equipment you can always upgrade when you find something better. At 16 you've got a couple seasons to make enough syrup to pay for college. LOL You were planning on college right???
Mark

[jrthe3]

here in nw pa no ice it is kinda looking like spring some rain and a 40 degree day almost all the snow is melted witch was good cause all the snow came off the sugar house roof and blocked the door the snow was all most to the roof

[Dave Y]

Theron,
There would be more wood at my place if ihad anywhere to put it. Ran out of room to stack it. I left about 6 cord in the woods that I had cut. I'm not sure on how to get it out either, as the Forest Service has blocked my only way in.