Brian- Dont freak out about the ro. I felt the same way and after a while its old hat. Its much simpler than it looks. Have Jerry go through it with you on the phone. Mine is a cdl so itll be a bit different but he is familiar with all of them. Thats the best purchase youll ever make. now skies the limit. Theron
big job done
Got the big induction fan mounted on the roof. was not a fun job with a steel roof. very slippery with the snow. couple times went slideing down the roof. Had the loader as my safety stop. used a rope to pull myself and needed supplies up to the top. took out 14" 90degree elbow pipe and put in a 22" 90 degree elbow pipe into the fan. we thought the 14" was to restrictive. all we have to do is get that motor spinning the right way, mount it, and we are ready to suck the doors in. went fishing afterwards to a couple really small lakes. one was worthless, but the other had some real nice jumbo perch. biggest one was 11 and a half inches. It was only a 5 acre lake but was 30 feet deep where we found them. few days ago i started beating down the snow with the 4-wheeler to drive some frost in a 25 acre swamp we have. there is enough dead standing wood in there i think for my lifetime of syrup makeing. Its all cedar and pine but will make a great mix with our pallets. Beavers flooded this area many years ago and thats what killed all these trees. it's semi drynow, and alot of tall canary grass. once I have it firmed up, we will use the kabota with the farmi winch and go to it. wood pile should grow pretty quick.
well finally logged back on. havent made alot of changed added a few taps so i should be at about 150 or so. setting up tubing now just got to go and get some fittings. could have about another 150 on lines but thats overkill for my operation. been getting pulled away from alot of the work the fire dept im on has been giving me a workout. didnt have a single call today so i got to relax. hopefully this year well have a bumper crop
pine grove sugarhouse
600 taps
16x24 sugarhouse. not even close to finished...
4x10 leader drop flue
too much stuff to worry about
I haven't been doing much because I am trying to get over a cold and that cold air isn't helping.
My partner in mapling started getting some wood out by snowmobile, which was the excuse he gave his wife for getting it. He made piles out in places we could never get to by any other method. This fall was too wet anyway.
When he gets some firewood out won't she be happy!
Well guys it is getting closer everyday. It amazes me how hard we all work and the time we put into this madness for a few weeks of hard working fun. Finally got the dining room remodeling done this afternoon. I put 87 hours into it in less than 2 weeks plus work thrown in there I am glad to be done. I get to stubborn to let anybody help seems I end up refixing or changing things when I get help. She who must be obeyed say's she thinks I have an obsessive compulsive disorder. Got to make 2 maple cheescakes, a batch of maple sugar coated pecans (my favorite) my dad wanted me to make some maple sugar covered popcorn. Never even heard of it but I bet it would work. Anybody ever try it? If so got any hints? I am looking forward to getting over with this holiday and getting some steelhead fishing and ice fishing in.
2X6 deluxe Phanuef
Adding 200 more every year
27 years left of building a Hobby into a retirement time burner.
It's GO Time !
We just found out this morning that our grant application to the Dept of Agric was approved. It's a 50/50 match that pretty much completes the outfitting of our operation. We were operating under the assumption that we wouldn't get funded so I let alot of stuff go. The firewood is buried in snow - no tarp, the new sugarhouse needs a roof and siding as well doors, windows, etc, the clutch is froze on the 250 sap hauler and the Cub needs tire chains put on. Plus I will be traveling to in-laws over the Holidays. To be honest I wouldn't have it any other way. Nothing like a deadline to motivate a fellah. Hey Sawfiler - You back to work yet?
1977 F250 sap hauler, 1948 Farmall Cub tool carrier, 500 tap sugar bush currently being thinned, hope to be in full operation February 2010.
It was around nine degrees F here today so I was going to concentrate on moving some house wood closer to the furnace door. I just got started on that when Josh (future son in law) came down with his tractor with ambition in his eyes. Grabbed the chain saw and tackled the pile of slab wood sitting in the turn around, me sawing, him stacking in the bucket and dumping in the sugar house future wood shed. We got that cleaned up, about a cord and a half, then started on the sliding door for the north, (stack) end of the sugar house. Finished that and the bat wing doors in the north gable end so the north wall is finished. I ordered the new smoke stack from Leader today. They ended up being cheaper then the local sheet metal shop and had the same three week time frame plus they have done this a time or two and I didn't have to explain what I needed. I want to be ready to tap Valentines day!!!!?? I haven't got a chance.
Things are chugging along here at BIGSAP maple. Worked all weekend on the new bush across the road. Put in the weekend before daylight till dark working on the mainline and lats. Got all that done. Just got in tonight from putting drops in. Getting in the grove now, I bought a light weight plastic trash can and Ive got bundles of straight drops for the lateral end taps and regular drops and saddle tubes with the line precut and hooked for the saddles. Seems to work real good I just head down one main and hit each lateral till completion. Trash can also makes a pretty good beer holder. Throw a few in and head down the line. Got quite a few in tonight. Kind of nice in the woods at night although a little cold, my trusty mutt Duke helped me out the whole time. Gotta keep keeping on or Ill never be ready. Running a little a head of schedule actually becouse it looks like Ill have the lines basically in by the end of this month and Im happy about that. Once the lines are in its kind of pressure off, just have to finish hooking things up and should be ready to go by the end of next month. Cant wait to fill some drums. The BIGSAP is starting to get me scared a little bit but for some reason I just cant seem to get enough of running these lines. Must be my mission in life. Cant argue with destiny I guess. Duke seems to think Im doing the right thing so how do you argue with that. Hope everyone is having fun and getting ready. BIGSAP ALERTS should be coming soon now. Theron
He sounds like a keeper! I used to live in Vershire, Vermont. I think you'll be a little early tapping on Valentine's day. Most years it is in March before the sap starts running even here in balmy Skowhegan. We had a bunch of years that it ran earlier, but lately it's been March. Chelsea is pretty high up, so I'll bet it's colder than here.Originally Posted by vtsnowedin
It was around nine degrees F here today so I was going to concentrate on moving some house wood closer to the furnace door. I just got started on that when Josh (future son in law) came down with his tractor with ambition in his eyes. I want to be ready to tap Valentines day!!!!?? I haven't got a chance.
We may have hit peak oil, but we're not even at the top of peak syrup yet, Vtsnowedin. Have a great season!
I said I wanted to be READY to tap, Not to tap. Recently here there has been one good run before town meeting day more years then not. I'll get as ready as I can and go by the weather I get. You have a great season to.
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