February Journal THE COUNTDOWN!!!

[farmall h]

LOOKS LIKE WINTER IS HITTING PENN. STATE TONIGHT. That is what the weather station is saying. Big snow of 2" per/hr.

[Dill]

And maybe a whole inch up in NH.
Just made a wicked score on 3 sections of used 10 inch stainless stack with a top cover. Spent the day at the Farm and Forest expo. Now I can barely talk and I'm all out of business cards. Made a few appointments but told people, if you want evenings or weekends its right now or in april cause I'm tapping on president's day.
So the weekend plan is to get the stack up, figure out a feed tank, arch board, brick and plumb the evap. And then? Hibernate for 2 weeks?

[Dennis H.]

Yes we are getting snow!!

We are getting about 2" of that white stuff an hour looked out the back door and looks like we have around 5" since supper time. It will be interesting to see what we get by morning. I know it doesn't sound like much to you guys but for us here around Harrisburg, this here is a big deal.

I am hoping that the snow will help insulate the ground from the cold spell that we are to get this coming week. It is not to get above freezing for at least 7 days. Oh Yeah!!!

[vtsnowedin]

vts, I have the $210 one, actually it was $185 when I bought it 3 years ago. This one has a flat piece of steel that the blade rests against. Some protection...until you pull back on the handle by accident. I am almost healed. Hung more drops today and noticed all the blood stains on my tapping vest.

So we have identified a problem. Now if we can get the guys down in engineering to work on it maybe we can come up with a new improved model. I have one idea that might work out.
Of course there is no hope for a Vermont woodchuck that will try to cut a plastic pipe with a folding pocket knife when its seven degrees outside.

[Jim Brown]

Hey Guys We in NW PA have about 8 inches on the ground at 7;00am at it's still snowing real steady. Looks like about 1plus inches per hour right now.
Glad we moved tanks and Gena into the woods LAst week end!

Jim

[Gary R]

I'm getting a little worried. Not a day above freezing in the 10 day forecast. Could be nothing for a mid March warm spell and end it for us down here. I did buy 50 plastic tubing taps. Also got a few hundred feet of 5/16. Don't know what I'll do with it yet. May have to make up for a possible short season.

Dave Y, do you have any tapping dates set yet? Let me know. I probably should attend a forestry seminar in Fryburg on the 20th.

[Dave Y]

GaryR,
I hope to tap the tubing Presidents day weekend and the buckets the following weekend. I know there wont be any sap but would like to have them in. I am going out this AM to install electric at my tanks. I hope to get my vacuum set up this week. This looks like it will be an all March season. Which is OK with me as I am still trying to get things done.

[farmall h]

vts, in my opinion these tools are crudely made considering the cost of them. Probably don't even have $25 worth of material in it.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

vts, in my opinion these tools are crudely made considering the cost of them. Probably don't even have $25 worth of material in it.

Crudely made or not, they work great and are worth it to me. You guys need to spend $ 20 and get one of these tools, they are awesome. Something new Craftsman just came out with and they are awesome for cutting tubing, small branches and they change the blades themselves in about 2 seconds, you just drop the new one in place and it does the rest. Also, you carry 4 new blades inside a storage compartment in the handle.

Best $ 20 tool you will spend for syrup.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...e+razor+cutter

[maplekid]

well im running on reserves now... had a big snow storm last night dropping 20 inches of snow on the ground. had 6 calls lastnight and just as i fell asleep a salt truck flipped over. so it was back to the station. havent done to much with maple. been at the fire station more than ive been in the sugar house. being a cadet is tiring especially when im the one carrieng the tools haha. well its not work if you enjoy it.