SUGARTIME !

[Ron L]

The old sugar maples are starting to flow real good now. It's my first year trying this out. (being retired & all, just something to get me back in the woods!) One thing I learned... Must get more wood for next year. Propane cost just a little more. With that forty to one ratio, plenty of boiling is needed. But the sweet taste... WOW, it's all worth it!!

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

I had an Uncle that since he retired had been tapping the trees on the family farm, and making syrup for him and the family. sure was good. Unfortunately he died a few weeks ago, and no one else in the family is both capable and willing to continume with the tradition.

[parts man]

John, my condolences to you and you family on the passing of your uncle.


Ron, my father in law ( 79 YO) taps over 100 trees just above his house. He supplys his kids ( and sons in law ) with syrup, I always look forward to this time of year, another sure sign that spring is just around the corner!! Our season is a little later than yours, probly close to a month later, but my wife just told me he was tapping today!! Yipee!! YUMMY!!!

[Ron L]

100 trees ! I'm tapping only ten. And I thought I was doing a lot of boiling off. Must be a lot of work. Plus, he knows what he's doing.

John. Sorry to hear about your uncle. Maybe you can start the hobbie! Use your cub to get you there & back.......

[scotty]

Ron,
My neighbor up the road from me does it every year with the help of lines going to his sugar house. I sure would like to learn how myself although I only have a few maples on my property! Maybe when I retire.

scotty

[Maritimer]

I have been doing the sugaring thing since I was 15 or so, then last year I built a sugar shack bought a evaporator and a few more buckets. I tap about 250 trees, it worked very well, I made about 2200 dollars and I was very pleased with the way it worked. This is what I used to buy my next tractor with!! Then in sept that !@#$%^&* hurricane Juan hit. It destroyed 80% of me sugar woods. So needless to say, I will not be doing it this year. I have another lot I can go to next year but I have to do some thinning and cleaning it up this spring first. I go to the woods every day and see the sap starting on the trees that broke off during Juan. It makes me very dissapointed.

[parts man]

Maritimer, very sorry to hear about your sugar bush! I understand that you guys got hit really hard with that one!! How did you make out otherwise?

BTW, do you know John Neilsen, he has a dairy herd and some Angus beef cattle as well.

[Maritimer]

Other than that, not to bad. Lost a bunch of steel off the barn, and had 5 large spruce on my house..

Does john live in Shortslake, Stewiake area?

[Ron L]

Scotty: You should get a few books on sugaring to start educating yourself on the process. It's not that difficult for a small operation. Lots of fun and satisfaction.

Maritimer: Sounds like you had a pretty large operation going there. Too bad with that hurricane.
I'm still in the learning process. On the few real good days I've had, I didn't get to bed till about 3 AM. Something I hadn't thought of before hand! I see myself doing some summer projects to get ready and more efficient for next year.

[parts man]

Other than that, not to bad. Lost a bunch of steel off the barn, and had 5 large spruce on my house..

Does john live in Shortslake, Stewiake area?

Sorry, I meant Harold Neilsen, the other brother , he lives right around Brookville.

[Maritimer]

Yeh, I know of him. He lives in Brookfield, about 4km away.

[parts man]

Right, Brookfield, that CRAFT was kicking in again!!! Thanks, gives me a bit of a picture of where you are. I've been to their place a few times, as we are both Angus breeders, and have an annual get-together with the other Maritime breeders every year.