landtracdeerhunter

I don't know what it is about the first boil of the year. Maybe it's that long wait between the seasons; the fresh smell of sweet steam; the look and taste of that beautiful golden syrup; having success of a home built arch; or people telling you how good your syrup taste. I'm sure I have left out many reasons; but it sure feels good!

I have used Borax on the meat part of the tail with success. I never put salt on it though. I have also removed the feathers to dry, keeping them in order on cardboard until ready to mount. I like the Borax method better as it looks more natural, like fresh off the bird. I will get the nerve up someday to mount a whole bird using shipping fiber and transformer wire or chicken netting. I will first practice on chickens. I need to make a tumbler and grind up some dry corncobs, before getting to excited. I don't know if I'll have the nerve to post it, however, LOL.

Forty years have gone by. Seems like yesterday. We were also experiencing an energy crisis that winter. Many government offices and school were closing for extended periods to conserve. People would be put on list for fuel oil deliveries. We ran short ( as many did) twice in December of 76 with no home heating oil. Lucky we had a backup wood stove for heat. Lines would form at gas stations, many running out. People were placed on a gallon limits/ week. As far as the blizzard, it was bad, to say the least. I have many pictures; old Buffalo News, and Lockport Union Sun and Journal newspapers with stories and pictures that were delivered 2 weeks later, when our road was opened thanks to the owner of County Line Stone payloaders and bulldozers. They were in front of our house with a bulldozer at 2am. one morning, clearing tree top drifts. I remember bouncing around in bed as the frozen ground amplified the vibration of the cleats making it feel like an earthquake. Our well water froze that winter; never before or after, did it. Their were many heros created by that storm. It all melted later in February; we had a big flood. The rest of that winter was a piece of cake.

Sounds great, but down south you get those nasty twirling things that twist trees off and make people remodel their homes.

Does anyone celebrate the Vermont tradition of " Sugar On Snow Party." with homemade donuts and sour pickles. They use to heat the maple syrup and pour it on snow which turns waxy. Then eat.

And to think, each and every one is different in it's own way. Can't wait for the new sheds to start flying off. Thanks for posting.

Do you have Buffalo New York Becks beer cans?

I hope New England plays fair this year and doesn't deflate the footballs again.

I like the extended mild brakes we have been having. Makes the winter go faster. Now if we could only get some freezing nights with thawing days, it would be perfect.

Found a skull yesterday with stubs. No signs of the rest of it, so far. This years. All the ends of the red willows are eaten off. Monday afternoon was a great day to get out and stretch.

I will tap the rest of my trees; fluid on the temperatures. This season's looking very close to last season. I like to tap a few early so I can show off that light golden syrup to friends and family. The color of my syrup goes red very quickly in February. I will spin the wheel; roll the dice; take a chance; then do the maple dance.

Found my first shed on lucky January, Friday the 13th. A fair sized 4 pointer's left side. Points down under a grape vine in the woods. Sitting on a down tree when I spotted it. Last years shed and more than enough to ignite the fever, once again. I'll post picks as they gather. Anyone else started; still looking?

I have collected nearly five gallons of sap on 20 taps since some trees opened up past Tuesday. All outer trees. Boil down is about 62 to 1. here.

While out in the woods, I noticed a lot of shooting. Not to the extent of what you heard, but more target practice style. Sure was a nice mild day for January.

They work great; my just lasted two seasons. I could have patched it, but elected to go with an improved version. I have a big air tank that I am woking on now for a 24 x 60 inch pan, but won't be ready for this season. I want to make an arch with raised flue pan when my ship comes in, LOL.

I agree with the speed zones as that's getting to look like Amherst there. I remember when Liesing grew truck crops in that NE corner of County and Goodrich. I worked on a Gleaner combine in the field where the sod farm is, not that many years ago.

Fire brick up the sides to the pans. It burned through just above the brick and in between the pans. Likely ran to hot of a fire. I had an 8" fan reduced down to a 2"x 10" rectangle for vent.

I used a barrel evaporator till 4 years ago. I put raised grating on the bottom to hold the logs up for venting underneath. My door was higher to have another hole under it where I mounted a turbo charger fan. I used the 8" steam table pans. That stove would get beet red on the sides just below the pans. Spit hot sap at me with such a hard boil. It would evaporate 3 gallon per hour on a real good dry day. It burned out after just 2 seasons. I then made a stove out of 2 electric ovens with a larger turbo charger.

I talked to one producer yesterday that has taps out. Running 54 to 1. Looks like more firewood is going to be used this year again. I don't think I got below 47 last season.

To my surprise, I got about two quarts of sap out of 1 tree last night and it's still dripping slowly. I will be tapping some of my trees this weekend. Looks like an earlier start than last year .

Sap is running in Hillsdale. Seems kinda early; but they have already made 5 gallon of syrup off 75 taps. I tapped a tree last night to see what happens.

LOL. I have been known to do that. Was Barbra Walters in the front row?

I picked up a 60 pound bag of medium red clover locally for $100 yesterday. Climax timothy was more however. Weather stays like this, frost seeding will be easy this year. I have seen some of last years fancy mixes reduced, like 50%.

I have been out shopping between day after Christmas and now more than all of 2016 combined. I have seen some mark down items, but not near the deals of other years. Affordable hunting cloths I have looked at in the stores are just plain crap. All made in foreign countries ny cheap child labor. The prices keep steadily going up on consumer items and the discounted prices just don't seem to be such a good deal as they once were. Government says 2 % inflation rate but seems higher. Maybe Trump will put a high tariff on imported goods and send this country into a recession.

Getting that time of the year again. Some of the people I know, got caught up short last season with such an early start the end of January. Like it use to be back in the late 70"s. What the plan for those of you that make your own syrup? Expanding? New equipment? Some new people starting in? I'm just small time compared to some of the larger producers on here, but make enough for family with a little to sell. I will be adding around 14 trees, a larger boiling surface area, and a larger holding tank. Hoping for some great tasting syrup like in past years. I can't wait to smell that sweet smelling steam, and end result all bottled up.