From shade to firewood!

[Ronaldo]

Looks like the EAB critters got my Ash tree in the front yard. I had today off so it came down and I planted a Fall Fiesta Sugar Maple. Doesn't seem to be any diseases or bugs that the Maple are susceptible to, of course when I planted the Green Ash there wasn't anything bothering them either.
Should heat my house for a week or so!

Sent from my SM-G930VL using Tapatalk

 

[Ryan'smilling]

Looks great Ron. Sure missed getting to visit your beautiful hilltop this year. I hope we'll get a chance next year. And I hope the maples stay safe too! I'm counting on them!

 

[Ronaldo]

We sure missed the time together, too. I know you are counting on the Maples and you make good use of their sap.[emoji106]

Sent from my SM-G930VL using Tapatalk

 

[SS396driver]

I too have several ash that I need to take down. Shame too they were nice trees . Going to put in some more apple and plum trees to take their place .

 

[Ronaldo]

Speaking of Maples and such, was it a good year for you as far as sap gathering, Ryan?

Sent from my SM-G930VL using Tapatalk

 

[Ryan'smilling]

Speaking of Maples and such, was it a good year for you as far as sap gathering, Ryan?

Sent from my SM-G930VL using Tapatalk

It was a great year! I ended up getting sap from a couple new guys this year. So in addition to my own 300 taps I was cooking for about 600 more. We had great weather for sap collection and made the most syrup of any year so far.

We would have made even more syrup than we did, but I actually ran out of firewood. It was embarrassing to admit it on the syrup forum, but maybe even worse admitting it here. I had about 16 full cords ready to go down there, but probably half of it was pretty subpar, punky softwood, etc. This year I'm gonna try to have 20-25 cords of better quality wood ready to go. I'm not there yet, but I've got a good start on it. Need keep cracking, but it's tough this time of year with the veggies and orchard demanding a lot of time.

 

[Ronaldo]

I didn't realize boiling took that much fuel. That's more than you need for home heating!!!!! Glad it was a good run.

Sent from my SM-G930VL using Tapatalk

 

[Ryan'smilling]

Yeah, the vast majority of producers my size and larger use reverse osmosis machines to remove between 50-90% of the water and thus reduce dramatically their fuel consumption. After this year, I'm kinda tempted to look into that, but the machines that are appropriately sized for my operation require a pretty substantial power service. They're also not cheap. I'd probably be looking at $5-6000 for a used one or $10k for a new one. And it would require some reworking of my sugar shack because they can't freeze.

So, for now anyway, I'll just keep stacking up the wood and doing it the old fashioned way.

 

[SS396driver]

I had a good year also for syrup . Dont do commercial or anything but got over 5 gallons of syrup. Trees were running at 2% to some near 4%

 

[Multifaceted]

I had a good year also for syrup . Dont do commercial or anything but got over 5 gallons of syrup. Trees were running at 2% to some near 4% View attachment 829724

Nice!

Ever tried or considered making acerglyn?

 

[alleyyooper]

A a old codger I so remember beautiful areas of the near by big city with shady streets lined with Elm trees that started dieing in the 1950's and were gone by the 1960's.

In my little home town the Ash was used to replace the Elms with Ash trees for the most part which are now dead and gone. there was one area the residents took it up on them selves to replace the Elms with maples.
those maples now 340 some years old are in trouble. Limbs dieing and falling leaving hollow areas into the trunk which are also being infested with carpenter ants.

Seems there are very few trees that are not effected by some thing.

Al

 

[Ronaldo]

A a old codger I so remember beautiful areas of the near by big city with shady streets lined with Elm trees that started dieing in the 1950's and were gone by the 1960's.

In my little home town the Ash was used to replace the Elms with Ash trees for the most part which are now dead and gone. there was one area the residents took it up on them selves to replace the Elms with maples.
those maples now 340 some years old are in trouble. Limbs dieing and falling leaving hollow areas into the trunk which are also being infested with carpenter ants.

Seems there are very few trees that are not effected by some thing.

Al

I'm sure that's true, Al. Simply a matter of time, I suppose. I'll likely not be around to see this tree get very big anyway, but I still like to plant them, watch em grow and enjoy the shade.

Sent from my SM-G930VL using Tapatalk

 

[alleyyooper]

I also plant them, have a bunch I want to trans plant, had hoped to well be fore now but had march weather end of April and early May.

Worried about the roots freezeing between digging and transplanting to a different area.

Al

 

[SS396driver]

Nice!

Ever tried or considered making acerglyn?

I haven't used the syrup for mead but I have added it beer..

 

[Marine5068]

Looks like the EAB critters got my Ash tree in the front yard. I had today off so it came down and I planted a Fall Fiesta Sugar Maple. Doesn't seem to be any diseases or bugs that the Maple are susceptible to, of course when I planted the Green Ash there wasn't anything bothering them either.
Should heat my house for a week or so!

Sent from my SM-G930VL using Tapatalk

Awe, sorry to hear.
I have a few EAB affected trees that have come down too.
Looks like it was a nice tree too.
The Maple should be good.