We're Working On The Lines

We've been cleaning up our maple lines and installing new lines in preparation for tapping the trees this next week.

We run high tensile wire down the line of maple trees and then attach our tubing to it.  

I use an automatic wire tying tool and wire ties to attach the tubing to the high tensile wire.  The wire ties are a piece of wire with loops on either end.  I wrap them around the tube and the high tensile wire, put the hook on the wire tying tool through the loops, and pull.  The end of the wire tying tool spins and twists the wire tight.  

Attaching the tubing well keeps the tubing from sagging and getting pockets of sap and it looks more tidy.  

I do this the whole length of the wire and tubing at about 18-inch intervals.

Our children and their friends have been helping us to clean up one of our other sugar bushes by finding trees that need to be cut off with a chain saw and clearing fallen branches.   

We'll get everything connected, tapped, and very soon begin getting sap!