The Greentown Grapevine – 2003-04, 10:04

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I' Volume 10. Issue 4 vaver for the veode" A~ ril2 003
New Cell Tower
Near Greentown
A cell tower was recently erected at
907s CR 900E, Greentown ( SR 213
south of Greentown). It is of a
monopole design and under 200 feet
tall. It was erected by Crown Castle
International for use by Verison
Wireless. Cell phone users have had
difficulty getting a signal while in
downtown Greentown. This should
improve that situation.
Steve Shupperd, who lives south of
the tower ( the above photo was taken
from his property) said he is happy to
see it. It will improve reception in his
home and he " would rather see towers
than a bunch of houses outside his
window". He said he has had a view
of the electrical substation for years
and the tower fits in.
Terry Tygart, who lives to the west
of the tower, said he has no problem
with the tower and is happier with this
design than the first proposal, which
was with cables.
Maple Syrup Time
Vhen winter's frosts are yielding
To the sun's returning sway,
\ nd merry groups are speeding
The sweet and wellingjuices,
Yhich forin their welcome spoil,
Tell of the teeming plenty,
Which here waits honest toil.
To sugar- woods away;
? y H. F. Darnell in
" he Otiturio Readers Third Book, I909
vlaple syrup has been made for
: enturies by peoples who lived
inywhere the tree grew. The Native
hericans used it for sweetening and
bod preservation. The Indianscooked
lown the sap by heating hot rocks in
in open fife. They picked the rocks up
with sticks and placed the rocks in
wooden bowls or troughs. The rocks
were hot enough to make steam to
: ook down the sap. The early settlers
wbstituted iron or copper kettles for
iessels made of wood.
Stanley Miller of northeast Howard
rownship continues the tradition,
ilthough with equipment not available
to earlier generations. His grandfather
made maple syrup, as did his brother,
all in Miami County. Stanley recently
moved to Howard County to the farm
previously owned by Orville Troyer,
who now resides at Century Fields
Ret'i re men t Coin in un i ty .
Conditions have to be just right for a
good result. Beginning with the
weather, nights need to be around 25"
and days 45". The last two years have
not been good for syrup making
because the winters were not cold
enough and spring came too suddenly.
Barometric pressure also needs to
fluctuate. Stanley says bright sunshine
and no wind help to bring up the sap.
A thick woods is better because of less
effect of the wind. No two years are
identical as to weather, so observation
of conditions is always necessary. The
sap is gathered and processed as soon
as possible, often the same day. The
return is about 1 gal. of syrup for 30-
40 gal. of sap.
This year Stanley, with the help of
Bob Hochstedler and other neighbors,
began tapping trees on March 4. He
said usually tapping is begun around
President's Day but the temperature
was too cold at that time this year.
They tend about 400 taps.
The equipment Stanley uses to
complete the process is far removed
from the wooden troughs use4 by the
Indians. He has a 3' x 12' evaporator
with partitions. The sap, as the sugar
content and viscosity increases, moves
from one section to another toward the
discharge valve. Sap is gradually fed
into the evaporator from the large
storage tank. Stanley heats his
evaporator with red elm to make a hot
fire with minimal ash. The elm has
been killed by Dutch Elm disease and
has no bark. He uses a hydro therm to
check density and determine when it is
time to draw some syrup off. The
syrup is filtered through a towel and a
wool filter. It takes about 2 - 2%
hours to cook down 300 gallons of sap.
He will make about 80 gallons this
year. He gives some of it to the
landowners whose trees he uses and
sells any remaining to those who seek
him out.
Stanley Miller demonstrates that the pipe through which the sap flows into the pre- heater is cool .
Photo bv Rrrclwl ./ LwX- itt.\