I know you are excited, I am as well. I am in my planning stages, putting boxes together and looking for Mel's mix. May I ask why you changed his mix formular? I was blown away when I figured my projected number of boxes (6) and the cost of the mixture, about $200 plus. I am going to downsize. Your box looks nice. Where do you get hemlock and is it weather resistant?

I changed the Mel's Mix proportions because I'm a big fan of compost and good soil, and growing in 2/3 inert material didn't seem right. The compost we got was also very cheap, $30 for a yard (a pickup truck full).

Hemlock is very weather resistant, like redwood, but it is plentiful here in Vermont. We got it at a local mill.

I can get a truck load of cow manure and potting soil but haven't yet. I was concerned that the cow manure would have too many seeds that would be a pain for the next ten years so I thought I would spend the money for the manure, it isn't very expensive here.
I also thought of using pine boards that I have for the boxes. I know they will not last but I can eventually replace them. I have cypress in my storage building but I hesitate to use it. Maybe I should. I make furniture as a hobby.

Hi Noobette!
I don't have much to add today, but I just wanted to say hey to a fellow Vermonter! I grew up just north of Burlington, but I live in CO now.

Are you having sugar on snow this spring? I haven't had that in AGES!
Hmmm, maybe I should catch some snow if we get more this week. My syrup isn't new, but still real...

People are sugaring and have had some excellent sap runs, but I haven't had any yet!