Sap Is Running

[whalems]

I tapped this weekend. Sap Is running today. Sunny and 33*

[michiganfarmer2]

I tapped this weekend. Sap Is running today. Sunny and 33*

fantastic. Im still working on tubing. Im gonna tap next weekend wether the tubing is done or not,lol

[Tweegs]

Keep your fingers crossed, tomorrow looks pretty good.

Not much here today either, maybe a cup per tap.
Was watching the temps all day, we didn’t bust freezing until around 1 here.

[whalems]

Boiled today:):) Sweetened the pans. Had about 500 gallons all boiled and in the pans:D. Big difference from the propane set up of old. Boiled more sap in 3 hours then i did in my first 2 years:o This is going to be fun!!!

[michiganfarmer2]

Boiled today:):) Sweetened the pans. Had about 500 gallons all boiled and in the pans:D. Big difference from the propane set up of old. Boiled more sap in 3 hours then i did in my first 2 years:o This is going to be fun!!!

hahahahaha! like a kid in a candy store. arent ya? lol. I love my 3x12

[3fires]

Got 36 gallons today from my 30 taps, best yet.:cool:

[whalems]

Here's a couple pics of my first boil on my rebuilt vermont 4x12.

[michiganfarmer2]

very nice. Now you better change your signature

[michiganfarmer2]

Got 36 gallons today from my 30 taps, best yet.:cool:

pretty cool. hopefully it gets better. Hopefully you get so burried in sap that you ask yuorself, "what the hell am I doing?" lol Thats just where I like it. The evaporator is ging full tilt, the head tank is full, all my storage tanks are full, the tank in the woods is full, and someone pulls in with a pick up truck full of sap to sell.

[ehausinfrats]

I have more made this year than all of last year total. Looks like it could be a good year hopefully. Lets hope it doesn't get warm again. The sap this year looks great so far. Everything is working like its suppose to and no major problems. It was nice collecting tonight not having to fight the snow. Here is a pic of some I canned the other night and a pic of the tank I filled tonight along with 25 gal in the cooler 300 total.

have fun.

Eric

[holey_bucket]

What are you guys seeing for sugar content? Seems pretty low over here... I'm not for sure, but it looks like somewhere between 50 and 60:1 for me. With propane on a 20gal kettle... its KILLING ME! Ha!

[Tweegs]

Looks like everyone is off to a good start!

I’m already above what I made last year, too.

Got a boil planned for tomorrow, 120 gallons in the holding tank from yesterday, and I’m guessing another 75 gallons or so out in the bush from today.

Walked around kicking buckets when I got home, some half full, others with hardly anything. Still scratching my head over that. No matter, time to light the fires!

[ehausinfrats]

I would say I'm getting 40:1. I pitched alot of ice though.

Eric

[Tweegs]

The 120 I picked up the other day was 2.9% with little to no ice.

Just heading out now to collect yesterdays run. I expect that will be a little lower, we had a ton of rain and probably got some of it mixed in.

[xyz5150]

Big sap 150 gallons off 93 taps at 2.5% in a 24 hr period yesterday looks like it will be about the same today. Anyone have a bigger evaporator i can use for a couple days.:lol:

[michiganfarmer2]

Big sap 150 gallons off 93 taps at 2.5% in a 24 hr period yesterday looks like it will be about the same today. Anyone have a bigger evaporator i can use for a couple days.:lol:

I would trade you half and half if we were closer

[whalems]

Sap was only at 1.8% today. hope it gets better

[Ausable]

Howdy -- One of my Sons and Grandsons started getting a good sap flow today - just North of Bay City. - Still waiting for my first sap run here in Glennie -- snowed all day and still snowing -- heavy - wet stuff --- Hope to get my first boil going within the next week. --- Mike

[Tweegs]

Collected 85 gallons of 2.5% this morning, giving me a total of 200 to boil.

Made just a touch over 5 gallons of light.

[holey_bucket]

You folks are gettin some sap! Yesterday I collected 25gal from 20 taps. Turns out I was wrong about my ratio; it really is about 40:1 for me. Hoping it will run like mad over the next 7 days!

[michiganfarmer2]

You folks are gettin some sap! Yesterday I collected 25gal from 20 taps. Turns out I was wrong about my ratio; it really is about 40:1 for me. Hoping it will run like mad over the next 7 days!
hopefuly it runs like mad for the next 3 weeks

[PeddlerLakeSapper]

We boiled last Saturday, 03/05 and had 4% sap with a lot of ice removed. Last night, no ice and 3.2% sap. Sure is fun boiling 21.5 to 1 versus the 43 to 1 at 2%.

We boiled 75 gallons last night in 3 1/2 hours from lighting the match to canning and clean up on our 2X4.

Also, just checking the math.

3.2% sap = 26.875 to 1
2.5 gal. made = 2.5 X 26.875 = 67.187 of sap boiled.

Pretty close to the gauge on our tote head tank which I called 75 gal. looking up at it from 8ft. below.

[Tweegs]

Big run yesterday, collected 160 gallons.

The woods are running strong already this morning.

Going to be a long day in the sauna tomorrow. :D

[xyz5150]

wow 150 Thurs, 130 Fri, 160 today, 400 gallons behind. Who talked me into a 2x4?

[BoarsNest]

Boiled 140 gallons of sap and got just over 2-1/2 gals. of syrup. Finally we are going good. Pan is sweet for next week and it looks like the weather will let us have a good boil next weekend.

[Ed R]

Looks like the sun is going to be the key in our woods this year. Friday sunny &ran like crazy. Sat. am sun came out & ran hard until 10:30 then clouded up. The rest of the day it just crawled along. Not complaining though, lots of sap running between 2.6-2.9. It sure is nice not to have to boil as long to see any fruit. Nice syrup too.

[coreyws05]

Had a very nice run this weekend in the Howard City - Newaygo area. Collected about 60 gallons of sap.

[3fires]

76 gallons today! Woohoo! :cool:

My little subcompact was creaking and groaning, but she made it thru the mud and all, lol.

[sugarmangraham]

70 gallons for me today and 203 gallons since Friday and I managed to boil off 180 gallons of it this weekend. I am begining to think I bit off more than I can chew.

[firetech]

We collected Fri pm on the bucket run and hauled in 45o gals, went out Sat am and pick up he barrel route 450. Then my sap buddy brings in another 275 Sat pm. The kids cleared all the routes Sun pm for another 450 gals. We ran the evaporator from 2pm Sat to 9pm Sun straight around the clock. Went to bed last nite at 10pm . This is the 1st for some computer time. We have made 50 gals of a golden/amber syrup. As of this am there is 300 gals of yesterdays pick up to cook. A sap pick up run tonite to our south farm famliy 150 gals. And check our routes. The weather is right may have to take some time off this week. Good luck all.

[fishman]

Finally tapped in the Newberry area and got just a few gallons yesterday. Looking for better things this week as its supposed to get into the low 40's here. New stove and pan and 3 times the taps should be interesting. Now I found out my wood is too long for the new stove so there is some more work to do.:(

[Tweegs]

Low pressure front and clouds came in Saturday around noon and shut the faucets down to a trickle. Only got 50 gallons from Saturdays run. Yesterday we boiled off around 210 gallons and got 6 gallons of light.

Still graded as light amber, but it’s starting to get darker. I’m guessing it will be in the medium range by this weekend.

Firetech, I don’t know how you do it. Between gathering yesterday, start up, boil, shut down, and bottle, I had a 14 hour day, and was totally exhausted. Spent most of my boil time figuring out how I was going to a pre-heater on to speed things up! :lol:

[xyz5150]

Collected another 150 Sun cracked a little smile this morning when i only picked up 30 gals. Time to catch up only 250 behind now.

[Tweegs]

Don’t let that smile get out of hand, I predict tsunami sap today! :D

[firetech]

Well with the weather forcast warming up we maybe down to our last boil for 2011. 750 gals in the tanks and another 275 on the way. I'll be done on Thur. I'll have to start thinking about pulling the taps and cleaning up. Just when the rythum was setting in good. Making a beautiful med amber today.

collected over 3200 gals as of today
need to count bottles for a final syrup count but at least 70 gals

[Forrest hunters]

firetech - Do you really think we are almost done? I have only been collecting for two weeks and only tapped 3 weeks ago. My trees in the woods are still sitting in 4-6" of snow and I am in Rockford. My yard trees are clear and have been doing well. Also late next week looks like we will be 40's during day and freezing at night again.

Hope were not done as this is my first year and I want more.

[xyz5150]

I think your right herb i collected my biggest run last night 180 gallons off 93 taps @ 2%. We may get a little sat and sun but 60 degrees tomorrow isn't going to pretty. All of next week looks like no chance of a good freeze. I had 500 gallons in my tanks this morning hope to have it all done tomorrow.

[3fires]

...Hope were not done as this is my first year and I want more.

Me too! :mrgreen:

[Zamboni Driver]

I agree firetech...it looks grimm...to much heat this week.....no freezing...looks to be the end.

[pierre]

boy you guys are pessimists . im just starting to have fun!!!!!!http://mapletrader.com/community/images/smilies/lol.gif

[BoarsNest]

How many days of warm weather does it take? Next week actually looks like we might get some freezing temps off and on. Last year it just got warmer and warmer it doesn't quite look like that this year. Yet!

[firetech]

Just looked at the extendeed forcast and see the freezing nites coming. Syrup is going to get darker for sure. Hope we can get it thru the filter. Keep the froggies quite and we can keep making syrup. Boiled off 750 gals today. Bottled 11 gals off and still have 15 gals in the canner. Need sleep

[holey_bucket]

I always want it to run long, but I cannot do this next year! I will HAVE to upgrade for sure. I haven't kept exact count, but so far this season I think I've collected a couple hundred gallons off my twenty trees. Boiling on a fryer with a 20 gal stock pot I am near to having used 200lbs of propane. I am burning wood next year FOR SURE. I hope the sap keeps up, but I don't know if I can keep it going much longer!

[michiganfarmer2]

Just looked at the extendeed forcast and see the freezing nites coming. Syrup is going to get darker for sure. Hope we can get it thru the filter. Keep the froggies quite and we can keep making syrup. Boiled off 750 gals today. Bottled 11 gals off and still have 15 gals in the canner. Need sleep

lol. I hear that

[Tweegs]

I’m hoping things don’t get shut down with this weather. We’re still making light, 18 gallons of it so far, I’d like to get some medium put up.

Underestimated my wood consumption, by a lot. Need to cut more before I can boil again. Plenty of it out there, just need to go get it, could use this little reprieve to stock up. Worse case, I’ll get a head start on next winters supply for the house.

[Zamboni Driver]

Well let's all hope I am wrong....that would be good. Don't mind if I am wrong on this one....

[sugarmangraham]

I hope the season continues strong for the rest of you but I am going to pull some taps this weekend. I got called back to work starting Monday(been off since end of Nov) and there is no way I am going to be able to keep up. Heck, I can't even keep up now! Made more syrup this year than the previous years combined. Looks like its back to weekend boiling for me.

[firetech]

We picked up sap on Tues and was boiled off by Wed nite, I saw the bottom of the storage tank for 1 hr (rinsed it down) then 275 gals show up at 9 pm. Went out to check my buckets yesterday 950 gals later we're filled up again. Boiled for 7 hrs yesterday, and I hear the evaporator calling my name this am. We are getting low on wood we have 4 boxes in the sugar house but after that. Looks like about 12-14 more hours of run time then I'll be looking at buying some wood. There an auction yard sale tommorrow they generally have some wood for sale. Called in to work and got Fri off too. Need to send the best wife in the world to Sugar Bush for more containers filled my last 5 gal bucket last nite. Oh ya heard a few of then darn froggies last nite as I was walking to the house. Happy boiling to all.

[Tweegs]

Heard those blasted frogs, too.

Sap ran yesterday, I was surprised, picked up more than I thought I would last night.

Don’t expect much today, but it is supposed to freeze tonight, tomorrow might be good.

Think I’m going to leave work early, noticed that my buckets are starting to pick up a little mold, probably be a good day to wash them out as I collect. Clean up the head tank, pans, and tote tomorrow morning, holding tank Sunday after the boil…get a fresh start for the second half of the season.

Gotta spend the bulk of tomorrow cutting wood, I’m out.

[3fires]

Gathered 31 gallons Tuesday, 64 Wednesday, boiled it all off from 8:30 pm to 6:00 am, finished, filtered, and bottled about 2 1/4 gallons. By the time I was done and everything was cleaned up it was 11 am. I was a zombie yesterday, fell asleep in class, and am finally getting back to normal.

I'm going out today to gather and expect buckets will be running over, even with the warm temps. I'm not sure if I should be happy or sad, I know what my back thinks. :rolleyes:

I've made close to 7 gallons, 4 batches, and burned through just over a face cord of wood. Each batch is larger than the one before, none are dark, but only the first was light. But, it all tastes real good. :D

[Tweegs]

I don’t know gents, looks like the end is near.

The sap here is starting to get cloudy, and I had to pull a few taps today because the trees had budded out.

Buds are beginning to swell on over half of the rest. I figure by the weekend, that’ll be all she wrote.

[glassman]

gin clear here. and the weather looks pretty good for the next week or so.

[firetech]

Well after a week of not going to my regular job I found the bottom of the storage tank last nite at 8pm. Saw it breifly Sat nite long enough for a good bleach wash down. It looks as if there is a 2-3 day break and back at it again to finish burning up the rest of the wood. May have 30hrs of wood left. Hope I can rest up a bit at work next couple of days. We need to finish about 5 gals and empty the canner move the boxed syrup to the house and inventory every thing. We have run through over 5000 gals of sap since March 6th on a 30x10 ave 50gals/hr. With the amount of sap made this year we are in the market for an RO.

[xyz5150]

The silver maples in my yard are budding, but sugar buds still look tight. looking at the weather forecast it looks like the grand finally is coming this week through next monday. Saturday was the first day i did not boil since 3/8, 28 gallons bottled man i need a bigger evaporator.

[michiganfarmer2]

With the amount of sap made this year we are in the market for an RO.

Ive thoguht about sharing an RO with someone close. I dunno. A lot of people say that going partners is a bad idea

[3fires]

Silvers are budding out big time, and the reds are just starting here. I gathered 20 gallons during the warm spell and it was cloudy, hardly any flow, gathered another 30 yesterday and it was slightly cloudy, but the trees were starting to flow real good again.

I boiled down the 50 today and got just over a gallon of medium dark amber, tastes great, I was surprised. Not too dark at all, and no bitter or funny flavors to speak of. Hydrometer said the sap was 2.5%.

It's been 2.5-3.5% all season long, but the end result isn't showing it.

I'm not complaining though, just over 7.5 gallons so far, and likely another 2 by the weekend off 30 taps ain't too bad at all. Way more than I'd hoped for, my back tells me so.

[Forrest hunters]

Here in Grand Rapids it looks like we may get some this weekend with a good run or two early next week but Wednesday/Thursday being the end. What does everyone else think? Stinks having collected for the first time on 3-1 and then be done by the end of the month. Was hoping for about 6 weeks not 4.

[glassman]

checked a few today, buckets frozen but the sap was trying to run.

[Four D Acre Farms]

few buckets completely dry some tring to drip tubing all froze maybe tonight pretty cold but the sunshine is warm on the trees could use some flow it has been slow :cry:

[3fires]

A big goose egg for the last 3 days, nothing since Tuesday, buckets are pretty much bone dry. I'm going to boil down the measly 22 gallons i have tomorrow and hope next weeks "predicted" warmup brings the sap back.

[fishman]

Last I collected was on Monday. Goose egg since then. Probably won't even bother till Sunday or Monday up here.:(

[Tweegs]

About the same here, nothing in the buckets for a few days now. Tomorrow is going to be right on the verge. Might get something in the buckets but I don’t think it will get through the tube…too cold. Sunday looks about the same, best chance is going to be Monday and then on ‘til they bud.

[glassman]

just finishing up a measly two gallons. running slow but still running. hope this weather ends up helping us. right now though it is better than last year.. thank goodness

[firetech]

Round Two I'm ready we got wood deliveried today stripped everything out of the evaporator scrub and rinsed down. I've got 2 5 gal buckets of sap concentrate to finish off. Bottled 10 gals of finished syrup today too. Let the sap flow. Good luck to all who are still in the game.

[JBIV]

Let the sap flow. Good luck to all who are still in the game.



I'm ready! Let's see what happens.

[BoarsNest]

We made another 2 gallons this weekend. Also tried the maple on snow since we had a new 3" of snow this week. Looking forward to the good temps this week and plan on finishing up on next weekend. So far 13 gallons of syrup and it tastes great.

[Tweegs]

I'm ready! Let's see what happens.

Aye! Same here.

Had to pull taps on a handful of silvers, but all the sugars are still in the game.

Here’s hoping for a good sprint to the end!

[3fires]

I have a few sugars, but mostly reds. The reds put out a lot of sap since the 1st of March, the sugars haven't really done squat all season long, at least not compared to the reds. But, now many of the reds have quit producing after this last warmup and freeze spell we had. The sugars till aren't doing anything.

I'ts been 40's in the day and below freezing at night for 2-3 days now, I expected them to start running again, some are, but most are not. Out of 30 taps I got 8 gallons today, and pitched about 2-4 gallons that was just too cloudy from sitting for 5 days or so. I would say only 15-20 of the 30 taps are producing, but today they were drip, drip, dripping.

I was hoping by the end of the week I'd have enough sap for at least a gallon, but unless the trees kick back into gear real quick it ain't happening.

Being as this is my first year doing this all season long, I'm not quite sure what I should be expecting. I'm thinking the warmup started bacteria in the tapholes and they are healing up because of it??

[xyz5150]

collected 60 gallons of nice clear 2.25% sap off 100% sugars. My sugar content is up about .25% since last weeks freeze up. Boiled 80 gallons down last night ( 20 gallons from the day before ) nice syrup very little sugar sand.

[whalems]

Boiled 250 gallons of sap yesterday. 2.5% and drew off 9 gallons of medium syrup. and todays forecast looks better:)

[Tweegs]

I’d have thought we’d be getting good flows over the past couple of days, not the case here. Collected 78 gallons over the past two days. Sugar content is running about 2.8%.

Got a stand of silvers, about 30 taps worth, that delivered a grand total of a gallon. Going to shut that bush down tonight, most are budded out anyway, the pond has overflowed and those roots are underwater.

The buds on the sugars are still tight, the sap is clear, just not that much coming from them. Could be the holes are drying, I did tap too early, but I’m going to let them run through the week and likely wrap it up this weekend.

[BoarsNest]

Sap is running this week, we've collected 150 so far and should add more to it. Looks like we should have plenty for the last boil we will do this year.

[3fires]

All my trees are running good now, reds and sugars, clear sap with ice in buckets, kept it all.

It's like week two all over again. some trees are puting out over 2 gallons a day, and yesterday they were dripping real good.

[firetech]

UNCLE!!!! my goodness we started out collecting on Tues and pick up 60 gals off the bucket route. Lots of gas for little return. Then my folks from up north bring 275 gals on Wed nite. The son in law goes and picks up both routes Thur for 600 gals the the up north folks roll in last nite at 10pm with another 250 gals. Moved 400 gals thru the evporator last nite shutdown at midnite. And back to the 40 hr job this am. Its going to be a long weekend. Sap total so far 6405gals. And there is syrup everywhere. Bottle,jugs and 5gal buckets. So far a good and tiring year.

[captian niko]

we havent had much of a run here in marquette, i gues its ben kinda cold.
yesterday was by far the best day yet-35 gal sap from 135 taps.
the reds are just starting to bud, i hate to pull the taps from them when things are starting to run. this is my first year tapping the reds (about 40 trees) i'v heard as long as the sap is clear the reds will still produce sugar, but i'd hate to spoil the batch. any advice?

[retubjb]

I have not been able to tap this year until Tues. afternoon.Put out 23 taps, got 27 gal. of sap Wed. at 3pm, went back Thurs. at 2 pm and got 48 mors gallons. At boiling off only 4 gal/hr I am glad didn't put out more taps. I'll probably pull on Sat or Sunday and have enough for my needs if it keeps running like this. I had one tree give me 6 gal. of sap in 24 hrs. Gotts love it.:)

[xyz5150]

Wow is it running picked up 60 gallons tues 120 gallons weds and 180 gallons yesterday looked at my sap sacs this morning and they are half full since 6:30 last night must have ran hard right up to freeze up. Boiled until 2 am last night only 120 gallons behind thats subject to change, Should be caught up by sunday. Looking at the forecast thinking about pulling sunday afternoon. I have 34 gallons bottled so far I was hoping for 25 gallons for the season kinda surpassed that mark.

[Tweegs]

I’m sitting on about 200 gal right now, more to come today and tomorrow I’m sure.

I’ve pulled taps on all my silvers, about 45 of them, and have about 1/3 of my buckets not producing anything. If 1/3 of my taps on tube aren’t producing, I’m somewhere around 100 taps. Those taps that are flowing are going strong.

It’s a good way to end the season.

[3fires]

I'm pretty sure some of my buckets will be running over when I go to collect tomorrow, but...

I made a gallon and a pint today from 48 gallons of sap and it was as light as my 3rd batch, this is batch 7. Also, I noticed very little foam to skim off with this batch. It's good stuff! I'm up to 9.5 gallons or so now.

sure beats the single quart I made last year. :)

[sugarmangraham]

I had collected 210 gallons over the last couple of days. I ended up only pulling a few taps instead of the the 30 I was going to pull before the cold spell. I was out of storage room until my father came down and boiled off 75 gallons tonight while I was at work. Now I have enough room to collect saturdays run. Looks like a long weekend of boiling and probably the last weekend of boiling too as I am almost out of wood and today I had to give back the atv i borrowed.:( So far I have produced somewhere in the neighborhood of 12 gallons of syrup with more to come.

[3fires]

65 gallons o' sap today, 2 buckets were running over, all clear.:)

[firetech]

I'm finally in the house for the weekend a shower and off to bed yippy!!!!!!!!!!!!! 55 hrs straight on the old 30x10. My son in law and I ran it round the clock since noon fri, taking sleep ****fs during the nite a cot in the sugar house for the grand kids. looks like a new tradition (sleep over in the sugarhouse). We made over 60 gals of the most beautiful med amber I've seen in a long time. handled 2400 gals of sap. We will pick up tommorrow and regroup to finish out this season. Looks like we are pulling taps on Wed for the last pick up for the year. How bitter sweet.

[Tweegs]

Wouldn't ya know...
The last draw from the last boil of the last sap of the season...AND I SCORCH THE PAN.

On the plus side, it clearly defines how I'm going to handle the sap still in the pans after shut down. :lol:

I don't know how bad it is yet, figure it'll keep until tomorrow.

12 hour boil and I got 7 gallons of medium, I'm happy.

Season total of 29.5 gallons, more than double our best season to date.

[3fires]

Well, considering how much sap some of you go through it seems small, but I gathered another 40 gallons today, and tomorrow, knock on wood, I'll be boiling down 105 gallons, the most to date for me.

I collected later this evening and the taps were still flowing.

[Ausable]

Well, considering how much sap some of you go through it seems small, but I gathered another 40 gallons today, and tomorrow, knock on wood, I'll be boiling down 105 gallons, the most to date for me.

I collected later this evening and the taps were still flowing.

Hey 3fires - Don't apologize for being a Backyarder. I have been one for the last 15 years or so and have no desire to turn it into a business. I have made between 3 to 15 gallons of maple syrup a year and that all depends on the amount of sap available to boil and what else I have going on. I give mine away to family and friends to enjoy - I always get a kick out of watching little people eat it for the first time on pan cakes or ice cream and catch the look on their faces and that makes all the work involved worth while. So - best of luck on your boil and keep it fun....... Mike

[fishman]

Finally starting to run halfway decent in the UP. Boiled about 120 gallons yesterday, another 40 today and finished it all off with 4.5 gallons syrup. That puts me up to 6.5 gallons for the year which is the best I've done. The new pan and stove are working great and with the addition of a head tank and using gravity I have a lot less work to do. On second thought I'm running more taps, splitting more wood and bottling more syrup. Gotta expand the lean to, pour a slab, add a blower, etc. Not even half done for the year and making all of these plans for next year. My wife thinks I'm nuts but she's probably used to it by now.

[Ausable]

Hi Fishman -- My own trees just started flowing about a week ago - The way the year is going - I thought You Guys in the UP would never get any sap. My Son and Grandsons live about 80 miles South of me and brought up over 400 gallons of Sap for me to play with - so was able to get some syrup made and really run my 2' x 5'. Bought a submersable sump pump and a 15' hose to pump sap into my little feed tank and it really helps. Also use it to unload sap barrels when the boys bring up sap. Last year I had all kinds of wood put up and only used about 1/4 of it - do to hardly any sap. This year I'm just about out of sugar shack wood and gotta start scrounging for more - which I like better - cause I have more syrup put up. -- Hey -- keep a boiling -- Mike

[3fires]

Thanks Mike.

I think I might be done for the season. I'm running low on wood, the buckets are molding up again, and the weather has warmed up. I made just over 2 gallons with the 105 I gathered the other day. Whatever is in the buckets today will either get boiled down or pitched. I won't be able to boil again until Friday, so i'm thinking it's gonna get pitched because I sure can't see it lasting until then.

I gathered clear sap Sunday and boiled it down Yesterday. As I boiled, the sap got cloudier as the day went on. Plus, I was skimming a lot more foam than the last boil. I'm still new to this, but it seems like foam and cloudy sap go hand in hand.