Sugar time in SE Missouri!

[Goggleeye]

It's been an interesting couple weeks here in SE Missouri. We tapped 300 trees Jan 15 & 16. Had a good test run of about 300 gallons of sap for the new evaporator (2.5 X 8 Leader drop flue) the first week. We had a cold spell, then, over the last several days, we collected over 1200 gallons of sap from those 300 taps. I still have 50 more taps I'd like to get out before Feb, but we have had a lot of rain, and pretty much everything is a soupy mess. A 4WD tractor would be real nice about now! Anyone have one they want to give away?
Mark

[Groves]

Get your tractor yet? Glad to hear your new rig is up and running.

[Goggleeye]

No tractor yet. With this weather, we wouldn't need it. Way to warm, no sap. Looks like it may be over after a 2-week season. How long will a tap stay viable without flow? If we were to get a cold spell the end of Feb, would things start flowing again? Right now, we're at 1/3 of last years total. Not good when the $$ you spend on equipment and supplies hasn't flowed out of the trees yet!
Also, this year's syrup is very dark, yet with the new evap, it's spending less time over heat. What's up with that? Last year on flat plans we pulled off some fancy early season. Could it be last year's excessive heat and late summer drought?

Mark

[Groves]

I hear you on all of the heat. Every November/December I think to myself, "Freezing at night, not freezing during the day", should I be tapping right now?

Take the long view on your investment. I hope it pays off sooner rather than later.

My first and third batches last year were very light. Our first batch last weekend was dark if I looked through 3 inches of it, but light if the container was thinner.

I only put 13 taps in. If I knew the season was going to be so short I would have put out 50. Serves me right. At least we'll have "family syrup", but I won't have much to give away.

It's supposed to freeze this weekend here.

I've let sap go for two weeks before boiling it. I'm sure some of the sugar got eaten by bacteria, but I didn't get the ropey syrup, so I assume it's not all THAT bad.