Help! Boil today or not?

[ahowes]

They are calling for very high winds and some rain. I boil outside (hopefully the last year for that!) and am worried that the wind might blow down my bulk tank (55 gal barrel 5 feet in the air) and that it will be tough boiling in the wind.
On the flip side, it's to be 65 degrees today and I have about 1.5 days of boiling to do. Will the sap be OK for an extra day, given the very high temps today? If so, I'm waiting to start until tomorrow!
Thanks!

[HyeOnMaple]

Bubble, bubble, toil, and trouble. Evap that sap and your joy will double.

But seriously, as I understand it, high winds aid in the evap process. If your worried about your bulk tank, either secure it to your comfort level or keep it on the ground and hand-scoop two gallons at a time.

I wish we had 65 F. Got up today at 9F :(. Still, at 65F, I'd start boiling now. You'll know it's bad when it smells like sour milk.

[ahowes]

I thought about scooping - there is no way to secure the tank in a short time period. I guess I should have also mentioned that I have a conference call until 10:30 :) that is complicating matters. Full-time jobs really get in the way!
Since it's a warm wind, you're probably right about aiding evap. I'm used to bone-chilling winds in sap season. Thanks for the help.

[HyeOnMaple]

Just tell 'em your at your satellite office and, if it sounds noisy like water, say they are doing some water damage remediation. I am fortunate that I work for myself, and itz mostly a three-season operation.

[ahowes]

Would never work. Everyone knows what I'm up to :)

I am going to start scooping and boiling @ 10:30 unless somebody tells me the sap will be fine until tomorrow (when I could use the bulk tank after the wind dies down some).

[happy thoughts]

I am going to start scooping and boiling @ 10:30 unless somebody tells me the sap will be fine until tomorrow (when I could use the bulk tank after the wind dies down some).

Unless you can keep the sap really cold until tomorrow, I don't think you have much choice. A container of milk left out on the counter wouldn't last long at 65. Your sap won't either.

[HyeOnMaple]

Ahowes, are ya still there? Did ya get blowed away? Did ya make s'rup? Did ya have fun?

[5050racing]

With ice gal jugs in the bulk tank and I just collected 21 gallons today first collection I should be good till Thursday you think,60 or so Wednesday here also?

[ahowes]

Ahowes, are ya still there? Did ya get blowed away? Did ya make s'rup? Did ya have fun?
Yes, almost, & yes!
I boiled it all off - most of 204 gallons, brought the remainder in to humidify the house as the woodburner goes back on. Finished 10 minutes before the storm hit.
I got such a good boil rate (right at 17 gallons per hour once I was warmed up to boil) that I might continue to do the 2 gallon dip even though it's more work. I think the warm wind and warmer sap helped a lot. The sap sat in three steam pans on the evaporator and then I dipped out of them. It was quite a bit warmer entering the pan than by dripping from the bulk tank into the little pre-heater pan I sit on the pan. My boil rate went up to around 17 from 10! Wow.
Thanks for the advice, all. I am glad I didn't put it off until today...

[ahowes]

I'd think that if you had enough ice jugs in it, it would last. But...I'm just a newbie too.

[HyeOnMaple]

I think it was Ben Franklin who said, "Never put off until tomorrow what can be evaporated today," or something like that.