Saps Dripping in Hebron

[dhibbeln]

Brought in 62 Gallons of Sap on Thursday before the storm and ice hit.
Got 40 taps in. Can't get to rest of trees due high water in fields from rain and ice melt. A beaver dam built last fall don't help either..

[dhibbeln]

Not a drop, a drip, a drab, a smigden, a raindrop....nothing nada...and its been 4 (Four) long days....

[dhibbeln]

Dang,

Eight days after the las run I get only some 20 gals from 50 taps for yesterdays sap run. And just went out to check the buckets near the house and the sap is slow, slow... maybe over the next couple of days we'll get a better run... Oh the fellow who runs a big operation mentioned that sap's scarce up our way...So its not only my trees...whew!...

[dhibbeln]

Things starting to look promising...Tank by the road now has 175 gallons of sap, the buckets were dinging first thing in the morning, weather forecast is for sunny days and cool nights from friday till mid next week..things should be starting to move...

Was over at my friend's sugarhouse..other day, he put a new RO machine that cost him some 15 grand...Its cut his processing time in half..but added some issues, seems the RO can't keep with with his evaporator...needs and extra body in the sugar house to help keep the filter press clean and keep filling the barrels.

I think I'll keep learning how to tap trees, get buckets out the woods, run some taplines...and let him boil the stuff...<grin>...

[dhibbeln]

Well, the sap has stopped flowing for the past two days...

So, now I wait....for temps to raise...::cool:

[dhibbeln]

With some warm weather coming put out 10 more buckets...what the heck.

Stopped by a sugar house on the town line sunday... fellow there has been making fancy all season.!!!!.. he had the little grading bottles up in the window. Last year was below and went from light to dark.. this years was all fancy and he made more then last year...

[dhibbeln]

Sap ran decent overnight. First night when temps over 32. Sap is running 5 to 6 Brix. Empty all the buckets, each had at least a quart. Have got 150 gallons out by the road for the sapsucker to pickup today !

Sun is pecking out from behind the clouds and the taps were dinging at 5:30 AM, so I think today is gonna be a banner run...

[dhibbeln]

60 Gallons out by road in the collection bin...and 6 to 7 inches of white stuff on the ground. 13 degrees this AM. I don't think I'll see sap till monday..

[dhibbeln]

On April Fools day, those trees sure fooled me..
150 gallons of sap were awaiting to be collected.
took in 50 more this am. Tho I see signs of the end.
Couple of buckets had a tinge of yellow vs clear sap and
I can see buds on the lilacs and on the higher south facing hill I can see swollen buds on the maples. I think this weekend might be the end...<sigh>

My boiling buddy has 1,000 gallons in barrels, thing are a tad tough cause its his first year with the RO and his evapator outpaces his production of concetrate...

[dhibbeln]

The buckets are washed, the road side tank is back in the barn.
Its time for next year. Word on the street is that most of the maple guys
up this way had a decent year. So, its down to go and work on finding someone to "lease" my sugarbush from me, so I can afford to do this.