Finally Cooking in the North

[twigbender]

The sap has finally let loose and we're getting some decent runs, although sporadic, but not heavy by any means. I'll have gathered something over 200 gallons out of my 165 taps so far as of today. Cooked down three batches so far. Had to go and scorch the first one -- GRRRRRR! Old dogs do learn slowly, if at all.

I did have some good company during my boil yesterday. A bunch of folks helped me pass the time while loading wood, skimming the foam, and watching the boil. They were: Marshall Tucker, Doobie Brothers, Boz Scaggs, and Gordon Lightfoot. They didn't pick up a stick of wood, but sure made the time go by quicker!!

[TapME]

How do rate to have those kinds of visitors. And they didin't help. do they think they are stars or something. LOL.

[twigbender]

It's easy to get them out there. I just turn on my iPod and they show up! Today, I'm hoping for George Strait and Alan Jackson to give me a little help. I'll have to say that those Doobie Bros. are tough: I dropped my iPod in the boiling sap and they didn't miss a beat. Not so much as an "ouch" out of one of them. Can't beat that kind of company.

[The Back Forty]

I have the same problem with my help, but they are a little older. Patsy Cline totally worthless at spitting wood! They all walk around as if in hillbilly heaven!

I've been averaging a gallon of sap a day for about two weeks now down by Pemberton (Mankato Area). About 2.8 - 3.0 sugar on silver maples, I think that's good. Then I hit a 1.0 and my hydrometer broke! (accident) Maybe a refractometer on my Christmas list?

So far 7 gallons from 30 taps. Might be about done though.

[twigbender]

I wouldn't guess that Patsy would be much good at splitting wood. Loretta Lynn could probably help you out. A coal miner's daughter must be used to a little work. But I'd caution you not to let Dollie get too close to the evaporator!

[Jim Powell]

Twig;
You collect 165 taps with just the help of an ipod? Holy buckets! I still have some trees that haven't given up a drop yet. One big ole gal had about 8 gallons waiting for me the other morning, yet my avg for 45 taps was a gallon per tap.

I'm hoping the dip in the temp tonight will jump start things for one more week here.

JP

[twigbender]

I've got trees that haven't seen the need to shed so much a drop of sap either. It'd be nice if they'd let us know before we drilled and installed the tap/bucket! I'd be happier than a hog in slop if I could get a gallon of sap per tap per collection. I don't even average 1/2 gallon.

We got 10-12 inches of snow yesterday and that has shut everything down -- at least collecting. Don't know if it ran very much anyway, but I'm not set up to collect in this kind of "stuff."

[TapME]

Am old saying says that the sap flows best after a snow storm.

[Jim Powell]

Yes I had zippo today, Sat and Sunday were only 12 gallons each. My big run was after our last 8" snow storm, so hoping things pick up this week, for my final run.

[RileySugarbush]

I had hardly anything run today down in the cities. I reamed a couple taps at noon to see if that would help, but didn't see any significant improvement. We had a big day on Saturday, making over 6 gallons in a bit over 7 hours, including a delay draining and reversing the syrup pan.

[The Back Forty]

I just pulled my taps down by Mankato. Between rain coming, my schedule and no sap running for the last few days, it's time to call it a year. More than doubled my syrup from last year though.... all the way up to 7.5 gallons!

And had a great time too!