Northern Ontario 2022

I tapped yesterday. Two trees were trying to run. I have 1 spile leftover. I missed a tree somewhere, now to figure out where it is.

Today was supposed to be mostly sunny and +7 by noon time. It was very foggy this morning and is still really overcast and the temperature only +2. I thought today the taps would be gushing but that is not the case. The lines are dripping, but at this rate I will not have enough to boil tomorrow.

I had hoped a sunny warm day would have helped to melt the ice in the barrels. Ice floats and it is blocking me from pumping out the barrels. I used my ice spud to break up the large pieces in the barrels. I am tempted to take the ice out, but because all of the sap froze, my feeling is that I would be throwing out sap with the water. I might take it out and let it melt in a pail.

I did walk the lines and fixed some air leaks. Early this morning expecting a warm day I brought a lot of the accessories to the evaporator shelter thinking maybe a might do a boil late morning. I also did a final cleaning of the steam pans with white vinegar and a good rinse.

What I am finding is the things that I have control over such as my forms on my ATV trailer to hold the pails, and the quick connect cord going from the ATV to the pump all is working great. Things that you cannot control like the weather and or a brand new pump for the RO not working, are the challenges that you have work around.

Tonight will stay above zero so the taps should flow into the evening, but may shutdown tomorrow.

63 taps in since yesterday and 1 tree in full sun dripping +3*c for the past 2 days and rising in the next few days, snow levels are going quick. If we get the temperatures forecast for the next week things should open up.
+10*c and sun tomorrow and sun friday might even get things going but slim chance.
I'm aiming for 80 to 90 taps which will be tomorrow's job and lots of sap:lol:

Being my first year, I thought once they started flowing, away we go. Today did not get near as warm as forecasted. One set of pails (9 taps,7 buckets) yielded one gallon and another set of pails (27 taps, 17 pails) yielded 2 gallons. So although it is flowing, it is not flowing fast. I checked with some other locals and it is still slow for them as well. We have so much snow still.

The lines are doing a little better.

I removed the ice from the barrels and poured out the sap into pails. I am hoping that, plus what I gather in the morning, will be enough for my first boil. The sap was still running in the lines at dusk and the temperature will stay above freezing, so maybe it will run for a little while longer.

Edit: 8:45 pm, temp 3.4° C, the sap is still running in the lines.
Edit: 9:45 pm, temp 3.2° C, the sap is still running in the lines.
Edit: 10:45 pm, temp 2.8° C, the sap is still running in the lines. I heard my first spout hissing tonight. Tapped it and 95% of the sound disappeared, but I could not get the last little bit to stop.
Edit: 11:45 pm, temp 2.6°, the sap is still running well in the lines. It would be nice if there were close to 20+ gallons in the morning, in addition to what I have for my first boil.
Edit: 12:45 am, temp 2.5°, the sap is still running, maybe slowing a bit. It will be interesting to see if it is running when I wake up and if it is, how long does it run for, without the temperature not dropping below freezing overnight

Bedtime, big boil tomorrow!

All tapped in 85 in total and sap flowing in smaller trees, nothing in 20" or bigger
Full sun and +12*c today and the next few days look decent

hey ,just saw your post,,, kinda funny we're pulling taps here in Connecticut , hope you do well ,we have nights in the 40's and days in the 50/60's

These were my edits last night:

Edit: 8:45 pm, temp 3.4° C, the sap is still running in the lines.
Edit: 9:45 pm, temp 3.2° C, the sap is still running in the lines.
Edit: 10:45 pm, temp 2.8° C, the sap is still running in the lines.
Edit: 11:45 pm, temp 2.6°, the sap is still running well in the lines.
Edit: 12:45 am, temp 2.5°, the sap is still running,

The sap ran all night and despite not dropping below freezing overnight ran all day. Not much in the buckets, but there were 17 gallons from the lines in the morning and I got 9 more gallons part way through the day.

I boiled today for my first time ever and boiled 45 gallons. I will finish the nearup tomorrow.

With my RO down, I am sort of glad for the slow sap flow.

585 tapped
Pulled 150 gallons out of the woods tonight
Slow start to the year for sure

It has not dropped below zero the last two nights, but the sap has kept running, however slowly.

The pails are two days worth, the first area 9 taps, 7 pails = 2 gallons, the second area 27 taps, 17 pails = 10.5 gallons. The collection barrels for one day, 8 gallons, 8 gallons and 9 gallons. I have 40 gallons, plus whatever I collect tomorrow, to maybe boil tomorrow. Tonight will stay above zero as well. There will be some rain to help get rid of some of the snow.

Today, my beaten down paths to the pails were soft and I sunk through several times, well past my knee, falling twice.

I finished the sap I boiled yesterday, this afternoon. It went well.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0e9N...cBPKK_4FP3kxtQ

430 taps. Close to 100 gallons total sap. Enough to sweet the pans. Slow start for sure. Really want to test out the new and improved vacuum filter.