Central Ontario Tapping

Another 3 gallons of sap today. It has slowed. Just got in from burying sap pails in another snow bank. Last year had to import snow from the school parking lot down the road to keep the sap cool.

Finished off my first batch of 2017 today. I got 1.2L from 48L of sap, so a fairly respectable outcome.

One tree woke up today and gave me 3L, but the others were fairly quiet. A neighbour has offered up their trees and I put a total of three taps into two large sugar maples. I think I'll use more of their trees once the season really begins.

Thats awsome! first batch is always the funnest lol. i was supposed to start boiling tonight but just got home from work and its to late, ill try tommorow

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Galena

If you have snowbanks, esp on North side of house or shack, dig bunkers for sap storage. Some years ago a fellow MTer collected on a Saturday and realized he wouldn't have time to get to it. He told me on the following Tuesday (so 3 days later after collection) that this sap was available if I wanted it. I believe I went and took most of the sap that Wednesday, stored it in snow bunkers and got to it later on Thursday (5 days after collection) . It made an exceptionally lovely batch of late-season syrup. What I was unable to take - I took 16 of 25 gallons available - he kept and did boil up.

---

I had piled as much snow as I could around my storage barrels (north side of the house in shade), but with the constant 12C overnight, EVERYTHING is gone. I put a couple zip lock bags filled with ice cubes in overnight. I did a couple of hours of boiling tonight, and plan starting again tomorrow morning, but rain is in the forecast. Not good for us outside boilers.

Well this is a first... chased inside while boiling by a thunderstorm. Couldn't figure out what the flashing I was seeing was from. *insert political comment about global warming*

Guess a sugar shack is next.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wobbletop

Well this is a first... chased inside while boiling by a thunderstorm. Couldn't figure out what the flashing I was seeing was from. *insert political comment about global warming*

Guess a sugar shack is next.

---

Same thing just happened to me! Grabbed my two steam pans and went running in!

I wondered what all of the crashing and banging was! Lightning and thunder!

Getting thunderboomies right now though seems to be passing through, not much rain. Can't ever remember a February thunderstorm, always associated them with late summer and fall. Boilin down nearup of 55 l sap, expect approx 1.5l syrup.

Your first syrup of the season Galena! That's great. :)

First batch. Lightning storm was awsome.

Attachment 15698