Thanks Russ, forecast does look good after monday.
Stayed above freezing last night so it ran enough overnight to push rinse water from last season out of the pipelines. Dumped about 60 gallons of sap out of the big tank and closed the valve at 7 AM for the season.
Snowshoed the bush through deep wet snow and there was enough flow to find all the leaks and patch up the squirrel bites and repair a few broken connectors. Think I got all the big problems fixed. Hung a few more buckets and got a few more things ready in the sugarhouse. My road is nice and muddy so maybe the trees will actually start running next week.
It ran maybe 50 gallons today (from 7 AM to 7 PM) and the buckets were still dripping slowly. Maybe the rain will help the thawing and beat the snow down a little. Looks like another slow day tomorrow as temps coast slowly downhill till the expected freeze on Sunday night.
2012: Probably 750 gravity taps and 50 buckets.
600 gal stainless milk tank.
2 - 100 gallon stock tanks
one 30 gal barrel
50 buckets
3' x 10' Waterloo Raised Flue wood fired evaporator w/ open pans.
12" x 20" Filter Canner
Sawmill next to sugarhouse solves my sugarwood problem
Gather with GMC 3500 2wd Pickup w/ 425 gallon Plastic Tank.
Been tapping here in Lyman NH since 1989 but I've been sugaring since 8 years old in 1968.