March 23rd...I am caught up. I can respond to threads. First of all I need the recipe for maple old fashions. I will be looking for that online. I also monitor my sugar content with each collection. Yup, I also run a hillbilly operation (no offense to hillbillies). I have a personal relationship with a few of my trees. Some always are low production, some on the edge of a rock outcropping are always high. One has a spring running from underneath it yearlong. Very interesting. I have never taken my hydrometer with me to get a reading from some of my trees. I figure it would be broke before I got back to my base camp. This year I could not get a reading over 2.5 per cent but still got good final results in my 6 final "finishes." My last batch of the season which was sap from Saturday until noon Sunday when we pulled taps, began with 35 gallons of sap and we got close to a gallon of syrup (7 pints). Go figure.
I also believe the location of the trees this year was more relevant this year than some. Trees further down my hillside gave more than those right up on top that probably suffered with all those warm sunny days. Reading about 800 feet of straight up puts a smile on my face because those trees of mine located down the hills made me walk this year back up with full buckets. Not complaining but I haven't forgotten that the first part of my season was trailblazing with snowshoes. And there were times I was pausing way too often to catch my breath. Sunday evening we finished for the day at around 8:30 p.m. and as we walked from the sugar shack up (why is everything located up) to the house we also heard peepers in the pond. Spring is here.
To help you spend a few more hours at your computer, check out Backyard Maple Syrup Maker on facebook. My wife found it and we laugh at pictures of burned pans, funny stories, and responses to questions that are asked. It is very family friendly. Some good ideas are also offered, things I will try next year. Best regards to all of you in Vernon County.
2019 47 taps and 10.75 gallons of syrup
2020 45 taps and 21.25 gallons of syrup
2021 50 taps and 13.5 gallons of syrup
2022 50 taps and 18.5 gallons of syrup
2023 49 taps and 18 gallons of syrup
2024 49 taps and 9.75 gallons of syrup
56 acres above the Mississippi River in SW Wisconsin
43.01N