Willow Creek Sugarhouse 2017

[red maples]

still going I think the next couple of days will be the end of the buckets low pressure system usually will keep them going for an extra day. There are no freezes left in the forecast down here not even close. there was one for saturday but that changed. so when the Vacuum runs dry I will be done I guess. Would have been nice for us southern guys to get a couple of days of consistent sap weather. very up and down here. not a terrible year like last year but kind of a drawn out tough slug of year. its not over yet but getting very close. final push to the end!!! good luck everybody!!!

Next year I will be ready earlier so I can hit the January thaw if it comes.

anyone get Bascom's openhouse flyer yet? wondering when what weekend it is so I can try to plan.

Sox won opening day!!! go Sox!!!

[Russell Lampron]

How did the sap run for you today? If it was anything like here you should have gotten some sap today.

[red maples]

Oh yeah sap ran great today. All season long it has been 1 freeze and 3+ days no freeze, then totally freeze up for 3 days then no night freeze for 3 to 5 days. Been a vacuum season. Down here yet again.

[Russell Lampron]

Every year it's the vacuum that saves my season. This year I didn't put out any buckets and with the weather we've had I'm glad that I didn't. Good luck with the rest of your season.

My magic number is "34". That's how many gallons of syrup I need to make to meet my goal.

[red maples]

since last night my magic number is down to 18 to reach my goal. still a slight chance. with 5 + gallons in the evap. and vac is still going!!!

[Russell Lampron]

Good luck Brad. I hope you make it.

[red maples]

Well still going. Pulled all gravity and buckets on Thursday. but no peepers and buds are swelling but its been pretty cool no frosts since I don;t even remember. been averaging 170 gallons of sap a day on vacuum sugar is still at 1%. haven't boiled since Wednesday night. So I have 500 + gallons get that ROed and boiled out on Sunday.

guessing the peepers will start up tomorrow or monday. I think I might call it quits on sunday night and just boil any remaining sap on monday afternoon and boil out any remaining sweet on tuesday. I won't be able to keep it cool anymore since we are going to be in the 70's mon and tuesday.

I am 82 gallons as of wednesday night so hopefully I will get 6 to 8 gallons out of what I have 3-4 gallons out of the evap and finish arounf 95 gallons only 5 gallons off my goal. I'll take it. long season though. thank goodness for vacuum!!!!

[Russell Lampron]

This has been another strange season. I hope that there is enough sugar in your sap to get you as close to your goal as possible.

I called it a season yesterday. I exceeded my goal of 175 gallons by 2 1/2 gallons and still need to finish the evaporator.

[red maples]

just finished had a total of 570 gallons for today. Warm in the sugarhouse today. but listening to the red sox game was good. made another 8 gallons and it lightened up from (25 is Very dark cut off) 35 to 43 on the "Hanna" scale. only 5 points off of my lightest this year which was 47(49 dark cutoff ) . most of which was around the 35 to 40 mark. Syrup still tastes good.

still going!!! I was gonna cut the Vac today but the sap is going!!! we got a little freeze last night and I got about 200 gallons of sap today. I might throw a bucket of sap in the chest freezer and add it to the stock tank in the morning its in the RO room which is insulated maybe I can keep it cool enough to keep things going!!! I have plenty of wood so might as well keep going!!!

[Russell Lampron]

If I had plenty of wood I would have waited until today to end the season. After finishing the evaporator this morning I have about enough wood left for a good campfire.

Go as long as you can. I think the warm weather tomorrow and Tuesday is going to make the trees bud here.