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Thread: Crawford County 2019

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Prairie du Chien, WI
    Posts
    201

    Default Crawford County 2019

    Monday, March 11th. The season has begun on Irish Ridge. Spent the day putting in 47 taps. A few dry taps, lower down the north facing ridge but any trees getting even a little sun light were warm to the touch today and dripping - some fast and some slow. At the end of the day the pants were wet to a spot just above the knees. Even saw my first bug crawling on the bark of a tree. On a side note I actually like the new and improved Intellicast/weather underground weather site online. Their 10 day forecast gives lots of information. A friend stopped by today to see how it is done. He has three trees in the yard just outside of Prairie du Chien. He wants to start small. I'll keep readers informed of that potential circus as well. All for today; I need to leave now and find some Alieve so I can walk vertical and without announcing each move with a soft ohhhh or awghhh.
    Last edited by Irish Ridge; 03-11-2019 at 06:26 PM.
    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

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    West branch Kickapoo River Valley, Southwestern Wisconsin
    Posts
    192

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    Irish ridge I see you decided to get them taps in, so you are ahead of me, guess I might miss the first run but will hope for lots of sap after the 16th.I have a silver maple tapped in my back yard and when I checked it at 8.00 pm still only a few drips in the bottom of the pail. Its 9.15 pm hope the Alieve is working by now. God Bless,
    12x16 Sugar House 2x6 Maple Pro wood fired evaporator Arctic Cat 4x4 1980 Snowmobile 225 taps on buckets 17 Taps on 3/16th tubing on steep hillside

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Prairie du Chien, WI
    Posts
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    Thursday, March 14th. Sure, the tap holes were wet when drilled. Sure, some were even dripping. Sure, my hopes were high. What I found this morning collecting was a different story. A few next to empty buckets, a few with a gallon or more, and the majority in between. A total of 15 gallons from 47 taps were collected. It was definitely the trees higher up on the ridge producing sap. Taking Friday off and will head back out Saturday morning. With the high wind gusts today hopefully not too many of my buckets will be laying sideways Saturday morning. The Saturday morning collection will determine if there is a fire in the afternoon. Nothing else to report except a possum taking a walk across the front yard and a sighting of about 30 robins touching down for a bit until they left for wherever it is they were heading.
    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

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Lancaster, Wisconsin
    Posts
    25

    Default

    We tapped our's also on Monday the 11th. Exactly one year and one day since we finished last year. What a difference in seasons!! We've got 140 taps in and about 80 gallons of sap so far to show for it. We want to get at least 200 to 300 gallons of sap before we try out the new to us RO. Good luck to all!! Spike
    Either lead, follow or get out of the way!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Prairie du Chien, WI
    Posts
    201

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    Saturday, March 16th. The morning started with a walk through the woods straightening up pails that recent winds had blown over. Since everything (which wasn't much) in the pails was frozen I didn't bother to collect ice. We'll see tomorrow if the today's weather could get the sap flowing again. The rest of the morning was spent readying base camp. Might just have plenty of wood for next year at this rate.
    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

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    West branch Kickapoo River Valley, Southwestern Wisconsin
    Posts
    192

    Default

    I was thinking the same thing on firewood, That is about the only good thing with a short syrup season.Less work for 2020.
    12x16 Sugar House 2x6 Maple Pro wood fired evaporator Arctic Cat 4x4 1980 Snowmobile 225 taps on buckets 17 Taps on 3/16th tubing on steep hillside

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Prairie du Chien, WI
    Posts
    201

    Default

    Monday, March 18th. Got out to the woods early and that was a good thing because I found on average over a gallon of sap per tap. By mid morning my paths were so soft and muddy I was all done trying to get through them. Was once warned that all four wheel drive does is let you get stuck further off the road. The decision was made to play it safe and get my fire on instead. Beautiful day for manning a sugar bush. Took tests on my sap and was very pleased to find 3 plus per cent sugar content on the sap. Worked until after dark and am looking forward to Tuesday.
    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

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Prairie du Chien, WI
    Posts
    201

    Default

    Tuesday, March 19th. Got on the trails early and collected while the ground was still half way frozen. It's nice being able to walk on the firm crust of snow while collecting sap. It is the sinking in every so often that stinks. Hey, the sap is flowing, really flowing. Well over a gallon a tree overnight. Had the fire going all day and at the end of the night we took off three gallons to finish inside on the first rainy or slow day. Very little wind all day and lots of sun. Geese flying over all morning. Might not believe it but pelicans every so often as well. And last, we watched a pair of blue birds check out their house from last year. Keep the fire hot.
    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

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Prairie du Chien, WI
    Posts
    201

    Default

    Wednesday, March 20th. A nice crust of firm snow remains while collecting sap by hand. Lines would sure be nice. Sap continues to flow at over a gallon per tap per 24 hours. We remain caught up with all collected sap in the pan at the end of the day. Once again the bluebirds checked out last years home. Today, the blue skies were also exchanged for clouds and damp conditions using the elbow/knees pain scale.
    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

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Prairie du Chien, WI
    Posts
    201

    Default

    Thursday, March 21st. Spoiler alert. Just got out of the woods with a long face. My trees produced on average, a yield of one pint of sap per tree. Multiply that by 47 taps and there is no need to boil today. Snow in the woods has turned soft and wet. Where there is no snow just lots of wet leaves and mud. A free spring day for me, not by choice.
    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

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