tapped yesterday later in the afternoon and every tree was dripping. Snow in the forecast...........go figure hey?
Zucker Lager
Game on. We put in 42 taps on Saturday (3/13), and less than 24 hours later, we had 41 gallons of sap. Some taps produced almost 2 gallons in less than a day. Of course others were dogs -- the usual ones in the woods where there is still a foot of snow. Looks like a fantastic week. Wishing everyone strong shoulders, easy toting, dry firewood, fun camaraderie, and good cooking with no mishaps.
Collected 148 gallons for the past week on 30 taps almost every bucket was full, very busy weekend boiling. Drew off 4 gallons of syrup.
Bryan
Great run last week. Collected 200+ gallons on 48 taps, with many buckets overflowing. On Saturday afternoon alone, got two gallons on a couple of taps. That's a lot of drips. Sugar content was pretty good -- made about 7 gallons of nice syrup. Beautiful weather for watching sap boil. Now it's all shut down. Still maybe 8" of snow in the woods, in some places. I think we'll get one more nice run later in the week. As always, going back to work with chapped, slivered, gouged, and blackened hands, and searching for the least arduous method for cleaning pans.
Cleaning pans reminded me of a old timer telling me when he was a young guy, his dad put him in charge of watching the syrup pan and well his mind wandered and burnt the pan. He said his dad made him scrub it out with sand while standing in the Kickapoo river in March.That was the last time he burnt that pan.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
Don't let that other sap fool you. He's already found the easiest method for cleaning pans. Leave camp and the pans behind. Let little brother clean em. Actually, I filled pans with water, sprinkled some borax on them, COVERED THEM to keep the steam in, and let them simmer for a few hours. Rinsed pretty darn clean.
I'm starting to wonder if the season is over? We had a pretty significant warm-up Sunday-Wednesday. Last two nights have been below freezing, but still not a drop from any of the taps. Could it be? Season is over?
All done for the year, pulled the taps April 1st, was a good year for me made 9.7 gallons on 31 taps on a new Smokey Lake Dauntless Evaporator.
Bryan
Ten day forecast seems to have changed over nite. Looks like we'll be tapping soon. Probably start tapping Presque Isle area March 18??? Could be a short season. Already starting a week later than last year.
Had to get the blower on my loader to open up the roads into the woods. Still frozen in here. As usual still have too much to do before I start haha. Good luck Twosaps. Jay
Zucker Lager