Category: 2009: Season 92

We started tapping.  Good weather today.  Sunny and 37 degrees.  Arrived in Wisconsin about 12:30.  By 2:00 pm we were in the woods.  Got the tapper started.  It sat unused since last season.   But it started up after few pulls.  We stored it inside this year so it was not cold when we tried to get it running.  Loaded up the tractor with buckets and covers and headed out to the south of the syrup building.  We got 75 taps out by 4:30.   The sap is moving in the trees already.  After drilling the hole for the spout sap starts to run out.   

There is always some apprehension about the time to start tapping.  Don’t want to start too early as tap hole could dry up with a long period of no sap runs.  But waiting too long risks missing an early sap run.    The sap is already moving in the trees so we should be OK.   

This coming weekend rain and sloppy weather is forecast.  March is a month of change.  In a month from now all the snow on the ground will pretty much be gone and syrup season over.  March comes in like a lion and finishes up like a lamb. 

March is coming.  Anticipation for the new maple syrup season is building.  We have had a “proper” winter again:  snowy and cold December through Feburary.  In December alone we had about 42″ of snow.   And through the end of February the total is 78″.   5″ to 10″ of snow is actually forecast for WI today and tomorrow. 

The buckets are washed.  We are planning on making a supply run this week.  We need bottles.  And a part for our filter press.   Hopefully next week we will start tapping.    We never know what the weather will bring but we are always hopeful.

You can follow along here as we will post updates of our daily activities.