Category: 2011: Season 94

Out to the woods by 9:00 AM.  Started the day by breaking more trails to the west of the building for the tractor.  Wow, that was a lot of work.   It was warmer and rainy today: upper 30’s with rain sprinkles.  So the snow was wet and heavier.  We could not drive the tractor through it to break a trail because the snow accumulated under the wheels.  Had to use the bucket to take a scoop of snow, back out because there was no place to dump it on this trail, then go back up the trail for the next scoop.   There was still enough wet snow under the wheels to make steering difficult.   The tractor does not have power steering so you are constantly wrestling with the steering wheel to get it to go where you want, and not where the snow takes it.

Got 25 taps out before lunch.  During lunch changed into dry T-shirts.   They were not wet from the rain, but rather from sweating.   A damp or wet T-shirt or socks or anything when working outside in the cold makes it very uncomfortable.  

This afternoon we put our 100 more taps.  Actually 99.  One bucket fell off the tractor and got run over.  

The 5 to 7 day weather forecast  looks like cold weather yet.  Low 30’s.   Tuesday we may get a snow storm.

The day got off to a slow start.  Went to start the tractor.  Nothing happens.  The battery is dead.  The charger was on the battery two days ago so its not even holding a charge.   We took the battery out and went to Fleet Farm to get a new battery.  That was $45.00 which is a pretty good price.  With the new battery the tractor started fine.  But the tractor runs rough.  It takes  15 to 20 minutes to warm up to run properly.

Made it into the woods about 1:00 PM to break some trails with the tractor.  That was slow going.  There is not a lot of snow in the woods.  10” maybe.  But the tractor chugs along through it.  It rocks from side to side as the wheels spin down for traction.  And with the narrow front wheels it tends to snow plow rather then roll through.

The tapper, which sat unused for a year, started on five pulls.  Its such a hardy device.   Finally we got 50 buckets and headed out. 

The sap is moving in the trees.  Sap started flowing when we tapped.  We got the 50 taps out.  One way or another we were going to get some taps out today.

The weather during the next few days is a wintery mix.  Snow changing to rain changing back to snow.  Sunday looks good.  But next week a major snow storm may move in.  We’ll see.

Back to WI to get the maple season under way.  Arrived in Green Bay about 12:40 PM.  From the plane we see all the snow covered fields and forests.  It looks pretty.  But we know changes are coming.  It was sunny, bright and cold today.   However the suns rays are getting stronger and starting to warm.  The weather will break soon and we want to be ready for early sap runs.  This afternoon we brought all the washed buckets up from the basement.  Tomorrow we plan to start tapping.

The 2011 Maple Syrup Season will start soon.  We plan to tap the week of 1 March.  Our supplies are ordered and at hand.  The buckets are washed.  We had a proper winter with snow and cold.  Even the Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl.   Now we wait for the weather to break from the cold grip of winter to the changeable weather pattern of March that maple trees need to give us their sap.