Category: 2013: Season 96 Page 3 of 4

Down to 9 last night again.  It was sunny today but only reached 21.   Tonight is also cold.  We are still hoping for a weekend warm up.

Into the woods by 9:45 AM to get a milk can of syrup on the finishing pan.  Its cold in the syrup building.  We took in the water milk cans yesterday because they would freeze in the woods.  That meant filling 5 gallons pails and walking over to the woods with them for water.  We need water to clean up after bottling.

Takes about 2 hours to get a milk can of syrup boiling on the gas burner.  Bottled 30 quarts: 7 ½ gallons.  We have 30 gallons for the season so far.

Cold again.  15 overnight.  Sunny, windy today.  High about 27.  The wind blew around yesterday’s snow.  Plowed the yard this morning.  Tractor started right away.

A Girl Scout troop came late this afternoon to see the maple syrup operation.  Since we could not show them collecting or cooking we showed them bottling.  Got the syrup in the finishing pan about 2:45 PM.  By 5:15 PM we were bottling.   A big batch: 9 ½ gallons.  The milk can was full.

The forecast looks promising for this weekend: upper 30s.  But long range there is more talk about snow for next Monday.

We got 4 ½” of snow today.  Started snowing just before noon.  By 6:30 PM is was pretty much done.  Not too cold last night, only about 27.  Up to 31 or 32 today.  Tonight is colder again.  We may get warming by Friday and into the weekend.

8 degrees this morning.  Mostly sunny with a few clouds today.  High of 27.  We had lake effect snow too.  Sunny and no clouds yet snow flurries can only be caused by lake effect snow.  The March sun is warm and even though its below 32, in the direct sun there is some melt.  Maple syrup producers  using vacuum could be getting sap.

We are so thankful we collected when it was liquid or we would have had blocks of ice for several days.  The tank warmer worked.  No ice in the storage tank overnight.  The valve did freeze and needed the small propane torch to thaw. 

A year ago today the high was 78 degrees.  Today 27.   The five day forecast is for high temperatures in the upper 20s and lows in the teens to single digits.  This is not sap weather.  But at least cold weather does not end the season like warm weather does.  Tomorrow we get maybe 2” of snow.

Boiled all day.  Took five batches of syrup off the evaporator.  About every 2 hours we had syrup ready.  Boiled through 225 gallons today.  The tanks are empty.  And two milk cans are full of syrup waiting to be finished and bottled.

Down to 18 overnight.  We had 3” of snow.  Started cloudy with snow flurries then cleared around 10:00 AM.  While it was sunny, temperature only reached 28.  But the warm March sun did generate some melt.

Into the woods by 8:30 AM.  Cleaned the syrup pan. Then started to boil.  Took off four batches of syrup.  At one point it was only 1 ¾ hours between batches.  We tested the sap sweetness.  It was 3.4 brix.  Average is about 2.0 brix so this was sweet.   That’s why were were drawing off so frequently. 

200 gallons done.  200 gallons remain in the storage tank.  We put a warmer in the tank for tonight.  This is our first time trying it. This warmer is the used for cattle and horses to keep their drinking tanks ice free.   Its forecast to go down to the single digits tonight.  Without a warmer we would have a lot of ice.

Forecast for the next week is still cold: doesn’t break 30.  And Monday snow is still forecast.

The tractor ran out of fuel in the woods while we were collecting.   We checked the fuel level before we started the tractor and it was good.   We were almost done when it ran out.  We heard the engine sputter and then it stopped.  The big question was would it start?  Given the problems we had we were concerned.   It did not start.  It would not even turn over.  So we were out in the woods with a dead tractor.  Jumping it does not work well.  The tractor is 6 volt.  Cars and trucks are 12 volt.  12 volt jumping to 6 volt is problematic and potentially dangerous.  We were close enough to the building that we could string together three extension cords so we could connect the battery charger.    But even after charging it would not turn over.   So we had 125 gallons of sap in the tank and dead tractor.   It was getting dark and snow was forecast.   We got a hold of someone with a 4 wheel drive truck.  Connected the tow rope and pulled it.  Within  a few feet it started.   Got the tank of sap back to the building.  And the tractor to the garage.   Its not clear what’s wrong with the tractor.  Its never started this hard. 

About 27 overnight.  Up to 36 today.  Cloudy and snow showers all day, but not an accumulation of snow.  We may get snow tonight.   We did see the sun for an hour or so late this afternoon. 

We bottled 6 ½ gallons of syrup this morning.  We checked the buckets and the ice had melted.  Its forecast to be below freezing the next few days.  Since the sap is liquid now we wanted to collect it.  Picked up 425 gallons of sap.

Cold overnight again.  Single digits maybe 8.  Sunny during the day.  Up to 35.  By Noon we got a little melt.  Some trees tried to run.  But when it gets so cold it takes time for them to warm up.

Prepared the kitchen for bottling:  started the propane gas, washed the filter press,  brought over bottles, filter aid and other supplies for bottling.  By 2:30 PM we were finally ready to get the syrup on the finishing pan.   Takes about 2 hours to reach a boil and finish.  It starts about 30 brix and needs to get to 32 brix for finished syrup.

We bottled 16 quarts and 26 pints:  7.5 gallons.  One pint bottle broke.  Likely a flaw in the glass that caused it to break when the hot syrup hit it. 

We hope to collect tomorrow before the snow moves in.  We are forecast to get 2”-4”.  And then it stays below freezing for the next few days.  And another chance of snow on Monday.  Not exactly the weather we need.

It was cold last night.  Thermometer said 18 this morning, but it must have been colder overnight as the evaporator had ice on it.  It was sunny, but cold all day.  Might have reached 34 late this afternoon as there was some melt.  Very glad we collected yesterday otherwise we would have solid ice in the buckets.

The tanks did have a thin layer of ice.  The concern was now the pipes.  The pipes were empty, but when you run liquid through cold pipes it can freeze up.  So we warmed the pipes before trying to open the valves.  Used the heating tape outside and the small propane touch inside to warm the pipes.  It worked: when we opened the values the sap flowed from the tanks.

Boiled all day.  Four batches of syrup into the milk can.  About every 2 ½ hours a batch was ready.  We boiled through 260 gallons in 12 hours so that’s 22 gallons an hour.

Tonight is cold again: forecast is for 8.   Friday we could get several inches of snow.

Down to 28 last night.  Re-froze all the melt from the prior days rain.  And we had maybe  1/2” of snow.  Up to 36 today and partly sunny.  We had a few lazy snow flakes at times.  At 2:00 PM we headed out to collect.  The tractor started right away!    We had some concern there would be a lot of ice in the buckets.  There was not a lot of ice.  It did not drop below freezing until after mid-night.  And when the sun did appear it help melt.  We collected 260 gallons of sap.   There was rain mixed in with the sap too.  We may have to boil longer.  Tonight it gets colder: in the teens.  Glad the buckets are empty and ready for fresh sap. 

For reference, last year’s season, 2012,  March 12th was about the end of the season due to the warm weather.

Emptied the storage tanks today.  Took three batches of syrup off the evaporator.  The milk can is almost full.  We still need to finish it on the gas finishing pan and bottle. 

Didn’t seem to freeze overnight.  Today was still cloudy with a few shows.  Up to 37.  Around noon sleet started to fall.  By late this afternoon it turned to snow.   We are due for an inch or so. 

We should have collected this afternoon.  Some buckets are half full and its turning colder.  That means ice.  If we collected today it would have been liquid.

We did try starting the tractor this afternoon.  We didn’t need it for anything; we were just testing.  It started!   We hope this continues.