Started pulling spouts. Also reviewing how to prepare the membrane for off-season storage. The documentation that comes with the R/O contradicts itself in some places from one page to the next.
Rained overnight and drizzled during the day. In the 40s.
Warm again. About 40 overnight. Started out sunny. Up to 60. Clouds rolled in around 11:00 AM and the temperature dropped to mid-50s.
Into the woods at 8:00 AM. Back to the farmhouse by 3:15 PM. Could have been back sooner but worked on getting a 4th batch of syrup off the evaporator. It was close enough that we didn’t want to leave it and risk it getting to density as it simmered. That happened last year and we ruined a batch when it crystallized. Had too slow down firing so as not to burn it. We were able to get a small batch off.
This syrup has a stronger aroma and is darker in color. That’s normal. And some people like the darker syrup or use it for cooking. The delicate maple flavor will get overwhelmed in cooking with other ingredients. Up to now our syrup was a nice medium amber. The R/O helps make lighter grades because we can process the sap quicker.
25 overnight. That was unexpected. Sunny and warm today. Up to 60. The trees gave a small last run. The sap is not sweet: 1.4 °Bx which is 60:1. Picked up 230 gallons which will boil down to just under 4 gallons of syrup. It will likely be darker too, but that’s okay as people like the dark syrup for cooking.
When we emptied the pail we did not replace it on the spout. Instead we turned it over and set it on the ground to drain and dry. The pail stays by the tree so we know how many spouts are on the tree. If we moved the pail its likely we’ll miss a spout and the spout stays in the tree until we notice it while tapping next spring. The spout doesn’t hurt the tree, but it delays healing the tap wound.
Tomorrow we’ll cook. Then we get into cleanup mode. We have enough time this year for cleanup so it won’t be rushed.
Tomorrow is also warm: high 50s. Then rain is forecast for next week.
Cloudy all day until around 5:00 PM. Then the sun appeared. Its been a long stretch of cloudy days. Up to 43 but without the sun it feels cold. Taps wet, but nothing more.
Into the woods by 7:15 AM. R/O started by 8:30 AM. Finished 11:50 AM. 310 gallons. Finished cooking by 4:15 PM. Four batches into the milk can. Back to the farmhouse by 5:00 PM.
No snow overnight. Well, there was some if you looked carefully. We had rain. Not heavy rain, but wet all day. Tomorrow it starts warming to the 40s and 50s. With the weak sugar content our season should be over.
White frost this morning. Must have been down the 29 or 30. Saw the sunrise this morning. By 10:00 AM it got cloudy again. Checked the trees. Buckets had enough to collect. Headed out by 2:30 PM. Done by 5:15 PM. 310 gallons, but also low sugar. 1.5 °Bx. Thankful for the R/O.
Snow forecast overnight 1”-2” of wet heavy snow. Changes to a wintery mix and finally rain.
Saw the sun this morning. Afternoon turned cloudy again. About 35 overnight. 40 during the day. Tonight may freeze. We’ll see if that brings another run of sap. Either way this season is coming to the end.
Bottled today again. 18 quarts and 14 pints. Cleaning the burners helped. Took 2 hours on the fire to finish instead of over 3 hours.
Snow and a wintery mix is forecast Thursday evening.
The weather patten has changed. We’re getting a narrow temperature range: 38 for high, 34 lows. Without freezing nights the season is ending. Tuesday night is forecast to freeze. We’ll see what happens after that.
Bottled 24 quarts and 15 pints. Took 3 hours on the finishing pan, too long. It should take around 2 hours. We investigated and found out the propane tank was almost empty. We purchased a tank at the beginning of the season so we had gas on hand. Changed tanks so tomorrow’s finishing and bottling should go faster. Still 1 milk can full and another started.
Rain today. In the woods by 7:30 AM. R/O, cook, bottle. Done cooking by 1:30 PM. Three batches into milk can. Timed the syrup on the finishing pan to reach density after we completed cooking. It was ready by 2:30 PM. Filtered. Bottled. Clean-up. Back to the farmhouse by 4:00 PM. There are still 2 ½ milk cans to bottle.
The tinkling drip…drip…drip… today was from rain on the covers of the buckets.
Cloudy and 38 today. Drizzle around 4:00 PM. Cold wind from the north.
Into the woods by 7:00 AM to cook yesterday’s sap. R/O started at 8:15 AM and finished processing 415 gallons by 1:30 PM. Five batches into the milk can. Back at the farmhouse by 5:00 PM.
Put a can of syrup into the finishing pan at 10:45 AM. It was ready for bottling by 1:15 PM. 24 quarts and 12 pints.
The trees dripped overnight. About a quart in pails. The question was when to collect. With rain and warmer weather we didn’t want to leave sap in the buckets. Tomorrow, Sunday, its forecast to rain harder so we set out collecting at 3:00 PM. Came back with 170 gallons. Tested the sugar content: 1.25 °Bx. Quite low. Without the R/O that’s not feasible to cook. Its 69:1. We’ll run it through the R/O tomorrow and should end up with about 2 ½ gallons of finished syrup. With such low Brix we are close to the end of the season.
Next freezing nights are forecast for Tuesday. We’ll see what that gives us.
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