Last Boil Requires Careful Balance

On March 28, 2021

In 2021: Season 104

36 overnight. Cloudy with snow flurries most of the day. Temperature reached 40, but with the wind it felt much colder. Forecast is 30 overnight and 50 tomorrow. But even if there is sap, with a low sugar content its not worth cooking.

Into the woods by 7:00 AM to cook. Brought a milk can of water to wash the syrup pan. Thought about skipping washing the pan because we only had 35 gallons to cook, but the pan had a buildup of nitre. Best to wash to avoid problems with boiling.

The last boil requires careful balance between getting the right amount of sap in pan so it won’t burn and not filling too much or its takes longer to empty and boil through the remaining sap Ideally we want ½” left in the pan.

Back to the farmhouse by 10:15 AM. Transitioning to clean up mode.

Taps
1/29/24 101
1/30/24 200
2/3/24 64
2/10/24 30
Total 395

Sap Gal Brix
1/31/24 310 1.5
2/03/24 375 1.5
2/05/24 325 1.5
2/07/24 300 1.5
2/12/24 340 1.5
2/15/24 440 1.5
2/21/24 235 1.5
2/22/24 200 1.5
2/26/24 470 1.5
2/27/24 240 1.5
3/02/24 210 1.5
3/04/24 230 1.25
3/07/24 70 1.25
Total 3745

Bottled Qt Pt 500 250 50
2/12/24 24 13
2/14/24 24 18
2/17/24 23 13
2/18/24 20 11
2/25/24 15 15 4 1
2/26/24 18 6 5
3/01/24 16 2 1
3/02/24 18 3 12
3/04/24 6 17
3/06/24 8 9
3/07/24 18 10
3/10.24 14 10
3/11/24 4 18
3/12/24 7 1
Total gals: 74

Tree Pressure
1/29/24 14 PSI
1/30/24 5 PSI
1/31/24 3 PSI
2/01/24 4 PSI
2/02/24 11 PSI
2/03/24 11 PSI
2/04/24 10 PSI
2/05/24 8 PSI
2/06/24 7 PSI
2/07/24 2 PSI
2/08/24 1 PSI
2/09/24 0 PSI
2/10/24 -1 PSI
2/11/24 7 PSI
2/12/24 6 PSI
2/13/24 -5 PSI
2/13/24 5 PSI
2/14/24 6 PSI
2/15/24 2 PSI
2/16/24 0 PSI
2/17/24 0 PSI
2/18/24 0 PSI
2/19/24 0 PSI
2/20/24 4 PSI
2/21/24 4 PSI
2/22/24 5 PSI
2/23/24 0 PSI
2/24/24 -5 PSI
2/25/24 6 PSI
2/26/24 8 PSI
2/27/24 2 PSI
2/18/24 -10 PSI
2/29/24 0 PSI
3/01/24 5 PSI
3/02/24 4 PSI
3/03/24 2 PSI
3/04/24 2 PSI
3/05/24 0 PSI
3/06/24 -5 PSI
3/06/24 3 PSI
3/07/24 0 PSI

Steps
1/29/24 8,067
1/30/24 15,762
1/31/24 12,543
2/01/24 16,846
2/02/24 4,730
2/03/24 14,354
2/04/24 11,190
2/05/24 10,557
2/06/24 10,799
2/07/24 8,778
2/08/24 8,876
2/09/24 3,552
2/10/24 11,453
2/11/24 5,625
2/12/24 11,276
2/13/24 10,541
2/14/24 7,027
2/15/24 7,728
2/16/24 12,378
2/17/24 5,835
2/18/24 5,055
2/19/24 1,617
2/20/24 5,267
2/21/24 8,084
2/22/24 11,464
2/23/24 8,429
2/24/24 3,448
2/25/24 4,729
2/26/24 10,204
2/27/24 18,023
2/28/24 8,623
2/29/24 8,639
3/02/24 8,031
3/03/24 7,274
3/04/24 7,267
3/05/24 7,542
3/06/24 8,324
3/07/24 8,053
3/08/24 6,136
3/09/24 5,643
3/10/24 4,944
3/11/24 9,461
3/12/24 9,131
3/13/24 11,253
3/14/24 5,035
3/15/24 8,806
3/16/24 5,515
3/17/24 2,064

Last Boil Requires Careful Balance

This Is Likely The End

Its All About Sugar Content