Started the evaporator at 5:15 am. By 10:15 the large tank as empty. By 1:30 pm or so we had our first syrup of this season bottled. Total bottled was 14 quarts and 1 pint. By 6:00 pm all the tanks were empty and we were back in the house.

But….at 11:30 am it started snowing. We only had a brief period of sleet, so the line of cold air was farther south then expected. Yesterday’s forecasts gave us a longer period of sleet and rain until late afternoon before turning to snow. But we had just about all snow. The wind picked up too. We were snug and warm in the syrup building boiling away. We had to go out to get wood and occasionally check the level of sap in the tanks. But mostly we were warm and content. When we came out of the woods we realized it was quite a storm. The roads were drifting over. Visibility was low because of blowing and drifting snow. It looks like we will end up with 6-8 inches.

Today’s count

14 quarts, 1 pint of finished syrup

6-8 inches snow