Into the woods by 5:15 AM to cook. Planned to spend the day cooking. Checked the weather forecast. Tonight the temperature drops to the low-20s. Sap ran yesterday as the second part of the big run from Friday. It’s typical big runs occur over two days. With the low temperatures the sap would turn to ice in the buckets. Better to collect while it’s liquid. Larger quantities take longer to freeze. Smaller 10-12 quart pails readily freeze. Cooked until Noon, then collected 285 gallons.
We have approximately 550 gallons sap in storage tanks. Expecting it will take three days to cook. Three long days.
The day cooking.
7:00 AM 21 1/2”
8:00 AM 21”
9:00 AM 20”
9:10 AM batch
10:00 AM 18”
11:00 AM 16 ½”
12:00 PM 14 3/4”
Back to the farmhouse by 2:30 PM. Knocked off early to rest. Yesterday’s 16 ¼ hours was challenging.