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.