8 degrees this morning.  Mostly sunny with a few clouds today.  High of 27.  We had lake effect snow too.  Sunny and no clouds yet snow flurries can only be caused by lake effect snow.  The March sun is warm and even though its below 32, in the direct sun there is some melt.  Maple syrup producers  using vacuum could be getting sap.

We are so thankful we collected when it was liquid or we would have had blocks of ice for several days.  The tank warmer worked.  No ice in the storage tank overnight.  The valve did freeze and needed the small propane torch to thaw. 

A year ago today the high was 78 degrees.  Today 27.   The five day forecast is for high temperatures in the upper 20s and lows in the teens to single digits.  This is not sap weather.  But at least cold weather does not end the season like warm weather does.  Tomorrow we get maybe 2” of snow.

Boiled all day.  Took five batches of syrup off the evaporator.  About every 2 hours we had syrup ready.  Boiled through 225 gallons today.  The tanks are empty.  And two milk cans are full of syrup waiting to be finished and bottled.