Snow must have started around 3:00 AM.  It snowed until 3:00 PM.  We got about 4 inches.  But we also had wind with it to blow the snow all around.  This was unexpected.   It was cold too: about 18.  We expected the cold but not the snow.    Even though it was cold and snowy we had work to do.

We had sap so we went into the woods to cook by 7:00 AM.  A slow start because our pipes were frozen.  Each year we re-lean that liquid does not flow up hill.   We didn’t properly drain the pipe last night so sap froze in it.   We took the pipe apart and actually held it over the fire in the evaporator to thaw out.

Three batches into the milk can.  Another 225 gallons boiled through.  225 remain for tomorrow.  Tomorrow is also cold.  Low around 10 with high about 25.

A truck arrived with our supplies: bottles, filter aid, hydrometer, R/O tank heater.    And we got our R/O membrane.  A neighbor picked it up for us when he got his supplies.   We will wait until the next run to use the R/O.

And the TV station came again this year to do a story.  Here is a link to that story.
http://fox11online.com/news/local/lakeshore/syrup-season-begins-early-in-manitowoc-county

Connected the gas tank so we can use the gas burners for heating water.   Moved the tank heater to the collecting tank so its ice free for tomorrow.

Back at the house by 6:00 PM.