Its cold working outside. It was about 11 or 12 today with a north wind. We started the day getting the power tapper running. It sat in a cold garage all winter long. It took quite a few pulls plus cleaning the spark plug to get it running. We headed into the woods about 9:00. Loaded the tractor with buckets, covers and spouts. Then headed deep into the woods out of the wind. The sun was shining bright and the rays warm even though the air was cold. As we moved from tree to tree drilling holes, driving in spouts and hanging buckets we got quite warm. Although we perspire, we can’t take off any layers because of the cold. Its OK as long as we move, but the cold penetrates if we stand still for too long. The snow makes walking hard. We break though the crust and sink in about 8” or 10”. So why do we tap when the weather seems so adverse? Because the sap is already running in the trees. As the sun warmed the trees the sap starting flowing. As the hole was drilled sap starting flowing out. It froze quickly once it met the cold air, but the trees are ready. The weather forecast for the next week is for mid to high 30s during the day and freezing nights of 25 or so. That is sap weather. And we want to be ready.

Today’s count:
115 taps out.
2 buckets run over (and ruined) by the tractor.
1 pair of gloves soaked (and ruined) when the gas can for the tapper leaked.