Into the woods by 6:30 AM. Goal was to cook through the sap we collected yesterday. Washed pans and the concentrate tank. Tried to get the R/O going by 7:30 AM, but had to repair hose running to the water holding tank. It developed a crimp just above the fitting on the valve panel.

R/O ran from 7:45 AM to 1:50 PM. That left 9 1/2” of concentrate to cook out. Seven batches into the milk can.

While cooking looked at the filter press. Filled the finishing pan with R/O water and lit a burner to heat it. Then pumped hot water through press. Cycled through several times to get a good amount of hot water through it. Pumped normally. When we finished the filter papers were clean. No sugar build up. This verified the mechanical part of the press is working fine.

29 overnight. Cloudy and cold all day. Air temperature may have reached 34, but the ground stayed frozen. Tonight’s forecast is 21.

Back to the farmhouse by 5:45 PM.