MapleAcres

Its started.  Season 99.

Buckets and spouts all washed during the off-season. 

We had a warmish winter because of El Nino.  We had some days below zero, but a lot days above normal and some even above freezing.  Not a lot of snow:  about half of normal totals.  Because of the warmer winter we expect an earlier season.    There is still frost in the ground in the woods, but not as deep as the past two seasons when we had very cold winters.  

Today’s forecast was upper 40s and sunny.  That’s maple weather.  We had a crew of 5 lined up to tap.  Started  tapping by 8:00 AM.  It goes fast with a big crew.  One drilling holes. Followed by another setting the tap and two more following the buckets and covers.  By 11:30 AM we had 400 taps out.  After luch we finised tapping by 2:00 PM.  500 taps.  That’s the most taps we’ve had in 30+ years. 

By 10:00 AM the sap was moving in the trees.  There were dripping fast after the spout was in.  Although a fresh tap will always run a lot because you are releasing the pressure.  The forecast is no freezing overnight so Sunday or Monday we may collect already.  Next week it turns colder again, so we want to pickup liquid when we have it.

Waiting to get our R/O membrane back from cleaning.  We sent it off mid-June.  We expected it back by Sept or Oct so it could ship without worry of freezing.   No such luck.  It arrived at our equipment dealer in mid-Jan, but we couldn’t ship it then because of the cold.  Neighbors are heading to the equipment dealer next week and will pickup the membrane for us.  We are so disappointed with the customer service of our R/O manufacturer.

Tractor troubles again.  Oh no!  The tractor started and ran fine since we had the electrical re-done two  years ago.    Even today it ran fine with several start/stops as we moved through the woods tapping.    After the second stop after lunch it would not start.  Not even turn over.  We thought it might be the starter because the lights worked demonstrating we had power.  One of the crew had a Jeep so we transfered bucket/covers to it to finish tapping.  This worked because of the low snow depth in the woods.   Cousin David stopped out after his work.  He is also a mechanic.  He  got his tools and came back to look at the tractor.   Methodically tested each part of path to start the tractor. Took out the started and battery to test back on the work bench.  Starter fine. Battery dead.   Charged the battery and returned to the tractor in the woods to re-assemble and test.   Tractor started right up.  But the question remains: why did the battery suddenly go dead?   This makes us nervous and we’ll need to monitor it during the season.

Bottled the last of the syrup today.  81 gallons for the season.  Above average.

All the buckets and covers are in.  Finishing and bottling pan clean.  R/O back in the house.  Tomorrow we finish washing milk cans, bring back various utensils and the syrup.  Wash the floor and take down the clock and unplug the radio.  By 1:00 PM we leave for the airport.

Song of the season:  Fight Song, Rachel Platten

For the third consecutive year we were caught in the rain while cleaning the evaporator.   It did not rain as hard as past years and we were almost done, none the less we were still in the cold rain.  You just accept you will get cold and wet and carry on because it has to get done.  The evaporator is clean and shiny.

Storage tanks are cleaned.  Pipes down.  Bucket of spouts back to the house.    Bottled around 4:00 PM again.  One last bottling tomorrow.

We had thunder storms overnight with rain.  Rain again tonight with a wintery mix.  Tomorrow it warms to 50 and next week in the 60s.  In some way we want to get the buckets out of the woods.  We may have to let them dry at the house, but we want them out of the woods.

Started the day by taking down the remaining 100 or so buckets and spouts.  Finished by 10:30 AM.   It rained overnight so the buckets from Monday have water on their bottom rim.  We turn the buckets upside down, but the rim on the bottom collects rain.  Now we have to wait for the sun to dry them.

Next cleaned the syrup pan on the evaporator.  Its nice an shiny again.    Also drained the R/O and took out the membrane.  The membrane will go back the manufacturer for cleaning during off-season.

Bottled at 3:00 PM.  We still have to bottle two more times.  We should end up with around 80 gallons of syrup for the season.

Into the woods by 10:30 AM.   Started the R/O wash cycle first, then started cleaning the evaporator.  Empty the sap.  Take off the flue pan and rinse.  Replace the flue pan.  Get a tank of water and fill the flue pan with water.  Start the fire.  While the water warms, boil down the sap from the evaporator in the front syrup pan.

At 1:00 PM started the finishing pan so syrup would be ready shortly after 3:00 PM.   By 3:45 PM we were bottling.   After bottling returned to finished the sap on the evaporator.  By 7:30 PM back to the farmhouse.

Into the woods by 11:00 AM to start taking down the spouts and buckets.  About ¾ down already.  Anyone in the area waiting for another sap run will be disappointed and not paying attention to trees.

Into cleanup mode now.  Tomorrow get the evaporator emptied and the sap in it boiled.  Get  the rest of buckets down.  Run a final wash cycle on the R/O.  And bottle.

Into the woods by 7:30 AM to cook down the last collection of 175 gallons.    Had the R/O going by 9:00 AM.   Running sap in by 9:30 AM.  Done cooking by 1:30 PM.  Back to the farmhouse by 2:00 PM.

The syrup was noticeably darker today.  That was expected as the season draws to a close.

Did not freeze overnight.  Cloudy and cold.  High around 38.   And its Easter today.

Down to 25 overnight.  Sunny and upper 40s today.  We were hoping for sap run.   But not much happening.  The trees tried to drip, but it looks like the end of the season.  We did pickup 175 gallons of sap.   This accumulated since Wednesday.   The sap actually looked good yet.  With the warm weather we were concerned it might spoil.   Weaker.  About 1.8 Brix.  If the nice freeze thaw cycle did not give us a big run, the season is ending.  A few trees are running good yet.  But also a lot of dry taps.

Tonight is 30. Tomorrow is a wintry mix changing to rain.  Tomorrow we cook.  Then get into cleanup mode next week.

Into the woods by 8:00 AM.  Back to the house by 5:00 PM again.  Cleaned the syrup pan and got the fire started under the evaporator.  Started the R/O by 9:15 AM.  Started running concentrate into the evaporator by 9:30 AM.  The R/O is finished by 10:45 AM.  Then run its wash cycles.  By 2:30 PM done firing and 215 gallons of sap are processed.

We bottled again today.  We still have 1 ½ milk cans of syrup to finish.

Cloudy and colder today.  About 37 for the high.  It did not freeze overnight.  Temps in the 40s.  It cooled during the day.     Tonight is mid-20s with 50 for tomorrow.  We are hoping for one last sap run.