MapleAcres

March ends without a single snowflake falling all month.   Normally we would get about 9” of snow during the month.  This is the first month without snow since weather records were kept.  While unusual, we wonder if it foreshadows what may happen in the  future with climate change.  The warm weather during the month was difficult for sugar makers.   This is an El Nino year so that would account for  some of the warmer weather.  But if all El Nino years become this warm maple syrup could become an even more challenging crop because of the unique weather pattern we need.

We got all the buckets and covers brought in from the woods.   They are all stored away now until next season.   We also worked on the remaining sap in the evaporator.  We got all the sap out of the flue pan.  We replaced it with water and cleaning solution then we started a fire to both heat the water and cleaning solution and boil down the remaining sap.  Tomorrow we hope to finish all off and bottle the remaining sap and get final production totals.    We also filled the collecting tank with water so we have water for cleanup.  

It was up to about 55 today.  Tonight it will only go down to the 40s.  Tomorrow is forecast to be even  warmer, in the 70s.  The normal for this time of year is 47.

A late start to the day.  Into the woods by 10:00 AM.   Today we were going to take down the taps.   There is always a hesitation to get started with that task.  Removing the taps really does bring an end to the season.   Its a sad task to get started. 

By 11:00 AM we started.  Usually we dump to the ground any remaining sap in the buckets.  There is not much and what is there is quite bad.  But today things were different.    It was cold again last night: down to 25.   Quite a few buckets had a quart or more of sap.  And good quality sap.  We started dumping but changed our mind.  Went back to get a milk can and collecting pail.  We emptied the bucket first, then pulled the tap.    By the end of the day we had about 80 gallons of sap.   We emptied into the evaporator as the day progressed so we got it boiled down right away. 

All the taps are off now.  Tomorrow or the next day we will collect the pails from the woods.  We have to boil down and finish the sap remaining in the evaporator so we don’t know final numbers yet.   Clean up  remains too.   But we certainly did try to get every last drop of sap for the season.

Into the woods by 9:00 AM.  By 9:30 we had a boil.  But there was a build up of nitre on the pan that caused the syrup pan to foam up while boiling.  Its difficult to boil hard when there is a constant fear of boiling over.   The only thing to do is take the pan off and clean it.  So this morning was a false start.    After the pan was cleaned boiling was much better. 

We took a batch off the evaporator about 11:30 AM.  We were hoping for a second batch today too.   We had to mange that carefully because we did not have a lot of sap in the tanks.  We pulled the siphon in order to get the batch done sooner.  With the siphon out no fresh sap came into the pan and it could boil down to destiny.    By 5:30 PM we took the batch off.  There was just enough sap in the tanks to fill the evaporator at the end of the day. 

Then we finished and bottled both batches.  22 quarts 1 pint and 1 250 ml bottle.  We now have about 214 quarts:  53 ½ gallons.

We did head out with the tractor and milk cans to collect what ever sap might be there.   A few taps are running some yet.   We ended up with 30 gallons of sap.   This is pretty much it.  We will likely pull the taps starting tomorrow. 

The weather forecast for the week is for much warmer weather.  By the end of the week into the 70s.   That is not sap weather.   Its pretty clear this will be the end of the season.

Into the woods at 8:00 AM.  Started the fire under the evaporator.  By 8:30 AM the pan is boiling.  230 gallons of sap were boiled down today.      Here is how the day progressed.

8:00 AM  22 ½ inches of sap in the tank
9:00 AM  20 ¾ inches of sap in the tank
10:00 AM  18 ¼ inches of sap in the tank
11:00 AM  15 ¾ inches of sap in the tank
12:00 PM  13 ½ inches of sap in the tank
1:00 PM  11 inches of sap in the tank
2:00 PM   9 ¾ inches of sap in the tank
3:00 PM   7 ½ inches of sap in the tank
4:00 PM   5 inches of sap in the tank
5:00 PM   3 inches of sap in the tank
6:00 PM   tank empty

And we picked up an additional 130 gallons of sap today.   But this is likely the last collection.   We are heading to warmer weather and that is going to end this season.

We  also finished and bottled anther 26 quarts, 1 pint, and 1  250 ml bottle.

It was warmer today, about 45 although it was cloudy and windy.   It did however warm enough to melt most of the ice in the buckets.  We went out collecting about 2:30 PM.    Picked up 230 gallons of sap.  But this may be the end.   A lot of taps are dry.   Next week the weather patterns turns much warmer.  

We brought in the bottled syrup from the woods.  Its always satisfying bringing the crop in from the woods.  

Tomorrow we will boil and there should be more syrup to finish and bottle.

It was down to 15 last night.  Only got to about 37 today.   Yesterday we had liquid sap in the buckets.  Today we had ice in the buckets.   It would have been better to collect yesterday.   Now we have to wait until tomorrow for the sun to do its magic and warm things up.  Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer.   We are hoping to collect tomorrow afternoon. 

We resolved all our labeling today.  We had an incorrect phone number on the labels for the 250 ml and 500 ml bottles.   We had a sticker printed with the correct phone number.   Now we can get the 250 ml and 500 ml bottled labeled and available for sale.

Next week’s forecast is for a big warm up:  60s during the day and 40s at night.  That will end the season.

It was cold today along with a wind that make it feel colder.   It barely got above 32.  So nothing happening in the woods today.   But we needed a day to rest.   We have had four days of about 14 hours in the woods. 

Tomorrow we may collect if it warms early enough.  It supposed to get down to 15 tonight so it could take a while for the ice in the buckets to thaw.

Today was warm again.  Up to 53.   It did just freeze last night, about 30.   The spouts were wet but not dripping much.   It needs to be a little colder.   A cold front is forecast to move in overnight which will drop the temperatures again.  We are hoping to get one or two more collections for the season.

Spent the day boiling down the sap from yesterday.   Into the woods by 7:30 AM.  Cleaned out the front syrup pan before stating the evaporator.    It takes about an hour to do that, but makes the day boiling much easier.  Took a batch off the evaporator about 11:30 AM.   That got added to the batch from yesterday.   About 4:00 PM we started bottling.   Bottled 19 quarts and 1 pint.  Stayed in the woods  boiling then until the storage tanks were empty.    Took another batch off the evaporator about 7:00 PM.  That batch just went into the milk can for finishing and bottling later.   By 8:00 PM the tanks were empty and by 8:20 PM we were back in the house.

We collected 350 gallons again today.  That gives us 2000 gallons for the season.  In theory that works out to 50 gallons of finished syrup.  So it looks like we will salvage the season.  50 gallons would be 83% of our average crop.  But we are not done yet.  The weather pattern is still holding.   Tomorrow will be a little warmer, but then it gets colder into the weekend. 

Today was up to about 47.  It did freeze last night but not as hard as other nights.  We went out collecting at 2:00 PM.  After collecting we started the evaporator.   Took a batch of syrup off the evaporator but did not finish and bottle it.  We will do that tomorrow when we empty the storage tanks by boiling what have.

The 350 gallons we collected on Sunday is all boiled through.  Staying last night to boil helped make today easier.  We were in the woods by 7:30 AM and back home by 7:30 PM.

Good weather again.  It was 25 last night and 45 and sunny today.  That’s what we need.   The sap was running, although some taps are dry.  We will collect tomorrow again.   

We did finish and bottle another 26 quarts.  We are up to 144 quarts now.  Slowly we are making progress.  We need 750 gallons more sap.  We have 1650 gallons of sap now.  A few more good runs this week and we may make 2400 gallons and achieve our our average of 240 quarts of finished syrup.