MapleAcres

We purchased some new equipment this year. 200 stainless steel spouts to replace about half of our inventory of spouts. Our existing souts are old. Over 50 years old and maybe older. The new stainless steel spouts will be easy to keep clean. There is new technology in spouts called Micro Spouts used with tubing. They are very small and only use a small hole in the tree that heals within one year. But since we do not use tubing the Micro Spouts are not useful for us.

We also replaced the pan we use for bottling. This new pan is also stainless steel and replaces an old and well used bottling pan. And last year we got a stainless steel milk can to use for moving the syrup from evaporator to finishing pan to bottling pan. Stainless steel is so much easier to keep clean.

Like many agricultural products, Maple Syrup is dependent on the weather. Freezing nights and sunny days make the sap flow. The weather forecast for the next few days is stormy. 2″- 5″ of snow tonight and into tomorrow. Maybe by mid -week. In 2003 we tapped March 14-15 which was late.

Cloudy and rainy today. Northern Wisconsin got 6″ to 8″ of snow. But we only got rain. About 1″. It did help settle the snow in the woods. No tapping yet. Watching the weather carefully. Hoping the weather will break for tapping next week.

Welcome to MapleAcres. The 2004 Maple Syrup Season is just about here. We will attempt to chronicle the events of the season here. Please check back every day to see what’s happening in the sugarbush.