Yesterday went well. I started the evaporator at 9:00AM and by 4:30PM had run through the 135 gallons of sap that had been collected on Monday. Joined by a partner and the son of a partner, we collected 60 gallons of sap, which will be put through the evaporator today.
Today's plan is to take care of the sap from yesterday, hopefully by noon, and then finish the syrup that is in the "finisher." The finisher is a propane fired unit which permits adequate control over the heat source so that we don't scorch the final product. The syrup is bottled and labeled, when it comes out of the finisher.
For syrup to reach the proper sugar concentration, it must be just short of precipitating out and burning. It is a lot like the old fashioned way of making popcorn balls; the need to get the mixture to the hard crack stage so that the popcorn balls are not sticky and yet not scorching the mixture. Maple syrup is approximately 66% sugar held in solution. By the way, the term "brix" is used rather than %. The term brix is apparently used only in reference to sugars dissolved in liquids.
The season may be over or simply taking a break. The temperature was near 60 degrees at 5:30AM this morning. I am quite certain that we can not expect any appreciable sap flow today. The forecast is calling for continued early summer-like temperatures and a few days of rain on the weekend. If that forecast holds true, those conditions will most certainly "wake up" the biological process in the maple trees that mark the end of the season.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
This afternoon, I started the evaporator at 2:00PM. Rick joined me later. By 5:00PM we had run through the 45 gallons of sap that we had collected yesterday, and we were ready for today's collection of 135 gallons, which we will evaporate tomorrow. I will probably be working alone much of tomorrow. It is Rick's 64th birthday, and the family is planning a noon meal together to celebrate.
Last night the temperature dipped to the mid-20's, which accounts for today's flow. Today's high temperature was near 50 degrees. Tonight we are not expecting freezing temperatures. It is hard to estimate what the flow will be tomorrow. If I can recall past experiences correctly, I think one night of sufficiently cold temperatures can produce a sap flow for some 36 hours. That means tomorrow may hold promise of a good volume of sap to be collected at the end of the day. I'm hoping.
A forecast of warm temperatures (daytime highs near 60 and overnight lows around 40) with the added possibility of rain by the weekend may mean the end of the syrup season. Thus far, the sap quality has remained very good considering the conditions--weatherwise--that we are working under. The weather may not be a sap producer, but it makes for very enjoyable conditions to work outside in shirt sleeves with April 1st two days away. Will March go out like the proverbial lion or will twin lambs cover both ends of March 2010? I will keep you updated.
I have tried to find current information on the 2010 Wisconsin syrup season. Folks must not be posting current information; I only found one article from a Wausau newspaper early in March. I am curious what the production is like elsewhere in the State.
Last night the temperature dipped to the mid-20's, which accounts for today's flow. Today's high temperature was near 50 degrees. Tonight we are not expecting freezing temperatures. It is hard to estimate what the flow will be tomorrow. If I can recall past experiences correctly, I think one night of sufficiently cold temperatures can produce a sap flow for some 36 hours. That means tomorrow may hold promise of a good volume of sap to be collected at the end of the day. I'm hoping.
A forecast of warm temperatures (daytime highs near 60 and overnight lows around 40) with the added possibility of rain by the weekend may mean the end of the syrup season. Thus far, the sap quality has remained very good considering the conditions--weatherwise--that we are working under. The weather may not be a sap producer, but it makes for very enjoyable conditions to work outside in shirt sleeves with April 1st two days away. Will March go out like the proverbial lion or will twin lambs cover both ends of March 2010? I will keep you updated.
I have tried to find current information on the 2010 Wisconsin syrup season. Folks must not be posting current information; I only found one article from a Wausau newspaper early in March. I am curious what the production is like elsewhere in the State.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
The syrup season is limping along trying to stay ahead of more spring-like conditions. I am not sure how much longer it will be able to stay out ahead of bud break and the associated changes spring brings to the maple trees and plant life, in general. The bit of rain that we received yesterday may hurry that process along.
We collected 80 gallons of sap yesterday. We will evaporate that later today as we hope for a decent run to be collected later this afternoon.
With yesterday's collection, we should have 10 gallons of syrup for the season. With the looks of things, this will be our lowest production in 8 years, and that includes the early years when we tapped 100 trees and not the current 175. I refuse to label it as "the worst year," because we grade our seasons on several criteria and not just syrup production. The three partners were together for a long weekend at the start of the season. The pace has been comfortable. I think we missed the early season snow pack and the snowshoeing and sledding, but without the snow pack, it is so much easier to move around in the woods. The woods are such a great place to be at this time of the year. Come to think of it; anytime is a good time to be in the woods and at the same time being a very real part of the woods, that is, interacting with its life cycle, such as making syrup, making firewood, or improving the sugar bush. It is not the same, at least for me, to simply pass through on a hike. Backpacking or canoe camping are intermediate activities; prolonged ventures require one to interact more intimately with that environment and do so on its terms.
We collected 80 gallons of sap yesterday. We will evaporate that later today as we hope for a decent run to be collected later this afternoon.
With yesterday's collection, we should have 10 gallons of syrup for the season. With the looks of things, this will be our lowest production in 8 years, and that includes the early years when we tapped 100 trees and not the current 175. I refuse to label it as "the worst year," because we grade our seasons on several criteria and not just syrup production. The three partners were together for a long weekend at the start of the season. The pace has been comfortable. I think we missed the early season snow pack and the snowshoeing and sledding, but without the snow pack, it is so much easier to move around in the woods. The woods are such a great place to be at this time of the year. Come to think of it; anytime is a good time to be in the woods and at the same time being a very real part of the woods, that is, interacting with its life cycle, such as making syrup, making firewood, or improving the sugar bush. It is not the same, at least for me, to simply pass through on a hike. Backpacking or canoe camping are intermediate activities; prolonged ventures require one to interact more intimately with that environment and do so on its terms.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
As of last night, we have put almost 400 gallons of sap through the evaporator. My two partners will be finishing and bottling the syrup from that effort later today. At that time we will have an idea as to the grade and/or quality of this year's final product.
We are looking for a couple of cold nights with low temperatures near 20 degrees, which will hopefully rejuvenate the flow. The forecast is not particularly promising. We are old men; we have come to accept the reality that we don't often get what we want. On the other hand we have the resiliency to make due with what comes our way.
We are looking for a couple of cold nights with low temperatures near 20 degrees, which will hopefully rejuvenate the flow. The forecast is not particularly promising. We are old men; we have come to accept the reality that we don't often get what we want. On the other hand we have the resiliency to make due with what comes our way.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
We went into the sugarbush today on the date we set last fall for tapping. Unlike the seven previous years, this year there is essentially no snow in the woods. On all previous years, snowshoes were the order of the day for hiking in and tapping.
We placed 8 taps early in the day to check for a flow and, more importantly, to determine if the sap was still good for syrup making. There was a modest flow during the day, and we decided the sap was still good by sight and taste. We spent the last few hours of the day getting things in order to finish tapping--a total of 175 taps--tomorrow morning. The spiles have been boiled, and all the bag holders assembled. We will start mid morning tomorrow and go until we are done. With good fortune, we should have sap to evaporate Monday evening.
We placed 8 taps early in the day to check for a flow and, more importantly, to determine if the sap was still good for syrup making. There was a modest flow during the day, and we decided the sap was still good by sight and taste. We spent the last few hours of the day getting things in order to finish tapping--a total of 175 taps--tomorrow morning. The spiles have been boiled, and all the bag holders assembled. We will start mid morning tomorrow and go until we are done. With good fortune, we should have sap to evaporate Monday evening.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)