With the warm weather we've had lately, we figured the maple trees would be running sap pretty soon. Harold tapped a 'test tree' the other day, and today we saw that the bag he hung on it was 4 inches deep with sap! The outlook for the next couple weeks looks like good maple syrup weather - highs in the 40's and lows in the 20's or near freezing. So it looks like we will be busy tomorrow tapping trees! This winter Harold made about 200 sap bags, so we're all set to tap a couple hundred trees. But so much to do! We need to get the sap buckets washed, get the outdoor bulk tank scrubbed and tarped, get out the equipment like thermometers, large pans, wool filters and plenty of jars. Harold needs to get firewood ready, scrub the evaporator pan, check the chimney on the evaporator furnace, get the 55 gal collection drum ready, and get the low boy tractor started and running good. I need to prepare plenty of "quick food" like sandwich fixings - ham and cheese or egg salad - and some cookies, and have plenty of carry-along fruit on hand. When we're out running sap bags and boiling sap, there's no time for real cooking. Meals are grab and go. (Some cinnamon rolls or a coffecake or two is nice to have on hand for visitors, though!) We will be very busy for the next few weeks!
It's a little early this year on the maple syrup, but it's been a mild winter. The Canada geese are coming back, and the trumpeter swans are also back. It's so nice to hear them again! Spring is just about here! Stay tuned .....................I hope to put some photos of this year's maple syrup season on here real soon.
3 comments:
Sorry, the first thing that I though of when reading this title was the Presidential Race. LOL
Yep, she's still running!
Post a Comment