Maple syrup, getting down to the wire

[Harold Hubbard]

Weather has finally broken here.
After a late start yesterday morning, it warmed up and the sap ran all
night.At 6:30 when i went up to check, there was about a foot of space
left in the tank. It looks like a long day ahead. It is supposed to freeze
a little tonight, but that is the last cold in the five day forecast. Sap
will run today and tomorrow, probably Monday as well, then struggle along for a few days. If it doesn't freeze again by next weekend we can kiss it goodbye for this year.

We have made about 250 gallons so far, more than we had for the whole
season last year. It has taken a lot of wood this year, I am making about
15 gallons to the cord, should be more like 20-25. I will be out of wood
by Monday afternoon, unless I get stupid and try to cut some standing dead stuff to keep going with. When I was logging every winter, it was easy to cut enough wood, and we tried to keep a year ahead. Now it seems like I am scrounging for wood every year.

Also we are famous, or at least published. A friend did an article on our
operation and sold it to a magazine.
King Arthur Flour Magazine

 

[NEBeef]

Nice write-up..

 

[Donald Lehman]

We are going to gather today mainly because yesterday was warm enough that we don't want to leave the sap another day. We are behind last year so far.

 

[SweetFeet]

Well-written article... fantastic photos!! (My favorites are the Farmall by the sugar shack and the one of you and your wife. Both would look great framed.)

You folks who do this, sure give me a whole new level of appreciation for the maple syrup I drizzle on my pancakes.

 

[Donald Lehman]

Nice article, too.

 

[Adirondack case guy]

Harold,
We had freezing rain and ice Wed and Thur. Started gathering again yesterday afternoon, and finished collecting about 2800 gal. of sap this after noon. All the buckets in the woods got emptyed. It is supposed to drop below freezing again tonight, but it won't be until Monday before we collect again. Like you, tomarrow we need to cut more firewood. It's been tough to boil down the sap when humidity levels have been in the 95% range. We are figuring that the season will be over by the middle or end of next week.
Loren

 

[ditchwitch]

Great article

 

[will in texas]

I really enjoyed see the pictures in the articles you guys have a really nice setup looks like my neck of the woods around Cameron Texas no maple trees but a lot of oak and pecan woods