We Have Finished Sugaring!

Yesterday, Harvey and Hayley boiled for the last time.

They made 20 gallons of Grade C.

Harvey is cleaning the sugar house and arch and I started pulling taps today. This is a picture of the long handled tool that we use to pull taps.

Beautiful day, 60's and sunshine.

Wednesday, Jim Greene, wholesale buyer of our syrup will be coming to pick up the barrels.

Freeze Last Night

Sap slowed up for a day, but is still running.

We had a freeze last night and 1,500 gallons of sap in the tanks this morning.

Harvey is going to boil this afternoon.

Suppose to be 60 today.

23 Gallons of Grade C

The syrup is getting darker and the flavor is improving.

Rain, snow, hail, wind and sun today.

19 Gallons of Grade C

Rain, snow and cold, but the sap is still running.

Harvey made 19 gallons of Grade C yesterday.

We are working on 21 barrels.

Last year we made 30 barrels.

Happy Easter!

Harvey is boiling every day and making Grade C.

We are now up to 20 barrels.

Snowing here this morning.

15 Gallons of Grade C

Harvey boiled yesterday and made Grade C.

Froze last night, looks like we could get another run today.

Back to Making Syrup

Harvey boiled this afternoon. He had to "sweeten the pan" again, because everything had been drained and cleaned. He made 13 gallons of Grade C.

The maple sample on the right is what Harvey made on his last boil (3/23/12) which was Grade C.

The maple sample on the left is what he made today. Color is fancy, but the taste is Grade C.

What a Maple Season!

Harvey has the arch all cleaned and put back together.

He is getting ready to boil in 3,500 gallons of sap.

Marty's men gathered and hauled sap all day Monday and Tuesday from our sugar house to Marty's sugar house.

There are quite a few sugar makers in the Franklin County area that are still sugaring.

Jim Greene, the man who buys syrup from the sugar makers, told everyone to boil everything you can, they will buy it!

More Sap Today

Sap is running very good today.

Marty Lumbra's men have been hauling sap all day = 3,000 gallons.

1 Barrel of Grade C

Marty produced a barrel of Grade C with Harvey's sap.

Freeze last night, 27 degrees this morning. Suppose to warm up to 45 today. We might get another sap run.

Signs of Spring

I traveled over Hazen's Notch today, probably the earliest ever and I am not fooling on this April Fool's Day. The road is very good, I was really surprised.

With all of the signs of spring...robins, red winged black birds, pussy willows, peepers, Notch Road open (but not officially!)... Marty's guys transported 3,000 gallons of sap from our sugar house to his sugar house all day long. What a crazy season!

Sap is still running, Marty is boiling tonight and Harvey has gone to visit Marty's sugar house.

Sap Update

After cleaning the pans last night and this morning, Harvey has decided not to boil in the new sap, but has decided to sell the sap to another sugar maker down the road from us, Marty Lumbra.

It froze last night and the sap is running really good this morning.

There is too much cleaning to be done on our equipment to boil in the new sap in a timely manner.

Selling our sap is the next best choice.