RicelandMeadows

Maple Syrup Arch

December 22, 2011

 

     Today is the first day of winter. The temperature was in the mid 40’s F. Yesterday the temperature got to 60 degrees. Thanks to good weather, good luck and good friends, my maple syrup arch is re-tinned, re-bricked and ready for the syrup season.

 

     The syrup arch is the firebox that the syrup pans set on. The fire is built, in the big area in the foreground. The heat travels the length of the arch and then out the smoke stack. The long syrup pans boil steadily as the sweet sap is reduced to maple syrup.

 

     Just a few days ago, this arch looked like a rectanglar piece of metal scrap. Today it was restored to a functional piece of equipment. I hope to wire brush the outside and even paint it before the real cold weather sets in. I have waited for this day for over a year.

 

     The chimney, or smoke stack is being fabricated and will be installed next month. It is twenty-two feet high so as to be able to have enough draft to pull the heat along the bottom of the syrup pan. Our maple syrup outfit measures four by fourteen feet. It will be able to handle 2500 taps… as long as the farmer and his family holds up 😮

 

     There is still plenty to do to be ready by syrup season, but today’s work will make the 2012 season a reachable goal. It has been a long pull and switching outfits in the middle of building the sugarhouse did not help matters. I know it was a good decision, but it has made the journey longer.

 

     This spring we added a woodshed to the sugarhouse. Later in summer, we were able to concrete a big portion of the sugarhouse and woodshed. The wood for next year is mostly piled. Much of it needs split, but it is mostly gathered. Our rain-soaked year has delayed this job a bit too.

 

     It rained quite a bit yesterday and today. There is no way that I could have used the days to pick corn, so the sugarhouse work was a blessing. I could not have done it without the help and guidance of my friend and his boy…. Thank you Marvin and Roy.

 

     We will start off this spring with 500 taps. That will give us a fair start and the time to work out any kinks with our system. Gathering 500 buckets of sap is a small job … depending upon who you talk to 😮     If everything goes well we will double the amount in 2013.

 

     Usually by this time of year we are zipping around the farm on a sled “dashing through the snow”. I always think of my grandparents when I do that. Today, I thought about my grandparents and parents as well. I am sure they would be very proud of my progress… The next big day will be when the sugarhouse , pans and all of our hard work, yields the first of our sweet success. I look forward to that day and the sweet reward that touches my heart, as well as, my tongue.