Filed under: March 2015 | Tags: boiling, making maple syrup, making memories, maple season, tapping maple trees
Clearly it begins…
March 11, 2015
Today was a much better day than yesterday, as far as walking through the woods. The snow was still deep, but softer. I could move my feet without having to lift my knees to my chin 😮 It was still a very tiring, yet satisfying day. We tapped quite a few more. Our total is now 691. We will tap the last 109 down by the river, once we know it won’t flood us out.
The sap is starting to run. The big trees and trees in the shade are still being stingy, as they wait for the sun and thaw out. The weather is looking good for the next few days for us maple syrup guys. The snow is melting slow, which is a very good thing. There is so much of it, that if it all melted at once…some guy might start gathering animals two by two!
Tomorrow will be a big clean up day as we get everything ready to start boiling. The clean up done last spring is just a memory. I have some help coming so the job shouldn’t be too bad. We will boil water just to make sure all is well. I usually do a test boil a couple of weeks before the season, but this year has us right up against the wall. To say the least… I am scrambling!!!
I love this season. It is my passion. I like every thing about it….the only thing sweeter than the maple syrup made in my sugarhouse…are the memories!
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RicelandMeadows 
Does the sap taste anything like the end product? It amazes me that anything is running when there is still snow on the ground!
Comment by jennyrecorder March 11, 2015 @ 10:12 pmJenny, the sap taste like slightly sweet water. Maple sap is about 2% sugar. It takes about 40 gallons of maple sap to make one gallon of maple syrup. You have to boil all the water out of it. The job takes lots of wood as we boil over a wood fired arch. Nothing is added, just the water is taken away.
Comment by ricelandmeadows March 12, 2015 @ 8:53 pmOh yes, there is nothing better than tea made with sap! No sugar necessary.
Comment by Aunt June March 12, 2015 @ 8:01 amYou are so right! YUM
Comment by ricelandmeadows March 12, 2015 @ 8:50 pm