Filed under: February 2016 | Tags: draft horses, firewood, maple syrup season, Plan B, Small Farming
February 25, 2016
Yesterday, we got well over an inch of rain in the space of three or four hours. Water was everywhere and we had maple sap to gather. The day went well as three guys worked their butts off. At the end of the day, the sap was gathered and all boiled, yielding the sweet, golden reward that is, Ohio pure maple syrup!
Mother nature is giving us a break for a day or two. The temperature has dropped and the sap is staying down in the tree roots. I am not complaining at all. I look forward to the next run, but will enjoy the break.
This photo is from a couple of years ago. We were scrambling to gather firewood for boiling. I had never expected to get my sugarhouse and pans all set up, so wood until then, had been no concern. My neighbor had a large pile of slab wood from a recent timber harvest. He told me to take whatever I wanted. We would haul slab wood every day that we weren’t making syrup.
Not being prepared and always behind the eight ball, is not where I choose to be. I feel much better when things are all sorted out, wood is stacked and dry and a plan “B” is in place if needed. This year I am using plan “B” for unloading our sap. My hill is not high enough for the new storage tank, so gravity doesn’t work. Thank goodness for a pump and an extra tank. This method is far from perfect, but it is working very well.
This wood was cut, split and stacked last April. It burns very well, gives up lots of heat and gives this farmer a good feeling. We will use almost all of it by the seasons end. I am okay with that because I have plenty more all ready to be cut and stacked as soon as the maple season is done for this year. The horses and I will have it full again in no time!
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