It's sugaring time

[Rowdy Rick]

Something a little different
It has been very cold this new year and the January thaw was short. I tapped one tree like I do every January to catch the early flow when the sap is the sweetest but the thaw was short and just the last four days it finally made it in the mid 30's to mid 40's and the flow has increased enough to fill 2 5 gallon buckets a day from the 10 trees I tapped this year. This year the sap is very sweet here must be from the heavy rains we got last year. I just finished boiling down 20 gallons and I almost got a whole gallon of very sweet syrup. Usually it takes 35 to 40 gallons to get what I got from 20.
This batch I quit boiling when it reached 125 degrees about 15 degrees above normal boiling point a little less then I usually pull it off. I better get more jugs washed, It will be a good year.

Kurt, are you tapping ash maples or sugar maples? Been a lot of years since I have done it, really miss that syrup!

Rick