The sap run this past weekend was lackluster at best. Warmer temps and one freezing night did yield a small run and our syrup total for the year now stands at 520 gallons. An average year. I am still holding out for a nice run this upcoming weekend when the temps dip into the teens. This cold will really freeze the trees, as it were, and when it warms up we should get one final run. I will pull the taps after this weekend’s run so all of you with the buckets and bags, hang in there. Syrup is getting darker now as well, and sugar content is dropping, however ours is still in the 2.8 to 3.0 range, which is very good considering this is the end of March.
Also as we approach the end of the season, this is the time to begin thinking about your equipment needs and wants for next year. Evaporators tend to get traded in as the equipment manufacturers have their annual sale. They like to have pre-paid orders for delivery in September/October in order to keep their employees working during the summer. The equipment sale is usually in mid April to late May. Last year’s sale was 23% off list price. This was when I saved over $3,000 on our RO.
Looking forward to the last weekend of sap and the cleanup that follows. The daffodils will be showing their color soon!!
Don