Feb 19-22
The bloggers are tired so this is another catch up day!
Sunday (the 19th) was cool and gloomy with essentially no run. Monday the 20th was cooler than expected, although sunny. Brad and Bob spent the better part of the day at the camp getting more lids around and stacking some wood in the camp. It was decided not to gather, although there was a little run. Tonight was the first meeting for 4-H for the year, wow, time flies!
Tuesday the 21st (Cody's 20th birthday!! We missed him today in more ways than one!) presented a big run of 494 gallons. Chris, Winston, Brad, Bob, and Dale gathered about 5 pm. Kelsey was off at an FFA event and Gerri showed up late with dinner at 7:30 pm. Sue P. and her sidekick Nicholas came for a visit. Brad's luck with not getting stuck came to an abrupt end in the new "big hole" just behind the camp. (Brad wants to remind everyone that statistically speaking he is still doing well!) This was resolved with placing a small tree under the steel wheels. Dale expressed concern about the 4 feet the front end lifted off of the ground, but it did come back down just as the physics teacher, who was driving it out, predicted. Karen has asked Brad to start wearing a helmet while driving as she and Susan B. are also concerned about the "wheelies" with the tractor. Chuck started a fire early so Bob was tucked in bed by 11:30 pm.
Total Sap: 1,714 gallons
Total Syrup: 38 gallons
Ash Wednesday, Feb. 22nd: This was a warm day with temps in the 40's and some sun and gentle wind. There was a nice steady drip in the woods tonight, although the temperature began to drop and it started to rain later in the evening. There was 1 gallon more today than yesterday (495). (That gallon seemed like a lot more than just one gallon.) Lucky for us, we recruited Curtis, Dan, and John S to help Bob gather. Gerri, Brad, Kelsey and Chris showed up late after piano lessons but in time to help finish.
We are tapped and gathering about 2-3 weeks ahead of schedule, so the number of hours of daylight is limited. It is amazing how this encourages you to hustle up and walk faster, we are all in agreement, the forest is not so enchanted after dark. It is a broken leg just waiting to happen! Brad met his foe the "big hole" with a full tank of sap and was a little slow coming through but the third try was the charm (and getting the 3 clowns off the back of the trailer was helpful as well!). There were only a few pics taken tonight as everybody is tired. Bob and Chuck are not looking so good - as of press time at 10 pm, there was a lot of sap left (10 inches in the upper tank) and the boiling was not going quickly tonight, since it was raining and humid. However, we are very thankful to have the sap to collect! Sorry about church Cathy, we will do better next time!
Total Sap: 2,209 gallons
Total syrup off at "press time": 48 gallons
Conversion (not counting what hasn't been boiled in yet): 46 gallons of sap to 1 of syrup).
