Welcome to Sap Saga 2017 where we’ll attempt to create a diary of this year’s syrup making season.
We’re already finding the weather to be a big challenge. Last week’s high temps in the 50s and 60s were great for making the sap run, but for those who didn’t collect daily or let their bulk tank get too warm, they may have had some sap spoil. Dave and Doug chose not to tap last week (3rd week of February) and instead waited until this week when temperatures were more ideal. Plus, the guys needed to do some work on their equipment so they didn’t want sap inventory if they weren’t ready to boil.
What’s ideal you ask? For sap to run, the daytime temperature must rise above freezing and the overnight temp must dip below freezing. This change in temperature creates a pressure in the tree that pushed the sap to run. Cold at night is really helpful as a little ice on the top of your buckets doesn’t hurt a thing and keeps the sap from spoiling.
And what happens when it gets too warm? Well a couple of things. If the tree gets tricked into thinking spring is here to stay, the sap starts to run yellow and the syrup won’t taste right. Additionally, if the tree starts to bud out, it then needs its sap to nourish the leaves so either the sap will turn yellow or slow down significantly. According to MSU Extension, they aren’t too worried about early budding this year because we would need a combination of warm temps as well as longer days (more sunlight) but unfortunately we are already seeing some trees starting to bud so perhaps the extreme temps have skewed the hours of daylight actually needed.
So here begins the diary. Some days will be brief notes but we’ll try to throw in some stories and photos along the way too. Watch our Facebook page for boiling days and be sure to stop out for a visit.
Saturday, Feb. 18 – Dave and Mel got the shack cleaned out. Still had some items left from Christmas ’round the Town to put away. Took down the Christmas lights. Started getting the buckets and equipment out of storage.
Sunday, Feb. 19 – Dave and Doug worked on the arch. Some of the fire brick was crumbling and needed to be replaced. They cleaned the pan and connected all the plumbing including the outdoor pipe that gravity feeds the sap from the tractor collecting tank down the hill to the bulk tank in the shack. Mel and Kati cleaned the shack up and got the tables and chairs out for visitors.
Saturday, Feb. 25 – Dave and Mel got up early and went to a barn sale (gotta have a little fun) then came home to tap trees. It only took about two hours to get them all in. At the end of the route we had some extra taps and buckets so Dave went back through and added a few new trees. Doug tapped the trees at his place as well. Our tap total is about 85 at our place and 55 at Doug’s. Temp was cold and windy today hovering around 30. Not much running.
Sunday, Feb. 26 – Took a break from sapping today and Dave worked in his woodshop. The temp got up to around 40 but the wind made it feel colder. Sap starting to run again.
Monday, Feb. 27 – Sunshine and low 50s today. Got home from work to find buckets completely full. Dave and Mel collected well after dark and gathered 200 gallons. Doug did the same at his place and gathered 100 gallons. The guys are planning to boil on Wednesday night as this much sap can’t wait until the weekend.
Wednesday, March 1 – The guys boiled about 75 gallons tonight to sweeten the pan. They plan to boil the rest of the inventory on Saturday.
Thursday, March 2 – Dave and Mel collected but only gathered about 100 gallons. These cold days have slowed the sap down a bit. Should pick up this weekend.
Saturday, March 3 – The guys started boiling about 10 a.m. Mel made sloppy joes and some snacks and went down around noon. Mel’s dad was in town for the weekend and lots of different company stopped by throughout the day from Kati, Pat and their friends, to the Miller boys to our good friends the Brehms from Woodland. They let the fire go until around 8 p.m. then started bottling. The end result was just over 5 gallons for the day with some sap left for Sunday.
Sunday, March 4 – Doug showed up around 10 a.m. again and the guys boiled until around 2 p.m. Mel took lunch down around that time and they were already bottling. End result was another 2 gallons for a weekend total of a little over 7. The guys are boiling an average of 25 gallons per hour when they keep the stack heat over 1200 degrees. We started the weekend with about 350 gallons and still have 75 to 100 in the tank and pan. So, we boiled just around 275 gallons and made 7 gallons of syrup. Very close to the rule of a 40:1 ration of sap to syrup–maybe even a hair better!
Monday, March 6 – Warmer temps today so the buckets were full of sap. Dave and Mel collected 200 gallons.
Wednesday, March 8 – Wind storm hit today (60 mph winds) knocking out power for many in the area. Lakewood seemed to be hit especially hard–the roof folded open on the school in Woodland and the beloved Opera House building in downtown Clarkville nearly collapsed when a west wall blew in and the roof came off. A large tree came down across our road and took the power lines with it. Most of our neighbors had a short outage due to area lines but we were out into the next day due to the tree. Guys had planned to boil tonight but with no power they are delayed. Although Doug said he would be back on Thursday with a generator so they could boil (not that Mel needs to cook or run the fridge or take a shower or anything but by God there will be syrup!).
Thursday, March 9 – Power came back today around 4 pm and the tree is cleaned up. Dave and Doug boiled tonight and bottled two gallons of syrup.
Friday, March 10 – Date night in the shack! Dave and Mel boiled and ate sushi-that’s a new one. Made 1 1/2 gallons of syrup.
Saturday, March 11 – Dave and Mel boiled early then Doug arrived later. Bottled two gallons. The neighbors stopped by so we made sausage and pancakes. YUM.
Sunday, March 12 – The guys finished up the remaining sap inventory and bottled another 1 1/2 gallons.
March 13 to March 15 – too cold so sap isn’t running.
March 20 – Yikes! The sap is running now with these warmer temps. Dave and Mel collected 350 gallons. Will need to boil right away so the sap doesn’t spoil.
March 21 – Dave and Mel boiled and bottled two gallons. Getting closer to our average annual yield. Still have some catching up to do.
March 25 & 26 – Last sap boil of the year. Made bacon and pancakes on the old cook stove and homemade maple syrup ice cream. Our guests loved it!
Grand total for the year was 25 gallons. A little under the usual 30 or so, but not too bad considering the strange weather. Until next year!
Kauffman Family Farm 