Second Syrup Session
March 15, 2014
Nearly 40 gallons of sap were collected during the week - the perfect amount to make another gallon of syrup. The weather was ideal, starting out above 30 with highs in the 50s and sunny. New adjustments to the evaporator include a steel, sloping bottom and air inlet regulation that increased the draft through the system. Along with chopping the firewood into smaller pieces, the fire was roaring, and the boil rolling, in no time.
Mom and Dad came with their much appreciated assistance and we had a great visit with cousins Kathy and Jack who returned to see the bottling process they missed out on last year.
With less sap in reserve and improvements to efficiency, I was able to bring the near syrup inside at lunch time and was finished with bottling and clean-up before 3pm with a yield of just over 1 gallon.
As we were boiling, the sap was still dripping out of the trees, and I suspect the season will continue for at least another week. I am keeping my schedule open for another boil to prove I have the process perfected.