QUICK UPDATE from the couch: As expected during these milder-than-mild March days and nights, the sap has run continuously since Tuesday, but not with conviction. Today’s crisp air and northwest breeze qualified as sugaring weather, and tonight it is supposed to freeze at last – but then quickly climb out of sugaring weather into the 50’s.… Read More
A Few Stats
This week, a brown envelope arrived from the USDA bearing the annual survey for sugarmakers. Twice, a USDA person left a message regarding technical problems with completing the survey online. In a couple of months, the survey results will arrive in another brown envelope and will be summarized in maple industry publications along with similar… Read More
Fast Forward
The trees are released! At Nebraska Knoll, even though there is considerable preliminary or mopping-up work at the edges, sugar season itself spans from the day tapping begins to the day the last tap is pulled and every last tubing line is rinsed. Yesterday! No one will miss the urgent… Read More
Duking It Out
Chief of Operations writes: Duking It Out Summer and winter, the opposing seasons, cycle through their rhythm of dominance and remission. Spring and fall… Read More
On to Birch Season
Bucky, an old friend, called from Glover to discuss a pump. His maple season is over, too, so he’s tapping his white birch trees! It’s birch syrup season. It’s beyond me how anyone can manage two syrup seasons back to back, but Bucky is quite excited about it. I have not researched birch syrup production, but… Read More
Taking the Trip by Foot
Neighbor and guest blogger Laurie Best Silva writes: Typical conversation at the Silva home before heading up to the Sugarhouse: Why don’t you just “hop in?” (the car) Because.. I don’t want to “hop in.” Because I want to walk up. (Because I need to walk up. Because it gives me a moment to transition… Read More
Marathon, Day Seven
Weather: Today felt like a good day to plant the garden. Yesterday hit 55 degrees in the shade, today 66. A pseudo-frost occurred both last night and the night before, with the temp at the house dropping to 29, but the sap never stopped running and we think it was warmer higher up. In summary (summery),… Read More
Easter Bounty
Sleepy no more
Weather: Get ready for a run. The temp just climbed above freezing and will stay there probably until Saturday night, and not just above freezing but into the 50’s. The forecasted rain isn’t ideal for a sap run, but I predict the floodgates will open nonetheless. Fringe Run: At 32.5 degrees on Tuesday, all that strong… Read More
Climbing Rhyme Monday Mention
Is there any movement? I think so. It spit snow this morning but currently the temp is 36 and possibly rising. The vacuum pump is on and the guys are snowshoeing the lines, following the bubbles. Climbing Rhymers: Not averse to more verse from the tip of the tongue, of the pencil? Your choice: silly… Read More
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