Author: Billiondrops Sugarbush

I have finally had a chance to add my report on the latest season. sap production was up a little this year starting on the 8th of March through April 20th. Total sap was 7750 gal. There was one 3 day freeze , and one slight warm period that stopped production briefly. We started tapping March 4th with record snow depth of about 18 to 28″, and drifts several feet deep! That made it very tough going for us to drill in over 600 taps. Some of the main lines were even under the snow! It was mandatory to use snow shoes throughout the tapping process and then after. Many other producers in our area didn’t even tap since the snow was so deep resulting in less production overall in our region. The trees however were sweeter and to my surprise they increased .5% as the season progressed.

I also upgraded the services on this website and will be adding some cool videos soon so please check back with us. Once again I thank all of you for your purchases and support as we grow. I also would like to thank my wife for being patient with my absence during the season since I literally “disappear” during this busy time.

February 23rd and it looks like the cold is going to persist for a while with temps below zero next week. The snow depth is nearing record 30″ depth now with more on the way! It is a good chance to catch up on equipment projects now. Looks like tapping will have to be done in march this season.

We are proud to announce that Our syrup placed 2nd in the 26th annual 2018 Marshfield Maple Fall festival! This was decided by a body of judges who are normal folks with minimal knowledge of “syrup tasting”. The placement was decided throughout 22 entrants in the contest.

Folks know that our syrup’s taste speaks for itself, and this event reinforces our effort to produce a quality product.

Thank you to the Marshfield Convention & Visitors Bureau for creating this annual event.

 

Last Monday April 23rd was the end of the 2018 season. It came to a screeching halt with 150 gallons saturday and only 100 on Sunday. I did manage to pull an extra 100 gallons of sour sap Monday only so I can say I surpassed last years production from the trees by 50 gallons, the season total was 7650 gallons. Good thing we cooked up 30+ gallons last week! There is still plenty of work to do like cleaning equipment and some bottling left.

It was one heck of a roller coaster season for all. I would say it was abnormal. Since I started 4 years ago I don’t think I have experienced a normal year yet.

We will continue to build this website during the “off season” so please check in to see what’s new!

Things shut down once again on the evening of Friday the 13th. with another approaching storm the temps plunged below freezing into the 20s  even during the day. Saturady and Sundays storm dumped 18 to 20″ of snow in the northern half of Wisconsin with some areas in the east getting as much as 30″! That set new records throughout the area. I cannot believe it but the forcast looks like the temps are favorable for sap production once again! Tomorrow I will resume pulling sap again. Many others agree this is the most bazzar season ever. I am at the 6000 gallon mark now. I still hope to make it to 8000 gallons if the weather holds.

 

Looks like everything is going to come to a screeching halt once again! I will not be evaporating this weekend since it is forecasted to become very cold again…March is certainly leaving like a lion! We should get a few hundred gallons today but that will be it for a while. So far to date the total sap count is 4300 gallons. I will be upgrading this website soon and we are  planning to add some video soon.

Happy Easter!

Today the forest gave over 300 gallons of 2 brix sap. Yesterday was 200 gallons and before that was less with the cold temperatures. So far total sap count is 2100 gallons. I am thinking it is still going to be a good season ahead according to the forecast.

We cooked down our first sweet 10 gallons of syrup last weekend. Sap output has been “hit and miss” since we tapped due to the chilly temps. I am anticipating a good several days run soon with a favorable forecast.

Steam rising, and Paul cutting fuel.

Thanks to my brother-in-law Paul, he and I drilled in about 600 taps by Friday afternoon. Flushing the lines had begun from Monday through  Saturday. There are 11 main lines throughout the forest.  We are able to tap and suck sanitizer through isolated line sections since we have a portable gas vacuum pump with a 10 gallon collection tank.  Once a section is done it is flushed with fresh water and left on vaccume  for about 8 hours until the junk passes and clear sap is present. As we progress the lines can be connected with the main vaccume system to start collecting product.

Total first run last weekend yielded 550 gallons so The RO and evaporator had been fired up to cook down that first amber-colored syrup.

It sounds like it is going to cool down for the rest of the week until at least thr weekend so now I can get caught up other things.

We will commence tapping trees Monday since it looks like the temperatures are going to be in the 30s. For proper tapping I like to sanitize my lines and in order to do this I need to pull vacuum on the main line sections. Temperatures need to be above freezing in order to keep the fluids flushing.

Enjoy the warmup!