When I was in school, I developed this nasty habit of needing about 4 hours of sleep a night. This habit still haunts me when I have a task on my mind: drug design, writing, maple sugaring, especially season end maple sugaring.
At the end of the season, the sap runs almost enough for a full boil, but sours oh so quickly. In other words, you got to boil what you have, when you get it, or why collect it. The end of the season is when the dark really maple flavored goodness is made. Kind of like the wealth of fudge at the bottom of a sundae. So with a boil tucked in among today's assignments, my eyes popped open all on their own -- extra early. The pan is on. The coffee is on. The computer is on. I have editing to do, and I might get it and the syrup made before it's time the usher the cherubs to school. This is a short boil -- only 18 gallons plus what is hanging on the trees.
3 comments:
It is a blurse. Afflicted myself since college, I remember sitting bolt upright in bed at 2 AM with the solution to a problem that had previously eluded me. Trudging off through the Maine snows to the computer lab on the other side of campus, I usually had the PDP 11/45 all to myself. 1975. Haven't been able to shake the habit. My condolences.
I spoke to the guy working our sugarbush just now. It has been so cold he's only been able to boil once. He's seen just 75 gallons out of our trees. We are at 1150 feet and it just hasn't warmed up yet. There are no rings in the snow around the trees yet. This picture was taken on Feb 28 and it looks the same today.
http://bp3.blogger.com/_5ZhmwisyQGg/R8bKWY_CYLI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/_9s7WZzbifE/s1600-h/20080228100926.JPG
In the valley, at 650 feet I saw one guy boiling on the way home tonight.
Just a late season here.
Rick in Hartland
We figured that I've processed about 300 gallons of sap this year. Today, with the warm weather, that 18 gallons turned into close to 30 when all was said and boiled. We've had the perfect weather for maple sugarmaking, with no real end in sight.
ps... OMG: That's a lot of snow!!!
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