Maple 2011

Notes from the Maple Season, 2011

First trees tapped February 23, 2011 (12 taps in 10 trees)
Total trees/taps at Burke's: 25/28
Total trees/taps behind our house: 3/4
Total trees/taps at Sanstead's: 8/15
Total trees/taps at Yvonne's: 3/5
Total trees/taps: 37/52

1st boil:            Wednesday, March 2 -- no syrup taken off
1st syrup:         Thursday, March 3 -- 1+ gallon, medium/dark amber (1 half gallon, 2 quarts, 1 pint)
2nd syrup:        Saturday, March 5 -- 1/2 gallon, medium amber (1 half gallon)
3rd syrup:        Wednesday, March 9 -- 1 gallon (2 half gallons)
4th syrup:         Thursday, March 10 -- almost 2 gallon, dark (1 half gallon, 4 quarts, 2 pints, 2 1/2 pints)
5th syrup:         Saturday, March 12 -- just over 1 gallon (2 half gallons, 3 half pints)
6th syrup:         Tuesday, March 15 -- 3.25 gallons!!


7th syrup:         Wednesday, March 16 -- 1.5 gallons + 1/2 pint

8th syrup:           Friday, March 18 -- 1 gallon + 1 pint
9th syrup:           Monday, March 21 -- 1 gallon + 1/2 gallon Grade A Dark Amber
10th syrup:         Wednesday, March 30 -- 1 gallon, 3 quarts, 1 pint + 1 half pint Grade A Dark Amber
Final syrup:         Friday, April 1 -- 1 gallon + 1 quart Grade A Dark


Season Totals: 

18.25 gallons syrup **
                  (yes, this is the total, even if it doesn't match the days listed above for some reason!!)
674 gallons sap collected / boiled
35.6 gallons sap per gallon syrup
1.9% average sugar in sap
12 days of boiling total
Taps pulled from (most) trees on Friday, April 1st after last collection
  (followed directly by three perfect days/nights of sap-flow weather conditions - doh!!) 

** I cooked down the last of the sap from the evaporator on our kitchen stove. At the syrup stage, I took off about half, nearly another three quarts. The rest I continued cooking until I had about four pounds of maple sugar candy! Yummm. This puts our season total really closer to 20 gallons, so the numbers above might just be a little off. Keep a look out for a post soon on the candy-making process! 

Money Out / Money In?

Maple Container Prices 2011
Half Gallons     Dominion: $1.66     Agway: $3.59
Quarts                             $1.33                  $1.99
Pints                                $1.15                  $2.79
Half Pints                         $1.00                  $1.49

Local Maple Prices 2011 (not that we're selling.... but if we were...)
Gallons $54
Half Gallons $32
Quarts $20
Pints $12
Half Pints ??
Sugar Candy: ~ $15 per pound

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