The torch has passed from older sister Hannah to younger sister Katie. We put in our first taps around February 20th. The ground was covered with quite a bit of snow leftover from our only impressive snowstorm of the winter season. The first gathers of sap were not fun as the buckets of sap had to be lifted and carried above the snow. But very soon the snow began to melt - when the trees are tapped you know spring is just around the corner.
Snow covered ground a few days ago.
Katie carrying heavy buckets.
But now the snow has disappeared and the rising tempatures at night mean that our sap flow may disappear as well. The sap flow depends on the contrasting temperatures of below freezing at night to above freezing during the day.
Today
With the ten day forecast showing temps above freezing both day and night, Katie's first season of syruping may be rather short. But she will have another try next year. Katie is using any money she raises from syruping to help fund a trip to England with her orchestra in the summer of 2011.
I never thought I'd be hoping for those colder temperatures to stick around for a little while but....we have a lot of people who are asking for our syrup!
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