We froze the first bit of sap we collected and the rest in my stock pot on the top shelf of the fridge. We plan to set up a bonfire on the weekend and start boiling it down. We need to figure out how to support the pot above the fire. We're thinking a rack over a fire pit. But we'll have to look for one.
Rob started cutting next winter's firewood. He's targeting some ash, particularly ones with crooked trunks, he'll cut a bit of birch and some maple as well. It was when he was cutting the maple that he realized how much the sap was running. We have to bring the poplars we cut last spring up to the front field to arrange for getting them sawed.
We heard geese flying overhead yesterday, so I feel like Spring is on its way.
I started this post a couple of weeks ago, so I need to update the sugaring story.
This weekend past I boiled the sap. I made a big fire and burned up a bunch of the brush we've collected from clearing around the barn and run-in. Once the fire we was going well I placed my big canning pot full of sap in the middle of it. Three hours later the water had evaporated and I took the remaining liquid into the the house to finish. At the end of the day I ended up with two 250ml jars of syrup and an immense sense of pleasure.
My seed orders went in the mail today. I have seedlings started in the basement and we're planning on purchasing pigs, meat birds and turkeys this year. It will be a busy place this summer... and I'm looking forward to all the challenges.
