Our taps have been in for over two weeks, so our attention has been focused on the weather, as well as completing preparations of our remaining equipment.

Since our focus is to produce the highest quality maple syrup which expresses the unique characteristics of our region, we place great attention to the details of production.  We have installed a high capacity sap filter as well as in-line germicidal lights to reduce any contamination.  Our evaporator has been reassembled and a test run using boiling water detects any leaks as well as sterilizing the entire surface that comes in contact with the syrup.

Our system employs a vacuum pump to augment the flow of sap from the tree.  We have optimized the system with leak resistant fittings and a properly tuned pump that generates 25 inches of negative pressure.

 Now we wait and watch the weather.

Denouement: the resolution of a doubtful series of occurrences.

This defines the most disappointing season of the 19 we have experienced at Somerskogen.

Profound drought, followed by unprecedented heat for March, resulted in a meager collection of sap.  While the quality of syrup we produced was excellent, it had only the characteriestics of a dark amber syrup, .  . . deep robust maple flavor.  This year we didn't produce any light or medium amber syrup.

We spent hundreds of hours in preparation for this season, but only 20 hours producing our entire crop for 2012!  It is sad when more time is spent cleaning the equipment than making syrup.

Our production sold out quickly and we are disappointed that we've been unable to fill all the requests that have come in. We are taking the optimistic approach of preparing for next year by developing expansion plans to add over 250 taps! We hope to get to 1000 taps in 2013 so our production meets the demand.

Our experience has been duplicated throughout Minnesota, Wisconisin and many of the eastern states.  Mother Nature always prevails!

Check our website frequently as we document our expansion progress. 

We thank many of you who watched the Finding Minnesota/Somerskogen Sugarbush episode by Angela Davis/Bob Cowan of WCCO-TV and ordered syrup. We have been inundated with orders ( a good problem!) and we are doing our best to get them shipped as quickly as possible.  The USPS website shut down this afternoon, due to high volume of traffic on their new upgraded site. We hope their website is "up and running" soon, as it is an efficient way to ship orders. Thank you for your patience in receiving your order of maple syrup.

We will be bottling glass quarts on Wednesday, March 21 and ship those orders promptly.