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Season Finale!

by Don 4/11/2009 2:06:00 AM

Team Somerskogen is completing its most successful season ever.  We have obtained over a full gallon of syrup for every 2 taps.  By comparision, one gallon per 4 taps is an average yield. To achieve this production we ran the evaporator for 130 hours.  Our final total for the year should be 360 gallons of delicious maple syrup!

We will begin the cleaning prodedures today and begin bottling this next week. 

Sap flow of the decade!

by Don 4/6/2009 5:41:00 AM

We have seen unprecedented sap flows due to the ideal temperature. We have run out of storage space twice necessitating nearly continuous boiling. In one week we have averaged over 10 gallons of sap per tap!  This is as much as occurs in a whole season.

Our evaporator has consumed over 8 cord (4x4x8) of hardwood in an effort to keep up. It appears that this week will bring several more favorable days of syruping.  We hope our wood supply remains adequate for the task at hand.

Any bottling will have to wait a couple more weeks as the season winds down. Check back for updates.

New Record Set!

by Don 4/2/2009 12:13:00 AM

The sap kept on flowing, we kept boiling and eventually made a record of 45 gallons of delicious light and medium amber syrup in one day!  The days and evenings have been long with sap to boil, but a great time to partake in the magic of spring and what nature provides.

We have heard the whistling (tundra) swans flying to their northern home, the honking of snow geese, pileated woodpeckers tapping out a new home, turkeys gobbling and we've noticed the ice has melted off most of the lake.  Spring is a great time of the year!