Mid Season 2020
February 22, 2020
Things are happening here at Mt Kisco Maple. I have already had two small boils, producing just under one gallon of syrup each time. The sap collections have not been huge, but having 20 taps provides some options even during a slow week. Collecting around 45 gallons and running it through the reverse osmosis (RO) system, makes for a short boil day. If I start at sun up, I am certainly done by 1 PM. Choosing to finish the syrup at another time also provides a lot of freedom and flexibility.
My neighbor Mike has been a great help and really knows how to work the pans.
Mike working the pans
This year, I followed up with an improvement to monitor the temperature during the finishing process with a high temperature probe, microcontroller board, and custom software. I also added a refractometer capable of measuring the sugar content of syrup. I'm always searching for ways to make the process more efficient.
I'm planning to have another boil tomorrow, and hoping for a big final boil near St. Patrick's Day.