Monday, April 13, 2015

We have been blessed exceedingly with an early spring.  We may have more snow.  It's only the middle of April, but this week is predicted to be warm and the snow is melting fast.  Last year we had snow and cold till the end of April and into May.  I wasn't sure if we'd even be able to plant on Memorial Day which is our traditional planting day.

We had a very prosperous Sunday evening yesterday.  The temperature was an incredible 63 deg. and snow was disappearing all over the place.  Today it's in the low 70's and I'm a little excited to see how much will be gone this afternoon.  

After church we began work on the little greenhouse.  That is where we start our seedlings.  We made it about 1/2 the size of last year in hopes it will stay a little warmer.  We had a lot of wasted space in the past, so we'll see how this works out.  The greenhouse needs some sealing up, but the structure is up even though you take your life in your hands walking out to it in the mud.  After working around out there yesterday it was hard to put one foot in front of the other for the mud as you will see in the pictures below.

I finished up the sap boiling yesterday and took down the buckets.  The sap was still flowing some, but with it being so warm today it will probably not be any good now.  We have enough syrup for what we use here.  Brandon loves maple syrup and it is a LOT less expensive to make it yourself... especially if you have a place to boil it outside.  We don't have "sugar maples" but our maples produce a nice tasting syrup.

Hope you are enjoying your spring.


SIGNS OF SPRING - SUMMER TIRES WAITING TO BE MOUNTED
MORE TIRES - JUST RELEASED FROM THEIR WINTER ENTOMBMENT
THE LITTLE GREENHOUSE IS UP... AFTER SOME STRUGGLE AND A BROKEN GLASS WHICH HAD TO BE VACUUMED UP SO IT DIDN'T GET BURIED IN MUD.  STILL NEEDS A LITTLE WORK.  I KNOW IT LOOKS A LITTLE RUSTIC, BUT IT SERVES IT'S PURPOSE AND THEN WE TAKE IT APART.
IF YOU STOOD IN THIS MUD FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME
YOU SUNK IN AND IT WAS HARD TO GET YOUR FEET OUT... NEEDLESS TO SAY, THANKFUL FOR THE BARN BOOTS.  CAN'T LIVE IN THESE PARTS WITHOUT THEM.
LAST OF THE BOILING
ADDED ANOTHER EVAPORATOR PAN
OUR EVENING WOODS... A LITTLE FUZZY 
IT'S BOILING GOOD NOW... FINISHED UP AROUND 9 PM


6 comments:

  1. Wow, what mud!!! It's muddy in our driveway but yours is far worse.

    How much syrup did you end up with for the season? What a nice treat -- real maple syrup!

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    1. I thought we would get a couple gallons, but it turned warm rather quickly. I guess we got about 1 gallon total I still need to finish off the last batch indoors. It's waiting for me tonight when I get home.

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    2. One gallon will last you a good long time. Great work!

      And hasn't today been gorgeous!?

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  2. That looks great! We love making our own syrup. Although, we did not do much this year.

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  3. You all do the most interesting things!! Love reading about them!

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  4. It was 80 degrees here yesterday. Unbelievable! I like your little green house. Enjoy the warmer weather, and your delicious syrup.

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