Tenting in March

Can't call it camping, but the boys talked me into setting up the tent and sleeping in the backyard.  Started a fire, then cooked some hot dogs and beans over it.  Even followed our typical camping rules, bedtime when the first star shines (we don't count planets or the moon, we waited for Sirius), though we actually waited for a few more stars.  Of course the boys giggled and had the flashlight working for about thirty minutes before all was quiet.

High temperature for the day was 70, but of course we woke up to the morning low of 38.  Maybe we'll be able to sneak away for a night this week for a real camping experience....

Maple Syrup 2012

March in Minnesota means that it is time to gather enough sap from Sugar Maple trees that can give you enough Maple Syrup to last for the next year.  Conditions were a little different this year compared to last year.  Last year, there was nearly four feet of snow on the ground, this year, almost none.

Kieran being a year older also was helpful as he was able to carry out more tasks that were needed.  He insisted on using his hammer to pound the taps into the maple trees.  About one in every five swings of the hammer made contact with the tap, but the job still got done.  He concentrated most of his work on the first line that was put together, it strings together about seven trees (12 taps) over the course of several hundred feet.  Gravity should bring the sap down to the collection point near the road.

All together, there are currently 34 taps (37 at this point last year) along three strings.  My assumption is that the number of taps will increase within the next week or so.  With forecasts this week of high temperatures in the mid-40s and lows slightly below freezing, the sap should be running.

We are wondering how the January thaw (temperatures were similar, if not higher than this weeks forecast) will affect the syrup season.  I guess we'll see shortly.....