Tapping Weekend

We ran up to the sugarbush on Friday just before sunset to see the freshly tapped south field. There were 100 new buckets on maples just west of the lake.

The air was cool but the taps were running.

The temperatures fell along with snow on Saturday.

The snow fell all day and ranged from lite to very heavy. The wind picked up in the afternoon but there was little drifting of the new white coat.

The north field was tapped on Saturday.

246 more holes (and spiles, buckets, lids) were added by 3:00 PM.

There is between 18 and 24 inches of snow in the woods. Because the added weight of a rider would cause it to get stuck, the ATV became more of a metal pack mule during some of the day.

No sap was collected all weekend. The sap shack was still cold when we left but that will change by mid-week.

The 247th hole was the hardest and took the longest.

There is 25 inches of good ice with 6 inches of snow on top of that. The ice should peak around 26 or 27 inches this week and begin its long slow retreat by the weekend.

The deep snow on the lake closed the winter golf season for the weekend. Warmer temperatures predicted this week should have the course open for links-men by the weekend. The Nicolet golf tees were still snow covered on Sunday. There was talk of getting-the-course-ready activity starting soon. The sun was rumored to have come out after we headed home which should make the sloppy looking snowmobile trails worse.

-Nemo prays for thinner ice or stronger arms by next weekend.

Tapping Weekend

March 11th through 13th, 2011