We fired our 2’x3′ Mason evaporator for our first boil ever. We boiled ~80 gallons in 12 hours. We’ve learned lots of lessons and will have to make several improvements to our current setup. It’s still very cool that we are now able to produce more than enough maple syrup to cover our family’s yearly consumption.
The smell is great
Boiling well into the night
We still need to finish the syrup on our cookstove, filter it, and can it.
Because I always spend 20 minutes googling it
[bash]
apt-get update && apt-get install libimage-exiftool-perl
find /var/www -type f -iname *.jpg -exec exiftool -all= {} \;
[/bash]
I’ll keep an eye on it through the Summer. It could prove very useful down the road.
We also found tons of pine twigs on the ground. Maybe we’ll meet one day.
Nights bellow -20°C are forecast for the next few days and I happen to be home alone. It’s humbling to be solely responsible for keeping warm. All the evening chores are mine too.
Getting the shower ready
who needs Minecraft?
2. Scoop out the little pieces with a milk crate (holes to let water through make it easier)
3. Let things settle for clear water
4. Fill pots
5. Apply heat
Before dusk I gave the chicken a path to their food to stretch their legs and fill up one last time before a long night.
They also got home delivered warm water.
I really hope they’ll be all right.
Should be enough wood for the night, emergency fire starter kit included.
I “ran” electricity to the house for convenience. I’ll do it right when the ground thaws but in the meantime this will make so we don’t have to worry so much about charging and going outside to do so.
They had a few mercilessly cold nights, we bring them hot water in the morning and let them stretch their legs on a little straw patch. They look relieved and happy to have made it through the night.
One day we’ll be ahead and have wood that’s been dried for more than a few months.
Not a minute after I filled my pot
I had to stop for the view
Most nights, Nicole & I venture out to the stream to fill up.