AKwelder Posted April 10, 2016 Author Posted April 10, 2016 Down at the property I have been working on Melting and sloppy. But we are getting more birch sap. Got 5 quarts this morning after getting 4 last night. All we need is a 100 so we can get one quart of syrup. All this from 6 trees Quote
poor farmer/logger Posted April 11, 2016 Posted April 11, 2016 I'm jealous lol.. Cold and miserable here. Snow's almost gone now except at the line fences but it's been a little nasty here the last week-ten days or so. Had the odd little blip in the weather and get a nice half a day here and there but not much to speak of. Loaded up the sled on Monday and went for a ride again. It was getting a little iffy though. There's talk of warmer weather this week so hopefully the weatherman's right. I'm ready for spring and warmer weather. Was supposed to get down to around 8 or 10 Fahrenheit over the next couple days but warm up some in the afternoon. Quote
AKwelder Posted April 12, 2016 Author Posted April 12, 2016 Tonight's load of sap from 6 trees 7 quarts in 24 hours from 6 trees. We also picked up three more spiles so we taped three more trees. My oldest ran the drill and it bound up and smacked him up side the head. He is fine, and now understands when I say stand back Quote
AKwelder Posted April 12, 2016 Author Posted April 12, 2016 I'm jealous lol.. Cold and miserable here. Snow's almost gone now except at the line fences but it's been a little nasty here the last week-ten days or so. Had the odd little blip in the weather and get a nice half a day here and there but not much to speak of. Loaded up the sled on Monday and went for a ride again. It was getting a little iffy though. There's talk of warmer weather this week so hopefully the weatherman's right. I'm ready for spring and warmer weather. Was supposed to get down to around 8 or 10 Fahrenheit over the next couple days but warm up some in the afternoon. We are warm and the snow is really rotten. What's left, it's stayed above freezing the last 2 nights and is going fast Quote
TroyDairy Posted April 12, 2016 Posted April 12, 2016 Tonight's load of sap from 6 trees 7 quarts in 24 hours from 6 trees. We also picked up three more spiles so we taped three more trees. My oldest ran the drill and it bound up and smacked him up side the head. He is fine, and now understands when I say stand back Lessons via the school of hard knocks. Clear? Birch trees? So it boils down like maple? Just as sweet? Quote
Dave McCallister Posted April 12, 2016 Posted April 12, 2016 Yeah AK, what do you do with the sap from birch trees? D Quote
AKwelder Posted April 12, 2016 Author Posted April 12, 2016 We will boil it down under half to make some concentrate, then at the end of the season boil it some more until we have a sweet syrup. It takes at least 100 quarts to make 1 quart of syrup. It has a different taste then maple, and is more of a neat thing to do with my boys than anything else. Quote
AKwelder Posted April 12, 2016 Author Posted April 12, 2016 The boy will learn, and I really felt bad for him. It came around a smacked him and twisted his hands. So he got back up as I was about to say something, and tried again, cordless battery smacked him right in the temple so hard he fell down. He toughed it out, but it hurt. We reset every thing and he did fine. Quote
AKwelder Posted April 13, 2016 Author Posted April 13, 2016 9 more quarts And reduce it down to concentrate Quote
AKwelder Posted April 13, 2016 Author Posted April 13, 2016 And 5-1/2 gallons give me 4 quarts of concentrate of varring level of sugar. So we will keep at it, and in a few weeks do the final cut Quote
TomH Posted April 13, 2016 Posted April 13, 2016 We will boil it down under half to make some concentrate, then at the end of the season boil it some more until we have a sweet syrup. It takes at least 100 quarts to make 1 quart of syrup. It has a different taste then maple, and is more of a neat thing to do with my boys than anything else. I've had birch syrup a few times, its a great flavor IMO. Once my Brother brought some back from AK. and a couple years ago he tapped some trees near his place in Me. Ended up with about half a cup of finished syrup! Decided to stick to maple trees. Quote
AKwelder Posted April 16, 2016 Author Posted April 16, 2016 Headed north out of range Wednesday, the valley north of town 30 miles north the trees and snow change a bit Quote
AKwelder Posted April 16, 2016 Author Posted April 16, 2016 Closing in on the arctic Circle Over the pass, And the dirty road stretches off to the horizon And a clear day to work Quote
AKwelder Posted April 16, 2016 Author Posted April 16, 2016 And then today I headed home. It was about a 385 mile run, I pulled out in fog and slowly climbed the brooks range. It was wonderful looking down on the valley full of fog. Quote
AKwelder Posted April 16, 2016 Author Posted April 16, 2016 One thing about working in Alaska, you can be in muck and slush working, look up at the scenery Quote
poor farmer/logger Posted April 16, 2016 Posted April 16, 2016 Very nice shots as usual. Like the one with all the fog. Makes it look like there's a big lake with a mountain sticking up in the middle of it. have they got laws about snowmobiling in the tundra or around the pass? Just thinking back I don't think I've ever seen any snowmobile tracks on the "reality" tv show or in any of your pics before. Supose maybe it's just a long way from no where with no place to really stay so no one goes anyways.? Just a observation that got me to wondering. Quote
AKwelder Posted April 16, 2016 Author Posted April 16, 2016 Very nice shots as usual. Like the one with all the fog. Makes it look like there's a big lake with a mountain sticking up in the middle of it. have they got laws about snowmobiling in the tundra or around the pass? Just thinking back I don't think I've ever seen any snowmobile tracks on the "reality" tv show or in any of your pics before. Supose maybe it's just a long way from no where with no place to really stay so no one goes anyways.? Just a observation that got me to wondering. Some of the areas are restricted to licensed vehicles only, so sleds and ATV are out. The biggest thing is that the snow is hard as a rock from the wind, and rough. Then you are 300 miles from where anyone lives. Quote
AKwelder Posted April 17, 2016 Author Posted April 17, 2016 Looks like spring creepin in. Spring is trying, I shot a picture a week ago and will do so again today. Still snow where it was stacked or is cold, nothing green yet, ground still frozen a inch or two down. Still freezing at night Quote
New Englander Posted April 17, 2016 Posted April 17, 2016 Long days are heading your way though. I was just looking at my paperwork for tonight's trip to Iceland and sunrise is already at 05:44, sunset at 21:09. They're now low '40s during the day, just above freezing at night. Quote
AKwelder Posted April 18, 2016 Author Posted April 18, 2016 Saturday the 9 th A couple hours ago. Spring is coming Quote
AKwelder Posted April 18, 2016 Author Posted April 18, 2016 Long days are heading your way though. I was just looking at my paperwork for tonight's trip to Iceland and sunrise is already at 05:44, sunset at 21:09. They're now low '40s during the day, just above freezing at night. I got up and went in to the shop this morning. It was full light by 6 am. And it doesn't get dark until after 9 so they are about the same latitude as us. I already had to cover one of the boys windows with card board to keep it dark. It takes some getting used to, and really plays with some crops (they need the day/night cycle) like corn. But having unlimited day light can be a blast Quote
AKwelder Posted April 22, 2016 Author Posted April 22, 2016 Here we go http://www.adn.com/article/20160421/investigations-begin-after-fire-shuts-down-trans-alaska-pipeline-hours No one hurt, amen Quote
AKwelder Posted April 23, 2016 Author Posted April 23, 2016 South to Valdez Have a couple day job, went for some groceries. Milk is a bit more expensive here Quote
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