Hittman's Hideout

[FranC]

No can do, Fran. I'm in the sugar house with at leat 4 more more hours to go tonight. Going to have to start the RO and relight the fire by 7 a.m. just to keep up tomorrow. I go on call at 5 but hubby will be home from work to take over boiling.

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Hope it's worth all that.

 

[hittman]

FC, what’s a sugar house? Are you making syrup?

 

[firechick]

Yes, it's maple season here and we are drowning in sap at the moment. It has a short storage life, so when it runs you have to boil.

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[hittman]

So you make it and sell it? Is it sold in stores?

 

[firechick]

We don't sell it but plenty of people do. Local sellers can get $12 a pint for good syrup. It takes 40 to 50 gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup depending on the sugar content. Our trees usually run at around 2%. Each tap produces about a gallon or 2 of sap per day on average when the conditions are right. It needs to be below freezing at night and in the 40s during the day. Sunshine helps a lot. Once the buds on the trees begin to open the sap changes and the season is over. Everything depends on the weather and when it's running you just kind of go with it.

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[PTJD]

Good morning. Very interesting FC.

 

[FranC]

Good morning

 

[firechick]

Morning, folks.

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[FranC]

Good morning,firechick

 

[hittman]

Good morning. FC, that sure sounds like a lot of work. It must be good to make it worth the time involved.

 

[FranC]

Good morning,Hitt It's pure maple syrup

 

[firechick]

It sure is, Fran. I never cared for the flavored corn syrup in the squeeze bottles. It's the first tourist business in the area as well. Maple producers have tours and tastings and some have breakfasts featuring their produce.

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[FranC]

It sure is, Fran. I never cared for the flavored corn syrup in the squeeze bottles. It's the first tourist business in the area as well. Maple producers have tours and tastings and some have breakfasts featuring their produce.

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It's the same here. If you travel the back roads you see the sap lines running everywhere.

 

[hittman]

That's all foreign to me. I knew that there were people that made it but I have never seen it and know nothing about the process.

 

[FranC]

That's all foreign to me. I knew that there were people that made it but I have never seen it and know nothing about the process.

The sap comes from Sugar Maple Trees and boiled down to Maple Syrup.

 

[PTJD]

Good Morning. Learn something new here!!! Honestly have not had pancakes in years, they do like Waffles here but more as a dessert.

 

[FranC]

Good morning,PT

 

[hittman]

Good morning. I used to make pancakes for the family on weekends quite often but haven’t since my oldest was home last time. My youngest isn’t real big on them and sometimes my wife eats them and sometimes not.

 

[FranC]

Good morning,Hitt I haven't made them in quite awhile.

 

[hittman]

My wife took my youngest back to Wichita State this morning for another visit. I’m not sure why. We just went not long ago. We are cursed with road trips. It’s been raining for two days and started snowing this morning. Our dog hurt her leg somehow and has been wondering around the house panting. It seems like she does this too often. Last time she jumped off the deck chasing a cat. It’s only two steps to the ground but enough to hurt her when she jumps.