slow start today in Cheshire

[lafite]

I collected barely 10 gallons today. Too cold this morning.

I'm hoping for a nice run tomorrow and Friday.

Does anyone know how the trees react with the snow cover? The low for Thursday night is just about freezing. I'm hoping the trees think its colder...

[ctjim]

I collected barely 10 gallons today. Too cold this morning.

I'm hoping for a nice run tomorrow and Friday.

Does anyone know how the trees react with the snow cover? The low for Thursday night is just about freezing. I'm hoping the trees think its colder...

slow start over here in eastern ct as well. if there is no cloud cover i think w/ the snow we have the night time temps may be colder than they predict. i'm thinking the trees are still pretty frozen. next week looks like it may stay colder, hoping thurs,fri, sat have good runs to get the pans sweetened.

[newbee]

Tapped 5 this morning, 1 late today. Got about a 1/4 cup in the 5 by sundown, but the 6th was running before the bit came out.

[killingworthmaple]

Ya same here some trees ran yesterday some did not. For whatever it's worth I been told by an old timer that it won't run good until the snow starts melting around the trunk of the tree. That means that the tree is thawing out I don't know.

[batsofbedlam]

I collected 400 gallons yesterday from 1250 taps and boiled for 3 hours in the afternoon. I need to find some major vacuum leaks this morning. That windy cold front the other night dropped a lot of branches. We should all get some good sap runs in the next few days.

[swierczt]

My trees ran most of the night in Durham (albeit not very much, just a bit to show in the tanks) and were not running this morning even thought the temp was above freezing. With 60 degrees forcast for Friday, and not below freezing forcast for Thurs. night into Friday AM, I wonder if the trees will 'turn off'? I've had times when this was the forcast, expecting to see a huge run for two days above freezing, only to find my tanks near empty.

[batsofbedlam]

My trees ran most of the night in Durham (albeit not very much, just a bit to show in the tanks) and were not running this morning even thought the temp was above freezing. With 60 degrees forcast for Friday, and not below freezing forcast for Thurs. night into Friday AM, I wonder if the trees will 'turn off'? I've had times when this was the forcast, expecting to see a huge run for two days above freezing, only to find my tanks near empty.

Do you have a vacuum system? It makes a huge difference in sap production.

[swierczt]

Do you have a vacuum system? It makes a huge difference in sap production.

No, just gravity...not enough to make it worth while to purchase a vacuum system...unless I can find a way to cobble one together...never searched for a thread on this though.

[valleyman]

The majority of my trees are in Ansonia but I have one Sugar Maple perfectly formed where I work in Norwalk and the sap is flowing out of that tree at an amazing rate. It has two spouts in. I dumped about three gallons from Wednesdays flow. I came in this morining and both buckets were nearly full. I dumped just about 4gallons from the overnight flow. That was from 5pm yesterday til 9am today. Its practically running out. I made a video on my phone that I hope to share once I download it. Sure wish they all were like that!

Definitely warmer down in Norwalk. My Ansonia trees gave me about 8 gallons this morning along with some big ice cubes shaped like sap saks.

[wkies]

Great run in Stamford. Ran well yesterday, last nights and all day today - still running at 4:15pm.

[lafite]

collected 60 gallons and boiled down to 4 last night. I'm ready to start the finishing process for the fist syrup of the season.

Today is (hopefully) a collection day only. My bones are aching after yesterday. The snow pack made things difficult all around.

I see a sugar shack in my future!!:D

[valleyman]

Hi Lafite,
I know exactly how you feel about this snowpack. It's wiping me out having to visit the woods in the dark (Darn daytime Job getting in the way again).

Thats great you got to boil. I have about 55 gallons that I'm planning to boil on Saturday but I'm a little concerned with the high wind warning. I do have a little shack but its open on the front and backside. Hopefully it'll be OK. Probably get some good draft going though!

[lafite]

finished off 5+ quarts of medium amber! Not a bad start of the season considering I made a total of 4 gallons last year!:D

[markct]

i was happily surprised to gather about 275 gallons of sap today, wasnt sure how it would do without a freeze last night, but i left the pump on all night last night and its still running in even now at a bit after midnight. the gravity lines did almost nothing at all today tho. boiled most of the evening, so far made about 7 or 8 gal between these last 2 boils.