This year...

[buck3m]

I tapped about 160 taps from March 15-18. Missed a little early stuff, but caught some great runs.

Pulled everything about March 29 when it seemed close to getting "buddy."

During that time, it was pretty much all "good days" which meant it was hard to boil fast enough.

[twigbender]

Buck: You must be tapping at the south end of the state. I just tapped a week ago Sat. and have only gotten 80 gallons out of 86 taps so far. Haven't had a decent run yet. I'm certainly hoping that the season isn't over, but in fact, is just beginning. Of course, we've had some really cold weather and I know it's been a lot warmer further south. Where about were you tapping?

[buck3m]

I tap on the family farm near Rush City, about 100 miles S. of Duluth and maybe 50 miles N. of the Twin Cities.

I could probably have stretched it out a few more days, but it was enough for this year.

[Jim Powell]

Is it a waste to boil down sap that has accumulated in the bucket over the last four days? I live just west of the twin cities, and the sap is still flowing here. Although in reading some posts here, I'm guessing that "buddy" isn't a good thing!

Thanks

[buck3m]

I'm no expert, but it is usually easy to smell buddy syrup in the steam of the boiling sap.

If the sap looks and smells OK, and the steam of the boiling smells OK, the syrup will probably be fine. It does seem like four days is pushing it under these conditions though.

[Jim Powell]

Thanks,

I assume "buddy" would smell like the crushed new buds of the twigs? Similar to the grassy taste of very fresh milk as it goes into the chiller? This was an experience at an East Texas dairy farm I visited. I'm not sure it happens up here.

Everything looks and smells the same as two weeks ago.

Thanks again.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Sometimes I boil sap that is 7 to 10 days in the buckets or tanks and make A with it most of the time! :D

[Jim Powell]

I guess I got to learn today what "buddy" means. Yesterday when I first started boiling things seemed normal. After boiling down about 10 gallons I could really smell the difference. I hated the thought of not trying. The sugar content of the sap is a little over 3%. I've decided to pack it in for the year. Thanks to all of your for your advice!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

The smell of sap in the late season boiling is nearly always different and doesn't smell as good but will make very good syrup. Don't be fooled by the smell, all the off smell cooks away leaving great syrup! :D

[twigbender]

Well, it looks like it's over for northern Minnesota. Peeper frogs started on Monday night, so I pulled all my taps on Tuesday. Hadn't had a decent flow for several days anyway. Another dismal year. Out of 86 taps, I came up with 256 gallons of sap which boiled down to 5.75 gallons of syrup. I did burn one 20 gallon batch so that didn't help but not all that big of a difference either.
By this time next year, I'll be retired, so the number of taps is will hopefully go up. I'm eyeing a drop flue pan, but Mama says we stay with the flat pan and keep doing batches. Time will tell.
Well, back to cleaning up all those pans, spiles, buckets, etc.!

[snyde]

I just discovered this site...it is great. Live in Northern Minnesota. I got a very late start this year. Put out 70 taps (one half of what I normally do), started on March 25, collected enough for one boiling which I did on March 29 and pulled the taps the same day.

We get just enough for our family and gifts. Makes a fun event to bring the grandkids out into the woods and have fun.