Running out of time for 2013

[buck3m]

Little hope for even a mediocre season at this point. We've collected less sap for the whole season than we'd expect to get in one good day in a good year. The forecast is calling for about 2-3 more nights below freezing here in east central Minnesota, but we'll see. Some trees haven't dripped a drop all season. Hard to believe!

Boiled for about 4 hours yesterday and got some syrup which was fun, and fun is the whole point for us. We will certainly pick up some more sap and finish a little more syrup before we wrap things up.

Makes me look forward even more to next year. I predict a good one!

[Kesky]

This is my first year! and i agree its not about the numbers its about the fun and getting out there enjoying the outdoors and the expierience! Im starting out with a few handfulls of taps, some havent ran at all yet, im at a total of 3 gallons of sap! But the best part is being out there and witnessing nature wake up from the long winter!

[Mudcat_21]

Time is running short for the 2013 season, but it will at least be better then 2012! We are going to collect tonight and figure we will have around 300 gallons of sap. Like everyone else, we have trees that have opened up and are running great then you go to the next closest tree and it's dry as a bone. Oh well, we will get to fire the cooker again and smell that great aroma that comes from cooking!

[chad]

don't give up hope so soon we all live here and we know how often the weather man is wrong

[buck3m]

It's about 5:50 AM and I just noticed that more people are viewing Minnesota 2013 than any other category on the forum right now! Lots of us are up early checking the weather and seeing how everyone else is doing.

Haven't collected for a couple of days. There is some sap on the trees so we will collect and boil today. Tomorrow (Sunday) should run some!

[warners point]

It seems this season is shaping up to be another bust like last year, but for the exact opposite reason. Last year it was the heat and now it never warms up. The one thing that is similar between the two years is the amount of frost in the ground. The lack of serious snow cover last year caused the trees to not wake up until it was already to warm. This year we had very little snow cover until February then we got 3 feet and the frost was deep and the snow insulated it. There have been more good sap days, but it has taken so long for the snow to melt and now we have to wait on the frost too. By the way, out of 250 taps we have only got 30 gallons of sap. The taps are staying in until the trees bud this year, which might not be until May.

[sk8heaven]

i know exactly what you mean - only 170 of my 250 taps in as the snow is too deep, barely above freezing in the day, 40 gallons of sap from my taps so far. I have this awful feeling it's going to go from too cold to summer in a short time. I guess all we can do is keep our fingers crossed (pretty sure that bribing the weatherman won't work).

[supersapper]

My box elders are running good. My neighbors sugars are hit and miss. I made a gallon of boxy gold and have enough sap for a couple more gallons and then I am going to transfer all my taps to the sugars. I think the frost did go pretty deep this winter but it just went out as the water that was pooled in his woods disappeared yesterday. My fingers are crossed!

[FameFlower]

We are in Day 4 of sap runs in east central Minnesota. They have been light average runs, but I'll take it!

[Leo]

We collected 100 gallons onThirsday and boiled Saturday. Got another hundred Friday and boiled it on Saturday. They didn't run Saturday and it didn't freeze last night so iffy for today. Half of my trees (all sugars) are a still bone dry.
But, DO NOT PULL YOUR TAPS YET! Just like last year we will get one huge run as the frost goes put.
Hang in there
Leo

[S&S Sugarbush]

Leo, where about are you in Aitkin County? We are in the South West Corner between Farm Island and Mille Lacs Lakes.

We have 80 taps out and like yours a good many are still dry ... but you say to keep the faith.

So far I do not yet have enough to cook. My cooker holds upto 60 gallons - I would like to have at least 200 to cook - We use firewood.

I probably have 75-100 gallons now - it was runnung this AM and the sun seems to want to come out now.

[warners point]

Just heard from my folks. The trees finally woke up!! They got about 70 gallons today, so this week should be good in the McGregor area.

[MN_Maple]

We finally got enough to boil over the weekend. Total of 280 gallons off 525 taps. It ran a ittle late last week for me. It does seem that the woods are finally waking up though so hoping that this week things pick up.

[Schnep's]

We have 60 taps on the south side of Mille Lacs. It started to run on Thursday and we cooked off 3 gallons Saturday and Sunday. Running fair.(needs to freeze at night)hoping for better runs this week.

[Leo]

S&S, I am just a few miles NE of Farm Isand. I am just north of Ripple lake. Things are slowly waking up a few more trees have a little sap each day. We are doing 3rd small batch boil today.
Leo

[S&S Sugarbush]

Finally turned on here - all trees. Collected about 150 gal. off 75-80 taps.

Some have given more than 7 gallons while some just turned on yesteday.

I want 200 gallons before I cook.

Leo - have you cooked yet?

[warners point]

The trees are alive (at least most of them) in McGregor. I'll have 200+ gallons to boil Saturday. Next week looks to have some serious potential!!

[Leo]

I collected another 170 gallons last night. In total I have collected about 600 gallons. Today will be my 5th and largest boil.
It's getting fun.
Leo

[maple flats]

If your ground is just starting to thaw, the buds will take a while to open. It ain't over til the fat lady sings. Don't give up hope.
For me here in central NY, my best sap day all season was last Friday when I got 2500 gal sap.our frost is all gone, and the buds on my trees are just starting to swell. Saturday might be the end for me, I try not to make buddy syrup.

[PerryW]

The best sap run for my colder bush was just last sunday - monday.

[SDdave]

If your ground is just starting to thaw, the buds will take a while to open. It ain't over til the fat lady sings. Don't give up hope.
For me here in central NY, my best sap day all season was last Friday when I got 2500 gal sap.our frost is all gone, and the buds on my trees are just starting to swell. Saturday might be the end for me, I try not to make buddy syrup.

Frost is still in the ground, atleast down by Sioux Falls, SD. About 18" down. For what it's worth.

SDdave

[SilverLeaf]

What a bizarre spring....

With last night's blizzard (my total was 9 inches of snow - I'm sure some of you got more than that) I was expecting everything to be frozen so wasn't even thinking about collecting sap today. 2:30 today my wife calls me at work and says, "the buckets are overflowing!!!". Turns out today is my best run of the year so far!!! :o Had to frantically collect through the snow & slush when I got home.

Saw my first sign of bud break today though (on a silver maple). The feelers weren't out yet but one tree had open buds & I could see 'em in there ready to go. This oughtta be interesting.... tomorrow's low where I am is supposed to be 18 degrees. We'll see if that slows those buds down a bit...!

Glad to hear many of you are starting to get some good runs. I hope it continues for you all! I know the title of this thread says "running out of time" but for what it's worth today the Ntnl Weather Service in Chanhassen said "There's no warmup in sight". So for anyone whose buds don't pop, this next week or so could be an excellent sap run. That's what I love about syruping - it makes those cold dreary days in early spring much less depressing!!! ;)

[Gissert]

I saw possible signs of a good run on Tuesday. I had collected on Monday, only getting 47 gallons on 130 taps for the weekend. It got cold and I figured that it was not worth even checking them Tuesday. Since I had to leave for a few days, I checked them Tuesday evening and was surprised to see a fair amount of sap had moved.

I watched the temps on the NWS yesterday, and we had a long stretch of 34-38 degrees as that low pressure front moved through. Today my wife said the two silvers we use as sentinel trees in the yard were overflowing their bags.

She's gonna go check the sugars tomorrow morning. I'm hoping for a big boil when I get back on Monday.

[lpakiz]

We had snow, rain and big wind all day, with temps just above freezing. The vacuum pulled in about 270 gallons since noon Wednesday. That's on about 210 taps.

[SDdave]

Sorry for hijacking the thread...Wow this ice storm deicmated the trees down here. I had lots of branches (ranging from 6" diam and down) come down off the silvers that I tap.

May your buckets be overfilling with Mother Natures sweet nectar, and be safe boiling.

SDdave

[Leo]

We got dumped on! At least 14 inches of new snow. This ought to make my muddy trails interesting. I think we are in for huge runs for at least the next few days.
Having fun now.
Leo

[SilverLeaf]

Wow this ice storm deicmated the trees down here. Bummer! Sorry to hear, Dave. Silvers are pretty hardy though - as long as a good chunk of the tree is left they can bounce back in a year or two.

[buck3m]

Just got back from the woods and many trees are running well, which is interesting because its only about 34 deg. The next week looks good and I think it will be the biggest week of the year.

[warners point]

Only 32 degrees this afternoon, some taps were running wide open. Can't wait for it to warm up a little more!!