HAS ANYONE NOTICED??

[Pete33Vt]

Up here in Bakersfield,Vt. I have been noticing that alot of the maples are looking a little sick. On my way to work i have seen alot of maples that are dead or dying. I mean with branches breaking and leaves that are very dried up and wilted. Just the other day I was look out over the moutains and it seemed to me like the trees are starting to change colors already. Just seeems like its way early. And with the rain we have gottin, it shouldn't be from heat stress. The dead trees I've seen arn't just roadside either. They are all over in the woods also. Just wondering if its the same anywhere else. Or is this a vision of things to come. :cry: :cry:
Pete

[super sappy]

A row of road side trees that I was going to tap this year is looking like that. The catipillars never came close to me this year and we have had tons of rain. These trees are all under 2 feet in diameter and just like you said they look like the leaves are changing and dieing.I have also noticed this up at the local ski area.Super sappy

[hard maple]

last sunday we were up in jamiaca checking out the Nearings forest farm and I noticed the trees looked really stressed, yellow leaves. Same thing in the berkshires. But here closer to the Ct. river valley the trees look great. My trees have that nice dark green color to the leaves, and ready for another banner year if the weather cooperates....

[Al]

The first year I moved here in Fairfield we had the same thing. I've also seen it this year like you. Hopefully it's a cycle thing. Well have to get to the chainsaw next weekend and get going on some wood. Finally talked the wife into a woodstove for the house. The propane bills finally have gotten her attention. 8O

[mcsap]

I heard a news item on the radio a week or so ago about this. It seems there is a fungus that is working on the sugar maples causing the type of things you are seeing. The story was about NE Mass and SE NH, but probably applies elsewhere. I think the conclusion was that this was not going to have any long-term effect.

[forester1]

Hard Maple, What does the Nearings Forest Farm look like now? I love the Maple Sugar book and have 3 copies. A couple years back I bid on ebay on one of their bottles shaped like a woman that they described in their book labled Forest Farm Jamaica Vermont. I didn't get it.

[hard maple]

jerry
You can still see the sugarhouses,woodshed, stone buildings. One of the sugarhouses is converted into a camp. You can actually drive through the sugarbush it's all houses now.I can email a couple pics I took if your address is on your profile, or send it to me.

[Sugarmaker]

Reading the Nearings book again. Boy they put in a lot of work making syrup. Very Interesting book!
We just got back from taking entries to the Crawford County Fair. This is our second year and hope to do better than last? There is always a lot of competition at this fair.
We entered
Syrup one Qt. each of Light, Medium, and Dark
Maple Crumb,
Maple Fudge,
Maple sugar candies,
Maple Cream,
And a basket including syrup in glass and plastic, Maple coated peanuts, cream, crumb, candy, and maple mustard.

In the Apiary judging we also entered Light and Dark Honey, plus a basket with honey, honey coated nuts and honey mustard.

I think I may take a bottle of light syrup that Cheryl made for the Novice class. She knows how to make syrup as well as I do and puts in a lot of effort supporting my habit.

Regards,
Chris

[Pete33Vt]

I guess alot of people have noticed, I to hope this is just a cycle thing, and that it won't affect sugaring to much. Looks like everyone is busy at this time of summer. The same is true here. Chris good luck with your entries at the fair. Everyone be safe and enjoy the rest of summer.
Pete

[markcasper]

Though its been hard to find time to be on here this summer, I'll have to say that our trees are not looking the best either. I could describe the same types of symptoms, but western and northern Wisconsin has been in moderate, to nearly severe drought. Though its been raining good in August, its a little late for most things. I believe the dry summer has affected things here more than anything else.

I was up to Lake Superior over the weekend and I must say that the trees up that way look in much worse shape than here.

One other thing, I have never seen the maples so full of seeds as they are this year. The seeds are pretty brown and kind of fooled me into thinking the trees were worse off than they are, when in reality I was seeing the seeds and not green.

One last note, it seems in August that everything strts to show its age and the lush green of June, suddenly turns to a drabbier green, if you will. There has been a tree here or there just starting to turn, but thats typical for this late in August I guess. I hope all is well with the maples. Mark

[Sugarmaker]

Not bragging but here are my results from the Crawford Co. Fair

We entered
Syrup one Qt. each of
Light, 2nd
Medium, 1 st
and Dark 4th
Maple Crumb, 1st
Maple Fudge, did not place
Maple sugar candies, 3 rd
Maple Cream, 1st
And a basket including syrup in glass and plastic, Maple coated peanuts, cream, crumb, candy, and maple mustard 2nd

We were very happy with the results. We spent several days working our Maple association booth. Sold a lot of maple milk shakes!

Made Maple mustard today (16, 8 oz plastic bottles) and working on a new recipe for it also.

Chris

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Somehow this doesn't suprise me at all. The only thing that suprises me is that you didn't take first in everything. Way to go, it is obvious you take a lot of pride in your maple and honey and do a great job! :D

[Pete33Vt]

WAY to go Chris!! Sounds like you and your family put alot of work into your maple syrup and honey operations. I've been reading everything I can on honey and honey bees, very interesting stuff. I found someone with some hives that I can get started with. I need to get frames and do some repairs, but I think they will work great. The person I am getting them from used to work in and arairy so he should be able to give me alot of info. As far as sugaring goes he also has a small homemade evaporator that could be cleaned up and used. I am working on geting wood cut for the house, and will have plenty for the rig. Hoping to get into the sugar house and at least take a inventory of what I got in there to work with and what I need to replace. Been an very busy summer, with fall just around the corner. Everyone stay safe! Pete

[Parker]

Very good job! I was looking around on your web site the other day and was very impressed...

[Daren]

I've seen it in Fletcher also. Not as bad as I have seen in the past though. I too was not expecting to see it this year as I felt it was a pretty good "leaving" year as far as weather goes. I have had lots of time to just "observe" the trees this summer with the layup and all and have noticed that this problem is not consistant even withing trees very close to each other. I have been looking for parasitic bugs or other reasons for the problem, but have not found any. None of the black beetle looking bugs at my place as far as I can see. I saw at the champlain valley fair that there is a bad bug around that is distroying maples in the state. hope we get an influx of bad bug eating birds or something to keep their numbers down. I didn't know this maple thing could be so stressful in the off season :evil:

[Sugarmaker]

Pete,
Good luck with the bees. Very interesting hobby! And not quite as much work as the syrup. Remember a full deep hive body weights 90 lbs. so lifting these can be hard on the back.

Parker Thanks on the web site, Just cant find the time to maintain it like I should. More things mean more work and time!

Brandon,
How are things in Gods country? Got to get down your way!

Hope all are having a great end of summer!

Got to go to the Albion Fair!
Chris

[Sweber]

Pete, Don't believe it when someone tells you bees aren't as much work as sugaring. It's a lie. :!:
As far as the browning on maple leaves goes, it's a bacteria caused by the wet and warm weather this spring and summer. It's called an Anthracote or something like that and from what I understand the browning is the tree's defense mechanism against it. This particular strain affects only the sugar maple. When a health tree senses the Anthracote, it "shuts off" the leaf because the leaf is more expendable than the branch. NPR had a good segment on it Monday morning, I'll see if I can locate it on the web and post it. Overall it seems to be only a small insult to the tree. They should recover easily :roll: It will however lessen the great fall colors this year. Thats why we keep some reds around.
Steveo