This year looks like a late start to this season

[red maples]

Well like everyone else in the maple world right I check the weather forecast every few hours and it seems to change every few hours as well. I the past few years it seems that we were tapping earlier and earlier every year.

NOT THIS YEAR!!!

Looks like we are getting back to a more normal start time for the season.

according to the weather.com even me by the seacoast NH doesn't have any good sap weather straight through to Feb. 14th.

I am not complaining though I still have stuff to do. I just hope it goes as late as the start seems to be.

[mapleguy]

Brad, it sure does look like a late start. My concern is will it end ups being short to! Nothing you can do but wait and see. According to accu-weather the middle to end of nxt. week is looking good here for maybe 3-4 days. I had planned on tapping this coming week, will have to wait and see. Every year is a crap shoot! Good luck with your season!

[Germanmaples]

Yes it does seem like a late start and probably short. In Central New York the temps looks good for the middle of Feb but then March seems to be mid 30's right through with night time temps in the teens. Brrr. I will tap next week also and hope for the best. Good luck.

[maplwrks]

I bet the season is still six weeks long....

[red maples]

I hope it runs longer. according to the farmers almanac March still seem to be chilly on average and April looks quite warm. But you can't really go by what that.

[maplwrks]

It would be better if the season was only 4 weeks long. If we have a good year, prices will surely drop. Bascoms dropped their prices last week.

[Russell Lampron]

It looks more like it's going to be a normal start date here. Presidents Day is usually the normal start to sugaring season here for the early tappers. That is only a little over a week away and like always, it's the weather in March that determines the season. I normally make most of my syrup in a 2 week period in March and the temps determine which part of the month that will be. The rest of the time is getting ready for it and winding down afterward.

[bowtie]

just checked, again, and out to the 15th there is not a day above 29 degrees. not sure past that but with the sub-zero days we have had it will take a least a few days to thaw the trees out, really can not see anything happening until late,late feb or early march. tonight looks like another below zero low, along with Saturday. average high normally is about 29-31 and low 10-15. at least the heating fuel companies are raking it in, i'm sure they need it!

[mapleguy]

yea same forecast for around here. I was hoping to tap middle of nxt. week but I don't know now from what I see on the local forecasts. I'm thinking if this keeps going like it has been it's gonna be a short season. Back in 2005 March was cold until the middle of the month and there were some that didn't even tap that year. Guess you have to just suck it up and be satisfied with whatever you get. I feel for the guys who do this for a living' not that I can't use the income, but a bad season won't make or break me. Let's hope for the best!

[Greenwich Maple Man]

Its only the start of Feb. I don't see this as a late start at all ! Seems more normal than anything !

[stoweski]

Its only the start of Feb. I don't see this as a late start at all ! Seems more normal than anything !

Agreed!

Ma nature is on my side... For now. Hoping to drag the cold out until the end of Pres. Week.

[Randy Brutkoski]

I think it is going to be right on schedule. I think it is going to be a longer season, i mean well into april because there is so much frost and moisture in the ground. It started very early last year thats why it seems late this year. just sayin

[Thad Blaisdell]

What is going to happen is southern vt is going to warm up and stop early, but central and northern vt are going to go much much longer.

[Jmsmithy]

This is our first year producing commercially. Though I could use some syrup to start recouping our investment I'm NOT ready!!! Sugar house almost done ( at least done enough to get to work). Still need pick up our new evaporator, install/set it up etc etc etc !!

[adk1]

This is our first year producing commercially. Though I could use some syrup to start recouping our investment I'm NOT ready!!! Sugar house almost done ( at least done enough to get to work). Still need pick up our new evaporator, install/set it up etc etc etc !! JM where are you located?

[Ski Bum]

Never Fear!!! Ma Nature will be here, in Her own sweet time. I think she likes to watch us sweat. I checked my ledger and found that I tapped 2/7 in '10 ( newbe ) way too early; 2/12 in '11, 2/4 in '12 and 2/17 in '13. So I guess I'll just keep skiing--- it keeps my mind off early tapping. Good luck to all.

[Amber Gold]

I see a warm up the end of next week, although some single digit temps the previous few nights. Think we'll get anything those warm days?

[adk1]

I see it being, if you look at the average of the past 10 years, a normal season startup?

[BreezyHill]

Well I tap the border, but last few years have been interesting. I can see a short season coming as thad said, but I was surprised how long last season went.

I remember one year we were all done on the 15th of March and it was a cold, cold winter; but when spring sprung it was on us fast.

Just be thankful for what we get and enough of this sub zero chill.

Ben

[Loch Muller]

My forecast is calling for weather that should get things going between the 19th and 23rd of February. That would be early by the records my grandfather and I have going back to the 1970's for here. Then it looks like an agonizingly infinite period of marginal weather after that. I try not to think though, already lost a couple jobs that way...

[Greenwich Maple Man]

Bottom line is nobody knows at all !

[maple flats]

My local extended also shows Feb. 19-23 all mid 40's days and freezing nights. Then it claims only a small handfull of above freezing temperatures all the way to past mid march. If that were to happen we'd be set up for a short season. The later in the season the routine freeze thaw starts the more likely we'll get a short season. My only consolation is that the forecast is often wrong 24 hrs. out, so long terms are rarely close. Let's all pray to the maple gods.

[PATheron]

Flats- Im thinking like you that the season could be short. What Im doing is just using the time now to just keep getting things better and better so when it does run Ill get everything there is to get. That is one plus side that this gives us more time to get ready. Other thing is the forecast can totally change any day this time of year. Only thing for sure is its got to go from cold to warm sometime and when it does were going to make syrup. Theron

[Dave Y]

I can not believe how everyone frets over the weather. This is a normal winter. Just because you made syurp in Jan. last year doest mean that was normal. I rarely ever make syrup in Feb. I see sap days toward the end of the month , I will be ready if we get them, if not I will keep moving forward.

[PATheron]

We have a local guy here that says nine out of ten times you make all your syrup here the third week of March and hes usually right on. Couple years ago we made half our crop in February but that's the only time its ever happened for me. Usually make a little in Jan while tapping in, little in February on a warm up and then all of it in March and for me nothing ever in April unless you wanna make mersh. This cold is a good opportunity to get everything to the nines. Theron

[maple flats]

I'm not as concerned about the Feb forecast as I am the March forecast. My extended now shows Feb. 17-23 will flow, but after that thru March 24 it only shows 5 days over 35 and none over 40. If that does not have a big change we will not get most of our syrup the 3rd week in March. I just plan to have this forecast make a huge swing. If I do in fact get to March with no temperatures over 45 and only 12 days over 35, we will need to have a late spring or end up with a short season. I have only once made syrup in Jan, and rarely made it before 2/15, my typical 1st boil is usually between 3/5 and 3/9, BUT the extended from there thru 3/24 (as far as they go today) looks very poor for much syrup. I may be glad I held back as much inventory as I did last year. I only have about 4.5 gal light (out of only 5 total), about 25 gal med. (out of 145 gal) and about 80 gal dark (out of 220 gal) and 6 gal B (out of 49 gal). The totals are more than my total produced last year because I had carry over from '12 and I bought some bulk too. My retail sales have almost tripled in 2013 and I'll end up buying lots more to meet my demand if this forecast is even close. However, I'll count on later in March and the first 10-15 days of April to be super to make this up. My latest boil ever was 4/17 making B.

[PATheron]

I agree an early start is better than a late start and this is why. Last year my friend that lives maybe 20 miles from me was making syrup for two weeks every day and I wasn't really getting any sap at the same time. My elevation is a lot higher than him. It was like one degree too cold to run right for me but perfect for him. Im thinking, oh well, Ill make up for it at the end where Im running and he isn't. Didn't work that way. Mine only ran a few days more than him so he just made out better. Cant do anything about the weather, its still way early and we don't have any idea what will happen. Im going to finish up my work this week and then Im going to make sure all the vacuum pumps are running by the weekend and then Im going to check my releasers everyday and when theres sap in the tank Im going to take it home and boil it. Theron

[bowtie]

First off, let's stop this nonsense about this being a normal winter, at least in the last 150 or years they have kept records. Rochester New York recorded their 29 th coldest January and snowfall totals are ahead of average, according to the article I read the only reason it was not higher was due to the fact that there were a few days of 40 s and one day I the around 60.Where I am i have had at least 8-10days of below zero lows, last night -13 below. Normal highs and lows are 29-31 and 10-15. We may have a what some call a typical start date of around February 15-20 th but this anything but a normal winter. People tend over embellish on the past but the records do not. Only nature knows how long the season will be, we just have to make do !!
Also check your heating fuel and electric bills they will tell you what last years avg month temps were.

[sugarman3]

Its a additiction,it just get more expensive the bigger you get and then you want to make more:rolleyes:

[Russell Lampron]

yea same forecast for around here. I was hoping to tap middle of nxt. week but I don't know now from what I see on the local forecasts. I'm thinking if this keeps going like it has been it's gonna be a short season. Back in 2005 March was cold until the middle of the month and there were some that didn't even tap that year. Guess you have to just suck it up and be satisfied with whatever you get. I feel for the guys who do this for a living' not that I can't use the income, but a bad season won't make or break me. Let's hope for the best!

2005 was the year that I got my RO and added vacuum. It was very cold here and then warmed up fast. We started tapping on the 13th of March and the season ended on the last day of March. I was just getting used to the RO when it was time to pull the plug. We were thinking that with the late start we would be making syrup into late April and it didn't happen.

[Jebediah]

We have a local guy here that says nine out of ten times you make all your syrup here the third week of March and hes usually right on. Couple years ago we made half our crop in February but that's the only time its ever happened for me. Usually make a little in Jan while tapping in, little in February on a warm up and then all of it in March and for me nothing ever in April unless you wanna make mersh. This cold is a good opportunity to get everything to the nines. Theron

What is "mersh?" Thank you

[Randy Brutkoski]

comercial syrup.

[Randy Brutkoski]

I call it mersh when i cant filter it anymore

[sapmaple]

Oh but now its "processing grade" I can think of a four letter word for it when it wont' come out of the pan or go through the filter press!! And on the weather why anyone would put stock in weather forecasting for 11-30 or 45 days out is beyond me?? Weather forecasters can hardly get the next day right! I am a weather buff and pay attention to it but really?
It is what it is One thing I say for sure is this year will be different then last year or any other year for that matter!!

[PATheron]

I really do think its to early to tell on the weather. I watch accu to but it can totally change tomarrow morning. Im feeling good about the season really but I think we really just need to be ready. The only time I feel bad about the season is if I screw something up. The weather is the weather. The cold weather is giving all of us lots of time to get ready so we just need to be really ready. We don't want to spending a whole lot of time during running to get things working. Need to do that before hand and get all there is to get. Looks like here its going to start to thaw out end of the week so by Wednesday Im going to have the pumps all spinning and the releasers all working good which you can do whether its froze or not. Then next week it looks good but it wont run right for a while because the ground is hard. The lines will be thawed though so thatll be the time that the vacuum gets taken right to the hilt. Then after that whatever runs we get it all. No other way to do it. I think the key is have that stuff done before it runs. Don't miss anything. Have the bugs out of it before hand. Theron

[doocat]

Barrels are ready and taps are ready (except what we foolishly decide to add while waiting). The weather is out of our control. I agree with Theron and the rest that say as long as we are ready it is the best we could do.

Craig

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

I really do think its to early to tell on the weather. I watch accu to but it can totally change tomarrow morning. Im feeling good about the season really but I think we really just need to be ready. The only time I feel bad about the season is if I screw something up. The weather is the weather. The cold weather is giving all of us lots of time to get ready so we just need to be really ready. We don't want to spending a whole lot of time during running to get things working. Need to do that before hand and get all there is to get. Looks like here its going to start to thaw out end of the week so by Wednesday Im going to have the pumps all spinning and the releasers all working good which you can do whether its froze or not. Then next week it looks good but it wont run right for a while because the ground is hard. The lines will be thawed though so thatll be the time that the vacuum gets taken right to the hilt. Then after that whatever runs we get it all. No other way to do it. I think the key is have that stuff done before it runs. Don't miss anything. Have the bugs out of it before hand. TheronYou couldn't have said it any better! " Be ready when the time comes and make the most out of whatever weather we get"!
Neil

[TIMIKE]

Here's my 2 cents for Central WI is its more then likely looking to be a little bit of a late start. With that I think the season will be a normal to a little longer then a normal year. One thing that I like is our weather here has been steady all winter with no big ups and downs in high temps which is a good trend and have 2 more ft of frost then normal in the ground (5ft normal ave is 3ft).

[Rhino]

TIMIKE, I didn't fire up the crawler yet to open trails up in the woods to be sure, but i would think when i do, there won't be any frost in the woods with all the snow cover we got. (25+ inches!) I would think if any frost did penetrate early in November, it would of been pulled out by now? I seen on the local news a viewers photo a week ago, a guy went and uncovered his carrots and dug fresh carrots out of his garden. We worked in the woods today and the snow up here is real lite and fluffy so i would guess any warm stretch or rain before season it will settle out big time. I heard in Tomahawk where they are having frozen pipe issues under the bare streets the frost is 6 ft! Not thinking tapping yet even though we have enough to put in. next weekend is a work weekend for us washing equipment, plowing, making xtra wood and the list goes on.

[maplestudent]

I'm curious as to where people get a forecast beyond 10 days that has actual predictions. all the ones I have seen predict 10 days out, then show averages after that, and averages do nothing for me because some years that day was probably warmer, some years that day was probably colder, and some were probably close to that temp. Tells me nothing about this year though other than an overall historical trend.

As far as weather forecasts go, they are predictions based upon numerous ever-changing variables, and the forecast evolves as the variables change.

[mapleguy]

Log on to the accuweather link on this site. There you can witness all the B.S. 30 days out.

[maplestudent]

Log on to the accuweather link on this site. There you can witness all the B.S. 30 days out.

witnessed and agreed

[TIMIKE]

TIMIKE, I didn't fire up the crawler yet to open trails up in the woods to be sure, but i would think when i do, there won't be any frost in the woods with all the snow cover we got. (25+ inches!) I would think if any frost did penetrate early in November, it would of been pulled out by now? I seen on the local news a viewers photo a week ago, a guy went and uncovered his carrots and dug fresh carrots out of his garden. We worked in the woods today and the snow up here is real lite and fluffy so i would guess any warm stretch or rain before season it will settle out big time. I heard in Tomahawk where they are having frozen pipe issues under the bare streets the frost is 6 ft! Not thinking tapping yet even though we have enough to put in. next weekend is a work weekend for us washing equipment, plowing, making xtra wood and the list goes on.

Ya your probable right about the frost not being to deep in the woods with all the snow. We had 15.5in in the woods last week but are bit southeast of you. Same here as well with the fluffy snow...been some work with the snowmobile keeping the lanes run down so we can keep the 4-wheeler on the lanes. This weather does remind me of last yr but who knows how it will turn out.

[bowtie]

i know they are calling for a warm up next week, I hope so the thermometer reads -23.8 below f. interested to see what the rest of western ny and northern pa guys have. just went to -24 f it is the coldest day I have registered in the 9 years I have lived here!! would not be surprised to here about a couple of -30's f in the area. wood stack is quickly dwindling.

[adk1]

Wow bow tie, I have minus 12 here. You have us beat

[maple flats]

That records no one likes to beat. I have +5 now, but it hovered around -4 earlier. I keep watching the extended, doesn't look promising, but then I look at the prediction track record. Just 2 days ago, they forecast -9 just 10 hrs. out and we had a low of +3. Looking at the extended for me, there are a lot of temps forecast at 28-33 for daytime highs, if the miss very many of them and we get 10 degrees higher nit will kick start a good season. It amazes me how with all of the high tech equipment the forecast doesn't often get very close for the next day, let alone the extended.
One thing is for sure, the sap will run. The later it starts the more likely we could have a short season.

[GramaCindy]

and accuweather is the least accurate IMO

[Rhino]

Heres a short walk down memory lane for us.......Last year i started tapping March 6th, got done tapping on March 21st (6 days in between did not tap because of cold snaps) last year, Up by us there was alot of snow and no frost just like this year, alot colder temps this winter though. The first collection/cook date was April 4th! Clean up date was April 28th. First year we never made syrup in March. If the season is late like last year and the amount of syrup is like last year, i say bring it on. I did go today and plowed around the syrup shack. Lots of snow that is all like sugar, 70 horse 4 wheel drive tractor had all it could do to try and get traction to push that stuff. Going to use the crawler for the rest of what i need to do.

[Russell Lampron]

This morning it was -6*F here. Yesterday morning it was -10*F you can call that a warm up I guess!

[BAP]

Still a long ways to TOWN MEETING DAY which use to be the traditional start tapping day for many. Everybody has just gotten spoiled by the last few winters being Al Gore like. This is a more like a traditional winter. Its way too early to count the chickens before they hatch.

[cpmaple]

All I can say is here in northeastern ny I had -17 this morning and they are saying a warm up end of next week I have to see it to believe it for sure.

[jpcole]

I'm blaming the wood chuck. We had -22 this morning

[davrhods]

woodchuck .22 :)