getting a little worried about this season!!!

[red maples]

Well like everyone else in the maple world I have a lot of money to payback after this year of gushing money out for improvements.

Well the break is nice and I still have stuff to do. The forecast looks pretty bad, on the cold side that is, and I am very concerned about a short season. With only 1 day over freezing in the next 10 day forecast. All I have to say is April better be chilly so we can go well into April making syrup!!!

only time will tell I guess!!!

[Drew Pond Maple]

I know how you feel. I bought a vacuum pump and dying to try it. Like you said the 10 day looks yucky and I'm north of you, so maybe even colder.
Has there been any past years like this one? This is only my 3rd year.

[MIKE7124]

Im worried that the taps I put in already are gonna run dry when it gets warm enough....../.Anyone have an opinion on that ??

[unc23win]

Its still early for us. March is sugaring season for us in Northern PA. The last three years all started in February last season the 28th other 2 before that 20th or so and all three ran until April 10-12. 2013 had 10 days freeze in the middle of March. This year a few people got a 3 day run last weekend but nothing great.

I am like Brad I had 1000 things to do to get ready and now I am down to 100 things to do and will take advantage of the time with no sap so that when it comes I can maximize production. I might manage to still add on taps before I get sap.

[optionguru]

The latest weather reports from accuweather and weatherbug show a chance of a warm up starting around March 7th. Fingers crossed.

[BlueberryHill]

Im worried that the taps I put in already are gonna run dry when it gets warm enough....../.Anyone have an opinion on that ??

I'm with you. Tapped too early. I am probably pretty close to you. I'm only a few thousand feet from Chester. Good thing is I am only half tapped so at least if the ones I have in start drying up then I'll still have the other half going.

It was just a few days ago that the expended forecast looked really promising. Not it looks pretty bad like Brad said. But it can change back to awesome just as easily as it changed to crappy. I agree that it now looks like it could be a short season though. Don't stress about it. All that shiny new stuff will be just as awesome for next season if this year does not turn out so great.

[jmayerl]

Here is my take on season here in wisconsin. Very short and continuous season of a few weeks. Here is why- arctic high is parked over us for at least the next 14 days giving us temps in the single digits for highs and well below 0 for lows. In turn the trees are froze solid which will take many days to thaw once warm weather hits. We also have a 30" snowpack that needs to thaw from around the bases of trees. On top of all that there is no frost under all that snow.

Once it starts warming up in the end of march, beginning of April is gonna be nonstop for two weeks then over.......mark it on the calender I say!

Sorry, right after I wrote this I saw it was in the Nh thread....

[BAP]

Way too early to be loosing hope. This winter is like winters used to be. A lot of syrup can be made in late March and early April. When things let loose, we could have some great runs.

[maplestudent]

I would have tapped last week if I had been ready, but I wasn't, so I didn't. Maybe this weekend, there doesn't seem to be any reason to rush right now.

[Amber Gold]

I keep records every year we've tapped (6th season currently). We're having a comparable year to 2010 which was the best year on record I believe. We made a little bit in February (same as this year) it froze until basically the 9th and then it all came loose until mid-April. Accuweather shows us sugaring until June or something. I'm not worried...yet.

[GeneralStark]

I think we have had several early seasons in recent years so people are getting a bit antsy because things haven't started. No big deal I say. Use the time to get ready so when it comes, you can take advantage. I do think that concerns over a real quick warmup like in 2012 are unfounded. With the snowpack like it is in N. America and frozen great lakes, it is not going to warm up quick.

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

In a way I'm happy we have this bit of a lull...Im a small timer and I have about 25-30 gallons of frozen solid sap in buckets right now LOL So I have a bit of time before it even defrosts and I can get it out of the buckets. This weekend I'm picking up my evaporator and it will give me time to set it up, test boil some water and clean it all up and get ready to start my 1st real boil. I went out in my woods today and tapped some more trees and I am up to 80 taps now...last season I only had 35. So Im certainly stepping up my game and will need the time to get it all right.

[Drew Pond Maple]

In a way I'm happy we have this bit of a lull...Im a small timer and I have about 25-30 gallons of frozen solid sap in buckets right now LOL So I have a bit of time before it even defrosts and I can get it out of the buckets. This weekend I'm picking up my evaporator and it will give me time to set it up, test boil some water and clean it all up and get ready to start my 1st real boil. I went out in my woods today and tapped some more trees and I am up to 80 taps now...last season I only had 35. So Im certainly stepping up my game and will need the time to get it all right.What evaporator did you get?
I'm also alittle glad that it is cold cuz I haven't finished my tubing yet or tapped.
I should be cutting fire wood for my boiler on the weekends because im going to run out of wood and won't part with my syruping wood. I guess the kids will have to wear snowsuits to bed.:lol:

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Its a custom built one, used hand me down, but its stainless and he got over 10gph boil rate last year with it not being pushed very hard.

I will post pictures of it once I get it going.

[jeffeich]

I can relate to cold...In NE Iowa just checked the next 10 days and the warmest day looks like 16 degrees, with lows in the single digits. That will take us through the first week of March. Still have 25 inches of snow on the ground to deal with as well.

450 Taps and buckets (still in my Storage shed)
2x8 evaporator
2 John Deere Gators

[Hop Kiln Road]

It will be an above average season.

[325abn]

It will be what it will be!:) Whatever Mother give us I will take.

[Russell Lampron]

In 2005 we didn't start the season until mid March. It warmed up quick and the season ended around the first of April like it usually does. I had almost doubled my tap count that year and made about 10 gallons less than a normal season before that. It was the first year that I had vacuum and RO. I hope that this season doesn't turn out like that one did because I spent a lot of money in the off season too.

Just remember that you generally make most of your syrup in a 2 week period and all you need is those 2 good weeks to get your syrup.

[maplwrks]

An old timer once told me that no real amount of syrup will be made until after the full moon in March. I keep that in mind every year and find that there are some exceptions, but most of the time March is cold until after the full moon. This year the full moon lands on the 16th. In this area our big weeks for syrup production are the last 2 weeks in March so I'm not getting too excited. We are looking at below freezing temps for the next 10 days. HOLD TIGHT!!! IT WILL COME!!

[eustis22]

MY concern is we'll have a very short season and there won't be time to boil all I want to make.

Then again...it's Nature....I guess I need to be philosophical about it.

[red maples]

Last was a strange year for me .... micro climate.... I made 40 gallons of syrup in the first 4 weeks of the season. then right after maple weekend the next 2 weeks I made 40 gallons. I wish I had that good sap weather for all 6 weeks of the season I would have had a banner of a season. but gotta take what you get in this biz and make the most of it!!!

[Marc Duclos]

When I got interested in make syrup I asked a lot of question. The one that seemed to mater the most was when to start. I was told the buckets were hung in NH March 10. Vacuum has change that. The hole world is stage and man wants to play god.

[Shawn]

Well if you look at the long range weather and if you can believe it starting a week from today it starts to get into high gear and again the long range shows right in the last part of April with warm temps in the day and freezing at night could be its going to run like a dickens

[mcgeec]

In a way I'm happy we have this bit of a lull...Im a small timer and I have about 25-30 gallons of frozen solid sap in buckets right now LOL So I have a bit of time before it even defrosts and I can get it out of the buckets. This weekend I'm picking up my evaporator and it will give me time to set it up, test boil some water and clean it all up and get ready to start my 1st real boil. I went out in my woods today and tapped some more trees and I am up to 80 taps now...last season I only had 35. So Im certainly stepping up my game and will need the time to get it all right.

I think that is my evaporator, right? Glad to know it is going to good hands.

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Hahaha yes Chip, we still on for Saturday morning? Thanks again!

-Scott

[red maples]

yeah Shawn I hope so !!!!!

[mcgeec]

Yep. See you then

[maplwrks]

Hey Shawn--We all like to believe everything we read on the net, but most weather forecasts beyond 10 days are based on historical data. As I said above, I really don't think a real lot of syrup will be made before the 15th of March. This a more traditional type year for sugaring and most of you haven't been at it long enough to remember sugaring in the 70's and 80's when we didn't start before the middle of March. Sugaring season will still be 4 weeks long regardless---hang in there guys!!

[Russell Lampron]

Hey Shawn--We all like to believe everything we read on the net, but most weather forecasts beyond 10 days are based on historical data. As I said above, I really don't think a real lot of syrup will be made before the 15th of March. This a more traditional type year for sugaring and most of you haven't been at it long enough to remember sugaring in the 70's and 80's when we didn't start before the middle of March. Sugaring season will still be 4 weeks long regardless---hang in there guys!!

Hey Mike down here the season usually starts around the first of March. It is rare that the season doesn't last 4 weeks but there have been exceptions. Some seasons have been longer and some have been shorter. I have tapped as early as Feb 7th and boiled as late as April 21st. The late start here has got everybody scared and it may be justified. As long as I can make about 135 gallons I will be alright. A good 2 week period will produce that and the rest is gravy.

[maple flats]

Same here. While I've gotten syrup in Feb, last year was the only Feb. where I made much. For me March 7-10 seems to be my typical real start. Since 2003 I've only had 1 yr. earlier and 1 yr later than the Mar. 7-10 start. Then my best 10 days usually started between 3-15 and 3- 21. Looking at the long range it appears I should start about 3/7 or more likely 3/8 and then the pattern looks good thru the first week in April. If they are even remotely close it will be a great season. At this time they show (for CNY) an ideal pattern thru April 13. After that they just show historical averages. However, I realize they rarely get the weather right 24 hrs. out, so 6 weeks is impossible. I just hope the prediction is close enough to have that 5-6 week season. Then maybe I'll need more SS barrels.

[Greyfox]

My concern isn't the start date of the season, it's the pattern that has developed this winter. It seems that we fluctuate between very cold stretches and very warm ones. My fear is that the cold snap will break loose for a bit and we'll have a great week or so, and then we might go into a prolonged warm spell. HOPEFULLY I'm wrong....my wife generally says that I am...but only time will tell. Either way we'll make some syrup, have a good time, and live to tell the tale of the best year, the worst year, or the average year of 2014. Good luck all.

Doc

[Shawn]

Ya I know you cannot believe the long range and I get reminded of that by the wife. I guess its called pacing back and forth and waiting. Time will tell, at least I get to hear from folks that were near my home town Like Orwell VT!:)

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Definite concern in WV. Ice tonight and then snow and 10 to 15 inches predicted tomorrow on top of the already deep frost in the ground and then to below zero tomorrow night. Hardly any sap weather in sight here and we haven't had hardly any. Normal season is over here around 21st of March. Concerned it will go from cold to warm. Done that 3 times in last 11 years. At about 25% of full crop so far in 7+ weeks. Normally last week of Feb and 1st week of March are about are two best weeks and duds this year it appears.

[Gary R]

Concern here also. At least I've made enough to satisfy my sweet tooth for a year. The things that make me laugh are those that say this is a normal winter. They must only remember the cold ones. For us in western PA we are running 20 degrees below historical averages. Day time highs should be low 40's and lows upper twenties. Sugarmaker and I were talking the other day. We believe we will get at least one more run or we go straight to next winter:)