Just When I Thought The Season Was A Bust

[hodorskib]

As of Friday I had made 9 gallons of syrup off 64 taps and since then the sap has been flowing almost constantly. We are up to 14 gallons and it is still running strong. Glad I didn't pull out last weekend like the wife wanted me too:lol: Anyone else seeing big runs?

[markct]

Same here! boiled off about 1200 gal of sap today and went around and pumped out some of my tanks to fill the 1650 gal storage tank again so I can start the ro before I go to work and boil when I get home. Buds are fuzzy and appear to be opening but so far not a hint of smell or off taste, its ok tho either way at this point in the season its going up north as bulk, have 250 gal good syrup plus about 100 I had already in reserve so enough to get me thru the year. I am hoping it stays running a few days so I can do my last boiling this weekend.

[Run Forest Run!]

That's really encouraging for those of us still waiting on the sap to start up for the season. You guys have had an exciting few days.

[DonMcJr]

Wow forest! Should be any day i started boiling 4 days ago...

[DaveB]

Temp is 26 here this morning so I'm hopeful that the sap will keep running today. I think the diaphragm on my SureFlo pump failed yesterday and I can't get a replacement one until next week so I'm relaying on gravity for now. I think you folks might have a season like us - starting late but ending just about on-time (maybe a week later?).

[markct]

The batteries in both my outdoor thermometers died overnight but the sap lines were frozen this morning and manifolds full of ice chunks so im a happy mapler! 1600 gal of sap are going thru my ro while im at work so i will have a good boil tonight! Looks like atleast a few more days til i go back to sleeping at night!

[Run Forest Run!]

Wow forest! Should be any day i started boiling 4 days ago...

I sure hope so Don. I didn't ration last year's syrup enough to make it through to next year.

[markct]

Another great day of collecting over 1000 gal of sap, its crazy, and oddly enough no hint of buddy yet, buds sure are swelled but syrup still tastes great and zero smell.

[hodorskib]

The run continues another 85 gallons off 64 taps this is insane. No buds even close to popping on my trees and in fact Black Rock pond is still locked up with ice just down the road. Last night at the house it was 32 degrees and where my trees are run about 5 degrees colder and tonight has some promise as well. I have never made syrup of any kind in April before and if it continues I will make 1/2 my season since last Friday and by the looks of the pan it will be a good dark batch (the stuff I keep for myself). Every year is different and this one will be our second best behind last year. Sugar content is holding at 1.3 but my little RO is keeping up so no complaints.

[ctjim]

nice to see you guys still going. i am still going as well never thought i would be making syrup into april down in southeastern ct and also tapping 100% reds. the buds are really swelled up on most of my trees but i'm still getting clear sap and the syrup doesn't have an off taste or smell. some of my buckets are drying up but i have been tapped since late feb and got 1 good run b4 we froze up until early march but since then its been running good. normally we are done by st pattys day this year is def been a good yr so far despite the fact i am only running 100 taps all buckets on 100% reds. normally we run about 300 taps split between buckets and vac only this yr my partner changed jobs and didn't sugar this yr, so i was kind of left to fend for myself at the last minute and didnt have enough time to set up vac and everything else.

[Agent914]

@Hodorskib your little RO is a sweet set-up I wish I had invested in one …instead I invested my time into a building and dialing in bigger evaporator for the 2014 season…but there is always next year.

Happy boiling this weekend …maybe I will stop by.

[markct]

As i boil off another 1200 gal of sap tonight im amazed its still great tasting and no buddy taste yet! Saturday i have cub scouts coming for a tour and was affraid i wouldnt have sap to do much more than a slow boil for show but thats not gona be an issue!

[hodorskib]

It didn't really warm up until later in the day after a cold night so only 35 gallons today but every tap was dripping good. Tomorrow is it either way - good luck with the scouts.

[hodorskib]

Taps were dry today and the bags all had more moths, ants and flies than sap so the girls and I pulled all of them. Boiling off the last of the storage tank and putting the season to bed. Good luck to anyone still going it turned out to be an above average season after such a cold and slow start.

[DaveB]

I collected more sap tonight that I'll boil tomorrow. Some taps were running and others were not in the buckets that I emptied around our church. It's the season that just keeps on giving (at least here). I think it's going to be good elsewhere as well.

[Xvermontx]

Just dump 100 gallons of sap that went bad ....I think it's over.. :cry: