Started dripping in Northern NH

[optionguru]

Tapped about 40 yesterday and putting some more in today. The taps just started dripping and about 3 of the 10 I put in so far today started right away. Exciting because a couple of the ones that were wet did not do well last year. Game On!

[PerryW]

Headed out to bore my first holes of the season today. Looks like a favorable temperatures over the weekend here in the Littleton area, but the extreme cold we've had makes me think we will have to wait at least another week besides anything but nuisance sap.

[optionguru]

Perry, I'm happy to hear I wasn't too far ahead of you this year. Makes me feel like I'm not totally screwing up like I did last year, jumping the gun. I had about 1/4 of my trees drip a little yesterday, thinking it will get a little better today. Good luck, look forward to chatting by the evaporator over the next couple of weeks.

[PerryW]

Headed up for Day 3 on the hill. Got about half of my 600 taps tapped. Going slow with all the snow and numerous repairs in my tubing required. Looks like borderline sap flow conditions on sunday-monday, but then it cools down again for next week. I really don't expect anything besides nuisance sap for at least another week.

[optionguru]

I ran a couple of the new 3/16 "natural vacuum" lines and they are without a doubt behaving better than any of the others. I'm up to 77 now and I've collected 15 gallons so far. Your nuisance sap is my "sap tsunami". Stay warm

[PerryW]

got about 90% tapped of my 600 tap sugarbush. there's a little sap flow today in some of the lines, but nothing worth gathering. I'll Looks like it may warm up enough Monday for a little better sap flow, but after that; too cold for most of next week.

[PerryW]

Finished tapping my 600 tap bush yesterday There was some sap that ran, but not enough to bother with.

Finished setting up the sugarhouse for boiling.

I'm guessing that with last nite's low of 5 degrees, that it will not run much today but it will probably run enough to check for leaks in the piping later today.

[optionguru]

Got 35 gallons last week on 83 taps. Had to test the new evaporator yesterday. Went pretty well but spent too much time talking and not enough time loading wood. Hope for something today and tomorrow to be able to finish some off with the concentrate from yesterday.

[PerryW]

Got my 600 gallon storage tank all cleaned out this morning and finished the last tapping on my 600 tap sugarbush. looks like nothing running for the next week here in the Littleton area so I'm holding off hanging the buckets.

[PerryW]

yawn! wake me up next week.

[Russell Lampron]

Pete and Perry is this the official northern NH thread for 2015?

[optionguru]

I think so, we both whine just enough to keep people up to date. probably won't be much commentary until Wednesday. Looks great for the end of this coming week. I'm Jealous when I read about all the action down in southern NH.

[Russell Lampron]

We whine down here too. We get jealous at the end of the season when you guys are still going and we are all done. In the end it usually turns out that you guys make just as much syrup as we do.

[PerryW]

I think so, we both whine just enough to keep people up to date. probably won't be much commentary until Wednesday. Looks great for the end of this coming week. I'm Jealous when I read about all the action down in southern NH.

Pete, Maybe we should start a new North Country NH Thread when we start making some syrup? Based on the forecast, I'm not sure I'll have any syrup till after April 1.

tapped another 50 taps yesterday on a couple small tubing runs. I plan on hanging 50 buckets or so next week when it looks like sap weather.

[optionguru]

Had some down time yesterday with the kids so took some of the small first batch and made some treats. I have a feeling Wednesday is going to be good.

1128311284

[optionguru]

Some taps with good sunlight started dripping this afternoon about 2pm. My best 3/16 natural vac line started really moving around 5pm. I really hope tomorrow and Thursday get enough to boil and then again this weekend. If mother nature doesn't cooperate with my life schedule I foresee storage issues. Fingers crossed.

[PerryW]

yeah, some of the sunny buckets I hung up on quebec road ran ad pint or so. my pipeline in littleton was doing nothing when I checked it at 2 PM. Only hit 33 degrees at the house today. I think we'll get some sap late tomorrow and thursday.

[handtapper]

I got about 175gallons out of 275+\- taps today, encouraging. If the reds would wake up id be doing better. The sugars all ran well but the reds not so much

[PerryW]

I hung 45 buckets yesterday and another 10 this morning. dumped the few gallons worth of ice this morning and just a few other odds & ends to be ready to sweeten the pans if we get anything today/tomorrow. good luck everyone!

[PerryW]

did leak patrol from 1 pm to 3 pm. just a few taps dripping and nothing happening at all on many trees. CHeck a few buckets and tanks at 6 pm and only a few gallons. gonna need more warming up before the sap runs for real.

[PerryW]

looks like I might have 200 gallons of sap and it's still dribblin'. Gonna get the tank in the truck and gather my first sap today.

[PerryW]

Picked up 200 gallons from my 700 gravity taps, fired up the 3x10 and now have the pans sweetened.

[n8hutch]

Feels good to get a little sap for sure, I would say I have a couple hundred gallons out there going to collect in the morning, took the day off to attend a funeral. How much snow you guys got over there, sure is going fast on this side of the state

[optionguru]

Snow is melting pretty quick with the rain, picked up about 1/4 gpt yesterday. Not sure how today will go with it not getting too cold last night.

[n8hutch]

Pete you have some 3/16 out? Mine have been running non stop since Wednesday, I don't have a lot of drop on one run maybe 12-15' but it still pulls 10" of vac. I am 100% certain if I did that run on 5/16 I would be getting nothing.

[PerryW]

picked up 175 gallons yesterday unloaded it and promptly drove my truck off the edge of the driveway. I guess I'm gonna try AAA and finally get some use out of that card I've been carrying for 15 years.

Looks like no sap today, but gonna boil up what I got. Might even take off some syrup.

[MapleCamp]

That 3/16 with the CV's have made a huge difference for me. I've got up to 16" on gravity. I'm using Grimm blue and green tubing. It hasn't got going real good here in Lancaster yet. Have not even boiled yet, first time ever not boiling by March( since about 1968) it looks like not until April. I also have been saying this the past month, next week..................

[PerryW]

I managed to squeeze out my first two gallons of the season today. Actually, last year was the only year I didn't make any syrup until April 1st in 27 years sugaring at my current location.

[optionguru]

I'm sold on the 3/16. I have two runs of it and they both are producing better than any of the 5/16. Both runs have about 15' of drop. I was excited to see yesterday the temperature was decent and for about 1/2 the day the sap was running. I've saved up a couple days worth to be able to boil today with some nice sunny weather.

[Greyfox]

Thanks for the update on the 3/16". My bush is on a side hill; a long run but not much fall. I can only get about 15' or 20' of fall from my upper trees, and I wasn't sure if switching would be worth it. It's good to know that you can still pull some vacuum. I'm in for next season.

Thanks again,

Doc

[PerryW]

Pulled off another 4 gallons of high end Medium last night from the sap that drizzled out on sunday afternoon and yesterday afternoon. a season total of 6 gallons puts me at 5% crop. Let the games begin!

[MapleCamp]

Might collect this morning. First collection this year, I think I was just about done this time last year. Haven't even boiled yet, some of my buckets on my huge sugars filled but the gravity systems are slow to thaw. Hate to say it, again, next week looks better. Now I'm just hoping to get enough for the family, never mind paying my taxes, at least I got to open some of my bee hives up they look ok, their waiting on the maples as well. Have fun

[optionguru]

I'm still amazed at the difference from one tree to the next. I've had a few days where about 1/4 of my trees are producing 1/2gpt, half the trees are doing 1/4gpt and the rest are doing 0. I really hope I can boil a couple of times this week, I 've already used or given away what little syrup I've made so far.

[n8hutch]

I'm still amazed at the difference from one tree to the next. I've had a few days where about 1/4 of my trees are producing 1/2gpt, half the trees are doing 1/4gpt and the rest are doing 0. I really hope I can boil a couple of times this week, I 've already used or given away what little syrup I've made so far. It is strange how different they can be tree to tree, I had some yesterday with full pails on two taps & 3-4 tap pails that were Dry, also some that consistently run well that didn't do a whole lot & the more finicky trees gushed, got 8 gallons out of a monster Red maple that has 4 taps in it, filled a 5 gallon pail in 4 hours. I can't figure it out, you guys should get some good flows Friday

[PerryW]

I'm still amazed at the difference from one tree to the next. I've had a few days where about 1/4 of my trees are producing 1/2gpt, half the trees are doing 1/4gpt and the rest are doing 0. I really hope I can boil a couple of times this week, I 've already used or given away what little syrup I've made so far.

Yup, some of my north-side buckets have not run a drop and a couple of the south side buckets have run 2 GPT on couple runs. We are still in the pre-season.

[PerryW]

Picked up 250 gallons today and made another 7 gallons for a season total of 13 gal. Grade is Fancy now.

[GeneralStark]

Picked up 250 gallons today and made another 7 gallons for a season total of 13 gal. Grade is Fancy now.

I assume you mean Golden Delicate as the term "Fancy" can now only be applied to VT Maple Syrup.:D

[optionguru]

Got about 45 gal of sap yesterday, going to boil some tonight and hopefully get enough sap in the next few days to boil on Saturday again. If not there will be a lot of disappointed beer and wine drinkers in Lisbon Saturday.

[PerryW]

I assume you mean Golden Delicate as the term "Fancy" can now only be applied to VT Maple Syrup.:D

I always buy the Vermont Temporary Grade kits, so when I read the grade as FANCY, I put a Grade A Light Amber Sticker on it. Am I correct that I can still use the old grading system for the rest of this year?

[Homestead Maple]

Yes, in NH you can use that through 2015.

[optionguru]

Collected about 50 gallons Tuesday and yesterday and boiled with some other sap I had stored. Made 2 gallons as a batch boil, didn't really have enough sap to try to run the pan continuous. I think I need at least 100 gallons of sap to try that, makes me so nervous to think about leaving partially boiled sap in the evaporator. The new pan is making lighter syrup than the old steam table pans ever did. Probably still darker than you bigger producers are making with the continuous flow pans. Looking good for today.

[PerryW]

Sap really didn't get started running till 4 PM here. Glad I walked the lines this afternoon. Fixed three leaks that resulted in 75 taps running on the ground! Looks like there should be plenty to gather tomorrow morning!

[optionguru]

I was bummed how little I got last night but was rewarded this morning. Looks like some of the trees really woke up. Got about 30 gallons this morning. If I can get another 20 or 30 today I'll be able to boil tomorrow.

[PerryW]

picked up 425 gallons early this morning and made 9 gallons of light amber and I still have 100 gals in the sugarhouse tank. heading out to gather again. I know there was at least 100 gallons left in the tanks this morning and it's been running somewhat throughout the day. Should be another decent haul. That brings me up to 22 gallons so far. Might hit 30 gallons by tonite.

[MJFlores]

Does anyone think this warm spell will cause budding and shut us down for good? I hope not...seems like things are just getting started.

[PerryW]

Does anyone think this warm spell will cause budding and shut us down for good? I hope not...seems like things are just getting started.

Not up in the Littleton area and I doubt it for most of NH. Because this warm spell appears to be brief, I think we will weather it just fine.

Made 16 gallons of Light Amber today and still 150 gal to boil tomorrow AM. Total 2015 syrup is 29 gallons so far. Hope to make 110 gal.

[Russell Lampron]

Go Perry Go, The sap flows have been great here this week. I made 22 gallons last night to bring the season total to 101 gallons.

MJ what part of NH are you in? In Loudon the trees haven't even thought about budding yet. It's supposed to freeze tonight and that will help keep the buds closed.

[optionguru]

Got about 75 gallons in the last couple of days if it ran a little over night I should be in good shape to boil today. One section of 15 taps that is always in the shade finally started to produce a little yesterday. We used the new coffee urn filter bottler set-up the other night to run our 2 gallon batch. Not a bad deal for homemade. Last year it was a 3 or 4 person process to hold filters, ball jars, pyrex mixing bowl/pouring device. Now pour the syrup into the filters put the lid on and start bottling. Progress.

[MapleCamp]

Finally started getting some runs here in Lancaster, snowing now and right around 32 so it looks like a couple of days before a good flow, got about 150 taps in with 150 gallons in storage, and the pans finally sweetened. Next good run its go time. It hit 62 here yesterday and my bees were all over my pails and buckets.

[PerryW]

finished up boiling the sap that ran thursday and friday and made another 5 gallons for a season total of 34 gal. Ended up making 21 gallons from the extended 2-day run. Grade dropped into high-end medium (or whatever they call it now).

[Russell Lampron]

Medium is amber now Perry. The new colors start at golden then it's amber followed by dark and then very dark. There's no more grade B. Anything with an off flavor is commercial regardless of color.

[optionguru]

Wind was a little tough yesterday but boiled outside and made another 2.25 gallons. Already above last seasons disaster (tapped too early). Up to just over 5 gallons. This week looks good (heard that before). Can't wait to finish the sugar shack to get out of the wind next season.

[Russell Lampron]

Boiling inside sure is nice. You can boil anytime when you are out of the weather and the evaporation rate goes up too.

[PerryW]

running good today in spite of the high winds the weathermen said high of 33-35 but it hit 40 degrees. looks like I should have another 400 gallons to pick up tonight.

[Russell Lampron]

It's running good down here too. I think the wind is actually helping by keeping it from getting too warm.

[PerryW]

yup, the warmer trees ran excellent today. picked up 400 gallons of sap, just finished boiling half of it and got 6 gallons of mid-grade Amber. Up to 40 gallons and hoping for 110! should run good tomorrow.

[n8hutch]

Ahh after that slow start you caught up pretty quickly. Going to be a good couple more weeks for you guys.

[PerryW]

got another 200 gallons of sap today and made another 5 gal of medium for total of 45 gal. still 200 gal in the tank and it's still dripping slow. run should continue tomorrow.

[PerryW]

Made another 12 gallons of Medium Amber for a total of 57 gallons. Still 150 gallons in sap house tank and probably another 200 gals in the woods and it should run tomorrow.

[optionguru]

collected about 50 gallons yesterday, boiled for a couple hours and left the sweet in the pans. Going to try my first go at continuous flow like you big guys. Going to boil again tomorrow and then hope to draw off a couple of gallons to finish and bottle in the house. Looks like we might get a run today.

[PerryW]

Made another 12 gallons of light amber today for a total of 69 gallons so far. grade is definitely lightening up! Still have 350 gallons of sap left to boil, so should easily hit 2/3 of my expected crop.

[PerryW]

3 inches of fresh snow and 27 degrees this morning. The weather does not look good for the next week, but I should reach 80% crop even without another freeze.

[NhShaun]

Waking up to three inches of snow was a surprise! But sadly the weather isn't looking too good all week. Hopefully there is an unexpected cold front haha. No where near my expected syrup product. I have made about 6 gallons so far. Still a bunch in the pans and gotta boil 80 gallons today.

[optionguru]

Got about 70 gallons yesterday and the buckets look good for another collection today. Have about 100 gallons in the tank with about 10 of sweet in the pans. Boiling tonight, hope to make 2 or 3 gallons. Looks like one more boil this weekend could be the end. Had hoped to make 16 gallon off 88 taps. Looks like I'll be lucky to top 10 at this point.

[PerryW]

Made another 11 gallons of Light Amber for a total of 80 gallons so far. 300 gallons of sap still left in the tank to boil tomorrow. lookss like it will slow down some w/ no freeze predicted. I am almost at 80% crop with mostly light amber so far.

[optionguru]

Crappy experience last night. Thought I would try the continuous flow draw off method for the first time with my new pan. Until now I have been sticking with the batch process and boiling every time I had 80 to 90 gallons of sap. I boiled about 60 gallons down to 10 a couple nights ago, left the sweet in the pan then last night boiled another 50 to 60 gallons and drew off about 3 gallons to finish at home thinking I would get around 1.5 to 2 gallons of syrup. Ended up with .75 gallons. Is the gradient that gradual that there was really only a little ready at the draw off or did I do something wrong. Going to boil again tonight and will probably do another 50 or 60 gallons plus the sweet still in the pans.

[PerryW]

Crappy experience last night. Thought I would try the continuous flow draw off method for the first time with my new pan. Until now I have been sticking with the batch process and boiling every time I had 80 to 90 gallons of sap. I boiled about 60 gallons down to 10 a couple nights ago, left the sweet in the pan then last night boiled another 50 to 60 gallons and drew off about 3 gallons to finish at home thinking I would get around 1.5 to 2 gallons of syrup. Ended up with .75 gallons. Is the gradient that gradual that there was really only a little ready at the draw off or did I do something wrong. Going to boil again tonight and will probably do another 50 or 60 gallons plus the sweet still in the pans. It's tough to do a continuous flow in a smaller, flat pan; especially one without a lot of dividers. You really need to run shallow with a vigorous boil that you can only get with a flue pan.

Pulled off another 3 gallons of light amber for a total of 83 gallons. Probably got 100-150 gallons of sap to gather then the weather looks poor for sap flow.

[Dill]

Just watch out for that sugar coming down from across the border

Home » NH Angle
April 10. 2015 12:13PM
190-pound cocaine shipment valued at $10.8M caught on Canadian side of border hidden in maple sugar products
Source: http://www.colebrookchronicle.com/April102015.pdf

Stephane Boutin of Coaticook was intercepted at about 6 p.m. on April 6 by Canadian Border Services and was found to have in his vehicle a large amount of cocaine allegedly packed in among maple sugar products. Authorities found approximately 90 kilos or 190 pounds of cocaine.
CLICK TO VIEW THE SOURCE MATERIAL

[Run Forest Run!]

Well, no wonder the authorities got suspicious when some guy is trying to bring maple products IN to Canada. :lol: How stupid can you get?

[optionguru]

The Canadian border dogs are just that much more fine tuned for Maple products. Sap in their veins, I guess.

Collected another 35 gallons yesterday and boiled for a while made 2 more gallons. Have another 100 gallons in the tank and hope to have a little sap today. Long boil today, the end is near!

[PerryW]

collected 200 gallons of sap this morning and added it to the 100 gallons left over from yesterday and made 9 gallons of medium. up to 92 gallons so far. Forecast does not look good for more sap but just a few degrees colder than predicted would give a good run tomorrow. Almost to last year's total of 98 gallons and not to far from my 110 gal average. Nothing darker than Medium Amber yet.

[Russell Lampron]

My grade hasn't been any darker than amber here too. I have made golden the last 3 boils and tonight's syrup was the lightest of the season.

[PerryW]

23 degrees in Lyman this morning! about 10 degrees colder then predicted. Should easily break 100 gallons!

[n8hutch]

You must have stole some of my cold air, was supposed to get down to 30°, but near as I can tell it only hit 40°. Doubt I will get any sap today.

[optionguru]

The only good part of waking up at 2:30am with acid reflux was seeing the thermometer at 23. Looks like I'll be able to boil today after all. Heading out to cut some more firewood.

[NhShaun]

Boiling the last of my sap today. About 80 gallons or so. Sure feels weird working outside In a tshirt that's for sure.

[PerryW]

Boiling the last of my sap today. About 80 gallons or so. Sure feels weird working outside In a tshirt that's for sure.

Are you sure that's the last of your sap? Running pretty good right now!

[Ian MacMillan]

I'm not expecting much after today. Collected 10 gal last night. Looking at boiling the last of my stuff midweek and then switching my taps over to the birch. Everything I made this year has been amber so far.

[PerryW]

picked up 325 gal of sap at 4 pm and boiled 120 of it and made 3 gallons of dark amber. Up to 95 gallons so far. I'll pick up whatever ran tomorrow in the AM and boil the rest tomorrow. Should be close to 100 gal by then. Might even freeze a little tonite!

[NhShaun]

You were right, it ran pretty good today, collected another 40 gallons. Just finished boiling, finished off around 4 gallons today, ready to bottle first thing in the morning. Then to get the rest out of my pans and finish that off as well. Learned so much this season, can't wait for next year !

[NhShaun]

Looking at boiling the last of my stuff midweek and then switching my taps over to the birch. Everything I made this year has been amber so far.
I've got about 10 or 15 black birch on my property. I'd be willing to tap them and deliver the sap to you for a bit of the birch syrup. I've wanted to try it, but don't have the time this season.

[Ian MacMillan]

Shaun,
I'd respectfully have to decline for this year since it's my first time doing birch. We've got a decent stand of black and white in large sizes so it should be enough to test this out. Especially at ~100:1. I'd gladly give you a bottle of whatever we get is year to try.

Once we get the sugarhouse built this summer and the new evaporator in there, I'll gladly take what ever birch you can tap next year!

[PerryW]

It's 27 right now. that should be enough to push out another 100 gallons of sap this morning. SHould hit 100 gallons of syrup today, almost to my 110 gallons average!

[Marc Duclos]

When I saw your post saying it is 27 up in Lyman I had to check my southern bush. It take the sun its sweet time to roll over the pine tree stand and beam down on 400 taps or so. It starts out on 50 field trees two and three taps each give er take that are 20 feet apart. For right now the best I can afford to put up is four zone that are 800 continuous 3/4 main with short lateral or tree direct into a saddle connected to the mighty guzzler. It give out a whopping 18" to 19.something or Ruther". Then there is the taps that are left on the table that out number the taps I manger to tap. I have done the math and If I were to spend 10 grand on tapping this hole place out I would need to invest in a evaporate in the excess of 14 grand. As a bricklayer that's a lot of bricks for a 55 year old guy.

I have been averaging five gallons a day of grade A dark robust all year long. I stopped counting the drums. But I am down five cords of 40" logs that were any were from 2" to 6" in diameter. And a lot of 20" split poplar and blow down Hemlock.

We have been having a ball. Looks like I will be cleaning up the wood pile witch is now the plan.

[PerryW]

Just hit 100 gallons of syrup and still 40 gallons of sap in the tank. It's running now from the freeze yesterday and I anticipate 150-200 gallons of sap.

[NhShaun]

Shaun,
I'd respectfully have to decline for this year since it's my first time doing birch. We've got a decent stand of black and white in large sizes so it should be enough to test this out. Especially at ~100:1. I'd gladly give you a bottle of whatever we get is year to try.

Once we get the sugarhouse built this summer and the new evaporator in there, I'll gladly take what ever birch you can tap next year! Totally understandable. Let me know when you are boiling some birch sap I'd like to check it out. You can tap white birch too? I thought it was only black.

[Marc Duclos]

The little feller is trying to guzzle and it sounds like a suction cup on glass. It has sucked up 30 gallons since the wee hr.'s of the morning. Still have near 110 in the head tank and the flue pan is always 30 gallons or bust. The syrup pan is 4ft x 5ft and 2" deep of something that's going to be dark.
I will have to add it up looking for 250 to fier. Elevator music play while adding.

[PerryW]

ended up with 275 gallons of sap! Not bad for a 27 degree freeze! heading to boil now.

[optionguru]

Started to get some buckets with yellow sap today, mostly ones with full sun exposure. Collected about another 40 gallons of good sap and am going to finish off everything tomorrow night. Hope to end the season with about 12 gallons. Big improvement for my little operation.

[PerryW]

106 gallons of syrup so far. Almost to my 110 gal average season. flirting with Grade B now (or whatever they're calling it now). Hot boiling in the sugarhouse today. still some sap left and possible freeze tomorrow and wednesday nights.

[PerryW]

As expected, not much sap today; only 25 gallons, but between that and the left-over sap from last night, I managed to pull off 3 gallons. First grade B of the season. Total is 109 gallons so far, just one gallon shy of my average. May freeze tonite and tomorrow!

[optionguru]

Pulled most of my taps and did my final boil last night. Made 5.25 gallons yesterday for a season total of 13.25. A little less than I had hoped for with 88 taps but certainly enough to keep friends and family happy and make lots of candy and maple nuts. Time to clean-up, maybe I can get the wife to do that part....

[PerryW]

I don't think it ran this morning much anyway. the buckets I just checked only have a teacup of sap in them.

EDIT 8 PM: Ended up collecting 50 gallons. boiled it but didn't take anything off.

[Ian MacMillan]

Totally understandable. Let me know when you are boiling some birch sap I'd like to check it out. You can tap white birch too? I thought it was only black.

You can tap all the birches my reading is telling me, just that black and white will give you the highest sugar content.

Birch bleeds like crazy! Picked up 100gal yesterday and Tuesday on just 10 taps. I haven't got a chance to put out the other 10.

[PerryW]

picked up 150 gallons of sap. Most of the buckets and colder trees ran well with nice clear sap. My larger lower elevation bush hardly ran and the sap was cloudy. Will boil in the AM.

[derekp]

Hey Perry...hows your season going down there? Haven't signed on here in awhile. I'm about wrapped up here in Berlin. Picked up somewhere around 100 gallons today of some pretty scary looking sap. Still debating if i want to waste wood on it or not...Got all the good stuff out of the pan last night. Looking like a below average season up here.

[PerryW]

just finished the last boil with 6 gallons of nice tasting Grade B. ENded up w/ 115 gallons plus probably 2 left in the front pan after casing water through. Beat my 110 average in 3 weeks. short and sweet.

[Russell Lampron]

I'm glad that you had a good season too Perry. Mine turned out to be my 3rd best when it was the one with the worst start ever. I only boiled 4 times in the month of March which is unheard of in this part of the state. Last year I boiled 2 times in February and 5 times in March.

[PerryW]

yeah, funny that I am ending the season at approximately the same time as people in the southern part of the state. I was lucky that my main bush in Littleton is close to the Connecticut River and is fairly warm. I imagine that people with colder bushes than mine will have a poor season. Got a start on washing out the tubing and the evaporator is drained and filled with water and ready to clean. I'll hopefully get mostly cleaned up this weekend because I have a lot of survey/engineering work to do next week. I have jobs in laconia, groveton and wilmot that I need to do next week.

[MapleCamp]

Well my season in Lancaster on Cabot Mt was only about 2 weeks this year I only got half my pails out do to snow depth and one of my gravity lines remained buried in snow until April. I only got 1 good boil this year and ended up with 15 gallons. My little frost pocket just didn't thaw out in time and when it warmed enough it stayed that way for a few days, and not my days off. The family (I have a very big family) will be very happy, not enough to sell so they will be getting most of it I don't use. If only they could/would, split wood or stack it or clean pails and pans and so on and so on. Might try turkey hunting a bunch have moved in, then fishing ,bees and tree's, until deer season, then its time to sugar again. Have a great summer folks, love reading how its going around the state.

Jay