looks like the end in central ny

[grimmreaper]

The weather doesn't look good for rest of the week.send some freezing temps our way!

[TrentonMaple]

I had a very good run yesterday. The brief freeze the past two nights recharged them. I don't think it's quite over yet. Much depends on your location and the overnight lows.

[John c]

I'm all cleaned up and done for the season. The sap is still flowing a bit, but the effort is far greater than the reward at this point, so I threw in the towel. I exceeded my goal by a long shot, so what the heck!

[grimmreaper]

The funny thing is that your goal is to always want more!so its hard to say I had enough .

[grimmreaper]

By the way John c....if your done and cleaned up,I could always use a hand with that(cleaning up)lol

[TrentonMaple]

I had a tremendous run yesterday. 210 gals from 172 taps. My tubing collection tank was overflowing when I got home from work. I have a full IBC tote to boil and I hope I can get it done before it spoils.

I have a feeling that was it, though. We didn't freeze last night and the forecast looks too warm for too long. That's ok, I really can't handle any more sap.

[antelope76]

I also had a good run Sunday afternoon into yesterday. 90 gallons off 50 taps.

[saphound]

Yeah me too antelope, but I think it was the last hoorah for me. Boiled 35 gals yesterday and another 12 today that came overnight. No freezing temps in the next 7 days. After that who knows, but I think I've got enough syrup for my needs. Time to move on to the next project...:cool:

[maple flats]

On 4/6 I had my 3rd best run of the season, I only got 1540 gal on 1300 taps. Still not too bad. Sugar from one bush fell to 2.2, the other still at 2.4%. Yesterday, I only got 410 gal, sugar from the bigger bush fell to 2.1, but the smaller one held at 2.4%.
My buds are still tight, as of yesterday. Looking at Accu-weather I only see 1 more chance, on Sat. The rest show no freezes, but then it says I had 27 yesterday, and I only saw 36 for a low.

[saphound]

Man, thats a lot of taps, Dave. . It really kind of sucks..tappers are at the mercy of the weather, just like any other type of farming. Some of my trees never really put out that much sap. They started to, then it wouldn't warm up enough for a week, then a couple good days, then cold again, then a couple good days and now too warm. Imagine what you would get if it would just drop down 5-10 degrees this week. I feel sorry for the big guys with all that time and money invested. So, how would you rate this season...good, bad or average?

[djhcatony]

Pulled my taps yesterday and boiled the last 30 gallons of sap today. Learned a great deal in this my first season and look forward to more in the future. Great way for an aging guy like me to stay in shape for sure. I tell folks that I never worked this hard in my "real" career :lol:

[grimmreaper]

I'm right behind you on pulling taps,(holding on for the weekend surprise)if I get any SAP its going to maple flats!I have to boil out whats in the evaporator and clean up is on its way....

[jimschulthess]

It looks like things are done here in central Wisconsin also. I will pull the taps this weekend.

[jrm]

Done here in metro-west Boston, too. One gallon of sap since Sunday. 10 day forecast shows no lows below 38. Son wanted to keep the taps in "just in case." Let him know we're pulling this weekend, and while it's warm and sunny getting the barrel taken down.

For my second season, confirmed Mother Nature is in charge... Crazy winter, late start. Last year 3 trees, 3 taps. This year, 7 trees, 9 taps. One tree, a red, never ran. Had the same amount of sap this year, as I did last year on half the number of trees. What gives? Boil 38-40 gallons of sap and came away with 2.5 quarts. That seems like a pretty low ratio.

All that said, sweet and good and still hooked.

[grimmreaper]

Jim,no matter if you make 2 qts or 200 gal.the experience that you have in making maple syrup with your boy is priceless!he's hooked and going to carry on the tradition!!!!

[grimmreaper]

Sorry jrm,miss read that!

[jrm]

Sorry jrm,miss read that! No worries... I answer to many things. :lol:

And, yes the connection with my son and his joy, and my own, is worth it.

[maple flats]

I was waiting to see if I got more sap after tonight. Right now the forecast calls for 31, and often my taps at higher elevations run 2-4 degrees lower. Then last night, I got a call from one producer (I buy his sap on shares) who wanted bring over 150 gal of sap just collected. He is at a lower elevation. His sap still came in at 2.4% (had been 2.7% or more). I'm boiling that down this morning. I just need to clean the head tank first, all other tanks were already cleaned.
I had no sap in my tanks. If it goes down even close to 32 tonight, the pumps will be back on in the morning. I still need more syrup and the buds on sugars are still tight, the reds are just opening (but I have no reds tapped this year, nor does my sap seller).

[saphound]

Just heard the Binghamton area forecast now is 27 tonight..60's on Sunday. Should get one more good run I would think. :)

[grimmreaper]

Maple flats,I started pumps today..not drawing much.I will have them running for tomorrow.I could have SAP and my seller that sells to meay have some.we were as high as 2.8%,but dropped to 2.1-2.4%
.

[TrentonMaple]

My tanks are full and I can't boil fast enough to keep up. The 3/16 tubing I put up just won't stop. My buckets have been bone dry all week but that tubing is filling a 100gal tank every day.

My biggest rate limiting factor is my pan. I can only do max 15gph (realistically I do about 12gph) max on my Mason 2x4 and that just isn't enough to stay ahead of things. Next year I'm going to have to talk the wife into a flue pan.

[grimmreaper]

Trenton maple, talk the wife into a Ro! Then you could stay ahead...

[saphound]

Just heard the Binghamton area forecast now is 27 tonight..60's on Sunday. Should get one more good run I would think. :)

Nope. It did get down to 28, but Sunday didn't produce a whole lot, maybe 3 gals out of 10 trees. I guess it's over...

[grimmreaper]

The same in blossvale( near Rome).low 28 on Saturday and didn't produce much on Sunday!

[sapman]

Same for me near Fulton. Flow never picked up again.

When I collected Friday evening, frogs in swamp were calling. Saturday, fuzzies were out on soft maples, so turned them off. Running only on sugar maples after that. Sunday night, peepers were going. Collected one more time this am. Trees were still going over 2 gpt per day on 28" vacuum, but still not enough sap to keep me going. Was my best year yet, though.