Season almost over

[andrew martin]

Well, we collected about 75 gallons of sap on Monday when we had short lived warm-up. For us it was a little warmer and it rained for 2 days. This was the same time OH, PA and NY were getting pummeled withe more snow. Then it turned cold again and we had two inches of snow yesterday. Tonight is supposed to be in the mid-teens and tomorrow is to be 45+ degrees and sunny with remainder of the week's highs between 45 and 50 degrees, yet the lows in the low to mid 30's. I wish there was middle road here where we would have excellent sugaring weather, and we may get it for two days, but it looks like it will be too warm the remainder of the week. My wife is begging me to pull the taps next weekend, but we will wait and see what the following week looks like. I imagine while I am pulling my taps, everyone else will start drilling hols to put their taps in. Have a great weekend everyone and happy sapping.

Andrew

[ennismaple]

How did you make out this year versus other seasons?

I find it really neat that you're about to pull your taps and we're only thinking about getting our lines out in the bush this coming weekend! I expect we'll tap around March 10. Typically we make our last syrup about April 10.

[andrew martin]

That is a hard question, only because we have increased our taps every year for the past three years. In 2004, we had 10 taps; 2005 --> 35 taps; 2006 --> 90 taps; 2007 --> 240 taps. Last year was a great year, for we made 15 gallons of syrup on 90 taps in only two weeks. THis year we have only made 18 gallons so far in 4 weeks (I did not collect sap for 18 days with the cold spell we had). We have made primarily light amber and just made some medium amber last night. I will collect sap tomorrow and (hopefully) Saturday and begin pulling taps on Saturday, and perhaps we will get another boil Saturday night. It will be mid-50's and 60's all week and into the weekend, and besides, my wife is about ready to be done with all this.
It was a great year for our family, because we bought a 3x8 raised and flue, and it has drastically reduced our boiling times. I hope to end the year with about 25 gallons of syrup made. Next year, I hope to have 400-450 taps, and maybe I will try some tubing to reduce the collection time, along with the four wheeler I want to buy.

Happy sapping

Andrew

[maplehound]

Andrew,
Don't be in tooo much of a hurry to pull those taps. You do have to pay for that 3x8. I have had many years that warmed up and then turned cold later. In fact it is uncomon for us to have a season that doesn't hit 70 deg in mid season. A short warm spell doesn't mean the end. Your wif will forgive you if you wait it out. After all it won't hurt the tree to have those taps in for a couple of extra weeks.

[andrew martin]

Well,, the weather keeps holding on here, just cold enough at night to be a tease and make the sap run. It is supposed to be 29 tonight and 48/sunny tomorrow, maybe I can get a good 100 gallon day. I pulled about 100 taps on Saturday and Sunday, and left some of the good running taps in. We made eight gallons of medium amber syrup this weekend, and actually had a fellow constructioin contractor join me at the sugar house on Saturday night from 9-11:30 PM. We had a great time, and he was enthralled by the entire process. I will probably have all my taps pulled by THursday, to the great joy of my wife. This sugaring is hard with two small kids and a wife who still breastfeeds the youngest (7 mos.)

I visited a fellow sugar maker just 15 miles south of me on Saturday. He currently has 40 taps and hopes to do 140 taps next year. I also saw sap-saks on a tree up the road from us, so I wonder who else is making syrup. I am always curious about these things and wanting to make connections with local sugar makers. So, while I am pulling my taps this week, I will be thinking about you guys and girls who are either getting ready to tap or who are up late at night hovering over your evaporator.

Andrew

[brookledge]

Andrew
Sorry to here you are pulling your taps especially when you are still making medium but I've been there done that with small kids. Look at it this way it will get easier to spend more time in the sugar house as they get older.
Keith

[andrew martin]

yes, I agree, yet soon they will be lively sap haulers and i hope they will enjoy sugaring as much as i do. As well, my wife's graduate classes are very demanding, and with being self-employed, we just do not have a lot of extra time right now. i'm not disappointed though, for our taps have been in for almost seven weeks this our longest season ever. So hopefully next year I can do 400+ taps and perhaps run some tubing in places to reduce our gathering time.