Yield Expectations

[brikel]

Hello
what are the yields I should be expecting? I realize this is a loaded question HAHA! but I am curious. I haven't been graced by having sugars to tap so we tap mostly any maples we have access to. My sugar content is really low (1.2) which is not that great as I am aware of. My question is a ratio of 80:1 a number I should expect because that is what I am seeing this year? I use a hydrometer to test the syrup coming off my last pan and it is coming off at the recommended Brix. We have 120 taps and have only made 3 gals of syrup to date this year. I still consider myself a newbie to this whole process and try to gather as much information as I can to try and make my system as efficient as I can. Any comments are appreciated.

[BreezyHill]

Well lets put it this way...this season sucks!

The sugar content of our trees is low...I have seen it lower but 1.6...1.7 has been the normal. We did have one all night run and about 1 am when I quit boiling and left the RO on Auto pilot the releaser was dumping 2.1. But the next run a couple days later was 1.7 again.

What to expect is simple...variation from season to season and throughout the season. LOL

we usually see low in the beginning and then it increases after about a week or 10 days. This season we are looking at the next few days to possible end the season; has highs will be in the 60s- 70 and lows in the 40's for a week.

The game plan is to cap off the soft maples as they will bud fast at those temps and keep the small pump on to keep the tap holes from drying out.

Back in 1981 we were finishing cleaning the sugar house on March 15. Seems like it could be the same this season.:(

Pray for a cold stretch soon.

Ben

[brikel]

Thanks Ben. I am just trying to figure this whole situation out. I can certainly see this season is defiantly different than the 3 past seasons since I began. Guess it is just the nature of the beast huh. I have read on here that some think this coming warm spell will not affect it the flow that much and are saying hold on it will pass.

[Sugarmaker]

Well the old "Rule of 86" says divide 86 by your sap sugar content: 2% = 43 gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup. 1% = 86 gallons of sap.
As far as the season? The warming over the next two weeks will probably bring out some buds on the soft maples. Hard maples may still be ok if the weather gets cold again. Fresh taps less that 3 weeks old would be a plus.
Regards,
Chris