Season not over – the Fat Lady hasn't sung

[SapLover]

I know folks are feeling tired, but I am pretty sure the season is going to keep going – especially for those of us who tapped a bit later and those of us using vacuum – mine is almost set up.

You guys AGREE?

BTW – with a shurflo pump (I bought mine for 60 bucks), you can get a vacuum system going pretty cheap.

I am boiling 18 gallons from 5 trees from the last 3 or 4 days.

Yes, next week will be warm, but the nights in the next 7-10 days should be enough to get us below freezing.

Keep the faith! There is more mapling to do . . .

THOUGHTS?

[lafite]

the singing has begun in Southern CT. today and tomorrow will be it. 10 day forecast doesn't have it below freezing with temps flirting with 70 degrees. It all depends where you are.

[sr73087]

I noticed budding on one of my trees yesterday. They were beginning to swell.

I have never experieced this quick change in weather like this year. Typically without the trees budding with the high temps are we done? Or will they typically bud quickly with temps in the 60s and no days in southern CT below freezing in the 10 day forecast?

[scottdevine]

I was going to pull theb plug wednesday night...BUT, a property owner practically begged me to leave them up...he is a weather freak, and says it ain't over yet...so being my first year, why not...stay the course...for now

[Woodsrover]

I boiled again this weekend and finished 13.5 gallons for the year. I'm not pulling taps but I'm going to clean my pan tomorrow.

[Helicopter Seeds]

I am leaving mine in, once I collect today/ tomorrow run, boil it and expect to be done. After it stops I anticipate my holes to dry up anyway, and any small drips will go bad. I have been cleaning my buckets as I rotate them when changing. If we have a cold night, I will dump any dregs and but a clean bucket under, but I feel it will be for nothing,

Glad I tapped early - I exceeded my season goal, made 9 gallons expected 8.. plus whatever I get the next two days. Not even counting a burned batch and sap I gave away. I may have gotten more sap the last week if I did not tap early, but I think I got the lucky gamble this time.

[Maplewalnut]

la la la....

[Woodsrover]

Don't know....I collected almost 150 gallons from 50 taps yesterday. Not sure what to do....

[scottdevine]

i'm done...pulling taps throughout the day...Rookie season, 945 gallons of sap, 15-17 gallons of syrup, i am more than pleased, and the Robins, and daffodils are telling me it's time to move on to the yard work and gardening that has been lacking. I'll do shack improvements and fire pit reconstruction, and the massive clean up, for the next week and a half. The memories of this first season will last forever...thanks to MT for the advice, and information i have gathered.

[lafite]

all of my containers were full this morning...pulled the taps and dumped the sap...no more time to boil with meetings throughout the day and a business trip to Florida tomorrow. It was a fun season especially since I skipped 2015.

[SapLover]

Scott - welcome onboard!

Glad you had a great season.

Any pictures of your shack you can share? I am looking to build one.

[scottdevine]

SapLover...I have many pix under my profile page? I know I uploaded many and they were there at one time. What a journey it's been...boiling my last batch this week should have it bottled by Thursday night (close to a 100 gallon batch)...going out strong!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[valleyman]

i'm done...pulling taps throughout the day...Rookie season, 945 gallons of sap, 15-17 gallons of syrup, i am more than pleased, and the Robins, and daffodils are telling me it's time to move on to the yard work and gardening that has been lacking. I'll do shack improvements and fire pit reconstruction, and the massive clean up, for the next week and a half. The memories of this first season will last forever...thanks to MT for the advice, and information i have gathered.

Not bad rookie :cool:

[sugarridge48]

Can't believe it my buckets are half full and I just emptied them at 7am today. I think there done but a nice way to finish off the season. I can boil at my son's 11 th b day this weekend. Now I have to keep up with lots of freezing sap to keep it fresh till then.

[sr73087]

Seems like the lows wont be low enough. I am on gravity and buckets so I can't speak for others setups but I had no run yesterday at all. And it doesn't look like I will get much today either, with lows in the high 30s and highs in the 60s.

Is it time to pull the taps?

[DaveB]

I had a good day yesterday. My tanks were full when I came home and the sap was still flowing well. It got down to 30° yesterday morning which may have helped, particularly after the freeze this past weekend. I was hoping for one last good week and it looks like I may get my wish! It was only 36° this morning so I guess we'll see how things go today. I'm just leaving everything in until the sap stops flowing.

[hodorskib]

Had the largest run of the season yesterday with 155 gallons off 80 taps and had collected late the night before. Not sure about today got really warm out there.

[pyro]

No nights below 32 in the next 10 day forecast. I'm out.

Collected sap this morning. It's been collecting since Sunday night so only 2 days and the sap had a green hue to it. Not sure if it was going bad. I wasn't planning to pull the taps, but it was so warm today I just called it quits and cleaned everything up. It was still dripping pretty good mid day, but I have no easy way to keep the sap cool. We'll see how this batch of syrup turns out.

[DaveB]

My wife picked up another 200 gallons here and said that the sap was running really well this afternoon.

[Mike Van]

This coming Friday night, last chance I see for frost here. I've still got a lot of trees running, so hoping for one more run -

[Tom59]

Pulled my taps today. Ran good last couple of days, gave away 60 gallons to my neighbor. Had a good year, making just over 4 gallons. tying my best season so far. Cleaned up tonight, 81 degrees today, time to go fishing!!!! hers some pics from this year.
137591376013758

[hodorskib]

Picked up another 120 gallons from 80 taps - all were still running. I am done collecting hoping to get it all boiled off by tomorrow night since it was just a little cloudy. Will finish with 1 quart per tap not too bad for a season that lasted 19 days. Good luck to everyone holding out.

[DaveB]

Despite the temps this is turning out to be a decent week for me. The sap is flowing well but any ice I had earlier in the week is gone so I think after this week I'll clean everything out and see what happens. The weather pattern looks good after the 18th but it might be too late for the trees. I usually end my season at the end of March so maybe I can squeeze out another week. Who knows....

http://www.weather.us/newWindow.php?x=CT_HARTFORD

[spud]

I know folks are feeling tired, but I am pretty sure the season is going to keep going – especially for those of us who tapped a bit later and those of us using vacuum – mine is almost set up.

You guys AGREE?

BTW – with a shurflo pump (I bought mine for 60 bucks), you can get a vacuum system going pretty cheap.

I am boiling 18 gallons from 5 trees from the last 3 or 4 days.

Yes, next week will be warm, but the nights in the next 7-10 days should be enough to get us below freezing.

Keep the faith! There is more mapling to do . . .

THOUGHTS?

I agree 100% this season is not even close to being over. If I even see the Fat Lady coming close to my woods I'm punching her right in the mouth. :lol:

Spud

[lafite]

wishing my neighbors up north a long and prosperous season but here in southern CT, my reds are about to burst and the song has been sung...

[Sapling]

Yesterday morning I collected good sap from an overnight run from all of my trees, mostly reds, and all on old fashion buckets. Last night I had to dump about 1/3 of the day's run as it was a bit cloudy. My guess is that today's run, if any, will all be too cloudy to use. I think it's over for me, by I'm not pulling yet. Overall, I am already at my season goal of 2gal.

[sr73087]

I collected my sap last night and it was gross to say the least. I had soo many bugs in the sap. I can honestly say in the few years I have been doing this I have never had to swat mosquitos while collecting from my buckets. I ended up just dumping the few gallons I collected. Pulling the taps tonight.

[DaveB]

I collected another 100 gallons or so of sap this evening and the sap is still flowing well. Thankfully it's cooling off. I just wish next week was looking cooler than it is but I'll worry about that when the time comes.

[Sugar Bear]

sap gets a little bit cloudy but is still good if I keep it cool asap.

13 taps went in 0n January 28 and of those taps 5 have gone dry, 4 flowing slightly and 4 still running well.

3 taps went in on February 20th all still running well.

Got to fetch twice a day and keep it cool.

One more small boil.

First boil since the mid 70's with my brother in Pleasantville NY.

So far this season

16 taps.
about 200 gallons of sap.
6 boils
4 gallons of the best syrup I have ever had.
LIQUID GOLD

[sugarridge48]

peaper frogs making noise in the pond tonight. The end is near.:o

[Helicopter Seeds]

Buds opening on one silver and empty bucket today so I pulled taps. Then I went to another and had three gallon and still flowing. Collection was another 20 or so on 45 taps. Boiling now, didn't plan to.
Possible freezing Friday night. Maybe start up again

[Woodsrover]

peaper frogs making noise in the pond tonight. The end is near.:o

I heard the same thing here in Cornwall last night. Will boil through this weekend and call it a season.

[sr73087]

Pulled my taps this morning. Not a drop in the buckets. I already boiled everything on Wednesday. See everyone next year!

[Woodsrover]

Had a freeze last night and have a really good run going today. I boiled 150 gallons of sap over the past few days and hope to boil another 75 tomorrow. Will call it quits after that. Should end up with around 16 gallons for the season. I'm happy with that.

[DaveB]

I had a nice freeze yesterday morning and collected another 150 gallons yesterday. The sap was still running but I think it is turning buddy or the lack of cold is getting to it. While it's still tasty dark syrup, it's starting to smell different coming off the evaporator so I'm going to finish off what I have an rinse everything out. I don't think I'm going to collect anything next week but I may collect what comes after next weekend when the weather pattern looks more favorable IF the trees haven't turned by then.

[MichtonTree]

Pulled my taps today...they were dry, and what was in buckets (not much) was very cloudy.
4.25 gallons of syrup this year. Two grades light and medium.
http://mapletrader.com/maplegallery/data/642/medium/IMG_20160312_061014597.jpg

[Woodsrover]

...While it's still tasty dark syrup, it's starting to smell different coming off the evaporator....

I found the same thing today. Wasn't that way yesterday but today it smelled funny. Nutty or something.... And yes, like you I found the syrup was dark but tasted just fine. Very little niter which I found odd too. Anyway, finished the last 3+ gallons of the season tonight and will bottle it tomorrow. Glad I tapped early!

[DaveB]

I finished boiling my last 150 gallons today in the sleet/snow/rain and then started rinsing everything out. It was a shorter season for me as I tapped late but was hoping that the season would have ended normally and by the end of this week the weather will be more conducive but I think it's too late.

[Brenden]

I am thinking there may be one last run this weekend looking at the weather.

[DaveB]

I still have everything setup and if I get enough sap and it isn't buddy tasting, I will boil it. My forecast looks good over the weekend into next week:

Friday Night
A chance of snow showers, mainly before 7pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 25. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 39.

Saturday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 19.

Sunday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 43.

Sunday Night
A chance of snow after 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Monday
A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Monday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 28.

Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 42.

I wish this was last week!

[Helicopter Seeds]

Over for me... Final tally is 10.5 gallons. I collected enough sap for 12, but burned a gallon and Sam made a gallon from my sap. All in all was a good year, exceeded my 8 gallon target.

Used the coffee urn trick for bottling, so much easier.

Now to start thinking about next year.....