Season not over – freeze on its way.

[SapLover]

Get the taps and buckets and tubing out – freezing weather coming starting Fri night - - 4 days below freezing (nights) and above freezing during the days.

[batsofbedlam]

I suspect that it is to little; to late. The sap has changed composition and is no longer clear or palatable.

[Airstreamnut]

I'm collecting it.. but only to use it to fill my evaporator for letting it sit and get gross until July... for pan cleaning purposes!!

[DaveB]

I'm in a wait and see mode. I know places to my south and lower down are further along than my trees at 800' to 1,000'. My sap/steam had a slightly funky smell to it when I was boiling on Monday but some of it was left over from Friday so that could have been it or some of the trees are turning buddy. I never removed my taps so I'll collect it and check. The weather looks ideal starting tomorrow through at least Tuesday/Wednesday. That includes some snow on Monday and I've found that slowly melting snow helps keep the bush cool and the sap flowing when conditions are good.

[rjoly]

Here in Eastern CT we pulled our taps Silver, Red and some sugar maple are budding. Tap holes with all this warm weather have closed.

[DaveB]

Here in Eastern CT we pulled our taps Silver, Red and some sugar maple are budding. Tap holes with all this warm weather have closed.

When did you tap? If you tapped in January they would be closing in on 8 weeks old. My maples at a higher elevation in West Woodstock and here in Stafford were still running some last week and I think they will run this weekend with the cold but I'll check to make sure it's not buddy sap.

[rjoly]

We tapped last week of January to get the first run where it was nice for 10 days. We killed it in that run we made our nicest syrup of the season almost 100 gallons . After that the syrup got Darker. and lost the taste at the end. we are glad we gambled and tapped

[DaveB]

We tapped last week of January to get the first run where it was nice for 10 days. We killed it in that run we made our nicest syrup of the season almost 100 gallons . After that the syrup got Darker. and lost the taste at the end. we are glad we gambled and tapped

Yeah, I should have tapped then as well but I gambled due to work and other issues and tapped in the middle of February. I missed that first run. I thought the cold weather that came was going to last longer but it's been warm ever since! Next year I'll just tap early and go from there.