Is it all over already?

[Sugarbush Ridge]

Sap had stopped yesterday,,, 2/14/17 and with a Guzzler on. This week calling for temps in the 70s for 3-4 days. I gave bucket another washing as it might????? just maybe freeze tonight. I saw a very small shrub that had green leaves on it. I didn't have time to study it to figure out what it might have been.

[unclejohn]

we've made 9 gallons so far. the last batch of sap sat in buckets at over 70deg for a few hours on Feb 11, and syrup was a little dark. i think we will collect one last time tomorrow, then pull out the taps. forecast for next 8 nighttime temps for our area are all above 32 deg.

also fyi this may be the first february with no snow in kansas city area since 1892. weird weather!

[Sugarbush Ridge]

Nothing today not sap. The only reason I'm not pulling taps is that no buds have started to swell on maples,,, not even sliver,, soft maples. I did notice that 'white' elm is getting ready to bloom. I know about no snow,,,,,,, three times furries and one dusting. But I think back to the February of 1961. No snow until February 14,,(which is already past),, and then the next 4 weeks I was out of school more days than in, Drifts of 10-12 feet for way down here. So I still hold out hope for some snow and cold.

[Ray_Nagle]

Yeah, it's crazy. Typically I get one boil in early March. This year we barely made it to mid-February.

[Goggleeye]

Done here. Hope to finish pulling taps and get everything put away this weekend. Hard to believe two years ago we finished the season with 217 gallons on 460 taps and this year we finished with 25 gallons from 465. Guess that's the nature of agriculture though. Can you get crop insurance on maple?:confused: Think I'm going to plant a couple acres of sorghum to make up the difference. Lots of people down here try to call maple syrup molasses, anyway.

[huntindogg]

Think we are done for the year also. 38 gallons last year and only 12 this year. Lot of work for not much reward😫

[Ray_Nagle]

Hopefully this isn't the new normal.

[skinny78]

It's not looking good here either. I'm with Sugarbush Ridge, we are holding out for one more good run. This can't be the end already. Maybe we should tap in December next year!

[Sugarbush Ridge]

It was a low of 23 this morning, so I did go put the Guzzler on but only a few drops all day. Holes so dry that only got about 6 inches. I guess I'll start pulling spouts and try using Guzzler to pull some water thru lines. I want to replace most all with 3/16th but,,, how much more can I spend on no syrup?????

[Ray_Nagle]

how much more can I spend on no syrup?????

Yep, we may need a few good cold winters here before I'm convinced it's worth the time, money, and effort.

[Sugarbush Ridge]

And I was wanting some sap,,,,, buddy,,, ropy anything to put in pans to clean them. Fermenting sap I have found that cleans even the "lime scale" off the sides of pans,,,, just like new,

[RiverSap]

Goggleeye sounds like you had a terrible year as well. Very disappointing to see you had so little syrup. As I mentoined in another post I was thinning out some of the smaller Sugar maple trees I have today and they were gushing sap. I am not going to tap trees on that bluff as early next year. I did get 6 bottles of Walnut syrup. I am anxious to try it on some waffles.