Fewest Number Of Sap Runs In A Season

[warners point]

What is the fewest number of days that you have had sap run in a season? We tapped 160 trees on February 25th. We had one run on March 4th of 150 gallons. The second run of 150 was on March 22nd. Another 120 gallons was collected over the last 4 days. Since the end of February there has only been 4 days that we have had good freeze thaw. The weather was so cold in northern Minnesota most of March that our trees are only now waking up. The forcast looks horrible. Will we still get at least one major run once the ground thaws and the trees call for sap or are we screwed for the season?

[wlatrout]

Sounds like my season in No. Indiana. Two good runs and several days of 30 to 40 gal.days.

Maybe next year.

[Snappyssweets]

I had good runs, however I had horrible sugar levels.
I am so glad I went to wood this year because at 91/1 ratio I would have gone broke with propane.

Wish everyone luck for the remainder. We finished up today. Cleanup done, bottling done, all over until next year.

[Sugarmaker]

Not sure the lowest number of runs we have had? But usually we get between 12 and 15 runs in a season.
Regards,
Chris

[Biz]

For me 2012 was the shortest season ever, it lasted 10 days, killed by a prolonged stretch of 70-80 degree weather in mid March. I tapped Feb 28-29th, first boil was on March 3rd and last boil was on March 13th. I only bottled syrup 4 times all season.

Dave

[Diesel Pro]

I'm not as far north as the OP, but I think the run is still coming for the north although it may be abbreviated. We've been plugging along here with some decent runs but the best seems yet to come. Sugar is low though compared to normal. Started at 2.0 and already dropped to 1.7.

[saphound]

I tapped on 3/7 this year and have only had 1 good run since. I probably missed a run or two from what I've read here if I had tapped sooner. Trees have dripped me some sap since the big snowstorm but I wouldn't call any of the days a "run". Hasn't dipped below freezing the last few days so really slow right now. Supposed to go to 24F tonight and around 50 tomorrow so tomorrow could be a good day., but then lows of 34 for the 5 days after that. So they say anyway.

[Run Forest Run!]

Like Biz mentioned, it was 2012. I put 10 taps in large sugar maples on February 28th. I had to collect for days at a time to get anything at all. Surprisingly, even without temperatures dropping below freezing at night, the trees did drip a tiny bit each day. By March 22nd those drops had stopped and I had collected a miserable total of 40 gallons of sap and had boiled a few times. That season - which was my first season - I got one gallon of syrup. Even still I was hooked and have never looked back.

[Trapper2]

I tapped here on buckets February 17th 70 buckets. Pulled taps and buckets on March 11th. Averaged 7 gallons a bucket those 3 weeks. Only 1.5% for the most part. Made a little over 7 gallons. This is a full month earlier than I usually tap at. I guess because of time constraints in Late March and April it worked out well for me other than all the ice.1627116272

[Ivyacres]

This is my 4th year and it was average for us. Started collecting 2/13 and last one was 3/21. We had 12 collections and were pretty happy with about 15 gals per tap on gravity. Excited about what to do better next year. Blessings All!

[Austin351]

Granted I'm not at home to see how my collection tank looks for the last 3 days, have only had one day that even resembled a run and that was a month ago with 35 gallons off of 37 taps 3/16" gravity / natural vacuum. . Weather looks decent through the weekend, skips a week, then maybe another week of flow. Guessing I'll pull around April 15th. 70 gallons to date and that is with adding another 18 bags a couple weeks ago.... Woods just started thawing out last weekend. Buds are tight as can be on reds and sugars.

[ennismaple]

2012: Boiled 7 times from March 9-19. A week of +20 C weather will put an end to a season in a hurry!

So far this year we've boiled 4 times from March 1st until yesterday. We should get a couple more weeks out of the season yet because we still have snow throughout the woods.

[berkshires]

Normally for me, March is potentially one long run. This year it was so cold, I got only a few slight ones at the beginning and a few at the end. Fortunately, I also got a few good runs in the second half of February to make up for it, so I did okay.

Gabe

[Russell Lampron]

In 1938 my grandfather tapped his trees, got 1 run and it started raining. It never froze again after that and the season was done.

[pipeline]

In 1938 my grandfather tapped his trees, got 1 run and it started raining. It never froze again after that and the season was done.i have heard of that year hope to never get to experence it tho lol