Newbie from Quebec

[Quebecguy]

I've just joined this Forum but I've been sugaring for forty years. I'm down now to 750 taps, all with aluminum buckets, and gather the sap with a tractor. I've got a 3'x12' Lightning evaporator with a blower to speed things up a bit. I'm looking forward to learning from you other members.

[mspina14]

Welcome.

If you've been doing this for 40 years, I'm sure there is a lot you can teach us!


Mark

[spud]

Welcome

It's nice to hear from people North of the border.

Spud

[Quebecguy]

Hello Spud and Mark,
Thank you very much for the kind welcomes.

[mspina14]

Hello Spud and Mark,
Thank you very much for the kind welcomes.

You're welcome.

How was your season this year?

It was kind of wild in southern New England. Had weeks of 50-60 weather in parts of January and February, alternating with deep freezes. Weird.

But in the end, I think most felt it was an average year for Maple.

Mark

[Quebecguy]

Hi Mark,
I have been keeping detailed records since 1976 and this past season was by far the best for me in terms of quantity of syrup per tap. The quality was excellent too. I broke my personal record for earliest date to start boiling. This year it was on the 19th of February. Usually it takes me two or three days to tap and then I`ll slowly get into the boiling as the trees wake up but this year I had to stop tapping after the first day and start boiling because the buckets I`d hung the first day were overflowing. It turned out to be a hectic season with lots of big days.

[mspina14]

I think I started tapping on January 30th this year.

But I had already missed several sap runs in early to mid January.

Who would have thought that sap would run in January!?

The best run for me was around the middle of February. We had a run that lasted about 3 days and nights without stopping. Probably the longest run I've seen.

But again, I haven't been at this very long.

Mark