2018 Quebec Production

[spud]

I am hearing from people that Quebec is not doing so well this year. Does anyone know for sure?

Spud

[Russell Lampron]

I haven't heard lately but did hear that they were expecting a poor season this year.

[whity]

I had heard the same thing. Winter doesn't seem to want to let go this year in Quebec. They are thinking the season will be very short.

[DrTimPerkins]

Quebec is a big place, so it varies.

Areas around Montreal are doing fairly well, other areas to the east and north are not. Some places haven't boiled or only boiled once. It's been too cold. Warmer sugarbushes are doing OK, but normally cold sugarbushes are doing very poorly. Most area are certainly below normal. The concern (for them) is that it will turn warm quickly or the sap will go buddy as soon as the temperatures become more favorable (buddy usually starts by the last week of April in those areas). As always with maple....predictions on the season are hard. Pull out the Magic-8 Ball and you'll get an answer that is as good as any. Alternatively, wait a month or two and we'll know better.

[argohauler]

There is some info in the tapping Canada section

[TheMapleMoose]

I'm not in Quebec, but we are only about 60miles south east of the border in Maine and our season is awful. We get very similar weather, even to Quebec city. Perfect weather and no sap. We've made 1/3 of our crop and are staring at 60 degree days coming next week....we have never made any syrup after the 20th of April. Looks like another bum year here.

[GeneralStark]

I am hearing from people that Quebec is not doing so well this year. Does anyone know for sure?

Spud

Won't know until the season is over for them. I assume you are wondering about this in relation to bulk prices?

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

From what I have seen on here this year, it is varying a lot. A lot more so than the past couple years where most did well. Case in point.....abbott posted a record and he's about 10 miles east of my house in Peru, 0.6+ yield if I recall. The big operation we work for in Byron, about 30 miles north is around 0.2g/tap as of last weekend at elevation 1100-1300'. Seems the colder bushes and those with some elevation have suffered the most this year.

[sugarsand]

Regardless of the effect on bulk prices, sorry to hear of a poor season for anyone. When you think of the time and expence that everyone puts in the season, its discouraging to come up way short of what was expected.

[spud]

Won't know until the season is over for them. I assume you are wondering about this in relation to bulk prices?

I guess I am in part. I was told we might get more money this year for organic. I don't wish my friends north of the border bad luck though. It's fun to see everyone do well.

Spud

[eagle lake sugar]

You and I are farther north than the majority of Quebec producers and have had similar seasons. Sap is just now starting to run stronger and I hope to get another week, but I have my doubts. I made nothing but dark robust until today when I finally made amber. We're at less than 1/3 of our normal crop, so it's not looking good!

[gmcooper]

I wouldn't expect much if any change in bulk price even if Quebec didn't make a drop of syrup with the size of the reserve and the leftover inventory in US there is plenty of syrup.

[markcasper]

You and I are farther north than the majority of Quebec producers and have had similar seasons. Sap is just now starting to run stronger and I hope to get another week, but I have my doubts. I made nothing but dark robust until today when I finally made amber. We're at less than 1/3 of our normal crop, so it's not looking good!

It seems it is this way across the whole maple belt. Northern Wisconsin is not doing very good at all, while central areas have fared quite well. I have a north facing woods that has done very poor this year. The south woods obviously made up for it, because I have done very well. I have never had a year to make all light and medium! My first 1/2 a drum of dark came out saturday night. A very strange thing to make all light syrup, many year I struggle trying to make some.