Is it going to be a good season?

[Revi]

I don't know about you, but I am asked this all the time. The truth is that I have no idea whatsoever. But I always say "Yes! I think it will be good!" Sometimes I add in something like there was a lot of rain, and that's good or something. What do you say? I know that if you add too much detail to the answer most people's eyes glaze over and they move on to some other subject.

[VT Maple]

Just tell them to ask you again on May 1st.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

That's an easy one. Every season is a good season so of course it will be! Will me make any syrup?..........who the hell knows but we'll have fun trying! Some things I know will happen and can look forward to:
1) I will trip in my snowshoes, fall upside down and have taps, tees, connectors and tools go flying. If I'm lucky, the tubing tool WON'T smack me in the head and it will only take me a half hour to get back upright.
2) I will get the snowmobile stuck at least once and curse, punch and kick it a few times before finally getting it out.
3) I will stand on the mountain on a beautiful winter day and proclaim that this is why we do it.
4) My wife will call me a moron and ask why I couldn't have taken up carpentry so I could fix stuff around the house.
5) I will stand on the mountain on a miserably cold and windy day and wonder why the hell we do it.
6) By May I will be ready for something different but still smiling about sugar season whether we get a 0.10 yield or 0.50

Sugar season starts this Sunday, heading in to the bush with a chainsaw for a couple days. Hoping like heck we have less snow than last year. So far, so good!

[littleTapper]

mainebackswoodssyrup has it right!

Good:
- Get to spend a lot of time outdoors and away from the office.
- Use things I've put lots of effort into making; incredibly rewarding.
- My son helps and he learns and experiences something pretty unique and can find pride in the help he provides. Maybe he'll pass it on to the next generation.
- Spend some quality time watching water evaporate; some of that time I'm alone and there's a lot of good in having that time to focus on you and what you enjoy. Some of that time is spent watching steam rise and wood (and beer and pizza) disappear with a gathering of friends.

Bad:
n/a

[maple flats]

I do like VT Maple, ask me in May.

[Sugarmaker]

Folks,
Cant remember a "bad" maple season! Just some are better than others. Always good to have the rebirth of spring, sap flows, wood makes a warm fire in the arch, syrup boils and the sugarhouse smells so good! Family and friends come and set and visit in the sugarhouse. Yea it will be a good season!
Regards,
Chris

[Revi]

I like it! We're going to fix a few spots where the beasties chewed and where trees fell in the last 2 windstorms this weekend, so the sugar season kinda starts for us too. It's going to be a good season!

[Russell Lampron]

It's always a good season for one reason or another but if I run of wood it will be a great season!

The trees had plenty of sun and moisture this summer so we should see a high sugar content like we did last season. If the temperatures will cooperate we could have a record season this coming year.

[Revi]

The only thing I know is that if we have a warm January and February then we lose some of the sap that would have shown up in March. So I may be able to say if it will be a good season just before the season. Maybe...

[Revi]

It could be a good season if it stays cold during January and early February, then warms up nicely, but not too much into March. We'll see...