Tucker County

[canaanmaple]

was thinking of starting to tap tomorrow, since we are coming out of a short stretch of teens and single digits. But now snow is creeping into the weekend forecast, and longer range looks like more cold and snow for a few weeks. Still might be worth tapping and getting a short run to boil this weekend.....hmmmm. Flipping coins. Also, probably easier to get around the hills with a few inches of snow like there is now, than a few feet later on in Feb, which is entirely possible where I am at.

20572

Today:

High: 23 °F
Low: 8 °F

Wednesday:

High: 40 °F
Low: 22 °F

Thursday:

High: 45 °F
Low: 27 °F

Friday:

High: 42 °F
Low: 31 °F

Saturday:

High: 36 °F

https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=39.086&lon=-79.4461#.XicKOb5Kg2w

[Lilshot]

We are thinking the same. Going to tap the runs of tubing tomorrow. Should be a decent run after this freeze cycle. The ground isn’t even froze here in Preston co. Happy tappin!

[canaanmaple]

got 4 lines on the steeps done today in record time since i had a couple billy goats helpin and slipping and sliding on what little snow we had this week. makin repairs and replacing spouts. 3 more lines to go at some point. It's still real early, but glad to get the steep stuff done in case winter shows up hard at some point! Valentines day is the traditional tap time here, but the last few winters might be changing that tradition a bit! carpe sapum205972059820599

[canaanmaple]

got another 100 taps in on saturday on the old giant sugar maples at the Reed farm. They haven't been tapped in 60 years, and were flowing at 34 degrees right away. 3% sugar content out of them! The other sugarbush came in at 1% when it ran 10days ago or so. Haven't checked that today, but it's running like a river here now. Gonna be busy this week here! Doesn't look below freezing at night for a few days, but then it's goin back down.

[canaanmaple]

Still at it! The freeze thaw pattern has been relentless since end of January where we've been getting 3 days of flow per week. Over 4000 gallons sap now from 220 taps. close to 50 gallons syrup made so far on a 2x4 drop flue. Thank god for RO, but a 2x6 would be nice! It's been exhausting with a full-time job! Running good still, but may pull taps on the lower sugar content woods that has some reds on the lines next week, since that got buddy fast last year.

[220 maple]

Someone showed me a Facebook post that you got a couple inches of snow Friday night May the 8th in Canaan Valley, your trees budding yet? Last Sunday after delivery some syrup I took a little road trip up the Dryfork, some of the maples there were just starting to bud out, other still looked tight, mine down near Petersburg are in full leaf and hopefully making sugar for next season.
Mark 220 Maple

[maple flats]

Up in central NY mine are also in full leaf, however most sugars are still small, but as old time farmers used to say, the "maple leaves are the size of squirrel's ears" (or larger), time to plant corn. That said, I don't plant any corn. Several years ago we had 6-8 rows x 35'of sweet corn. One evening my wife said we'd be having our first corn the next night for supper. She went to pick it and raccoons had knocked every stalk down, eaten a bite or 2 from each ear, we got zero. That was our last ever planting. We had a 7' fence around the entire garden, but they climbed the fence.

[canaanmaple]

Someone showed me a Facebook post that you got a couple inches of snow Friday night May the 8th in Canaan Valley, your trees budding yet? Last Sunday after delivery some syrup I took a little road trip up the Dryfork, some of the maples there were just starting to bud out, other still looked tight, mine down near Petersburg are in full leaf and hopefully making sugar for next season.
Mark 220 Maple

Hey Mark, **** it's snowing again right now actually and a freeze warning tonight :( June 1st is considered the frost free date for planting sensitive plants tho. Trees are budding yeah but not close to full leaves. Been the longest slowest cold spring after a pretty mild winter. Looks like 70 this weekend tho :)

[maple flats]

Here in central NY we've had frosts a few times lately. Unfortunately all of our fruit trees are in full bloom, peach, apply and pear, maybe one or 2 others. We also expect at least 1 more freeze this week. Fortunately my blueberries have not opened yet, but they're getting close too. We rarely lose a blueberry crop to frost but it has happened on the earliest varieties a few times over the years. We also had snow 3-4 times in the last 2 weeks, twice the last 4 days, 1-3".

[canaanmaple]

Here in central NY we've had frosts a few times lately. Unfortunately all of our fruit trees are in full bloom, peach, apply and pear, maybe one or 2 others. We also expect at least 1 more freeze this week. Fortunately my blueberries have not opened yet, but they're getting close too. We rarely lose a blueberry crop to frost but it has happened on the earliest varieties a few times over the years. We also had snow 3-4 times in the last 2 weeks, twice the last 4 days, 1-3".

sounds about like our predicament! (our elevation here gives us pretty similar weather as yall the northeast it seems) hope your maple season was a good one!

[canaanmaple]

yee haw! looks like the start of the season is coming. tapped 150 today in 2' of snow which was a heck of a chore even with snowshoes and almost knee deep. 21991
It's been in the teens for a few days and -2 last night, but today was sunny and 33, and some of the smaller trees started to drip right away! calling for more tomorrow but then tues-thursday looks like a good run! Tapping another location tuesday, and also getting sap from a local farm that started tapping again.

[darkmachine]

I'm east of you, I hung about 130 buckets earlier this month, they were dripping hard today, started in earnest getting my lines tapped in. Switched on the vacuum pump for the first time this season just about dark, it dumped twice, I was so excited I didn't want to leave it alone to work! It looks like perfect weather for the next two weeks....maybe a little warm for some, but i'm down in a hole so i should still get a freeze every night.

[canaanmaple]

First sap was 2/25. Got 4500 gallons so far off 340 taps. Almost half the taps are all sugars and 2.5% steady so far. The others about 1.7 average since they have some reds mixed in. RO pump went down thursday, but just got a loaner yesterday, so I have some sap to pickup today that has been sitting 2 days, hope it's ok! Should have pump fixed in mine monday, so hope for a real strong finish since it's dropping to the teens tonight and next week looks halfway decent.

And a shout out to the WV CDL rep Brandon Daniels (Daniels Maple Products) for being an awesome rep and big help answering lots of questions with new gear. And Mike Rechlin of course for being the WV maple promoter and instigator!

[canaanmaple]

finished up the last little run yesterday, up to 6000gal sap now. Just washed the tanks real good out in the woods since it had gotten to almost 60 a few days the past week. Cant let the sap sit around more than a day with that weather. Temp got back to 25 last night, and into the teens tonight, then a few days of 40/20s after. Hoping for this one last run to stay good before it goes buddy. No buds on trees, but that really doesn't mean it can't turn buddy tasting. Been getting real nice dark the past week. worn out being a one man show with a 2x4!

[220 maple]

Here it is April the first! I heard thru a reliable source a well known Dr. at Future Generations that the Seven Brothers made two barrels of Syrup on the 30th, some who have quit up north probably would think that this is a April Fools joke! But no! I believe this is the seventh year out 8 that syrup has been made in April at that location. I guess it is self explanatory why I tried to lease the neighboring mountain, I quit at my location on March 10th. I had a better than avg. season , but that being said I still want to be there where the weather is equal to Quebec!

[canaanmaple]

Here it is April the first! I heard thru a reliable source a well known Dr. at Future Generations that the Seven Brothers made two barrels of Syrup on the 30th, some who have quit up north probably would think that this is a April Fools joke! But no! I believe this is the seventh year out 8 that syrup has been made in April at that location. I guess it is self explanatory why I tried to lease the neighboring mountain, I quit at my location on March 10th. I had a better than avg. season , but that being said I still want to be there where the weather is equal to Quebec!

gosh, maybe I quit too early! My last collection was on the 21st, and made some good dark, but started to detect that funky smell in the steam and there was a week of almost 60s with no freeze ahead, so I called it quits. I heard peepers on the 23rd so I felt ok with the decision :) this past week its been syrup making weather again with snow and temps in 20s and teens a few nights but most my taps are pulled and buds are swelling. I am pretty much same elevation as them with same weather, so I would love to taste what they made on the 30th. Maybe I am quitting too early, or maybe they are making commercial grade to sell? If you want that weather, maybe we can talk the farm owner I get half my sap from into expanding and putting the shack on their property. Mike @future has been advising/assisting her also :) I swear it's just as big a farm/mountain as Dalens property and the big operation you speak of! Ran 2.5% most of the season, then 2.2% the last two runs!

[220 maple]

I’m pretty sure I’ve met the person you are referring to with the farm near you. She came to maple boot camp at WVU several years back, plus she and a friend came to my open house on Maple Day maybe three years ago! I will keep your info about possible leasing of sugar woods, our plan was to sell sap to the neighboring camp! What is the elevation at your camp and how high is the trees above your camp! John camp is at 3300 feet with the highest trees at 4300 feet, the neighboring mountain trees start at 3300 and go to 4200 feet!

[canaanmaple]

I’m pretty sure I’ve met the person you are referring to with the farm near you. She came to maple boot camp at WVU several years back, plus she and a friend came to my open house on Maple Day maybe three years ago! I will keep your info about possible leasing of sugar woods, our plan was to sell sap to the neighboring camp! What is the elevation at your camp and how high is the trees above your camp! John camp is at 3300 feet with the highest trees at 4300 feet, the neighboring mountain trees start at 3300 and go to 4200 feet!

It's pretty much identical to Johns. Bottom of the valley here is 3200 and ridges are 4300. But not many maples up above 4000. It's also a cattle farm in summer, and a very busy cross-country ski area in the winter, so the lines have to cross those trails. (not a big deal)
I should go collect some sap from the taps not pulled and taste it because its been prefect run temps the last few days since the snow. 50s / low 20s. But buds are definitely swelling now!
I remember in 2018, making good syrup April 7th, then it froze up for a good week, and then about mid april I made my first buddy syrup. A smell and taste I will never forget!