A short season

[highlandcattle]

Well, a really short run. Several small snow storms, but lots of melting in between. The ground has been bare for weeks. Our 3 lawn trees are in full southern exposure. First time ever that the finished syrup has a funny taste. I used some in baking and it was fine. Probably blend it. The trees just never produced. Only ended with about 30 gallons from 3 trees. One day such high winds the bucket was pulled right out of the tree. Same day everyone's trash cans became projectiles. At least Ron kept busy for a bit. ( his back problem with the help of some meds has made it possible for him to get around again) We stopped at the nearest sugar shack a few miles from here and got a 5 gallon bucket of sap. That was from some nice old trees on the guys farm. Made a pint of really rich flavored syrup. Ron cleaned up yesterday. I will be experimenting with baking and recipes as the time being in the house goes by. At least we have the gardens to work on and can go for walks. Take care

[Michael Greer]

Here in St Lawrence County the weather looks good for a couple more days. If that's what happens our entire season will be about 25 days...a far cry from the past when folks would hope for a season running six weeks.

[Bucket Head]

I agree.
As a kid, I quickly pedaled my bike up the street to check the buckets at a neighbors. Then pedaled twice as fast to get home to tell my father that we had to go collect! I did that after school for what seemed like weeks and weeks. Sadly, weeks and weeks is not the case anymore.


Steve

[phil-t]

I have pretty much cut my season short, or mother nature did it for me! My sap has turned cloudy and sugar content has fallen to 1.5 or less. Not even close to productive for my small hobby setting. I'll wait to see what the next run brings, but I'm ready to call it quits. 12 gallons + to give away to family and friends this year. They will be happy, and I am happy that I can still do it and have fun at it.

[eagle lake sugar]

Join the club, we only ever get 3-4 weeks here.

[HillsideMaple]

My first boil was February 25. I missed out on a couple early runs but the sugar really hadn’t shown up. When the warmer weather came, it seemed to stay. My sugar dropped off quick. Today, after 2 nights of a hard freeze I measured.7% and the sap is cloudy with a bad aftertaste. See what this week brings but not expecting much to change.

[Trapper2]

Central Wisconsin, 4 1/2 weeks here. I tapped on 3-1-2020 and will be pulling 4-1-2020. All buckets or gravity flow 5/16. So far I'm over a quart per tap and that is with losing 30 buckets during a gale force wind a day after I collected and I wasn't around to notice for 5 days. I had some really good runs but sugar was less than 2% this year.21332

[30AcreWoods]

I tapped on 2 February...then things got cold (of course!). Two and half weeks ago it got up to 70 here and I thought we were done - and it would have been a horrible year. But it got cold for a few days and the sap is still running and good. I've made more syrup than any year in the last 6. Sugar content is consistently low, but that's been overcome by more volume (per tap). Thunderstorms and hail last night made for an interesting juxtaposition with syrup boiling! Like some here have said, until the peepers begin; chances are good the sap is good.

[eagle lake sugar]

Still waiting here in far northern Maine. There's still 2 1/2- 3 ft. of snow tightly packed against the trees and they're hardly running at all.

[30AcreWoods]

What snow?! All gone here...even the snowbanks. A crazy non-winter for us.

[eagle lake sugar]

What snow?! All gone here...even the snowbanks. A crazy non-winter for us.

This is the third year in a row with snow above average for us. 2017-170 inches, 2018 150 +inches and about the same this season. When there's this much snow, the season starts late and warms up too quick usually, I hope it drags out until the end of April.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Good luck up there in the County. This week looks like the end for us.