This is not looking good

[buckeye gold]

Dang this weather pattern. It does not look like any sap weather for the next 10 to 14 days. I have never boiled any later than March 15th and I fear we will have a fast warm up when this passes. I had a season like this in 2014 and only boiled a few boils. Most years I am done by the first few days of March. I am so glad I had early taps out and that I did tap my regular bush when we had that last warm up. At least I made 1/3 of my seasons goal during that period with a few big runs. If I had waited I would be in full panic mode. I beginning to think my approach needs to be a split Maple season. Do a full half of my taps early and half during normal time. The last couple years it seems I make early syrup and late syrup and not much in the middle. Normally I could plan on a full regular season starting around January 25-Feb 1, but as I look over the past few years winter has been showing up in early Feb and my regular start dates are pushed back 7-10 days. The sad part of that is March almost always has a very warm spell in the first 10 days and just mucks up my lines, tanks and sap. Being in southern Ohio seems to bring more challenges.

[VTnewguy]

With the winter weather setting up later, the runs will should be stronger. The sun will be warmer. Might make up for the shorter season.

[buckeye gold]

With the winter weather setting up later, the runs will should be stronger. The sun will be warmer. Might make up for the shorter season.

That's probably true, but that makes a rough season. I'd much rather have a regular steady flow of sap. Also, that is part of my fear, a week of hell then die completely off. I guess I'll know come March 15th. I have 10 years of spreadsheets and this pattern has never turned into a banner year.

[Kh7722]

There is no sense in worrying about it, we cant help the weather one way or another. All it does is create unneeded stress. Make the most of and
Kevin

[johnallin]

Kevin s right. It will all work out, and like Like Fred said in his attempt at Canadian Lingo....I’ve interpreted as needed...

“Come on down to the Federation of Kirtland Hills (my sugar house) and have an ole Silver Spray (beer) , kick back and relax on the chesterfield (couch) by the Bullerjan (wood stove). its going to come fast enough don't rush it eh!!

[ecolbeck]

There is no sense in worrying about it, we cant help the weather one way or another. All it does is create unneeded stress. Make the most of and
Kevin

We can’t help the weather, but can we help the climate?

[buckeye gold]

Thanks for the thoughts, But I am not worrying about it at all. The post wasn't meant as an emotional plea (I guess I shouldn't of said panic or fear), just a thought and an update of what my season was looking like. I'm usually well ahead of you northern guys and most years my season is close to what you can expect later. That's not always true, but more than not. Heck if season ended right now I'd clean up and move on to the next thing and never look back. Just about time to get the fishing rods out again....now that's some important stuff there.

[Bellehollow]

https://kappellweather.com/Our-Blog/old-man-winter-is-about-to-unleash-on-the-eastern-us

[esetter]

You pretty much described TN maple weather. Anytime after 2/15 it can just turn spring on you and next thing you know , trees are budding and its over. Been flowing really good here!!!

[RC Maple]

Yep. The first day we get back above freezing here according to Accuweather is the 24th and then we do see a few 40's. The weather stays about like that through the second week of March. After the 12th, we don't get another night below 30 until the 27th. That's a long way out to be accurately predicting anything though. It could all look different tomorrow. Hopefully, this will be the first year I gather sap in April.:cool:

[buckeye gold]

6+ inches of snow this morning, but that keeps the ground from freezing. This will be the longest stretch I have ever shutdown after tapping. I did drain all my sweet and finish it on the finisher. I cleaned and starting over whenever it runs. I even sold every bottle I had made....mid February and sold out LOL

[gbeneke]

I usually have 10-15 gallons by now, This year it looks like a late run, maybe the end of February. I won't be boiling for long because we are going on vacation March 19th. Could be a short exciting season with a lot of sap going on the ground March 20. This year is going to be closer to the normal and my early tapping just won't work.
Come to think of it, you are one of the forum members that got me tapping early, Buckeye Gold, so I have you to blame.HaHa

[buckeye gold]

I have been blamed for worse things, :lol:

[buckeye gold]

This certainly is an odd year. I wish I'd of put all my taps put earlier. I boiled 16 times between December 16th and January 16th and made almost half my seasons goal. The runs in mid January were really good. I would have still held my main bush off until January, but I wish I had tapped those 100 the first of January. If it warms up, like it's prone to do in March here I'm done with a very short regular season. I have a big order yet to fill. I'm hoping this is the year I boil well into March.

[buckeye gold]

I think it's about to be a wild and crazy week. It may take a couple days, but I sense an absolute sap tsunami coming. It's forecast to be in the 40s and up to 55 wed. with below freezing nights. I have a 40 gallon size block of ice in my collection tank to keep things cool, not intentionally. First I have to plow a path to the tank as I took the tank cart loose and had to put the plow on the tractor. So Now I have 15-18" of snow to remove first so I can hook back up. Of course I have a doctors appt one day and am scheduled for my covid vaccine Thursday. The boss retired the 1st of January and she says she'll run the evaporator so I don't have to shut down for those things. Probably 10 days of madness and done

[Ocelotsden]

I'm just hobby and only collect 50 -55 gallons of sap and usually do that over one solid week each year and boil it all at once. that way I don't go over 7 or 8 days holding sap, depending on weather anyway. Last year I was boiling and finished up this very weekend, but it's been really cold and there's a foot and a half of snow still on the ground. Looking at the weather, I think I'm going to start tapping today or tomorrow and see how it goes. Even if I don't keep any of the sap from this coming week, it should flow really well the following week.
I'm thinking with all the snow on the ground, I can bury my 5 gallon jugs in it and it should be fine for up to 10-12 days maybe? Any thoughts?

[buckeye gold]

I think you'll be fine. It's going to take a few days to get going good, but buried in the snow should help.

[buckeye gold]

I walked my lines this morning because I hadn't even looked at them in a month. Found and fixed 4 minor chews and one bad one out of 150 taps. Sap running but real slow. I need more sap to thaw the 40 gallon block of ice in my collection tank. Snow is getting real soft now and pulling away from trees, so it's about to gush. Plowed the road to my tank and hooked it back on the tractor while I was at it. Maybe tomorrow I'll build a fire. Starting over from scratch now.

[buckeye gold]

Sap just started to run big yesterday and boom it got to 61 and and everything slowed drastically. If i don't get some cold my lines will funk up and my trees quit and I'm done. Just what I feared. Glad I made a fair amount of early syrup.

[bmbmkr]

Hidy Buckeye, haven't talked to you in a while. We tapped 20-24 Jan, somethin like that. Had one good run then froze up, had a small run & my sap froze in the 900' pumpline while I was pumpin it to the sugar house. I spent too much time on the hill chasin leaks that day. It gets colder faster down in the holler where my collection tank is than up on the hillside where the majority of my trees are. I ended up dumpin that sap a week later when it thawed out, it didnt smell or taste good. Washed out the tanks then we got the ice storm 2 weeks ago. We lost a few trees, some uprooted, some snapped off between chest hight & 10 or 12' up, lost a few of tree tops and had some minor damage to tubing, mainlines and pump lines, mostly from these spindly red pines we have down here. Red oak limbs took a toll too. Then 4 days later we got ANOTHER ice storm, the other one hadn't thawed, and we had snow in between. Same lost a few more trees & more line damage. Fortunately, we were better off than some neighbors, some a my WV & KY buddies lost their entire sugarbush & tubing systems. We were very fortunate we didn't have much wind, it could have been much worse. After it thawed out, we got a few good runs, i boiled 750 gallon Wed & near 900 gallons Saturday. Saturday night through Sunday night we got a little over 3" of rain. My driveway is currently under 2 1/2 feet of water-since Sunday night @ midnight. It went down about 6" today. I have near 300 gallons of sap in my tank a mile up the road that I can't get to. I had a decent run today & yesterday, & the forecast looks good through No freeze or light freeze tonight, then the next 4 nights are supposed to be in the low to mid 20's 58F Monday though, that will be the last for us for sure. I've got 350 gallons circulating through the UV light right now, about to finish eatin & got fire up the Ro & Evaporator. I'll be washin out my tanks tomorrow and gettin ready for the weekend runs. Hope you've had a better year than us! We're at about 40% of what we had last year & year before. I'm happy to be boiling in March, this is only the 2nd year we've been able to.

[Ed R]

Looks like the warm weather is heading north next week at the mi/oh border. Big difference in the local TV weatherman's predictions. One is calling for highs for 2 days in the low to mid 70s. Most others have highs around 60. I' hoping for the later. 4 days of 60s isn't good either.

[buckeye gold]

Hey Ben,

Just seen your post, been busy so have not checked in a lot. February was a total wash for the first 24 days. Then I started getting runs. I took a chance and reamed my fall taps and they have done really well and supplemented my sap totals. This cold March weather has saved my butt as I have boiled every day of March and had a couple big runs. I wondered about you when the ice hit. we only got snow, but 15" of it. It's been a mud fest but no flooding. Looks like I have two more days of boiling then I am done. I'll drain and fisnish off my sweet Tuesday 3/9 and start flushing my 3/16 line with calcium hypochloride. Looks like I will finish pretty close to what I done last year, that's better than I thought I would do. Hope you get the woods cleaned up. Maybe I can find time and come for a visit this spring or summer.