Will the sap run with temps in the mid 30's?

[Chris S]

I am going nuts waiting to try out my new evaporator and sugar shack here in NY. The forecast for the weekend is temps in the mid to upper 30's I have some of my taps out and I was wondering if I can expect much of a run with the temp. so cool.

Chris

[DougM]

Chris,

It seems to depend on how long the temps have stayed below freezing, how early in the day it goes above freezing, and having sun helps a lot. We had about a week of below freezing temps right after we tapped, and it took a couple of above-freezing days in a row before they started to run.
Yesterday, after another several-day freezing spell, they didn't run that much even though it got around 35. Taps in the sun ran more, of course. Should be good today, though, supposed to be around 40, and sunny all day.

Those are my not-so-educated observations from a season of way more cold than usual, anyway. Happy sugaring,
Doug

[Tomten]

Mid-thirty's....I wish. I ran a spotter tap last week-end with two day's of mid-thirty's and saw just enough of a run for the kids to catch the first drops on their tonuges. Been in the teens since. Is the general concensus that the season is about two weeks late? Normally start here in Wisconsin about the 15th of March.

[DougM]

Tomten,
Here in Indiana we are almost a month late. Last year the first two weeks of Feb. were our best, we made no syrup the last two weeks, and only a little the first two weeks of March. March 6 was our last day.

This year we've been able to boil 2 days, and make 4 gal. from 100 taps.

My dad spoke to several people last weekend w/500+ taps who have not made any syrup so far this year.

BUT, at 5:50 pm it's 46 degrees, so I hope they ran like crazy today, and I can boil tomorrow. :)
Doug