Signals of the End

[MaplePancakeMan]

Besides the eventual budding, what other signs do you all attribute to the end of the Syruping season, i have become accustom to the end being near when the buckets fill up with red ants.

Sadly todays collection had many red ants in them, i hope its not the end or near it but i don't know how many more 50+ degree days these trees can take we had 5 of the last 6 days above 55degrees. lows just barely reaching freezing

[Russ]

You're done when the frogs start singing. If you have a buyer for commercial, check to see how "stringy" it can be before they won't buy it. If you have the sap, fuel and time, keep boiling as long as you have a produc tthat someone will buy.

[MaplePancakeMan]

Haven't heard the frogs yet, but i am stating to hear the crickets and chirps in the night. I hope we get a little cold snap so i get another week or so. I have had a good season, i tapped first day of feb so i'm probably going to have my taps significantly slow down soon.


I've never sold bulk or anything like that before, whats the deal with that? i know they pay per pound but whats the price drop off vs. flavoring/color?

[Fred Henderson]

Its going to be a long time before we hear either here. We still got 3 feet of snow in the woods.

[maple flats]

Should be a while for me too. I do not have snow but the daytime temps are in the thirties and low forties with no nites yet above freezing. The forcast calls for 15 days of the same. My highs have been barely good enough to get sap flow, in fact yesterday was my best day yet and I only got 2/3 gal sap/tap avg. I used new adapters on any previously used taps and the rest are new this season.

[MaplePancakeMan]

It seems as if my season will end just as yours is getting started. I still haven't made any dark and that upsets me cause thats my favorite syrup.

[maplwrks]

Mpm---if You Haven't Made Any Dark Syrup Yet, You're Not Done!! Keep Making It, Commericial Syrup Is Fetching $2.00 + A Pound

[MaplePancakeMan]

$2 bucks a pound, i could deal with that. We'll see how it all plays out but as it is i'm outside boiling right now in a t-shirt at 9pm if that givies you any indication of how warm it is still (50)

[maplecrest]

you know when your done when you turn on your valve from storage tank to evap and you get jello instead of sap. and it takes forever to clean it out of the storage tank.

[RUSTYBUCKET]

MPM,

Like you, I'm hoping for at least another week or two. Still have wood in the bins. Total is around 15 gallons so far, short of the 25 gallons I was hoping to finish with. Mid-week temps don't look promising but fingers are crossed.

Russ

[backyardsugarer]

We are just getting started guys. I have not seen a moth or ant yet. The sugar content is still high and the 15 day forecast shows no major warm ups. This could be a banner year.

Chris

[MaplePancakeMan]

yes, one more week or so and i could really have a banner year too but i see too many high temps and not enough low temps. This stinks but still made a lot of syrup this year for me anyway