Slow Start

[Jim Powell]

Is this the slowest start in quite a few years? I'm still collecting to get at least 30 gallons, for my first boil. I've got 10 in storage, and it looks like maybe close to 15 in the buckets, but since it is so cool, and they are covered in 4" of new snow, I think it is safe to wait till tomorrow AM. My first year 06, by March 18th when I tapped things were really flowing, and last year they were going by the 10th, I think.

[twigbender]

It seems like we are getting a slow start. I just tapped beginning Thursday and will finish tomorrow with about 175 taps total. In 2005 I didn't cook until Mar 31, in 2006 it was a few days earlier, last year I first cooked on Mar 24th and this year it looks like it'll be almost April again. The forecast isn't looking real condusive to a good run until after the 1st of April. Just have to wait and see. Perhaps one of these days we'll have too much sap and not enough time -- I hope!!

[VT maple maker]

Sounds just like Central Vermont. We sure hope it starts soon here too. Good luck!

Kyle

[RileySugarbush]

We sugared the 2x6 tonight, running about 140 gallons of 2% in and about 1 gallon of light amber out. It's nice to be cooking again, and we hope to fire it up Thursday night for a second round.

[Homestead Maple]

Vt maple maker,

I wondered how things might be in your area of Vt. You're about due West from where we are and very little for boiling has happened around this area. You must be in the snow belt this year also. I dug out a lateral yesterday and there's close to 4' of snow and lots of ice about 8" off the ground. Northwest of you there isn't much snow I hear.

[ennismaple]

This is the latest start in Eastern Ontario for many years as well. In 1992 we first boiled on March 30 and in 1989 we first boiled on April 2. An "average" year would see us fire up the evaporator about March 15-17. We may boil by the end of this week if the weather forecast holds.

[Jim Powell]

I think I will finally boil tomorrow. The plan was yesterday, but since it was 10° yesterday morning, all the buckets were frozen solid. I wrapped them in black plastic bags, and then collected late afternoon. Brought in about 20 gallons of slush and just let it sit in the tank, then I filtered it this morning, and realized it was way too windy to boil today, so I just collected more in two runs. I now have about 70 gallons of sap, and the wind is dying down and shifting tonight (hopefully) Defnitely my latest start, but only my third,,,

[The Back Forty]

We were at the farm today and had 52 gallons on 27 taps. Hadn't been down since Saturday. Fun part is we are boiling down there on cinder blocks in four steam table pans. I get a boil in two of the four pans in 2 and 1/2 minutes. I use a propane weed burner cranking the flame onto the wood. What fun!