is it sugar season yet???

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

Well the sap fineally sterted coming in the releaser @ 10 this morning, temps are pushing 50, AND THE WIND IS BLOWING... Man can we ever catch a break??? I hope everyone else is having it better then me...

[sweetvt]

Valley view,
I don't think you are alone the northern half of the state has been in the ice age. It has been discouraging to say the least. I am guessing that the season is likely to now be a quick one. April can be cold but more often then not you get the temperature swings that don't favor good runs ie, 40's during the days and only 30's at night. Hard to know for sure what Ma Nature has in store for us, the snow is deep but not a stitch of frost under all the snow, so a couple of warm rainy days/nights with a south wind and the snow pack will be history.

As the old sugarmakers respond when asked how your season is going.... "I'll let you know around the first of May!"

[HHM-07]

valley view

We are in the same boat up here, not a good run yet just getting what will drizzle if the weather continues like it is we could be sugaring well into april, we used to make more syrup in april than any other time . dont be discouraged we have plenty of time left for a good season

GOOD LUCK Dick

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

These are the years where I wish I was still a hobby producer with a few taps, man you get to the size I am, and so don't the expences. Its easy to eat a few hundread in a year but when you are talking thousands, man thats hard...

[sweetvt]

VVS,

I think with your size and some vacume you will end up OK in the end, it likely will be fast and furious.

A guy I know who is also a "hobby sugarmaker" best explained sugaring on a small scale. When he stopped sugaring for a few years I asked him how come?? He said he decided just to take a handful of 100 dollar bills and light them on fire and then have his wife slap him in the face everyday for about six weeks beginning around town meeting day and he got the same result as trying to sugar on a hobby scale!

I had to laugh but it is true, Its a wicked sickness, but lots fun and anticipation waiting for the BIG SAP, some years you get it, and some you never do.

Sugarmakers are a pesismistic(sp?) bunch by nature, but generally we average out ok most years

[802maple]

I wouldn't worry yet there is a lot of potential left for making syrup. This actually is what I would call a normal year as far as when it should be starting for us. With everybody starts getting all nervous the first time the snow starts to melt and thinks sugaring is here and starts tapping they think this year is late. I look back thru records back into the early 1900's and we are right on time. It will come about.

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

If 500 gal of sap off of 4000+ taps is a start.. Then it started.. we will add it to the 30 gal of syrup all ready made and I will be up to what I made the year I had 100 taps.. lol

Best of luck to all

Andy

[royalmaple]

Andy-

I thought today was going to be the run day, but I think it was the opening day really. Got the trees thinking about it anyway. Didn't run gang busters but I got some sap. It was really windy here as well and really didn't feel as warm as they said it was. I think the wind will shake the trees and it's ma nature giving them a slap to wake up from the winter that doesn't want to give up. Hopefully it will pound tomorrow.

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

I think we need to come up with a date time and location for all of us Vermonters and who ever else to get together and boil, I will offer my sugarhouse but if someone is more central that would be cool too...

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

You guys are going to be so busy in the next 7 to 14 days, you will be crying mercy and not wanting to get together at anyone's sugarhouse as you will be to busy to know what day of the week it is.

[themapleking]

Winter is staying around for sure. Vermont sugar makers will be in big trouble if the weather does'nt break soon it's almost april.
Over here in western NY it's a record yr. Most sugar makers have all ready hit .36 gal per tap. and it looks like 2 more weeks left.

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

Man I hope you rite, but in the mean time I am looking for any excuse to talk maple and dring boiling sodas..

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

Well last night was the first decent boil of the year... I managed to mak a little over 30 gal and was still in bed by 10.. Man you gotta love the RO...

[Homestead Maple]

Ditto, on the RO.

[hookhill]

Andy,
Its still slow here in Washington. We had a small run on Sunday. I thought it was going to cut lose but the morning temp was 10 degrees. Wed and Thurs sound like potential days. We know what you mean, its time to start making some syrup. The next 2 weeks will make or break. Best.

Jim