Is it over?

[walkerpa]

I live in gettysburg pa and have about 50 buckets out. I have made about 5 gal of syrup. Now it is starting to get hot out. It was in the 60s yesterday. I am starting to get buds on my trees and the little bit of sap that i am getting is cloudy. I thought we were just getting started and now i think its over. Is it over?

[Haynes Forest Products]

I think the trees are the ones to answer that question. Dont mix the syrups from the next boil. I think this is the year that will bring prices up again.

[bprzyw]

Hey guys, is this year done? I have checked the latest forcasts, and there is nothing below freezing for the next 5 days. I thought we were just getting started. only got 80 gallons this season. got to keep it cold til the weekend so i could boil saturday or sunday.

[3rdgen.maple]

naw it is too early yet. cold spell coming up. the warm spell is just a little break for us to do some tweeking. if you have any sap though you better get it run through before it spoils. its gonna get better.

[bprzyw]

Ok, 3rdgen.maple, i will take your word for it. I will try to get a boil started ASAP. I just come home expecting a lot of sap, and get little to nothing, frustrating to say the least.

[Z/MAN]

Hey guys, is this year done? I have checked the latest forcasts, and there is nothing below freezing for the next 5 days. I thought we were just getting started. only got 80 gallons this season. got to keep it cold til the weekend so i could boil saturday or sunday.

Bernie, Don't feel bad. I have 50 taps out and I only got 94 gallons of sap so far. I just checked the 15 day forecast and I don't see anything below 32 until the 22nd and 23rd and then it goes back up.:cry: Just keep your fingers crossed. Believe it or not sometimes the weather man is wrong.:lol: I boiled down 43 gallons last night and have my pans sweetened. I should start to draw off syrup when I boil tonight. Trouble is I only have 20+ gallons of sap left.:(
Paul

[sweetwoodmaple]

As Haynes says....don't mix the sap. Also, if you are tapping sugars and soft maple, pull the softs...they are probably done.

Sugar maples, on the other hand...can recover if you get a cold snap after a week of warm. I had one year where they "pulled back" and I got good sap back again after flushing the lines of buddy sap.

[slammer3364]

I dont think it even started here still 6 inches of snow in the woods,that is all I have done is sweeten my pan. Got 90 taps thus far since Mon I have 60 gal of sap. Still has to warm up in the woods

[gomish]

I dont think it even started here still 6 inches of snow in the woods,that is all I have done is sweeten my pan. Got 90 taps thus far since Mon I have 60 gal of sap. Still has to warm up in the woods
I’m up at 2000ft, and still have over a foot of snow everywhere. This week the 14 trees on the field edge facing south are running great, collected 20 gal/day. The 6 trees 50 ft in the woods have yet to start running hardly at all. I think it was just to cold in there till today, lots of hemlocks and snow. I expect the field edge trees to slow down or stop but the woods trees to really start today and tomorrow. Then thing will probably die down until the next cold spell, which I’ll bet we will have yet.

[bprzyw]

Paul, I bet ya if we had vacuum we would be in a better situation. I am going to be boiling tomorrow, at least sweeten the pan and hope for the best. I know the weather forecast is probably not accurate, its kinda hard do make a forecast on 3 days out let alone 10-15 days out. Could be the first year i am doing this maybe i am just overanxious about the whole process.:lol:

[pennslytucky]

no, look back at old threads, theres always a warm spell in the season. it warms up, we lose the reds, then it freezes and we get bigsap for a couple more weeks. theres always the possibility of an exception year, tho, and we did stay froze for longer than normal this year. i already have peas in the garden, and sweet corn in flats, so im happy either way:D

[bprzyw]

pennslytucky, Peas in the garden? wow, i cannot find my garden, still under about 1' of snow!!! cool. can't wait to plant!!!!!!!!! I am still hoping for a freeze.

[3rdgen.maple]

I think you all are over thinking this weather. It is not just you that has poor sap runs it is the whole northeast. As far as pulling taps on your softs don't do it. It is gonna get cold again and the weather is normal for march the problem is the sap flows are not and it is giving everyone a false sense the season is over. I have taps that are no more than a week old and they are producing no different than the ones I put in a few weeks earlier. So unless your softs are budded and producing off sap then keep going and enjoy the break. It will all be back next week. I sum this year up as slow and steady. Last year I had some good runs but it never ran everyday. By my records I have gathered less sap on a per run ratio but have had alot more runs. When it is all added up those same taps I had last year has produced more sap. Hang in there maple maniacs.

[bprzyw]

3rdgen.maple, Its your superior knowledge that keeps em going. I am not going to pull any taps yet. I will wait it out. No budding yet, no cloudy sap. Collected another 10 gallons today, all clear. I will have to agree that you are right, march is a crazy month. Sweetening the pan thursday. have about 90 gallons now. Thank you for your help.

[sweetwoodmaple]

I do hope you are correct and we are over thinking.

One thing is for sure...buddy sap spoils a batch, so find a low hanging branch and keep a close eye on the buds.

[3rdgen.maple]

Thanks but Im not to sure about the superior knowledege, just was born into the madness and gramps had 60 years in this my dad was born into it and he is 67 and Im 37 so combined that is over 160 years of maple in the family. It is just funny (me included) how we all get a little nervous and jerky when it comes to our passions. But like I said if your sap is clear and there are no buds keep the taps out because more is on the way. After dad looked over his notes and gramps notes and mine the earliest we ever pulled taps was the first of april. The norm is around the 10 of april. Except one year where all we could make was a B grade syrup and after 2 weeks my dad gave up and pulled taps. Back then no one wanted B grade so once the family had enough he called it quits. So as long as the long range shows sap weather and the sap is clear and no buds are out keep your heads up it is coming.

[bprzyw]

3rdgen.maple, you are more informed about this than i am, Its a first for me. So anyone has more knowledge about sugaring. No buds, clear sap, boiled yesterday (thursday) 90+ gallons, when the pan was running 2 inches, i pulled it off the fire. The pan is sweetened!!:lol: Thank you for the information.
Bernie

[Turtlecreek]

I'm going to let my buckets hang for a bit to see what happens here. The up comming week looks really bad. According to accuweather the following week looks perfect! The only thing we will have to worry about is the buds, and I'm afraid the rain we are getting is going to make them pop out.

This may be a blessing though, at least this year I may make it up to the potter tioga maple tour and catch up with some of you guys. Also fishing season and turkey season is getting close, I can almost taste that maple glazed trout!!!

[innoxen]

Our 1st year and we made just over 3 gallons of syrup... Some bumps along the way, Crew burned 1 pan, I spilled 1 pan, I burned 1 pan while finishing, and oh yea lots of hair on the arm burned.... lol... But had a great time and my boys got envovled and seemed to enjoy... Pulled my taps Friday but next year I want to hang with you boys for the long haul... can't wait.... thanks for all the help and encouragement... Tom

[maple flats]

my 15 day looks like this: Sat
3/13/2010 47° 33° 0.55 0 Rain and drizzle 40° 23°
Sun
3/14/2010 43° 32° 0.34 0 Windy with rain 40° 24°
Mon
3/15/2010 53° 29° 0 0 Not as cool 40° 24°
Tue
3/16/2010 54° 30° 0 0 Times of clouds and sun 41° 24°
Wed
3/17/2010 51° 33° 0 0 Mostly sunny 41° 25°
Thu
3/18/2010 52° 34° 0 0 Mild with partial sunshine 41° 25°
Fri
3/19/2010 52° 34° 0 0 Mostly cloudy 42° 25°
Sat
3/20/2010 52° 33° 0.14 0 Times of clouds and sun 42° 26°
Sun
3/21/2010 42° 17° 0.28 0.1 Colder with rain 43° 26°
Mon
3/22/2010 33° 18° 0.13 3.2 Colder with periods of snow 43° 26°
Tue
3/23/2010 35° 24° 0.03 0.2 Cloudy with afternoon snow 44° 27°
Wed
3/24/2010 34° 26° 1.3 23.4 Cold with snow 44° 27°
Thu
3/25/2010 37° 22° 0.07 0.6 Snow at times 44° 28°
Fri
3/26/2010 36° 24° 0.05 0.5 Cold with periods of snow 45° 28°
Sat
3/27/2010 39° 32° 0.03

I will hold out. I have no reds tapped now because I think the buds will break already but I doubt the sugars will this soon. If this forcast is close I should get more. The new CV adapters are being put to a real test ON A GRAVITY SYSTEM.