is it over?

[mitchellbob]

iam i hinesburg vt and the sap has not run in 3 days and the long range
forcast dosnt look good thanks bob.

[Brokermike]

iam i hinesburg vt and the sap has not run in 3 days and the long range
forcast dosnt look good thanks bob.

looks bad in southern VT too

[Kevin Rose]

It started early and ran hard until the 10th, at which point I reached the production goals I'd set for the entire season (just a day later than my first boil last year). Anything else after this is extra. The season is not following the rule of averages.

[farmall h]

Sap ran decent yesterday ...better than today. Looks like we may have to wait a couple days for some frosty mornings.

[PARKER MAPLE]

i agree i dont think its over yet, just gonna have to wait for a few more cold snaps. i think maybe all this rain were getting will help out also, just gonna make it real sloppy. i now i had a small run yesterday in both my buckets and tubing. good luck
maple rookie

[northwoods_forestry]

Nothing doing down here in SE VT since cleaning up last Friday. I have to keep reminding myself that it's only mid-March and more is surely to come. Looks like we may have a good freeze Tuesday night, but after that the forecast is iffy.

I've only hit 30% of my production goals, so I sure hope it isn't over!

[steve J]

Looks like it will be cold tonight and tomorrow night but then another long warm period to early next week but long range calls for a pretty complete freeze up most of next week. Would that be enough to re energize trees or do you think it will come to late to help?

[northwoods_forestry]

Hard to say what a long hard freeze will bring. I think it should get things going again as long as the buds don't start breaking. It's been pretty cool at my place all weekend, in the low 30's, but no freeze. 50's all this coming week could be a problem, though. Since a good bit of my tubing is new this year I expect it'll continue to flow as long as we freeze again.

[northwoods_forestry]

Well, I was holding some optimism into today, but it barely dipped below freezing last night and the hard freeze I was hoping for tonight doesn't look hopeful. After that, not a freeze in sight.

It's not looking good in SE VT.

[sterling gold]

We're pretty close to done in the NEK...a good cold spell could revive it, but nothing's predicted in the long term. I'd be pretty bummed if we were done...

[PARKER MAPLE]

i was looking foward to lastnight and tonites freeze they were predicting. but that dosnt look like its goona happen, although is very clear sky out. and with clear sky comes cold nights. just finished boiling everything in my holding tank after gathering it all up today.might of made 2 gals. i hope its not over pretty hard to believe if it is, its only march 16th should have 2 more weeks left at least. but who knows..

need more sap

maple rookie

[farmall h]

20 degrees on the thermometer this am...had a decent run considering it got up to 52 today. Gonna be small batches from here on out I think...still some snow in the woods..4-5". Will continue to make syrup as long as it stays in the 20's in the am. Had to scrape windshield so that is a good indicator! Just turned dark amber today (but lighter than the sampler). :)

[northwoods_forestry]

34 degrees this morning? My outside thermometer must be off, the puddles were freezing over when I came up from the sugarhouse last night!

Forecast is looking more like potato planting than sugaring...though it may cool off next week.

[wdchuck]

Far from over here! Iffy freezes tonight,Thursday and Friday.Then too warm over the weekend, but a cooldown coming for early next week and we're right back at it. The vacuum pumps stay on!

[steve J]

It just hit 31 at 5:30 a.m. this morning and was holding there when I left the funny thing is half mile down the road it was 27. I picked up som sap yesterday but not enough to start evaporator I hope by this afternoon I might have enough after that it looks like next week at best. Now yesterdays small run was the first since last Thursday if it goes dry till next week what are chances the holes will be sealing up on us?

[vtsnowedin]

Gravity tubing here is doing nothing. Guy five miles away with vacuum is doing fine. I gathered just sixty gallons of sap off of 265 taps in the last three days. Looking at the forecast I decided to boil it all in just in case it doesn't start back up, to not let it lose grade sitting in the tank and evaporator. Drew off five gallons while getting everything in the flue pan up to the front. Don't count your gallons before they are in the drum.

[PARKER MAPLE]

I gathered all my buckets today, 100 buckets 65 gal of sap, both of my pipe line setups are doing nothing either. my grandfather has out 1200 taps and only gathered 250 gals today, todate hes made just over 70gal. its deffinatly been any off year around here i think. i know i had i goals set and theres no way i will get there, oh well allways next year..

[Snow Hill Farm]

Here in Westford the sap has dropped to 1.2% and has a milky color. Boiling over 70:1 is not going to happen (no R.O.), plus it was Grade B and dropping fast. I can't see much hope unless we get a long freeze up. Last two nights we have had a freeze and then the sap continued to loose sugar.... Never seen a season like this, wondering if a hail storm we got in July has caused the sugar loss (we lost 20-30% of our leaves). Never got above 2.0 this year, very low. Only made .22 gal/tap so far, not good considering I have high vacuum, all new lines and check valves....

[farmall h]

Sucked in enough sap to squeek out 17 gal. dark A but still above B. Weather man is saying 30 deg. for tomorrow am. Seems to be colder for me here in the valley close to the river. Had 24 degrees this am...hope to be same. Happy with production so far.:)

[northwoods_forestry]

Yeah. I think it's over.

Just checked the long range forecast. The hoped for cold front moving in this weekend is no longer in the forecast.

Even the vacuum folks are going to have a tough time pulling sap now...

[Snow Hill Farm]

Unfortunately, I agree. Everyone in my area I've talked to has a sugar content near 1% and making Grade C. The weather was looking possible early next week but the lows have come up and doesn't look like any freeze in sight. Nothing but milky, stinky sap coming in and it's slowing down, even on vacuum....

[PFHII]

Here in Enosburg we are still going making med amber all on buckets. we are testing 2.3 and the buckets aren't dry. We have no soft maples tapped so hopefully if we can make it through this weekend the beggining if the week looks good...

[PARKER MAPLE]

well i thought it was over but where i tapped some trees in lodonderry this a.m. i was shocked it was 26 deg and appeared to be froze up pretty good. i didnt get back this afternoon to check all the buckets to see if it ran, i would amagin i did.
who knows at this point im giving up on trying to predict the weather, if it dosnt do anything by next weekend im probably going to through in the towel and start cleaning everything up.
i cant emagin what the price of syrup is going to be after this year, as everybody i have talked to has made as much as they had wanted and said that the season was short and bad weather, this will probably have a huge effect on the prices..

hopping for cold spell

maple rookie

[northwoods_forestry]

Glad to hear you're still hanging in there MapleRookie. I've still got all my taps out but have only pulled in 80 gallons of sap in the past 10 days.

I finished off everything in the syrup pan yesterday and made 6 gallons of grade A dark amber. That puts me over 30 gallons so far, though I was hoping for 100 or more...

So I'm willing to wait and see what happens in the coming week. Wouldn't mind making some B.

[PARKER MAPLE]

Yeah northwoods still hanging in there but after this morning man i dont think i have a chance. it was 44 deg here when i woke up, man it really need to get cold here soon.
im thinking of buying some sap from a guy i talked to he's getting 2%, but i woud have to go get it and its over an hour away. as much as i like making syrup i dont think i can justify drive 2hrs round trip for a couple hundred gallons.
im finishing whats in the pans today and chasing it with water, going to bottle it tommorow. hope theres enought to put me over 10 gal but dont know. one thing about it i wont have to cut much wood this year..

need a good freeze

maple rookie

[trackerguy]

Started with 8 gals light dark amber Mon, dropped down to 6 gals B last night. Sap volume pretty constant at 400G per day but sugar falling about .1 per day, it was 1.3 last night. Boil smells faintly popcorny, syrup is good but "flat" - sweet, no off flavors, but no maple zing. It'll go out bulk. I'd be dumping if i didn't have the RO - 6 gals fuel and an hour+ per gallon is below my economic threshold. Still have snow but it's going fast.

[PARKER MAPLE]

well im pulling the plug today on my sugaring season, im just not getting the sap that i need to boil know, and as i get im gathering it and im affraid that it will spoil with this heat, i had near 65 deg today. i finished what was in the pans today, filteed and bottled it. i finished at just over 9 1/2 gals all together.
pretty disapointed in how it turned out but what are you going to do.

good luck to everyone that going to sitck this out. cleaning tanks and evap tommorow. then taking down the lines and washing them.

maple rookie:(

[mitchellbob]

i am pulling the plug too pulled the buckets and started cleaning up.
made 21 gallons was shooting for 30.how did everyone do?

good luck bob

[steve J]

Well I will go up to camp Thursday night and if I have sap will boil one last time otherwise I am done too

[northwoods_forestry]

Waiting and watching. My new tubing is still clean and taps are still open. I'm going to see what happens this week before I call it quits.

The price for off grade is high enough (I read 2.45/lbs elsewhere here) to justify hanging in there.

[Gravel]

Yeah I am hanging in there too, I think just maybe it will run this week, got some snow and rain and its supposed to drop below freezing at some point this week, I wanted to make 20 gallons this year and have made 13!

[PARKER MAPLE]

well i didnt get to pulling them all, so know i will have to wait until i get time, if the sap has run into the tanks and looks good i will boil again. i think its over though. neighbor down the road says he just tapped another 200 this past weekend:o . i dont know what hes doing. but he might know something i dont, hes sure been doing this alot longer then me.

[northwoods_forestry]

Well, the forecast is looking very hopeful. May even get cold enough to clear up the sap some. Of course, the long range forecast has disappointed more often than not so far this year!

[PARKER MAPLE]

northwoods i just watched the channel 5 news , and for southern vt its looking very cold in the late week. unfortunatly i wont be around this weekend. im take some syrup to reletives in new jersey. so maybe when i get back there will be sap to boil. glad i didnt pull everything the other day. i dont know what i was thinking..

[KenWP]

Same here just waiting for cold weather. Supposed to be Wen. will believe it when it happens. I tapped a bunch of new trees this weekend to see if I can beat the weather.

[Parker]

Rokie-we all make mistakes,,charge up your drill and RETAP,the big one is comming!!!Line up some Barrells!!!

[Russell Lampron]

Parker and I waaaaant it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We don't give up til the leaves come out. As I have stated in other post March is sugaring month and I won't pull any taps until April. I will only pull them then when the sap stops flowing. The big freeze is coming just in time for Maple Weekend!

[paul]

iv`e hear some very seasoned sugar makers say sugaring doesn`t really start untill the first full moon in March, that`s on the 30th.we`ll see

[northwoods_forestry]

Good to see that the posts here are sounding a bit less gloomy (mine included). I read elsewhere here that they have been getting a good run in MN. Should be our turn next!

[PARKER MAPLE]

Man I Hope So, Looking At The Forecast Its Gonna Be In The Teens At Nite, For A Few Nites Might Give Us A Good Freeze Up Then Hopefully Give Us A Week More Of Maple Fun..

Maple Rookie

[farmall h]

No pulling of the taps 'till mid April!!!!Looks like a nice freeeeeze a comi'n.

[northwoods_forestry]

Ok. Rinsed out all the tanks and emptied all the buckets yesterday. Lets see what happens...

[PARKER MAPLE]

So i just got done gathering tonite, all buckets are done and only one of my pipe line set produced. 35 buckets in this lot. i gathered just over 40gal. today it ran pretty good. with two or more freezes coming at night i think i might be in for a long week next week when i get back from my trip.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>ITS NOT OVER YET<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
:o :) :) :o
MAPLE ROOKIE

[GeneralStark]

The sap was flowing quite well yesterday so I cleaned out the tank in preparation for collecting tonight. Looks like the season could go through march.

[PFHII]

We haven't gathered buckets in 7 days ,yesterday we went out and the trees were running like crazy we gathered at 5:00 and at 9:00 last night they had 1 1/2 inches in them. Looks like the snow helped us here up north. Some really nice B but started to come back in the end.... Weather looks good for the next week. We are lucky we don't have any soft maple so we haven't had any budding yet. Good luck to everyone.

[Mud Island Maple]

We gathered the most sap of the season yesterday and boiled until 12:30 this morning. Made four and a half gallons of near fancy. Sap tested about 2.4 which is lower than previous runs.
It was 9 degrees this morning so when it warms up again we should have more sap. We've made just over 23 gallons so far - a long way from last years 72 but we normally sugar well into April so we'll see what happens.
( Craftsbury sugarmaker ,what's your name? We have lot's of friends and relatives in Craftsbury.)

[farmall h]

yikes, 6 above this morning. Sucked down 1000 plus gallons of sap yesterday and into the night. Rolaids boiled yesterday and today...makin "B" but that's ok. Down to the green wood...boiling sucks. Gonna have three days of cold weather so must go scrounge up some dry wood. May have to sacrifice the house supply!;)

[maple flats]

I had cold today. First real cold since season began. Supposed to have about 12 in the morning and warm up to 45. If I don't get any then the season is over. I did get a little Wed with a overnight low of 29 but only 80 gal from 400 taps, my other 175 did zero. Yesterday got less than 30 gal and didn't even pump it because it was too little and the temp was dropping. Frozen now to cool any that may run tomorrow. I decided if it runs enough to boil I will boil even if it is buddy. I have such a little amount this year I'll make commercial to sell if I can for a few days.
I have made one business decision. My original plans were to add RO for 2011 and about 200 taps. Now I decided to add Vacuum for 2011 and 350 taps (150 on vac and another 200 on gravity roadside) and if I can't keep up boiling I already have a buyer lined up who will pay the prices listed in Maple Digest before the season. Then I will add the RO for 2012 along with the needed addition with heated room for the RO. This decision is because I have never fully utilized my evaporator and next year my wife will be retired and can boil while I can't because I'm not retiring again until I'm into my 70's (I retired at 51 and couldn't take it so I started driving school bus, sawing lumber, and making maple syrup) I now want to get 20 yrs in if my health continues to hold.

[northwoods_forestry]

After a pretty good freeze on Thursday night (26) the sap didn't start flowing till early afternoon and then shut down pretty quick as the temps dropped. Only gather 40 gallons off 500 taps, but it looked much clearer than what I have been gathering of late (still more moths than sap).

15 degrees this morn, the sun is glorious and no wind. Sure would like to see 100's of gallons of sap today and tomorrow instead of the tens of gallons of natty stuff I've been getting over the past 2 weeks!

[maple flats]

It hit 18 here this morning in town. If anything is going to happen it will later today as it will go to the mid 40's this PM. Then I will know if my season is over. I don't yet have the moths or other bugs.

[maple flats]

Here's hoping for the best. My forecast looks good on 3 out of 4 of the extended forecasts I watch. If today makes it I should get flow thru next wed. Time will tell. Maybe I can double or triple my YTD. I'll take it even if it is buddy.

[farmall h]

Northwoods, if it wasn't for the vacuum my trees would not be running. Everything is froze from yesterday. 19.6 in the shade right now...it would be a miracle if it got above 32 today. Maybe the sun will help. Gotta go find some "free" dry wood!:rolleyes:

[maple flats]

I started my season with enough wood for about 2.5 seasons and haven't used only about 7-8% of one season's worth. What I need is sap. My burning efficiency jumped too with my new over fire high pressure combustion air. I get a great boil and use about 1/3 less wood. Initially I was getting stack temps with it from 650 to 900 or so and once it hit 950. After learning where to set my valves I'm getting stack temps of 600-800 and a real good boil. I get no sparks out the stack and no ball of flame on top of the stack like other years.

[PARKER MAPLE]

I think that im am all done for sure this time. boiling in the rest tonite. big cleane up this weekend. then i guess i got to get a real job. oh well its been i nice break for the last 5 weeks. know i now all the bugs i have to work out over the summer. the wife and i are planning a trip up to swanton for the big events at the end of april so i can look at all the new equipment. should be fun. anybody else going??

maple rookie

[northwoods_forestry]

Hard to believe, but my tubing is still running, so it looks like at least one more boil tonight (though at 1.25% it's pretty much just an excuse to light a roaring fire and drink a few beers).

I am going pull most of the buckets today, but I'll leave the tubing for a bit. Looks like some splendid bucket washing weather coming up this weekend!

Anyone know where I might find a tubing washer in So VT for rent or work exchange?

[MontyVT]

I'm on the Enosburg/Montgomery border at a higher elevation (still have about a foot of snow in the woods above the house). Our 250 buckets have produced over 500 gallons of nice clear sap since Monday and were still running hard late this afternoon. This is the first year we've been able to do this and we're having an absolute blast.

2.5 x 7.5 Small Brothers evap
20x20 ancient log cabin sugarhouse

[northwoods_forestry]

And it's still running...

Decided to leave the buckets up just one more day.

[Mud Island Maple]

We boiled 'til midnight two nights ago and today we boiled from 8:30 this morning 'til 4:00 this afternoon. Made 6 plus gallons today and it is still fancy with great flavor. Sap tested about 2.5. Our elevation (1800 ft.) is allowing us to still have some good runs but nothing like last year. We're anxious to see if the big warmup will end it all. That would be extremely early for us but maybe we are in for a truly early spring and that is not a bad thing!

[farmall h]

MudIslandMaple, still fancy! Great news. Where abouts in Glover are you? My inlaws live up by Shadow Lake...by the way...sap still a runnin. Making Dark A (B) today. I think it moved up a little.

[wdchuck]

Hell no, it's not over!! Made a 30 gallon drum of Adark today.Looks like the same tomorrow. After that who knows. I know it wont last foreever, but if it quit yesterday, I'd have no complaints about the season...

[can'twaitforabigrun]

It's not over here quite yet, I can just see the fat lady coming up on the horizon. Supposed to be 26C here tomorrow and Wednesday. Accuweather is predicting low temps. below freezing for the middle of next week while the Weather Network has them way above freezing. We'll leave the taps in over the weekend and see what next week holds. No peepers yet, still some ice on the pond.

[Randy Brutkoski]

Had my 2nd biggest run of the season today. Just under 6000 gallons of sap. Just didnt make any sense, because it never froze, hasnt in days. I think it was because the sun came out for the first time in days. Very strange season. It was my first year on vacuum and i dont know why it took me this long for the switch. I have to thank some fellow sugar makers around me for persuading me to try it. Still a dismal season. This just means that it is going to be a bumper crop for next year.

[Mud Island Maple]

We gathered again today ( moths and all) and did a small boil which resulted in another one and a half gallons of very good medium amber. Checked buckets this evening and was surprised to find sap again so will probably gather again tomorrow, though it won't be much. "Farmall h" we live just off the Shadow Lake road about 4 miles west of the lake towards Craftsbury. This is where I was born and raised on the family farm ( and I spent many hours on a Farmall H when I was a teenager on the farm raking hay, harrowing, towing the hay wagon, etc. Decided farming wasn't for me so ended up at Barton Motors working on Fords for 33 years and retired 3 years ago.)

[northwoods_forestry]

I think that's it for me. Only a couple of gallons trickeled into the tubing tanks yesterday and nothing in the buckets. Time to start washing up.

Season total is 46 + gallons off 510 taps or 1/10th of a gallon per tap. All A med or dark, no Fancy or B this year. I will be finishing off what's left in the syrup pan over propane today, perhaps another gallon or two.

The remaining sap in the flue pan will be going to a couple of local brewers in exchange for beer.

[maple flats]

I tink I'm done. I boiled yesterday and it was SLOW boiling. The sap is not buddy yet but these temperatures are murder. I usually get 60-65 GPH and yesterday I only got 25-30 gph. My rear pan kept needing to be skimmed. This is the first time all season I've had to skim, but I kept getting a thich mucky foam and defoamer didn't seem to make any difference. It boiled so slow I'm sure it will be C. That does not stop me but the real slow boil does.

[farmall h]

Mudislandmaple, the 'ol farmall could be for sale if you would like to recreate some memories. Guess you could say all the boys in my family started on the "H". Raked, tedded,raked, tedded...round and round the field. I didn't take up farming either...working at EHV and more than likely will retire from there. 20 yrs. more that is! My inlaws live directly across from the lake..3 houses up from Wheelers & Gebbies. My self...located just below MAX'S Dance Hall on the left. Actually only dairy farm on that stretch of road (that's my folks place) remember I didn't pick up the habit either. But I did carry on the Maple Sugaring affliction! Back when I was a teenager we used to tap about 900-1000. Sugaring was sorta on hold for 10 years due to lack of interest and different carrer paths. Of course all that tubing has been replaced and now we are around 1400 taps...potential of 2000 with ease. Hopefully pass the tradition down to my kids..the trees will still be here long after I am gone!:)

[farmall h]

Boiling 500 + gallons of cloudy sap today...maybe the last for a while or for the season. Happy with the season so far.:)

[Mud Island Maple]

We did gather again yesterday for the last time. The sap was colored but we boiled it in and pushed it through with water. Made over three gallons of dark amber and today we started cleaning equipment. (the pans are full of water/acid and soaking right now). Ended up with between 45 and 46 gallons which we are quite happy with. We don't know what an average season is for us since this is just the third year. Two years ago we made 38 gallons, last year 73 and now 45 so I guess this was probably an average year. The amazing thing about this year is the season ending on April 3rd and 2 years ago our first boil was on April 2nd -- go figure.

[farmall h]

mudislandmaple...that's really good on 180 buckets! Your right..it started early and ended fast. I am starting to pull my taps...need to count them so's I know just how many I had ...And YES IT IS OVER!