Yields

[Russ]

As folks finish their seasons, can we get a feel for yield percentages compared to last year, or a typical year? Please note if you changed the number of taps as well.

Anecdotely speaking, I've heard between 25% to 40% so far from producers in north central Wisconsin, but the season isn't quite over yet. I'll post our final result next week.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

With the sap that ran on the ground and other loss, I was right at a quart per tap on gravity. Average year for me and I was happy. Normal year is above a quart per tap, but I will take what I got this year every time! :D

[TR Hardwoods]

Here in Central WI I'm at 30% of what I made last year. This is the worst year I've ever had. Oh well, I'm hoping next year is better. I guess when you get an opportunity to get in the woods and have fun you can't really be to disappointed!

[Russ]

Our north central Wisconsin season ended on Saturday. Our yield this year was slightly less than 50% of what we got last year.

A large producer near us said he got 75% of a crop. He is all on pipeline and his sugar bush is right at his house, so he can run vacuum all the time if he would too.

[brookledge]

Finally had the chance to tally up the numbers:
706 health spouts on vacuum
9 Buckets
715 total taps
10,518 gallons of sap collected=14.71 gallons per tap
Made 251 gallons of syrup= average of 41.9 gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup.
251/715= .35 gallons per tap
Last year made .41 gallons per tap so I will have to wait till next year to try to get to 1/2 gal per tap
Keith

[howden86]

I got my normal crop a pint per tap hole. all on vaccum I am thinking of giving this up. too much investment for too little syrup

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Howden,

How many years have you tapped in this location that you are only getting a pint per tap. I know that I love this so much I would still do it even if I was only getting a pint per tap and most others would too. Might want to try to find another bush or two not too far away. :?

[howden86]

I have tapped here about 12 years . In the beginning I got higer production but it has dropped off in recent years. I am not the only one to see reduced production as we believe lake Michigan has alot to do with it. I have been looking for property, however I need atleast 40 acres and you can figure $3000 per acre to start with alot of area slaughtered by loggers so I wonder what to do. I used to buy sap about 3000 taps worth but they both don't bring it to me anymore so I have all this equipment and no production. can syrup pay for this?

[Parker]

Have you tested the sugar % in your trees,,have they been thinned-is the site overcroweded? is your bush young or old? Trees look vigourious? do you run vacume - if so how much? Do you think the yeild you are getting is more cause of your weather or has to do with you bush or tubing system? Seems if your in sugar country and your into you can make it work,,,,I know if I sold all the sugaring junk I wasted money on Id get about 10 cents on the dollar,,,,,,,long term investment-write off for me....

[Sweber]

Our season was cut short by 2 1/2 to 3 weeks due to cold weather. As far as amount,we got about a quart a tap and we only made a little over 1/2 of last years final product, but what we lacked in quantity we made up for in quality. Made light amber the entire season except when we boiled off the leftovers in the pan at the end of season. New tubing and high sugar content.

[Maple Flats]

Verrry bad year. Made 16 gal on 160 taps :( :( , or .1 gal/tap this year. .304/ tap in 2004 and .288 in 2003!!!! I have no vac but will add it when I can process a lot more sap because I would add about 150 taps on reds and silvers if I could process the low sugar reasonably fast. Will add 150 taps on sugars next year away from my sugarbush on rented trees with no chance for vac and the 150 in soft maples if added would be in my bush.
Maple flats

[VA maple guy]

Had a bad year. Made 6 gallons on 103 taps. My weather went from way to cold to way to hot. Only had three or four good days of sap flow. Made good syrup though, light to medium except the last boil went to grade B (My personal favorite) I talked with another guy about twenty five miles south of me, he made about one half his norm.
Gerry

[MaineMapleDave]

I made about 40% to 50% of an "average" year.

[digman_41]

Very slow year small runs and very cold nights, on the up side I use buckets so we were able to pull the ice out of the pails and boil a lot less several times. When it wasn't extremely cold at night the sugar content was the most I've ever seen between 3.8 and 3.9%. I estimate we got about 75% of a crop. And I assume if we would have waited and tapped mid- march like many in the area we would have missed out on nice early runs and got much less. We'll do it again next year, hopefully we can find a larger evaporator. Mark

[DougM]

We had a good year, MUCH better than last year when we had no cooperation from the weather. (9 gal. from 100 taps)

Total sap boiled: 1313 gal. Total syrup: 30.137 gal. Sap/Syrup ratio: 43.57:1, 1.02 quarts per tap.

We had 118 total taps out, but not all at the same time.

[chipa]

I made 39 gallons on 190 taps. Usually make 50-55.

Never had anything close to a good full run.