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Hurry Hill.. Intersting difference between the two years you show. When the season starts here in Central NH there's between 3 and 4 feet of snow (we're pretty high up). We always set taps first week of March on snowshoes. The big difference in flow here is the wind as far as I can tell. Last year we got less than 5 gal of sap per tap on gravity (<1800 gal on 380 taps). We had 8ish gal per tap in '08.
I think we might have to add vacuum. Last year we were in the perfect place with warm days and freezing nights, but this year we could be above or below that sweet spot.
We have been thinking of doing it for years.
We'll see...
I came across this tonight in a book titled "The Maple Sugar Book" by Helen and Scott Nearing (1950.)
An "Indian rule to predicting the character of the sugaring season.If the Maple leaves ripen and turn yellow, and the buds perfect themselves so the leaves fall off naturally, without a frost, then there will be a good flow of sap the following spring; but if there is a hard frost that kills the leaves and they fall off prematurely, before the bud is perfected, then we may look out for a poor yield of sap."
The Native Americans were doing this long before we were. They have many generations of experence and observation to collect information from.
Dont know but I think it comes down to what the weather is during the season and not missing any of the runs,Yes sugar content has something to do with it, But, even in poor years I know a bunch of people that make 1/2 a gallon per tap or better,,,,,I know I have missed alot of runs in the short time I have been sugaring due to not being ready in time (last year was a perfect example of that) and vacuum pump problems....FUNDEMENTALS!!!! .....and in the end their was no one but myself to blame.....The people that make alot of syrup per tap are READY befor it runs and their lines are TIGHT and OVERSIZED...Their pumps are OVERSIZED and dont turn off!!! and they dont miss a drop.....imho
Well Brian - I'd say we lost 1/2 naturally and 1/2 by frost, but surprisingly not many to high winds this year. So by Indian lore, I guess we can expect an average year;)
I am going to predict that I have no idea what the season will be like. It was a little dry here in the summer, but it is making up for it now. Lots of sun may have helped those sugar factories in the leaves to store lots of energy for next spring. We'll see.
Brian- Id say all ours came off naturally becouse I dont ever remember a heavy frost and then they all fell off like they do afterward. Maybe thats a good omen. Sure would be fun to just have a good old fashioned good season. Theron
The weather guy here in Maine predicted a cold winter with slightly less snowfall. Around 64" in Bangor. He said that with El Nino moving on we'll be back to a normal winter.
I'll bet we'll start here some time in March this year.
That's all I'm predicting.