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Parker,
I think many years ago, WV used to be one of the big producers back when they had little way of keeping track on all the statistics. I am in the southern part of the state and would be close to as far south as they make syrup. There are a few farther south than I am, but very few. Andrew Martin may be a little south of me in KY, I haven't checked his position and VA Maple Guy too. I am almost too far south, but the area where my sugarhouse is in sometimes 10 degrees or more difference this time of year from where I live 25 minutes away. 6 to 8 degrees difference is normal, and this little 10 to 15 square mile artic zone is great for syruping. Larry Harris' syrup operation is only about 2 miles from me the way the bird flies, so he can take advantage of it too.
There are not a lot of rock maples where I make syrup, but quite a few and small sections here and there that are mostly. I have about 225 taps in one bush and that is the most. There are some areas around that have a lot of maple trees and a bush to die for and they haven't been tapped for probably 50 to 100 years if they ever were and will never be tapped again. Up in higher elevations 4,000+ plus, there are some nice bushes. These are north of me and even colder. 220 would know where I am referring to in Pocohontas County.
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Parker,
We have all hard maples where I live, some trees close to 150 years old, and a handful that are pushing 200+ years old. A large drought wiped out a bunch of maples 10 years ago, but there is still a viable bush where I live. I looked at a bush this summer that had about 250 trees on it. Potentially if I had all the time in the world, I could have about 600-700 taps here on four separate but adjoining bushes. There is a farmer down the road who has lived in the same house since he was seven years old, and he remembers a time when there was a viable sugarbush on his property. He has 125 tappable trees on his farm. THe problem in Jessamine County is that it is developing so fast that so many farms are getting plowed under in order to put in malls and movie theaters, and Jessamine County has been a hub of recent development - I am afraid that suagr maples may become an item of the past in this area if such rapied development continues.
I think KY is a viable syrup state, it just certainly is not marketed by the state or Extension services all that well. We have great soil composition with lots of minerals (they don't call it the Bluegrass State for nothing) that lend itself to great tasting maple syrup.
Another KY syrup maker contacted me this week, and I think he is by far the furthest south. He lives in Metcalf County, KY which is near Lake Cumberland , perhaps maybe 45 minutes from the TN border. He is part of MapleTrader, and maybe he will chime in here and share with us about his operation. He is already tapped and said it was running well.
Andrew
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hot air balloon
Just had a hot air balloon drop into the yard. It was filled with half frozen folks from Arizona. I tried to get them to hop a hedge row and put it right over the sugarhouse but once they got up 100 feet the wind shifted and it started to go to the power poles,so they set it down. Not one of them had boots or snow clothes so my wife and I and some guy that stopped towed them to a spot near the road. It would have made a good christmas card for next year had the wind cooperated. this is the third balloon in 3 years Now I am late for work but needed to thaw out myself have a good day all -SS
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I tapped one tree today to use as a barometer for this week, the forecast is for 9 days of Syrup weather. i know its early but if it flows hard we could make some serious syrup early. We'll see how this one sucker pours out and i'll keep you posted on the volume and sugar content for this early around here. I just don't want to miss it i like i did last year. Van, did you decide to tap or not? I was in litchfield county, CT and i noticed a large producer there had all his taps in already.
Steve
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Brandon, grade c is what I sell bulk. Tapping tomorrow, I'm leaning in that direction. Went to town and got all my fittings, vac. oil etc. Getting ready.
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Van,
As good of an operation as you have and as fast as you boil and stay on top of it, I doubt you make much C unless it is when everyone else has quit.
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Brandon,
I may tap next week as well, current forecast shows 5-6 days of good sugaring weather. A little early for me, but not by much. Like you, I don't want to miss the first good run, especially if it's going to be several days long.
AKM
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Congratulations to all the local Northwest PA Maple producers that entered the PA Farm show, ( in progress in Harrisburg PA this coming week).
Special Kudos to Jim and Chase Bortles (Father and Son) from Linesville PA winning first place in the entire state of PA for Jim's maple sugar candy! I saw the product and tasted it, Awesome!
Jan Woods, Dennis Northrop and Burton Kimball also placed well in several classes.
The guy that bought Jim's evaporator take note, those pans are something special:)
We will be watching Jim and Chase as they break in that new shinny evaporator this season.
Finished the day deer hunting in the rain and drizzle. Don't have to skin one;)
Sat in my sons deer stand which faces into a young sugarbush, 70% reds, but probably could have 1000 + taps. (Should look into buying it) But after tallying up the sales vs expenses for 2007 I need to get serious about just making and selling product:o I put a lot back into the operation last year with all the tubing. Probably in the range of $4 to $5 per tap.
Should work on setting up more tubing tomorrow, since Monday will be back to the old grind:(
Chris
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well we spent 8 hours in the bush to day we put up the last of the main line and almost got all of the 5/16th line up we also checked last years line and found some down trees but its all taken care of. we are up to 250 taps now 150 more than last year
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Andrew,
You should be ok if the temps stay cool for the next 2 months. Very many warm days and you may miss most of the last 30 to 40 percent of the season tapping too early. I am not too familiar with your weather, good luck and go for whatever you decide. Might want to open up half of your trees now and the other half 3 weeks from now if you have trees in different locations. That way you can extend you season until the first of March and when the first half is slowing down, the second half is kicking into full gear.
