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Based upon a changing long-term forecast, I've changed my mind about packing in everything tomorrow. The warm weather from Monday through Thursday this week could heal my tap holes and cause the...

The last relevant frost of the year, according to the forecast, will be tonight. From Friday to Sunday I'll collect the end-of-season sap. On Sunday, I'll bottle it up, and by Monday my season should...

Due to a blood clot in my calf, I wasn't able to start tapping until February 16, so I missed the first half of this year's season. I don't know what to expect now: My red maples (most of my sugar...

I didn't start keeping records until 2015. The year before (2014) was such a good year for sap that I couldn't keep up with it. I stopped collecting while it was still pouring in and ended up dumping...

Paddymountain,

I'm a couple days later than you. I'm expecting to finish up tomorrow. We just had three nights with lows below 22, but there isn't another frost predicted for more than a week.
...

Those who participate in this blog are essentially hobbyists. We don't live in the COMMERCIAL maple production part of central Pennsylvania which is centered around Somerset County (in the...

Openwater,

If you are looking for a good long-term weather forecaster, Punxsutawny Phil, the groundhog who lives just 31 miles from my house, has them all beat. On February 2, he predicted 6 more...

19 degrees out this morning. High today is supposed to be 35. Low tonight is supposed to be 22.

From February 12 to February 21 we had two days with highs of 70 and only one day with a high below...

Dr. Perkins,

Thank you for the note. I would never make retapping a long-term practice. In fact, I've only only done some retapping during seasons that would end with less than half the normal...

Openwater,

The only reason why you, Paddymountain and I are still making syrup is because we did some retapping and new tree drilling.

I originally tapped my trees six weeks ago, but I'm still...

I had my best sap flow of the month today. I'll bottle this batch on Saturday or Sunday, again clean out the yeast from my collection tank, and probably bottle my last batch of the year next...

Paddymountain,

Why are you abandoning your tubes. I don't understand:
1. Is it because they simply aren't running?
2. Is it because you're getting sap from them that makes off-tasting syrup?
...

The incoming sap which had slowed to a slow drip, started to trickle in today in a steady stream. So my son and I went out and put in about 14 taps in some sugar maples that we had never tapped, and...

I had something similar happen one day last week. After several nights without a frost, the temperature one night got down to just above 32 according to an accurate thermometer at our house at the...

Sorry to hear that you are done so early. I'm still in the game, but I am about the same distance North of Pittsburgh that you are South of Pittsburgh. I'm actually expecting a big run tomorrow...

Sap is flowing well today. It's not pouring out, but it's not trickling. I haven't seen it flow well for more than a week.

SRM,

I can see two possibilities as to the causes of the yellowed sap in 5 of your buckets: (1) rain got into your buckets despite their seals and hoods, or (2) you're were getting a bit of sap...

Here's the reason why I don't find ticks on me after being out in the woods during maple syrup season:

22902

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Open water asked:


I drilled new holes about 2 to 3 inches to the side or 4 to 6 inches over or under. By the way, I have all my drill bits set so that they drill exactly 1.5 inch deep holes.

Openwater,

The one year that I re-tapped my trees because the tap holes had healed, I got 30 gallons of syrup before and 50 gallons after. Normally, I get 50-60 gallons per year.

Forecast looks great for this week -- frosts tonight, Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday with highs well above freezing. The frost on Thursday is tenuous, but the others are supposed to be well...

Inflation has hit the RO membrane market! I just put my current spare membrane into service and ordered a new one. When I bought my last spare three years ago, the price was $175. This year it was...

D. Roseum,

Good point about the concentrate. I wasn't even thinking about it because I have a continuous process system: The sap flows flows right from my holding tanks into my RO's, and the...

SRM,

I'd process the sap right away. It's very hard to keep sap cool enough in that sort of heat. Besides, a power failure wouldn't wreck an RO. If the power goes out, I would just unplug the RO...

Whew! It's been a busy three days, but now I've got almost all my taps in, my evaporator boiling and my RO's humming. The sap is pouring in. This season is starting out with a big flow.

I'm in...