Western New York

[backyardsugarer]

Way too warm with no hard freezes at night.

2 of my woods did freeze last night and had ice in the releasers, the 2 closer to town did not ice up. We need a freeze tonight.

The trees will not bud out, the bigger concern is the healing of the tap holes because of bacteria, but we will get some more sap. Need a cold snap to reset things.

This is a classic example of why there is no substitute for vac. I collected 300 gallons yesterday (not much) but gravity would yield you 0. Hoping to get another 300-400 gallons today and have enough to RO/boil this evening.

[Userj8670]

Way too warm with no hard freezes at night.

2 of my woods did freeze last night and had ice in the releasers, the 2 closer to town did not ice up. We need a freeze tonight.

The trees will not bud out, the bigger concern is the healing of the tap holes because of bacteria, but we will get some more sap. Need a cold snap to reset things.

This is a classic example of why there is no substitute for vac. I collected 300 gallons yesterday (not much) but gravity would yield you 0. Hoping to get another 300-400 gallons today and have enough to RO/boil this evening.

I'm all on buckets - I certainly can see the benefits of vac but it's not feasible with the property I tap unfortunately

[Userj8670]

I will add that this season I have collected and boiled roughly 70 gals (in total ) and still haven't had a draw off. I admit I am disappointed but that's the way it goes.

45 taps on buckets
2x4 smoky lake evap

[backyardsugarer]

The sap has to move at some point...... You will make some syrup but there is no answer for buckets. You need the change in pressure caused by the freeze and thaw cycle.

Same thing happened last year with temps in the upper 60's for 5 straight days. We go some more runs after that but the season did end early.

[wnybassman]

I know folks in this thread are spread out in WNY but is anyone thinking this season kinda stinks?

I started Feb 14 and I have gotten a little over 400 gallons from 169 taps. Not really any significant freeze in the forecast until this weekend and mid 50s during the day this week. I don't think the trees are going to bud early yet, but I am thinking if the weather returns to "normal" the damage has already been done by the warm spells.

Compared to the last 3 seasons this one has been the worst for me for sap and weather. I guess if 3 out of 4 are good that's okay, but like they say, ask me how it was when it's over.

I still think last year was a little worse for warmth.................but the sugar content was decent. This year I have collected a little over 1300 gallons of sap from 200 taps, had to dump about 175 due to it spoiling before I could get through it, and have only bottled 15 gallons of finished syrup so far. Better than some of you though, but I still think it stinks. Loooong hours and lots of wood burned for little product.

[Urban Sugarmaker]

I still think last year was a little worse for warmth.................but the sugar content was decent. This year I have collected a little over 1300 gallons of sap from 200 taps, had to dump about 175 due to it spoiling before I could get through it, and have only bottled 15 gallons of finished syrup so far. Better than some of you though, but I still think it stinks. Loooong hours and lots of wood burned for little product.

Yeah at least it's still fairly early. It seems I only ever one crazy good sap flow week anyway and that might make the season for me but we'll see. I'd say 1300 gallons you're over half a crop if you consider 10 gallons of sap per tap normal (which I do on gravity), but you also have 3/16". You would expect more.

[wnybassman]

I am definitely happy with the volume of sap I have gotten so far, with the conditions we've had. Just wish it wasn't half the sugar as normal for me.

[mudr]

I just want sap.

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[lyford]

I agree mudr, just give me some sap

[Userj8670]

Boiled about 25 gal tonight. When I was down to the last 10 I was sooo close to syrup but I had to begin shutting doen. If I would have had another 5 or 10 gallons I would have drawn off. Oh well def next time! Hoping for another run this weekebd looking ahead