Sugar levels and climate change

[CampHamp]

An article in today's Union Leader said a century ago NH trees regularly produced 3.5% sugar and now average 2%. The story accounts for the change due to earlier thaws because of new climate conditions.

I can believe that, but wonder if there are other variables at work like a higher percentage of road-side tapping back then with large-canopy trees or more ice-chucking out of pails hung on trees. I'm not sure which data sources they use, either. Was there an exchange that tracked sap sugar back then or just a couple of farmer logs they could use?

My first two collections this year were 2%. I seem to always be around there, but got down to 1% at the end of last season. Since it's colder in Canada, are they getting sweeter sap than us?

Anyway, I expect the whole state is running well today. We got some morning sun in the southern area to keep this multi-day run moving. Guess we'll all be boiling tonight (or for some of you, holding some for Maple Weekend).

[Dill]

Well according to the geniuses that spend their time posting on the Leader comments. Its because we don't practice crop rotation and tap the same trees every year.

I'm surprised they didn't look at acid rain and soil ph, that seems to be a big factor. VT has better sugar content on a whole then we do. They also sit on limestone and not granite so better ph.

[Parker]

Guys lets all start paying a carbon tax to save the world from this out of control global warming! Its the end of march and its 19 deg this morning here in n.h.,,,,far too warm!
If you tap roadside trees with buckets your sap will be much sweeter than if you tap red maples in a crowded stand with 25 inches of vaccum........because of global warming..........really
I better apply for a $10000000000 grant and do some research, mabey get it published and peer reviewed...........way easier than having a real job.....

[spud]

We have not heard much from Al Gore lately have we? The glaciers may be melting in Alaska but they seem to be forming on my property.

Spud

[Russell Lampron]

I don't think that the earlier thaw theory has anything to do with it. For the last 2 seasons the thaw hasn't come until April and the sugar content here hasn't gone up a measurable amount. It may have more to do with the fact that a century ago most of the producers were farmers that raised cattle or sheep. Most of those farmers made maple syrup as the crop of the year. The sugar maples were allowed to grow around pastures and on fence rows while other tree species were not. Because the maples didn't have much competition for sunlight and nutrients they flourished with large crowns that helped produce more sugar. Now because of the decline in the family farm the pastures have grown in with all species of trees that compete with the maples for sunlight and nutrients.

Do you agree with me or with the person that the Union Leader interviewed that knows nothing about our state's agricultural background?

[R A Powers]

Parker, do I sense a bit of sarcasm in this post? It was nice to finally meet you yesterday. Thanks for taking the time to chat with me and that is one hellofa impressive pile of wood you have in the shed. Dick

[Parker]

With high vacuum you gets lots of low sugar sap you dont get with buckets or gravity tubing. Vacuum will run when buckets wont, but, often low sugar content. But sheepel will believe much of what they read without questioning it...

I dont know russ,,,the person that wrote the story is the expert,,,,bahh ,bbahhh,,,baahhhh, pretty easy to be a sheepel,,,,

People do littel critical thinking today

[PerryW]

yup I would say that in the old days, the sugar maples that were tapped were mostly along roads and the edge of fields where they had great sunlight and large crowns. Most of my trees are on the side of a ledgy cliff and have poor crowns.

Regarding climate change, the northeast and central US have had colder than normal temps over the past year or two, but 2014 was the warmest year on record if you look at worldwide temps.

[Russell Lampron]

Up until my generation my fathers side of the family were all dairy farmers. I had many talks with my father about the way that things used to be. He pointed out that everywhere that you find a stone wall was once a pasture. I haven't been in the woods in Andover very many times but do know that here in Loudon there are plenty of stone walls that seem to be in the middle of nowhere, most forming a rectangle or square that once was a field.

I tend to believe my father who was born in 1923 and grew up on and later owned a dairy farm than some crack pot that pulled a number out of the sky and formed an opinion based on a political agenda.

[eustis22]

please don;t confuse weather with climate. If you lived in California or the Southwest, you would have a different opinion.