Need some help!

[Joeyhowe]

I live in Anoka county and I'm thinking my seasons coming to an end. The buds are starting to crack and the little feelers are starting to some out and my saps starting to cloud up. Some trees are clear and some are cloudy. Looks like the next few days are in the single digits and below freezing during the day. Do you guys think this will freeze the buds off?? I was thinking about pulling the taps tonight but now after looking at the extended forecast I'm not sure now? Yesterday my buckets were overflowing with sap. Had a little cloudiness to it but no buddy smell. Only my 3rd year sapping and the last 3 years have all been way different. Any help from an ole timer would be much appricated. Thanks.

[SDdave]

I'm not old but...I had the same thing already this year. Feelers starting to come out then we got some good freezing weather. Rescinded them back to a good bud stage. We made some very nice amber syrup with that sap after that. I would say hold on tight if you are going to stay in for the long haul. You can check the sap with a little cup using a torch to get some steam to smell.

SDdave

[Sugarmaker]

I guess that would be me!
Well you don't have any control over the weather Mother Nature gives you. If the sap looks pretty good boil it. You should be able to detect any off flavors in the steam as you start up. If you have freeze coming you might as well leave the buckets up and see if you get another good run or two.
Good luck with your season.
If you can try to tap only hard maples. If you are and those are budded, then you may be done. Buddy flavor gets you on the back of the tongue.
Regards,
Chris

[Joeyhowe]

I guess that would be me!
Well you don't have any control over the weather Mother Nature gives you. If the sap looks pretty good boil it. You should be able to detect any off flavors in the steam as you start up. If you have freeze coming you might as well leave the buckets up and see if you get another good run or two.
Good luck with your season.
If you can try to tap only hard maples. If you are and those are budded, then you may be done. Buddy flavor gets you on the back of the tongue.
Regards,
Chris

I just tap my trees on my property (3 acres) I have 2 sugars and the rest are silvers. The sugars are just starting to show buds starting. There not anywhere near swollen yet. The saps running cloudy but no buddy smell. I usually stop when things get cloudy but I wanna get 4 gallons this year. I try to up my personal best every year. I guess I'll hold out and see what happens after the freeze there calling 3 days of single digit nights and days in the teens before the next warm up. Hoping that tames things down a bit. Thanks for the help.

[markcasper]

I just tap my trees on my property (3 acres) I have 2 sugars and the rest are silvers. The sugars are just starting to show buds starting. There not anywhere near swollen yet. The saps running cloudy but no buddy smell. I usually stop when things get cloudy but I wanna get 4 gallons this year. I try to up my personal best every year. I guess I'll hold out and see what happens after the freeze there calling 3 days of single digit nights and days in the teens before the next warm up. Hoping that tames things down a bit. Thanks for the help.

Trees don't run cloudy sap no matter what time of the season. Your buckets or storage methods most likely are the cause of the cloudy sap. I have not even cooked yet and most everyone else have only cooked a few times. The cold weather will reset everything. If you live in the big city though, then your trees are always probably a few more days advanced than out here, but the cold conditions will reset everything. I have had several occassions over the years where I start to detect bud, get a cold snap and the most beautiful ever syrup gets made.