2018 Season

[Sugarmaker]

So most in PA have been reporting very low sugar sap this year. This is my first year and I have been us seeing 1% that has dropped to .5% for my woods Norways, and have seen a consistent 2% or a little better for the open Norways.

If this year is unusually low, how much higher would a more normal sugar amount be? So if you are seeing 1% this year is your normal 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%? Looking for what I might expect in a normal year for my trees. If my open trees are 2% this year, will they be 2.5% in a normal year? Guesstimates are appreciated.

Thanks,
Joe

Joe,
Most of the time the sugar maples we tap at at or slightly above 2%.
Dipped to 1.8% twice this year.
Regards,
Chris

[Plutoman15]

I am thinking I will have 30 gallons or so this week as well. No sap running today though, too cold.

Forecast just keeps going on forever for perfect temps.

[JesterV]

Boiled last night. Our tiny little sugar bush produced 130oz. We have 18 taps so I'm disappointed. Been waiting for days for the temps to climb. Everything has been frozen up since Friday. Expected 3 gallons this year. Forecast had me hopeful. But it just hasn't been warming up enough during the days. Leaving the bags hanging until Saturday. Still hope for another run. This has been a very odd year.

[HowardR]

I just got an indication that this long maple season, already 5 weeks old, still has a way to go. I just pressed 5½ gallons of syrup through my filter press and had no problem. At the end of the season, it's a struggle to press through even 4½ gallons, and examination of the filter aid afterwards shows it to be almost uniformly dark with nitre. But the filter aid in today's press was a mixture of tan and dark. I could have pressed 1 or 2 gallons more. This is not end-of-season sap!

[sbedilion]

I hear ya. Not the same scale as you but Im seeing the same. My 3 lines are about done. I tapped early. Yesterday...not wanting to miss this great weather, I tapped a few hard to get to sugars and they are pouring. Clear 20 gallons of sap at slightly more than 2%. Ive been barely 1% all season. I wish these trees were easily accessible. Ive been boiling 120 gallons of 1% all season. Ill settle for some higher % but lower sap totals for this last wk or 2.

[Paddymountain]

Still plugging along here in central Pa. It finally thawed out enough today to gather, first time since Monday.
Boiled about 225 gallons to night ,and looks like we made a little over 5 gallons. the amazing thing is it was only
3 draws! Oh Well we'll take it however it comes. Sap seemed to be running steady this afternoon, although it was very windy
and snow showers. We are getting close to having a pretty good season. Something I would not have said 3 weeks ago.

[HowardR]

I tapped a few hard to get to sugars and they are pouring. Clear 20 gallons of sap at slightly more than 2%. Ive been barely 1% all season. I wish these trees were easily accessible. Ive been boiling 120 gallons of 1% all season. Ill settle for some higher % but lower sap totals for this last wk or 2.

I've also been doing some new tapping during this season. I'm taking advantage of the cold day today (no sap running because below freezing all day) to do some last tapping in a section of mainline that is pretty far from the garage where I boil. Here's a photo which includes some of the new laterals that I put in this month. Also in the photo is my tapping companion:

NewTapLines.jpg

[helptheold]

I hear ya. Not the same scale as you but Im seeing the same. My 3 lines are about done. I tapped early. Yesterday...not wanting to miss this great weather, I tapped a few hard to get to sugars and they are pouring. Clear 20 gallons of sap at slightly more than 2%. Ive been barely 1% all season. I wish these trees were easily accessible. Ive been boiling 120 gallons of 1% all season. Ill settle for some higher % but lower sap totals for this last wk or 2.

Haden't checked my buckets since last Thursday but to my surprise a few buckets had some sap but I think my current taps are done. Managed to pick up a bad head cold this week and while I'd like to tap some of the trees I didn't get to, it'll all depend on how my head feels this weekend.

I hear you on not accessible trees, I've got a group of trees that I haven't looked through yet but it's down a steep hill. Will have to see how many maples are down there to determine if the exercise of hauling the buckets up the hill is worth it

[sbedilion]

Haden't checked my buckets since last Thursday but to my surprise a few buckets had some sap but I think my current taps are done. Managed to pick up a bad head cold this week and while I'd like to tap some of the trees I didn't get to, it'll all depend on how my head feels this weekend.

I hear you on not accessible trees, I've got a group of trees that I haven't looked through yet but it's down a steep hill. Will have to see how many maples are down there to determine if the exercise of hauling the buckets up the hill is worth it

Let me know if you need a hand.

I tapped a few trees at the old golf course like I did last year. Huge sugars. Once they convert it to a park I need to get permission to tap that place. Massive sugars bordering the fairways.

Broke out the old sap collection vehicle
61FABDD5-4D44-4E85-A983-F480957A2E1B.jpg

Here is my current bounty (excluding what i ser aside for my family and what i’ve given away/sold)
B85CB9D4-8C31-4351-9E58-35DA44B9A7E0.jpg

Have a gallon that needs bottled that i finished last night and maybe 2-3 gallons left in the season.

[helptheold]

I've also been doing some new tapping during this season. I'm taking advantage of the cold day today (no sap running because below freezing all day) to do some last tapping in a section of mainline that is pretty far from the garage where I boil. Here's a photo which includes some of the new laterals that I put in this month. Also in the photo is my tapping companion:

Attachment 18149

He's adorable My neighbor's dog sometimes follows me into the woods, loves to see what I'm doing.