I am hearing from people that Quebec is not doing so well this year. Does anyone know for sure?
Spud
I am hearing from people that Quebec is not doing so well this year. Does anyone know for sure?
Spud
I haven't heard lately but did hear that they were expecting a poor season this year.
Russ
"Red Roof Maples" Where the term "boiling soda" was first introduced to the maple world!
1930 Ford Model AA Doodlebug tractor
A couple of Honda 4 wheelers
Four chainsaws and no chickens!
I had heard the same thing. Winter doesn't seem to want to let go this year in Quebec. They are thinking the season will be very short.
Steve
2017
2x8 Mason drop tube evaporator
420 Taps
3 surflo pumps on 5/16
79 gallons of syrup made
2016
New kitchen addition to sap house
400 taps
52 gallons syrup made
Quebec is a big place, so it varies.
Areas around Montreal are doing fairly well, other areas to the east and north are not. Some places haven't boiled or only boiled once. It's been too cold. Warmer sugarbushes are doing OK, but normally cold sugarbushes are doing very poorly. Most area are certainly below normal. The concern (for them) is that it will turn warm quickly or the sap will go buddy as soon as the temperatures become more favorable (buddy usually starts by the last week of April in those areas). As always with maple....predictions on the season are hard. Pull out the Magic-8 Ball and you'll get an answer that is as good as any. Alternatively, wait a month or two and we'll know better.
Dr. Tim Perkins
UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
https://mapleresearch.org
Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu
There is some info in the tapping Canada section
2239 total taps. 443 gravity line, 1806 buckets
3x12 remake of a Small Bros. Lightning evaporator.
3x9 Darveau raised flue pan, 3x3 D&G reversible finishing pan.
Reist arch
94 Argo 8x8 Magnum
06 Argo 8x8 Avenger with a 100 US gal. poly tank in the back.
30 - 45 Imperial gallon gathering station barrels
1200 Imperial gallons in holding tanks
Husqvarna 61
Husqvarna 365
I'm not in Quebec, but we are only about 60miles south east of the border in Maine and our season is awful. We get very similar weather, even to Quebec city. Perfect weather and no sap. We've made 1/3 of our crop and are staring at 60 degree days coming next week....we have never made any syrup after the 20th of April. Looks like another bum year here.
Last edited by TheMapleMoose; 04-20-2018 at 08:08 AM.
-JoeKing
About 750 taps on High Vac.
2.5 x 8 Intens-O-Fire
Airtech 3 hp LR Pump
Springtech Elite 500 RO
14 x 24 Timber Frame SugarHouse
16 x 22 Sap Shed w/ 1500 gal. + 700 gal. tanks
www.littlehogbackfarm.com
From what I have seen on here this year, it is varying a lot. A lot more so than the past couple years where most did well. Case in point.....abbott posted a record and he's about 10 miles east of my house in Peru, 0.6+ yield if I recall. The big operation we work for in Byron, about 30 miles north is around 0.2g/tap as of last weekend at elevation 1100-1300'. Seems the colder bushes and those with some elevation have suffered the most this year.
Regardless of the effect on bulk prices, sorry to hear of a poor season for anyone. When you think of the time and expence that everyone puts in the season, its discouraging to come up way short of what was expected.
4x12 arch
new custom flues
New custom front pan
600 buckets town trees
1500 3/16 taps
D&G filterpress
16x32 3rdgen canner
member NYMPA
Director American Maple Museum
Director NNYMP COOP
Asst. Chief BFFD
Retired(now working for free)
2015 Mahindra 70hp