Tapping 2019

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Hold your beer Roads End. They just changed the forecast to 3-6” of snow for our area!

[Road's End]

Hold your beer Roads End. They just changed the forecast to 3-6” of snow for our area!

This is the winter that just won't end!

[abbott]

Abbott will you be around on Sunday ?

I'll be open Saturday, 10-4. At this rate, I don't expect to have anything left to boil on Sunday. Not sure if I'll go visiting around or not.

For you (or anyone else who wants to come out tomorrow) I'm at 378 Bradeen Rd. Park at the farm at the dead end of the road and its a 2000' walk down to the sap house. My road is mud right now, so 4WD is recommended. Hopefully they get the road cleaned up well enough that it isn't necessary, though.

[abbott]

The sap was still trickling in this morning at 6 am. Froze up now, though. This is bringing back not-so-good memories of 2015, when maple season didn't really start until April and ended in a hurry. Not saying this season will end that way, but every day we go without real sap runs make it more likely we're going to have firewood left over this year.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Holy cow, we actually boiled tonight! Pretty big fan of oil. Just enough to sweeten the pans. Hope for more Sunday.

[Road's End]

Seems crazy that today was the first hard run we've had this year. Really coming down the hill today! Thankfully that means I can boil something for friends and family. Didn't try and publicize maple sunday for my farm this year.

[abbott]

Yup, running hard here, too. Turns out 90 gallons/hr maxes out my wet line, cause I have sap running down the dry line, too. Looks like it should be a gallon/tap today at 2.7%. Probably would have boiled for a while if I'd checked the tank sooner, but shouldn't have trouble catching up over the next couple days.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

There is a maple god! Running good here right now. Going to let it go and boil tomorrow afternoon before the cool down. End of the week looks good now that it shook loose some. Have fun everyone!

[Revi]

How's it running today? I am boiling this afternoon for sure. Got to start making some syrup! It may be a very short season this year, so we'll catch what we can!

[maine67]

Hey! I'm new to this forum. I've briefly read through everyone's posts. Some good advice!! I'm new to the whole maple syrup adventure as of last year. I believe that was our best. I do have a few questions for those that consider themselves "experts" in the maple syrup area.

1. Can you use the "brown" colored sap that's being collected? What is it? I've always just chucked it out.
2. What's the benefit of tapping on the south side of the maple tree? (I've read that numerous times)
3. When it comes to final boil down and can. I've noticed via online the variety of different colors of maple syrup. Isn't it the darker, the better?

Thanks!