https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/USCT0102:1:US No frost showing on this 10 day after Sat. night - Tapped 5 weeks now, my trees won't last through a warm spell like that -
https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/USCT0102:1:US No frost showing on this 10 day after Sat. night - Tapped 5 weeks now, my trees won't last through a warm spell like that -
I think you're exactly right. Planning on Sunday being the last day of boiling for me.
That said, all my tanks are full and I'll be pumping tonight and boiling from Friday night. Have 750 gallons now and more coming through the weekend. I'll probably pull the tubes out of the thanks and start pulling taps next week.
1980 - 6 taps, stone fire pit, drain pan evaporator, 1 pint of syrup
2016 - 55 taps on 3/16 and gravity, new sugar shack, 2x3 Mason XL, 16 gallons of syrup
2017 - 170 taps on 3/16, 2x4 Mason XL, NextGen RO. 50 gallons of syrup
2018 - 250+ taps on gravity and buckets, 2x5 Smokey Lake arch and Beaverland pan.
2019 - 250+ taps on gravity. A few buckets. 35 gallons of syrup.
2020 - 300+ taps on gravity. 50 gallons of syrup.
2021 - 280 taps on gravity and 40 buckets. 35 gallons of syrup.
Forecasts beyond about 4-5 days are not particularly great -- those beyond 7 days are often not good at all. Although you have some high temp days, you also have a good amount of clouds/rain, which will help. A slight drop in the temps would make a huge difference so I wouldn't pull the plug quite yet. Doesn't hurt to wait and see what you get.
Dr. Tim Perkins
UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
https://mapleresearch.org
Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu
Brought 670 gallons up to the milk tank last night. Ran the RO for a while just to make room. Sap was 44 degrees, 1.5% sugar and getting cloudy. Floated a sleeve of ice in the tank. I hate this weather.
I'll boil tonight and tomorrow with this and whatever sap I collect over the next couple days but I'll pull the lines from the tanks on Sunday and wash them out. Unless we get some unexpected spell of cold weather I don't see this season coming back to life. Should end up with close to 40 gallons for the year....That's enough for me anyway.
1980 - 6 taps, stone fire pit, drain pan evaporator, 1 pint of syrup
2016 - 55 taps on 3/16 and gravity, new sugar shack, 2x3 Mason XL, 16 gallons of syrup
2017 - 170 taps on 3/16, 2x4 Mason XL, NextGen RO. 50 gallons of syrup
2018 - 250+ taps on gravity and buckets, 2x5 Smokey Lake arch and Beaverland pan.
2019 - 250+ taps on gravity. A few buckets. 35 gallons of syrup.
2020 - 300+ taps on gravity. 50 gallons of syrup.
2021 - 280 taps on gravity and 40 buckets. 35 gallons of syrup.
About 300 taps
2'x6' air tight arch
Semi complete 12'x24' sugarhouse in Somers, CT
My YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/CapturedNature
My eBook: Making Maple Syrup in your Backyard
I tapped on 2/16 ( resisted temptation ) and have processed 400 gallons of sap so far. Last year I tapped on Feb 1 and went to March 25th and processed 500 gallons of sap on the same trees.
So I feel ahead of the game at least time wise and feel good about my 2/16 decision.
Another good reason not to count the season out after this weekend is that while it has been above average temp wise, we have not not really had any of the "knockout" warmth ( above 58 degrees ) that we usually have. And we have only had a couple of those days.
Although I must admit after this weekend it does not look good. However their was no frost forecast by 2 or 3 degrees for our location last night and what do you know a bit of crystals ( ice ) this AM. Sap started to run fairly well while the sun was out this AM but backed off with cloud cover in the afternoon.
The sap really wants to run this year at the slightest opportunity and even days when the night did NOT fall below 32 the night before.
Almost like the trees can sense their "best opportunity"
We will see.
If you think it's easy to make good money in maple syrup .... then your obviously good at stealing somebody's Maple Syrup.
Favorite Tree: Sugar Maple
Most Hated Animal: Sap Sucker
Most Loved Animal: Devon Rex Cat
Favorite Kingpin: Bruce Bascom
40 Sugar Maple Taps ... 23 in CT and 17 in NY .... 29 on gravity tubing and 11 on 5G buckets ... 2019 Totals 508 gallons of sap, 7 boils, 11.4 gallons of syrup.
1 Girlfriend that gives away all my syrup to her friends.