Maine Maple Season 2024

[maineboiler]

Can’t explain the dark syrup unless maybe you had some microbial growth with the warm temps.
I had a surprisingly good haul today of 130 gallons of sap, still more out there I haven’t collected. 2.5 brix and very clear. The sap probably was from yesterday. Boiled 5 hours and drew off what looks like GD. Better than expected

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Busy weekend. Chased leaks Saturday and cut a downed 12” oak off the mainline from the windstorm. Finished chasing leaks today and got the evaporator and shack ready to go. 1 bush finally started running good today. The other two are still slow to thaw out. Pumps are on all night again and until run stops. Will do our first boil Tuesday. Still had ice in the tanks today so helping keep the sap good. Hope for some freezing nights later this week.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Collected 475 gallons today, first boil underway. That’s a big first boil for us, sap has been running pretty hard last couple days and just now slowing down. Hope for cooler weather end of the week.

[Mvhomesteader]

The sap flow here, all gravity, slowed to a crawl today. I collected 38 gallons yesterday and 16 today, but I could see the run was pretty much done till the next freeze.

I boiled Sunday and got slightly more than 1.5 gallons with the sugar at 2.3%. The color was lighter than the first boil and with less niter. As maineboiler mentioned I could have had some bacterial growth in the first batch---who knows.

Boiling #3 tomorrow (72 gallons) which will empty the snowbank. I don't expect to collect again till Friday, and the stretch between Friday and next Thursday should be productive!

[West Sumner Sugar]

This has been the best bad weather week we have ever had. With no cold temps at night I was thinking this week would be a bust. It has turned out to be just the opposite. When the sap started running Saturday...it has not stopped. Pumps have been on non stop since Saturday. While this weather is acting pretty crazy, the sap is running well regardless. Long range looks good as well!

[Hillcrest Maples]

Same here in southern NH. Cleaned all the tanks on Sunday figuring it wouldn’t run all week and it hasn’t stopped. Cloudy, yes. 1.2% sugar, yes. But still, I’m loving this new Guzzler. 600 gal holding tank is full and just plugged in the 260 overflow tank for tonight! Threw the heater on in the RO closet as well. Hoping next week is a gusher.

[eustis22]

Huh,,,in Greenwood my taps haven't run at all this past week.

[eustis22]

ok,,,they are now...never mind.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Ok run today, stronger freeze tonight will help. Should pull thru the storm Sunday. Gonna boil again Sunday. 2 boils, both during storms this year. Lost power last time for a couple hours but had a generator. Wife had to wait to shower but she got over it!!

[Mvhomesteader]

The sap turned back on here today to the tune of 38 gallons off 53 taps. I expect the same or better for the foreseeable future. Not what as I was planning on a few weeks ago. I knew as soon as I added taps to obviate the effects of a "warm spell" and potential shorter season the weather would do a 180. All for the good!

Third boil was 73 gallons yielding ssc of 2.31%, identical to boil #2. I'm nearly half way to the 10 gallon goal which with the upcoming weather shouldn't be a problem. I'm currently stockpiling for boil #4 on Monday. Should be a nice flow even through the storm. Not much of the snowbank left so I'll need to be cognizant of stored sap quality and getting sap boiled off in an expedient fashion.