Willow Creek Sugarhouse 2024

[UB29]

Collected and processed 275 gals. yesterday @ 1.4%. Grading out to Dark, so I guess that's it for Amber from here on out. No freezes for the next 5 days, so here we go again...........shutdown.
Time to drain and clean the pan, I guess.
Thanks, Bill

[red maples]

Well I guess its been a while since I posted... Man I have just been so CRAZY busy that I got way behind... well after the february freeze up and then thaw I was going gangbusters for a bit then we have slowed right down and the weather just turned for the worst. severe lack of freezes have just about done me in.

Buckets and been pretty worthless and there is little Very little sugar which is under 1% now. I am still getting a little sap but it is the darkest strongest syrup I ever made. its not buddy but it is maple weekend syrup which is always darker than normal because I am talking not paying enough attention loose the boil just not good for production. so that will be about 5 gallons of BBQ sauce syrup.

As for maple weekend we were busier on saturday and we lucked out with the weather on sunday. but it seemed like much smaller crowds I don;t know if that has anything to do with it being a week early but sales we just as good as year for me so that was good.

Anyway way behind last year way behind sap production is still pretty good but since no sugar in the sap syrup production is very low. but good temps forecasted for this week and maybe snow next weekend as long as my trees hold up and get regenerated hopefully we can get another week.

who ever is still going good luck.
I am done haveing some corned beef and sitting my butt on the couch... exhausted!!!

[red maples]

Well looks like this will be the last hurrah we'll see if things get turned around or not over the next few days. if not I start pulling taps next week. Got everything cleaned out just incase this little freeze up gets things going. Reds buds are swelling a few yard trees popped and I pulled those but all the woods ones are still OK.

Need more syrup man!!! Pretty dismal second half of the season. Maybe need to rethink taping earlier next year. this past year I think we could have tapped in early January and made syrup most of January... thats a scary thought. I dunno.

[Amber Gold]

I noticed the same thing here. I boiled last night and it was meh. We'll see what happens after the cold snap. I haven't seen anything pop in my woods, but then again, I try not to look up either.

[red maples]

ha ha I always look up... too many reds not to look... Sap is really really nasty there is a lot bacteria in the lines. it is was running a little yesterday and today but sugar is still under 1% and off flavors are getting worse. only need so much syrup for BBQ sauce. its about a gallon per batch and I usually make about 5 batches a year and I already made 6 gallons of off flavor. and have 2 or 3 left over from last year.

I shut the vac pump off today... so thats a season I guess. just a little over 2/3rd of a crop. but averaged 80:1 for the year really really bad.

worst season for sugar in the raw sap I have ever seen in my 15 years of doing maple. We need to bring winter back. or I am gonna have to start tapping in January and hope for the best.

well if anyone is still going good luck!!!

[UB29]

Same here, Brad. Sap up on the mountain was still trickling, but nasty looking. And when I looked up............the reds are popping.
So that's it. Just a bad and disappointing season. Probably end up at 65% or so production vs. last year. With this global warming, we'll all be tapping on New Years day before we know it.
Thanks, Bill