I’m considering purchase of a VT property for retirement and will continue my sugaring hobby there, looking for a Min of 500 taps. I’ve found a place, but when I looked yestersay at some of the sugar maples, they appear to have much smaller leaves than I’m used to seeing in MA. In MA they’re like the stereotypical 4-6” across, but the leaves I saw yesterday looked like 2-3”. Is that a tree health issue? It’s on a fairly steep slope, Which I’ve heard can affect how much nutrient trees have available and can absorb. Will these smaller leaves affect sap volume or sugar % ?? I have noticed these smaller leaves in VT before but not so consistently as these yesterday. The location is Stockbridge.

Thanks.

Tom