2011 season predictions

[red maples]

I think there were alot of places hit hard by the poor sugaring weather this season!!!! I have a friend of a friend that has over 1000 buckets and only managed about 40 gallons of syrup, because he had to keep dumping bucket full of rain water!!!!

[TF Maple]

Originally Posted by red maples

I think there were alot of places hit hard by the poor sugaring weather this season!!!! I have a friend of a friend that has over 1000 buckets and only managed about 40 gallons of syrup, because he had to keep dumping bucket full of rain water!!!!

Wouldn't this be poor equipment and not poor weather? I'm just saying if the valve freezes on a 1000 gallon tank and you lose all the sap, was it poor weather that caused the syrup reduction or equipment failure?
I have a friend who also had a poor season and doesn't have covers on his buckets. We had a dry sap season so it wasn't rain that messed him up. It was tapping too late and missing the 2 big runs we had in March.

[red maples]

No way here in NH for 1 sap didn't run because of bad weather from warm nights. yes he did tap a little late. because he was going by date and not the weather forecast that one was his fault, and we got tons of rain here. very very wet season...I got pics on here some where to prove that one!!!! nothing to do with equipment!!! and that was 1000 taps on buckets not 1000 gallon tank.

[Randy Brutkoski]

I have been doing the sugaring thing for15 years and it was by far the worst season I have ever experienced. 2010 was my first year on vacumm, looked like the right year for the switch. Gravity guys around me had a terrible year. Wasnt even worth tapping for them. 2011 can only be better. It really isnt possible to be any worse than what 2010 gave us. I want my new evaporator making steam every day. I see a big season coming. Just dont know what year it will be.

[Jeff E]

In Wisconsin we have had a wet, warm spring and summer.
This years tap holes are healing very fast, indicating good tree health. This is a good sign for sugar in the tree I would think.
No significant storm damage for me, lost a few tap trees.
So it is setting up to be good. But the real deal comes in March. this time of year probably impacts next seasons sap by 10%, compared to the weather of the day.

My prediction; I will be scrambling to deal with sap on the first few days, because I didnt get the sugar house ship-shape in time, because I will be fixing vacuum leaks that I missed, because I will try and get more trees on line in February, because in January I will think adding another 200 taps when it is zero degrees is a good idea, because I've got the bug...