2014 Season West Virginia Mapler

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Picked up 266 yesterday and boiled it off after boiling off the 535 from thursday. Grade started med and went to light. We are getting great sap temperatures and weather but it won't run due to probably 12+ inches of frost in the ground that was under the 16" of snow on the ground. Snow is mostly gone and until we get rid of the frozen ground, it is going to be a long season. Supposed to get single digits 3 nights in a row next week with bare ground, so it may be end of season before it is gone. Have about 4 more weeks before season is normally over. Sugar content is low too.

[Slatebelt*Pa*Tapper]

Hey Brandon, finally gonna get back to it this year,
however I see you have been doing some boiling already, Up here nothing is running with the 24"+ of snow. This year is strange and nothing we've delt with before. It seems we won't be boiling here until March. We've beet a few record snow falls here from the past.

Hope you well through the rest of the season.

[Homestead Maple]

Picked up 266 yesterday and boiled it off after boiling off the 535 from thursday. Grade started med and went to light. Sugar content is low too.

Low sugar doesn't sound good. It should get better as the season continues. I remember an open winter here when the frost was deep and it took for ever for the trees to run well. Maybe some rain for you in the forecast, as that will draw the frost faster than just warm weather.

[Sugarmaker]

Brandon,
So there is hope we will get to light syrup too. Frost is deep and havent had much rain. Sounds like your weather is about right.
Regards,
Chris

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Next 10 days is too cold. This is normally the peak of the season for us as the last week of February and the first week of March is about the best. This global warming is tough on syruping. Ran couple hundred gallon sat and sunday and need to get it out of tanks and boil it before it turns to solid ice as had enough of that already this year. With all the frost in the ground, don't think vac would make much of a difference this year. What little the ground thawed the last few days it will get even worse now with single digits and teens most night for next 10 days with bare ground.

[Homestead Maple]

I haven't looked at an extended forecast yet but if your going to be getting those kind of temps there I won't be tapping very soon here. With bare ground, that makes things even more unpredictable for you as far as tree roots getting thawed out. "Global warming"???

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

The couple hundred gallon I thought it ran Sat night and up until it froze Sunday night turned out to be nearly 800 gallon. Real praise item as really good run for 24 hours. Boiled off 765 on Monday and got to about zero monday night. Big warmup next several days and hopefully a freeze again after that. Be nice to get 2 more big runs of about 2000 gallons each run but will see what happens. Friday makes 10 weeks that taps have been in on the south side, so I hope the research with new taps and drops is correct. I will know for sure in the next 2 to 3 weeks. At 2880 gallon of sap for the year so far, way behind what we should be and about 50% of last year with 130 more taps this year. Been too cold and way too much frost in the ground but a good couple of weeks can change that fast and that is what I am hoping and praying for.

[wvsugarshak]

I agree hope we don't get a big warm up. I have the same worry on taps they have been in so long hope the -4 degrees kept them from healing over! best of luck on the rest of your season

Sawjac

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

My mistake, taps will be in 8 weeks this Friday. Can't even count anymore. I replaced all my taps and drop lines, so hoping they do what research says they will.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Picked up 600 gallons of sap yesterday even and boiled it off and canned after the boil. Hoping for about 600 more tonight and plan to boil it off.