Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[tcross]

took the afternoon off to boil...I could not get a good fire going yesterday in the arch! must have been the atmosphere conditions or something, cuz it was just not working well! sap came in half way decent yesterday... basically done now! hopefully today will be different cuz I'm up to my ears in sap! not a bad problem I suppose! nitre is back... full force! it was tough keeping the foam down yesterday late evening!

[spud]

Woke up to two inches of snow and 29 degrees. Still snowing now. Me and Sarah Lee are taking the day off. Mega sap by tomorrow afternoon. CV2 spouts are going to kick in soon I would think.

Spud

[madmapler]

Not the maple buds.

.

I was with another sugarmaker in the area and we were overlooking one of his bushes. I noticed the red halo over all the trees. That, to me, looks like buds swelling and I don't look forward to seeing it in my bushes. I didn't look at one up close(bud) but they were maple trees.

[GeneralStark]

I was with another sugarmaker in the area and we were overlooking one of his bushes. I noticed the red halo over all the trees. That, to me, looks like buds swelling and I don't look forward to seeing it in my bushes. I didn't look at one up close(bud) but they were maple trees.

When the trees are wet and it is raining or cloudy, maples can often have that look that you describe. Certainly red maple buds are swollen in this region and I have seen silver maples flowering lower in the valley. It certainly won't be long here before sugar maples go especially with a couple days in the 60s and a night in the 50s later this week.

[GeneralStark]

Hovering just below freezing this morning with a dusting of new snow. Sap lifter froze up but still trickling into the releaser so maybe a marginal freeze underway here.

It ran moderately all day yesterday and overnight. About 1 gpt in 24 so I have almost 1000 gal. to process today and see if the trees have bedded yet.

[madmapler]

With all due respect, whatever it was that I saw was in comparison to the same existing "wet" conditions that were in my home area. (My own bush in fact so I'm pretty sure some of those are maples) I left here, went there, and came back expecting to see things developing similarly as was up north. I did not. Not to boast, but I can tell a maple tree from a mile away like a mother penguin knows the sound of her offspring amongst thousands. It's a side affect of my disease.

[DoubleBrookMaple]

Woke up to two inches of snow and 29 degrees. Still snowing now. Me and Sarah Lee are taking the day off. Mega sap by tomorrow afternoon. CV2 spouts are going to kick in soon I would think.

Spud

Sounds like my place. I have 3-4 inches and 29.. Of course, I live adjacent to the long closed Dutch Hill Ski Area, and get a lot of snow.
Collecting remote buckets and barrels today. Should be 400-500 gallons to boil late tomorrow with the incoming "mega sap". A good hard freeze at 22 tonight. Will it lighten up my syrup that just turned Dark? Interesting to see.
I am at 125 gallons on the season. Somewhat possible I can make 150.

[spud]

Sounds like my place. I have 3-4 inches and 29.. Of course, I live adjacent to the long closed Dutch Hill Ski Area, and get a lot of snow.
Collecting remote buckets and barrels today. Should be 400-500 gallons to boil late tomorrow with the incoming "mega sap". A good hard freeze at 22 tonight. Will it lighten up my syrup that just turned Dark? Interesting to see.
I am at 125 gallons on the season. Somewhat possible I can make 150.

Forget the maybe hitting 150 gallons. You're going 200+ my friend. Hang on tight it's going to be a wild ride.

Spud

[DrTimPerkins]

With all due respect, whatever it was that I saw was in comparison to the same existing "wet" conditions that were in my home area.

Sean....likewise, no disrespect whatsoever. Not sure where you were in BTV, but at least in the areas I pass through in Williston (Taft Corners), Essex Jct., Essex and out to Underhill Center on Route 15, I've not seen any strong bud development on maples. I've not been in closer to the lake towards BTV or SBTV where it is a little warmer. Of course...I've also been driving home pretty late at night the past week, so perhaps that helps explain it. The first "red" that people often see in maple are red maple flower buds.

Snow and 28 deg F in Williston this morning. What the rest of the season holds for us depends a lot upon the warm weather we get later this week. Hopefully the rain will help keep things cooler. If we can make it through that brief spell, it'll be a great season....otherwise, only about average.

[GeneralStark]

With all due respect, whatever it was that I saw was in comparison to the same existing "wet" conditions that were in my home area. (My own bush in fact so I'm pretty sure some of those are maples) I left here, went there, and came back expecting to see things developing similarly as was up north. I did not. Not to boast, but I can tell a maple tree from a mile away like a mother penguin knows the sound of her offspring amongst thousands. It's a side affect of my disease.

I hear ya. I am not at all surprised by your observation because as I said the CV is the warmest part of the state. As a botanist, I do however find it interesting when sugarmakers start going on about how their buds "look". I have looked at lots of tree buds through the years and at this point can't see much of a correlation between how a bud looks, and what really matters...how the syrup from those trees tastes.