Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[DoubleBrookMaple]

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.

Sean, you and I have similar weather. Our weekly and monthly averages, highs and lows are very close. I scan the state, and despite living very south, we have colder weather by 5-10 degrees over much of the state. Halifax is near 2000' elevation, as am I. Some of my bush is over 2000'. In the 3 previous years I have watched this site, I get good syrup near to the end as many, all over the state. I found a couple reds swelling so far, but that is it, and my last boil was my first dark, But... we will see.
I made the mistake one year of paying to much attention to buds and quit to early. Now I keep those thoughts at bay, and follow the General's way.
I've thought this out some, and being on the west facing side of a 2600' steep mountainside, my trees get a limited number of hours of direct sunlight, maybe fooling them into thinking it is still winter. It seems like 10:00 or so until I get real sunlight.