Schenectady-Albany-Saratoga Counties

[MRFNY]

Yep, our trees ran straight through yesterday afternoon / early evening. The issue is preserving the quality of any sap that sat out in the woods during that crazy warm spell.

Hoping we get a good cool down here next week and a restart to the process...

My sap kept well and I made sure to boil any concentrate immediately. I have about 55 gallons of sap from yesterday in my collection tank that is staying nice and cold in my garage which half is basically like a foundation so it stays nice and cool in there. Tasted the sap tonight and it was fine and still clear.

The long range forecast still isn't looking very good but we'll see!

[MRFNY]

This is always the time of year when I start wondering "how far along in the season am I?" and worrying it's closer to being over than I want. I actually think this warm spell portends good things, and we will get some cold temps blowing in the rest of March.

We have friends from Maryland who are coming April 5 and really, really want to see maple sugaring in action...if it holds out till then I will be mighty pleased.

An additional full month would be pretty incredible!

[Aslowrie]

Looks like the light freeze last night got the sap flowing again. Not a crazy day, but an ok for me 8 gallons. Good solid dripping to so hopefully a bit more through the night and some additional freezing temps this weekend to keep things going.

[ADK_XJ]

I was out of town but got back this evening and thought buckets would have been overflowing...it was definitely running but nothing like I would have thought with the hard freeze and warm sunny day. Weird.

[MRFNY]

Just went around and collected yesterday's small run. Just about 50 gallons. I think my reds are done, my sugars that sit down in a ridge and presumably in a colder area did pretty well yesterday. I may pull some taps today or tomorrow and just leave the good sugars tapped hopefully for a run on Tuesday and Wednesday.

[MRFNY]

Bottled 6.5 gallons today. Still making golden delicate!

[ADK_XJ]

The weather was terrible but we made the most of it and managed to clear out the entire 150 gallon head tank full of 8% concentrate I'd been keeping chilled all week with freezer bag ice blocks. Have to bring it to density and filter but should bring my total haul up to equal with last year at least.

By the forecast it should run for us M-W but we'll see...

[MRFNY]

The weather was terrible but we made the most of it and managed to clear out the entire 150 gallon head tank full of 8% concentrate I'd been keeping chilled all week with freezer bag ice blocks. Have to bring it to density and filter but should bring my total haul up to equal with last year at least.

By the forecast it should run for us M-W but we'll see...

That'll be impressive if you hit last year's number! We'll be about half of last year's finished product, but last year was a record for us by a long shot.

[crzypete]

Equalled Last year? I am impressed. I haven't even hit half of last year yet. Up to 5.25 Gallons for the season. Collected another 45 gallons of sap today. Last boil on Friday had a lower sugar content- boiled off 55 gallons to make a gallon of syrup. I am still entertained by it, so I guess it's alright. I'll stick it out a bit longer. Maybe things will be still ok after this warm spell. I was hoping to hit 10 gallons to have plenty for friends and family, but that feels like it will need a miracle at this point!

Pete

[ADK_XJ]

Equalled Last year? I am impressed. I haven't even hit half of last year yet. Up to 5.25 Gallons for the season. Collected another 45 gallons of sap today. Last boil on Friday had a lower sugar content- boiled off 55 gallons to make a gallon of syrup. I am still entertained by it, so I guess it's alright. I'll stick it out a bit longer. Maybe things will be still ok after this warm spell. I was hoping to hit 10 gallons to have plenty for friends and family, but that feels like it will need a miracle at this point!

Pete

Yeah, what gave me a lift was the new RO system and being able to process far more sap more quickly...I think I was getting a much better yield as a result and wasn't losing any sap to spoilage as a result.

Question for you: what kind of evaporation rate are you getting on your oil tank arch? I have one of those but it's definitely not air tight, yours looks very nicely done.