Southwest PA Tapping 2025

[SRM]

I'm loving this season even though it's killing me physically. The weather has been great, but between taking care of the farm, the animals and the sugar shack I'm burnt out at the end of everyday. I'm just thankful that I can do it and have had the chance to have experienced a great maple season. I do need to buy some more accessories to make my job easier. I new float box, head tank, water jacket bottler, a faster boiling pan, (currently using 2x4 divided).
Time to start hiding, I mean saving money from the wife so I can buy these things and more!

[HowardR]

SRM,

Hey - being killed physically is probably good for you in the long run. Just think of all of the muscle strength and endurance you are gaining!

I'm going to be very busy this week also. My ROs and evaporator will be running all night tonight and probably tomorrow night also, so I'll be getting out to the sugar shack every 90 minutes all night to make adjustments when needed. Meanwhile, the new forecast from weather.com predicts a strong frost on Tuesday night. If that happens I'll probably have to run my ROs all night Wednesday and Thursday nights also, Despite the long hours, I, like you, am very pleased because of all of the syrup that results.

[HowardR]

I had surprise frosts on Sunday and Monday. The weather was clear, and the temperature here went down to well below freezing, about 6 degrees below forecast. So I have a warning to those of you who, like me, grow gardens. Expect a late frost this year. I'm not going to set out my tomato, pepper and squash plants before May 31, and I'll only set them out then if there are no clear night forecasts for the first week of June.

Despite the frosts, the yields from my trees declined dramatically over the last three days. By Tuesday the sap was just trickling in. The holes in my trees are healing fast in this warm sunny weather. I'll make my last batch of syrup today, and tomorrow I begin the clean up.

[DRoseum]

Same exact thing here. As of this morning it was barely trickling amd sugar % is less than 1%. Season is over. I'll start to boil what's in the tank after work, finiah off whats in the evap, and start pulling taps and cleaning up. If I move fast I might have it all done before the rain this weekend (and the mud that comes with it).

Hope it was a good season for all and everyone enjoys the off season!
Dan