Maple Syrup 2019

[Bruno of NH]

-18° at my place this morning 
Not good sugaring weather. 

[dustyjay]

In this area, we're all getting impatient to get started again!

Last year we had OVER 100 gallons in barrels and bottles by the 1st of March, right now we have 4¼ gallons!     :-\

Very similar here in Charlestown. Maybe this weekend.

[Chuck White]

That's what we're hoping, Dusty!

Supposed to get into the 30's on Saturday and 40's on Sunday.  It'll take a bit for those trees to thaw out!

[Chuck White]

Well, we tapped out TOKEN 50 "bucket taps" today!

Sap was actually running at a pretty good drip!

It's supposed to be warmer tomorrow, we'll see!

[millwright]

Going to tap today, finally got a few days above zero. Got 3 feet of snow in woods so that makes things a little harder

[Chuck White]

We got all tapped on the 9th and because we're expecting a couple of really cold nights and below freezing days, we gathered what sap we had in barrels and buckets!

Didn't get an exact measurement on it, but it looks like around 225-250 gallons of sap sitting in the holding tub at the sugarhouse now!

[Ed_K]

 Finished my upper orchard yesterday, about 350 taps. I'll start collecting the sap tomorrow,I let it run for a day to wash out any left over water used to clean lines. Happy sugaring all.

[Mapleman]

     We got all our 1800 taps out on Saturday, beautiful day, lots of sunshine but no sap.  Well, a few smaller trees tapped on a sunny spot oozed a bit, but most holes were dry.  We got a little more seepage yesterday but still not enough to flush the lines out, and today will likely be too cold as well.  We're hoping it'll run enough tomorrow for the vacuum to be effective in checking the system for leaks, getting ready for warmer conditions on Thursday.  It sure is a late start to the season, but it could still be a good year....

Dave

[Chuck White]

"Late start" isn't really a strong enough phrase to use!

Last year by the 10th of March, we had already made 154 gallons of syrup, this year to date, we have made 5½ gallons!   :

We should have about 3 run-days coming right up!

[dustintheblood]

Late start here too.  Tapped in today. Evaporator is shiny shiny shiny....

First boil tomorrow and then it's no rest for this wicked fellow till it's all done, clean and put away

[Ed_K]

 then it's no rest for this wicked fellow till it's all done, clean and put away

Isn't this the truth!

[Stephen1]

We are all tapped, dug in the tanks today, hooking up our vauum tomorrow. I really dont expect a run till next week. It was trickilling today, we could still tast the alchohol from spring cleaning so a little more of a run is needed still. 

[SwampDonkey]

Neighbors tapped yesterday. Today it got to 45F this afternoon. Been warm here since Tuesday, but not quite 40 until today. I don't think sap ran though, need more than a couple days to nudge her along. ;D

[Chuck White]

Our lines just "oozed" a little today, not even to the trickle stage!

Only got up to 36°, supposed to reach 50° tomorrow, then it'll run!  8)

[cbla]

nothing really happening here yet. had a few drips but that's it.

[Chuck White]

Looks like it should start running about Noon and with the projected temps, it could run all night!

[Chuck White]

Well, it finally broke loose and the sap is running, we have 62° right now!

We'll gather sap around 5:00 PM!

Then, we'll gather again in the morning!

[SwampDonkey]

I suspect it is running here since melt water is flowing and snow depth is dropping. About 50F this afternoon.

[Chuck White]

We gathered "near" 500 gallons yesterday and boiled it, and shut down last night around 9:00!

Raining this morning, temp 54° at 6:00, so no telling what's going to happen with the run!

[Stephen1]

Its warming up, I expect a really great run all next week. 
Lets see if the weatherman can earn his paycheck with his forcast :D

[SwampDonkey]

Around here it is going to be in the 40's until Sunday, when it is going to drop off with high below freezing for a few days. No abnormal highs predicted for here.

[dustintheblood]

We gathered "near" 500 gallons yesterday and boiled it, and shut down last night around 9:00!

Raining this morning, temp 54° at 6:00, so no telling what's going to happen with the run!

Despite the same rain here, we didn't get hardly any.   I'm thinkin we're in for a weird spring....

[Chuck White]

We are too!

Our barrels didn't gain 1½ inches today!

We are thinking this is the beginning of the end!

Most of the fields in this area are bare, and there's little snow in the woods!

I even saw a flock of Robins this afternoon hopping around in the field next to the house!

Last year, at this time we had just over 170 gallons of syrup in bottles or barrels!    :-\

[celliott]

We got all tapped, and installed some more tubing, probably 1000 new taps so far, more to come on the cold mornings. 
Seems like a late start but historically for us, mid March is right  on the money. Last two seasons making some syrup in February spoiled us!

Vacuum is down everywhere. We have a ton of territory to cover to check leaks. With really only 1.5 good days of leak checking we have a long ways to go. 

Upper pump station functioned properly, that was good news. Spa took nearly 30 minutes to make it to the bottom tank! 10,000ft of 2" pipe to go through!

We have enough sap now to concentrate and fire up one of the evaporators. Do that this afternoon.

I'll update with some pictures later.

Happy sugaring!

[GAB]

@Chuck White & @dustintheblood:
You folks wrote: Our barrels didn't gain 1½ inches today! & Despite the same rain here, we didn't get hardly any.
Was it windy?
The reason I ask is because my dad always said that wind dries out the trees.
GAB