Maple Syrup Season 2015, off to a poor start here.

Avondale · Mar 17, 2015

We did our first collection of sap yesterday. Not a good run so far. The reported temps were okay, (-6c the previous night and +5c yesterday afternoon). Today, it is not good weather for sap running as it stayed above freezing last night and starting to drop to below freezing this morning with snow and rain falling. I am just hoping "normal" will return soon as last year was a poor production year, too.

Jstpssng · Mar 17, 2015

I think it's going to be another bad year here... if it ever warms up and stops snowing. There is no moisture in the snow and no frost in the ground, so when the weather starts to turn it's going to happen fast.

motownbrowne · Mar 17, 2015

Last night was the second freezing night we've had out of the last 11. We have zero snow on the ground, and didn't most of the time we were tapping. Really really strange. This week is supposed to be a little better, but it'll really have to turn around for this to be even a "not-so-good" year.

Avondale · Mar 17, 2015

" We have zero snow on the ground, and didn't most of the time we were tapping. "

We had to snow blow our maple trails and roads, tramp down paths to the trees with snowshoes on to install our 300 pails.

tjcarguy · Mar 17, 2015

I had to cut a limb off of one of my driveway Maples two years ago . I was amazed how much syrup came out. I have 3 trees and may get ambitious today. ---Trevor

motownbrowne · Mar 17, 2015

Avondale said:
" We have zero snow on the ground, and didn't most of the time we were tapping. "

We had to snow blow our maple trails and roads, tramp down paths to the trees with snowshoes on to install our 300 pails.

Yeah, that's what it was like here last year. Now we're just ankle deep in mud every step of the way. Wish we had the snow now. Guess the grass really is greener on the other side.

Baby Grand · Mar 19, 2015

tjcarguy said:
I had to cut a limb off of one of my driveway Maples two years ago . I was amazed how much syrup came out. I have 3 trees and may get ambitious today. ---Trevor

We tapped our 3 usual trees about 10 days ago. Have 15 gals collected, so far.
Temperatures have been cooperating, lately, after a warm spell, and there's plenty of moisture in the soil.
Hope we keep getting this good sunshine.
We'll probably cook some down this weekend.
-Jim

motownbrowne · Mar 19, 2015

Today is looking like a dud here. Last two days were very good. We collected about 700 gallons of sap from 410 taps. Didn't freeze last night, and it's not going to tonight. After that, though it's supposed to cool back down. Still keeping fingers crossed.

Dr_Zinj · Mar 20, 2015

No syruping for me this year. Can't seem to find my bucket of taps and hooks. I know I washed them and put them away last year but they're not where I usually stored them, and they're not with my brace and bit and auger, and I can't for the life of me figure out where they are. Duuh!