Pulled The Plug On 2015 Maple Syrup Season

Today was the last day of gathering maple sap. this season has been better than last, but far from seasons gone by when we had continuing days of syrup production. We only get a one or two day run, or a 5 day freezup.
Those of you who skauf at the term, "climate change", should take another look!!
We have calandars hung on the walls of the saphouse, and they were quite consistant, season wise, until about 5 years ago.
We had all the buckets emptied Sat. and made a bit darker syrup still in the medium amber range, from all the sap. Our wood supply was dwindling, so Sunday we cut more fire wood, and dumped it into the woodshed.
The sap really never ran from the Sat gathering. The buckets only had a quart or two in them today, and the sap was not clear, and sugar content dropped to only 1.5%.
Tomarrow we will start pulling buckets and spiles.
Then we have to wash the evaporator pans, and all 2300 buckets with the high pressure washers and some acid wash in the evaporator pans to cut the calcium build up in them, and then store every thing away for next year.
I will post some more pics, of all that "fun" in the next coupple days.
It's time to perp the farmland for oats and seeding anyway. Spring is near two weeks late.
I would also like to thank each and everyone of you who have placed orders for our maple products, I hope they are beginning to show up on your door steps
Loren, the Acg.

When you pull the spiles do you have to do anything with the holes? Does the sap continue to run even if not a quality to use? Do you have to plug the holes?

Oh no, you mean the fun is over! Just noticed the cultivator tines on the side of you sap hauler. What are they for? I'm guessing to help hold buckets on trailer. How long does it take you to wash that many buckets? I have really enjoyed your updates you post, thanks for sharing with us. John

Leroy,
We don't do anything other than pull the spiles. We used to be able to buy pills that we placed in the hole before driveing the spile that would retard the healing process and prevent bacterial growth, but due to todays standards they are outlawed. The drilled holes heal over, but the scars do prevent sap flow around the imediate area around them for the rest of the tree's life. That is why we only have a few trees that we feel that are big enough for multipal buckets and able to survive being tapped year after year.
Loren

This Midwesterner from the baren plains of northwest Iowa has learned a lot about maple syrup this spring. Thank you for taking time to post pictures and dialog of your hard work. I didn't realize it was THAT big of a job.

The climate changes over time, so do weather patterns. In the 40's-70's in the central Adirondacks we had snowfall measured in 10's of feet Then in the mid 70's it died away to almost nothing. All the big State run ski areas, the ones that put the private ones out of business, had to put in snow making. Now it's swinging back the other way. You h ave good seasons and bad seasons. Look at it over 100 years or more to get handle on climate vs weather patterns.

How big are the holes and how long does it take to heal over and does the sap continue to flow untill completely healed?

Leroy,
The holes are 7/16" diamiter and about 1.75" deep. They skin over quickly after the spile is pulled.
Loren

Loren,

The price sheet you emailed me was not attached to the email. Please send me another as myself and at least one other would like to place an order.

Also left you a voice message.

[email protected]

Thanks

BJ

Loren,
sure like to taste some of your syrup. Can you email me a price list and directions for ordering?

[email protected]

Thanks

loren,are your gathering tanks old fuel oil tanks converted for gather?

would love to purchase some of your syrup. can you tell me how i can do that?

thanks

rob grimes
[email protected]
2808 malmo loop rd
leland nc 28451

Hi Loren,

I truly have enjoyed your posts and thanks for all the work you do.

I'd like to order some from you if you have any left.

[email protected]

Thanks, Larry

Some of our trees are starting to bud. We may get frost tonight and tomorrow night. Going to wait a few days and see if we get lucky and get another dribble of sap, but I think we are done here also. Glad to hear you had a better year than last year. We are 1,000 gallons of sap short of last year. The quality of the syrup was very good from start to finish. Mike boiled today and the syrup was still a medium amber. Quite uncommon this late.