Tree sap gathering and syrup making

[duluthralphie]

Friend of mine does syrup here in WI. He was getting sap prolly get another run. Prolly to late down south.
He tells me it needs to go below freezing at night the sap goes back down then warmer in the day starts flowing again.
He runs about 500 taps with laterals and main line and tanks pump.

He tells me the sugar content low this year.

My sugar content is low, the trees haven’t ran for two days, the nights have been too warm. It is suppose to hit 57 here tomorrow.

That could kill the run. Will have a little over a gallon if it’s over. Not good. We have only had two light days of run this year.

It will be the most expensive gallon of syrup in the universe.

I hope we get 15 degrees one of these nights soon!

Ugly tree tops tonight.

 

[aart]

Ugly tree tops tonight.

What are those things hanging?
Noticed the silver maple here have red dots(buds) showing.

 

[duluthralphie]

What are those things hanging?
Noticed the silver maple here have red dots(buds) showing.

That is a male plant. That’s the stamen.

https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/tree/boxelder

That is what has me worried the season might be over.

 

[mowin]

Boiled down about 300 gal today. Bottled 4.2 gal. Had to shut down as the head tank was getting low. Takes a few hrs to cool the evaporator, and it will eat 60+gal of sap doing so.
No sap in the past day or so. Dropping below freezing tonight, and every night this coming week. Hoping for 400+ gal every day.

 

[TOR]

Boiled down about 300 gal today. Bottled 4.2 gal. Had to shut down as the head tank was getting low. Takes a few hrs to cool the evaporator, and it will eat 60+gal of sap doing so.
No sap in the past day or so. Dropping below freezing tonight, and every night this coming week. Hoping for 400+ gal every day.

must be running alot of taps

 

[mowin]

must be running alot of taps

475.

 

[duluthralphie]

I have everything boiled down, looks like we had a decent run today.

I have 1.75 gallons. Not going to be a good year.

 

[mowin]

I have everything boiled down, looks like we had a decent run today.

I have 1.75 gallons. Not going to be a good year.

Its really amazing how one area in the country can be so different from one a few hundred miles away.

 

[TOR]

The weather patterns I suppose.
Talked to my friend he has 50 gallons made should get more sap coming week. KInda sounds like below average year. As years vary does not sound the best this year.

 

[duluthralphie]

The weather patterns I suppose.
Talked to my friend he has 50 gallons made should get more sap coming week. KInda sounds like below average year. As years vary does not sound the best this year.

A 10 degree night would be super.