Still alot of snow out there and the sap was running in the sun exposed areas, and we collected 900 gallons from 1000 taps which is not too bad.  Sugar content low,  2.6 percent.  The sap stopped running this afternoon for some reason even with the sunny skies and warmer temperatures.  I will most likely cook tomorrow morning as the first startup always includes false starts for example, leaky pipe fittings, rinsing of tanks, firewood set up, etc……..   It looks to be a good season though. I am confident.  Trees 50 miles north of Taylors Falls have not quite started which is normal.  Thanks to everyone of my customers for their patience with me being gone and sometimes having to serve themselves or wait patiently till I get back.  I love this community of maple syrupers!!!!

Don

We have waited long enough. There is still lots of snow and frost and we are still going to start tapping tomorrow.  I have talked to several customers and they have tapped and getting some sap.  It will take us 5 days to get all 2500 buckets in because of the deep snow but it will be getting better and better toward the weekend.  I am hoping for some freezing temperatures yet to come in the last week of March and first week of April.  Business is lively at Don’s Sugar Shack, I do have limited supply of 5/16″ drill bits, I know Roth is temporarily sold out.   I have 12 left.

Happy Tapping!!

Don

The warmer weather and rain has knocked down the snow significantly and I know including me, we are anxious to get out there and start tapping. Preliminary indicator tap holes from customers are that the trees are dry, still frozen. Recall the 30 plus inches of frost is still in the ground. There is no sap running yet. One customer put it this way. “It was like tapping an Oak tree.” There is still too much snow on the ground for our youth groups to get out to tap anyway so I will be waiting till next week. There are some 50’s in the forecast so I am thinking mid to end of next week I will begin to tap. By the end of this weekend our evaporator and RO will be set to go.

We will be buying sap this year for $ 0.13 per point. If your sap sugar concentration is 2 percent the buy price will be $0.26 per gallon…

Don