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Early Tapping Yields Sap!

by Don 2/21/2017 2:47:00 PM

2/12/2017: Earliest Sap Ever! This is a full week earlier than 2016 and in our 25 year history of Somerskogen Sugarbush!

2/17/2017: Earliest First Boil, resulting in 15 gallons of Grade A Rich Amber maple syrup. The sugar content of the sap has averaged 2.45%, translating into approximately 35 gallons of sap for one gallon of maple syrup.

The record breaking temperatures have remained above freezing for several days, with highs in the upper 50's to low 60. The sap flows have been reduced accordingly and we eagerly wait for a hard freeze. We are hopeful that the predicted cold front with snow to our south will stimulate sap flow.

 

  • This
    Afternoon

    This Afternoon: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. South southwest wind around 10 mph.

    Mostly Sunny

    High: 60 °F

  • Tonight

    Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. South southwest wind around 5 mph.

    Partly Cloudy

    Low: 40 °F

  • Wednesday

    Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 58. South southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west in the afternoon.

    Partly Sunny

    High: 58 °F

  • Wednesday
    Night

    Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. West northwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming north after midnight.

    Mostly Cloudy

    Low: 33 °F

  • Thursday

    Thursday: A 30 percent chance of rain after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph.

    Mostly Cloudy
    then Chance
    Rain

    High: 41 °F

  • Thursday
    Night

    Thursday Night: Rain before 8pm, then rain and snow between 8pm and 11pm, then snow after 11pm. Patchy blowing snow after 9pm. Low around 27. Northeast wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

    Rain/Snow and
    Patchy
    Blowing Snow

    Low: 27 °F

  • Friday

    Friday: Snow. Patchy blowing snow. High near 31. Blustery, with a north northeast wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

    Snow and
    Patchy
    Blowing Snow

    High: 31 °F

  • Friday
    Night

    Friday Night: A 50 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. Blustery, with a north wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

    Chance Snow
    and Blustery

    Low: 17 °F

  • Saturday

    Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 28. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.

    Mostly Sunny

    High: 28 °F

 

   

 

Earliest Season for Sap Flow

by Mary 2/15/2017 3:30:00 PM

With the unusually warm weather, more common for late March or April, the maple sap has started to flow again. Presently, we have 1000 gallons of sap, ready to process through the Reverse-Osmosis machine to increase the sugar content in the sap, prior to boiling. We'll most likely boil tomorrow and perhaps, have our first taste of syrup from the collected sap. The weather forecast for the next week looks favorable for sap flow every day.

 

 
  • 4 PMMostly Cloudy35°
  • 5 PMPartly Cloudy35°
  • 6 PMPartly Cloudy33°
  • 7 PMPartly Cloudy32°
  • 8 PMFair31°
  • 9 PMClear30°
  • 10 PMFair30°
  • 11 PMFair30°
  • 12 AMPartly Cloudy29°
  • 1 AMPartly Cloudy29°
  • 2 AMPartly Cloudy29°
  • 3 AMMostly Cloudy28°
  • 4 AMMostly Cloudy28°
  • 5 AMCloudy28°
  • 6 AMCloudy28°
  • 7 AMCloudy28°
  • 8 AMMostly Cloudy29°
  • 9 AMMostly Cloudy31°
  • 10 AMMostly Cloudy34°
  • 11 AMMostly Cloudy37°
  • 12 PMMostly Cloudy39°
  • 1 PMMostly Cloudy42°
  • 2 PMMostly Cloudy43°
  • 3 PMMostly Cloudy44°
  • 4 PMMostly Cloudy44°
Wednesday
Partly CloudyPrecipitation: 0%0%35°20°
Thursday
Mostly CloudyPrecipitation: 0%0%43°28°
Friday
FairPrecipitation: 0%0%54°34°
Saturday
Partly CloudyPrecipitation: 0%0%54°36°
Sunday
Mostly CloudyPrecipitation: 0%0%58°35°
Monday
Scattered ThunderstormsPrecipitation: 45%45%60°47°
Tuesday
Partly CloudyPrecipitation: 20%20%49°41°
Wednesday
Partly CloudyPrecipitation: 20%20%47°37°
Thursday
Mixed Rain and SnowPrecipitation: 40%40%45°37°
Friday
Mixed Rain and SnowPrecipitation: 40%40%38°32°
Saturday
Mostly CloudyPrecipitation: 20%20%37°28°

Taps are in! Warm weather arriving!

by Mary 2/9/2017 7:53:00 AM

Our 1000 taps in the sugarbush are now in and as soon as the warm weather arrives, the sap will begin to flow. A few projects remain, such as installing the new vacuum pump, cleaning the stainless steel bulk tanks and reassembling the evaporator. Like last year, spring is arriving earlier and no one knows how long or short the season will last.

The latest forecast calls for unusually warm temperatures, more typical of late March. Though the windchill was -14 yesterday, tomorrow's forecast is for a high of 51! The following graph, from meteorologist Paul Douglas at the Star Tribune, demonstrates spring is arriving early.