March ends without a single snowflake falling all month.   Normally we would get about 9” of snow during the month.  This is the first month without snow since weather records were kept.  While unusual, we wonder if it foreshadows what may happen in the  future with climate change.  The warm weather during the month was difficult for sugar makers.   This is an El Nino year so that would account for  some of the warmer weather.  But if all El Nino years become this warm maple syrup could become an even more challenging crop because of the unique weather pattern we need.

We got all the buckets and covers brought in from the woods.   They are all stored away now until next season.   We also worked on the remaining sap in the evaporator.  We got all the sap out of the flue pan.  We replaced it with water and cleaning solution then we started a fire to both heat the water and cleaning solution and boil down the remaining sap.  Tomorrow we hope to finish all off and bottle the remaining sap and get final production totals.    We also filled the collecting tank with water so we have water for cleanup.  

It was up to about 55 today.  Tonight it will only go down to the 40s.  Tomorrow is forecast to be even  warmer, in the 70s.  The normal for this time of year is 47.