Final Day for Ice-Out Is Tomorrow

Just a quick reminder that you only have tomorrow to get your Joe's Pond Ice-Out tickets in - either to one of the many outlets, or in the mail - before the deadline of midnight, April 1st. 

Here's an interesting story - not because I'm very close to some of those participants, but because it reminds me of some of the business practices of the past in utilizing Ice-Out tickets as gifts for their clients and staff. Oldest son, Bill, and granddaughter Tangeni, cooked up the idea for her school to get involved in the Ice-Out Contest. The Caledonian Record picked up the story, and here it is: School Gets Ice Out Tickets. 

We are getting more fresh snow tonight. It started to snow lightly around 3 p.m. and has continued, light but steady. I'm showing a temperature of 32.2F now, at 7:15 p.m., and the forecast is for a mix of snow and rain later on. This is fairly typical of March weather, but it is also the sort of messy mix that can drive folks a little crazy, especially when it's mixed with gooey mud and washboard roads. It has been a really strange and unpredictable winter. I'm not sure that either humans or animals are equipped to handle these sharp and frequent swings of temperature and weather events. It's been hard on many people, and even though here in the east we haven't experienced the enormous amounts of rain and snow, fires and floods that other states have, it's still unnerving for lots of us. It makes for cabin fever on steroids. 

The best part of all this is that the maple season has been very good. I found in the Vermont Maple Bulletin that most areas are reporting a better-than-average season so far, and sweetness of sap is above average. In Addison County, one sugar maker reported production had reached 130% of the anticipated crop and this was considered "one of the top two years" for their business. It didn't mention how long that producer had been in business. Others were reporting anywhere from 50-90% total production as of yesterday. Most in the northern counties will continue operations well into April if the weather stays favorable, i.e., cold nights and warm days. Once the trees begin to bud, it's over. Someone reported that snow is still 16-20 inches deep in the higher elevations. A producer in Franklin County reported that a soft maple in their front yard was budding and "the geese are flying north." That is probably a bad omen for sugar makers there.  In Caledonia County, one producer said his higher elevation trees haven't produced much yet, but those trees at lower levels were about average in production. Caledonia County producers may not have as much product as some years, but most are saying the quality is excellent. Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans County producers have reached only 13-25% of anticipated production to date. Their season will last longer and hopefully they will also have an exceptional season, as well. One producer complained that hard freezes have been bothersome and tank valves have to be thawed more often this year than ever before. Another producer commented, "It's hard to suck sap down frozen lines." 

For the sake of maple producers, we should hope the weather doesn't turn warm and stay warm any time soon. If you are interested, there's more detailed information in the Vermont Maple Bulletin.

Get your Ice-Out tickets in - enjoy some fresh Vermont Maple Syrup - and have a great weekend!