- [Mark] This is Mark Isselhardt,
maple specialist with the University of Vermont Extension,
and this is another Vermont Maple Minute.
The 2021 Vermont maple season has come to an end.
The official crop totals will not be released from the USDA
until sometime in June.
Reports from sugar makers around the state
describe a tough season for production.
Many producers reported seeing
lower than average sap sweetness this season,
which contributed to reduced syrup production.
There are many factors
which influence sugar concentration of maple sap.
Some factors are related to the growing conditions
in the previous year or earlier.
Dry conditions can cause trees to ramp down photosynthesis,
which reduces the total sugar produced in a given year.
While it is not entirely clear
how strong a factor drought is on sap sweetness,
it will have a negative impact.
Many but not all Vermont sugar bushes
saw dry conditions in 2020.
Another important factor is the weather during the season.
The first half of March was too cold for good sap flow
and the unseasonably warm temperatures at the end of March
and beginning of April
also impacted sap yield and sap quality.
This is Mark Isselhardt,
maple specialist with University of Vermont Extension,
and this has been another Vermont Maple Minute.