Tapping Maple Trees in the Sugarbush: 500 buckets across 10 acres

Tapping is completed. 500 buckets across 10 acres, and another 15 acres on a tubing system. Over the coming weeks we’ll be collecting sap and doing our first real boil to make maple syrup! The weather has been too cold for the sap to flow but the forecast shows it should be warm enough this week into next (3/16 maybe?) We’re at over 2000’ elevation in the high peaks of the Adirondacks so tend to be a little later than most others in New York.
This year is more in line with historic sugaring season dates, before rapid climate change created our new normal, on average 3 degrees warmer than 100 years ago. The sugaring season has trended earlier in the year by several weeks on average.
Maple syrup production is especially sensitive to changes in climate, because the trees need below-freezing temperatures during the winter and a range of temperatures during late winter or early spring to produce sap.
“It’s less predictable than it used to be. I can remember, as a kid, we had perfect sugaring days. It would be in the high 20s at night and then sunshine and high 40s during the day and the sap would just run - and it did that for six weeks. Now, it’s all over the place,” he said.
“My father and I were talking about when he was younger and they always said that the sugar season doesn’t officially start until the rivers have gone out for the third time - but they haven’t really even frozen up that much this year … All that old folklore that we used to go by, for years, is now out the window. You have to play the weather and hope for the best outcome.”
- Ned Whitney
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The purpose of this work is to establish a low-maintenance food production system that engages the community in sustainable & ethical land management. It is intended to provide food / medicine / materials as well as provide interdisciplinary educational opportunities for people of all ages & backgrounds.
This work demonstrates more sustainable agricultural practices such as agroecology (agriculture that mimics natural ecological systems), permaculture (sustainable & self-sufficient design), regenerative agriculture (conservation approach that focuses on topsoil regeneration, biodiversity, improving water cycle, biosequestration, & mitigating climate change), agroforestry & silvopasture (integration of trees & shrubs with animals), organic agriculture (growing & processing food without the use of synthetic fertilizers & pesticides), and food sovereignty (the right to healthy & culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound & sustainable methods), among others.
This KZbin channel and these videos are for educational purposes and personal documentation of various projects.

[@load_nikon]

This is incredible. Would you consider adding a description of things we're seeing in the video subtitles? Primitive Technology is an example. You have a wonderful place and folks that care a great deal, respect.

[@AgroecologicalSystems]

Yea I could definitely do that, I like his style of videos a lot. It is an amazing place with a lot of things going on so I’m trying to document as best I can. I appreciate the feedback! Edit: Done!

[@Zippy1wood.]

Great job a lot of work thought about tubing ?

[@AgroecologicalSystems]

Thanks! There is tubing on about 16 acres, it's a better more modern system than the buckets but there's value in having both.