Last week, we officially wrapped up the 2026 maple season—and overall, it was definitely a success.

With two of the strongest sap runs we’ve ever seen, we were on pace for a record crop early on. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans. A week of 60–75° weather hit us hard, and despite strong vacuum levels, the trees just never fully recovered afterward. We did some re-tapping, which added another 13% to our total sap volume. It wasn’t a home run, but it was still a worthwhile effort.

One bright spot this season was sap quality. Our sap averaged 1.30% sugar content—our highest on record and 12% above our long-term average, while also being crystal clear most of the year.

Managing only one-third of our usual tap count, while boiling for roughly half (we still purchased sap from Robinson Road and one other producer), was a welcome change. Instead of being stretched too thin, we were able to really focus on our home woods. Vacuum levels were the best they’ve ever been, and our mainlines have never been tighter since our inaugural season in 2016.

Of course, it wasn’t without a few stressful moments. We had an issue with a wheel on our sap truck nearly falling off due to under-torqued lug nuts, then having the spare tire come off its beed due to a leaky valve stem.  That’s exactly why we keep a backup truck and trailer ready to go. Thankfully, the extra time this season also helped us stay caught up in the sugarhouse. For once, we never had to choose between keeping orders and inventory moving or heading out to fix leaks in the woods.

April is always a great month around here. It gives us a chance to catch up on all the little projects and notes we made during the busy season, while also enjoying the return of better weather while we untap. We’re already looking ahead to next year, and we’ve got plenty of exciting projects lined up for the summer.

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