Thanks to a mild winter, the Pennsylvania maple syrup season came early in 2024 and is now in its second week.
Since Pennsylvania’s Maple Ambassador Maddie Vandermark launched the season at a Bradford County farm on February 23, harvesting has been progressing smoothly.
To date, harvesters have been taking advantage of the fluctuating temperatures at the start of spring to maximize yields. The interaction between cold nights and warming days causes sap pressure within maples and presents a perfect opportunity for harvesting.
In early spring, day temperatures consistently rise above the freezing line, which promotes sap buildup.
Early Thaw to impact Pennsylvania Maple Syrup Productivity
All the same, the harvest has been rather early this season due to a relatively warm late winter.
As such, experienced harvesters say that the early thaw in the 2024 season might impact production negatively.
One such maple syrup aficionado is Dan Weed of Schoolyard Sugarbish Maple Farms. He told the WENY news network that higher heat levels during the harvest time attracts microbes and affects production.
He stated that the ideal temperature interplay suitable for tapping is 25ºF at night and 40ºF in daytime. This was not the case in late February, a time when temperatures in PA often reached 48ºF during the day.
Production Size
Early start or not, Pennsylvania could still retain its alternating 5th to 7th position among maple-producing American states.
Maple syrup production in the state averages 60,000 gallons (272,766 liters) annually, worth at least $1.9 million.
Outlets in PA sell their syrup by the pint, equal to 16 ounces or half a liter, at an average $12. A gallon in the U.S. sells at $86 or between $16.45 and $20 per liter.
How Does Tapping Happen?
For Pennsylvanians, tapping syrup from maple trees is a precise yet involving task. It starts by drilling a hole 7/16th inches wide and 1.5 inches deep into the tree’s bark.
Then the tapper puts a spout made of plastic, wood or metal into the tiny hole to draw out the sap. On average, a single tap per season yields a gallon (4.55 liters) of sap.
The harvesters usually direct the flowing liquid into collecting containers. They then boil the collected liquid to separate sugar from water.
This step of conversion through boiling evaporates the sap and leaves the sugary syrup. Each 4.55 liters of sap yields roughly 0.94 or 1.13 liters of syrup.
Sap has only 2.5% sugar in comparison with syrup which contains 66.5% of the total sugar content.
Other products of this labor-intensive production process include maple cream and maple candy.
Ultimately, PA harvesters will follow the above procedures in the next 6 weeks before the 2024 season ends in April.