Maple syrup could be in short supply in Indiana and other parts of the Midwest this year unless dramatically reduced sap flows pick up.
Many producers, like Larry Yoder of Goshen and Tom Cook of Niles, speculate the near record cold February and extended winter has something to do with it
It was the latest start to the season many tree tappers can ever recall, but now that the temperatures have become more ideal for sap to run, the trees are still not producing like they should.
"Maple Syrup makers are just scratching their heads," said Yoder, whose family has tapped maple trees for more than a century. He estimated the amount of sap his 225 trees have given is down 80 percent, the lowest he could ever recall.
He's in his 70s and has tapped trees since he was child.
"The sap is there but not in the quantity and volume that producers are used to," said Yoder.
The sap was also two to three weeks late in flowing, with taps usually in the trees by no later than mid to late February. Yoder said it wasn't until the first weekend in March when all of his trees were tapped. Cook didn't start tapping his 400 trees until a week later.
Cook said he's collected about 1,200 gallons of sap, or about half as much as he normally has at this point in the season.
"It really has not kicked into gear yet,'' said Cook, who has sold the maple syrup he makes commercially since the late 90s.
The biter and extended cold is blamed for the late start to the sap run because of the warmth needed for maple trees to thaw out and start producing.
Leslie Witkowski, interpretive services manager for the St. Joseph County Parks, said sap production is also down significantly at Bendix Woods County Park near New Carlisle, where the annual Sugar Camp Days was held recently.
Normally, enough maple syrup is derived from the sap in the trees at Bendix Woods to sell and use during the weekend festival. Other sources of maple syrup had to be brought in to make all of the food such as maple candy, maple cotton candy and maple hot dogs.
"It's not been the most cooperative season to start off with," said Witkowski, who noted the sap that is being produced is high quality with normal sugar content.
Fluctuations in temperature above freezing during the day and below freezing at night causes maple trees to expand and contract, generating the pressure inside the tree necessary to force the sap out into the taps.
However, the roots are warming up from frost leaving the ground, and temperatures have begun fluctuating below and above freezing, but sap flows are still nowhere near where they should be, not even in the trees with lines hooked to vacuums to draw out more the sap, Yoder said.
"That just isn't happening this year," said Yoder.
Another concern is the window for sap production is narrowing because once temperatures stay above freezing the trees no longer expand and contract, shutting off the flows.
And, in some areas. temperatures have remained above freezing on some days, contributing to the problem.
It takes about 40 gallons of sap boiled down to make one gallon of maple syrup. Yoder said he usually gets 50 to 80 gallons of maple syrup during the season, but right now he's on a pace to come away with much less.