Mild Winter Sparks Early Start to Maple Syrup Season

BRULE, WI. — The month of February just got a whole lot sappier; not because of love notes or red roses, but freshly made maple syrup. The unseasonable weather has some sugar makers tapping trees earlier than ever.

While the season doesn’t usually ramp up until March, 40 degrees and little to no snow in early February has the trees ready to rock and flow at Brule River Farm. “If the weather is just perfect the trees will respond,” stated Co-Owner David Dumke.

It’s a much different story than years past. “Last year I was in snow shoes and carrying 5-gallon buckets and that was hard. This year is much easier, you just walk to the trees and they give you the sap,” Dumke said.

Currently, there are 400 trees tapped on the Brule River property. The flow has been good, according to Dumke. “The weather is a big component of it, but it’s also the tree itself. Whether it’s a large tree and has a nice crown to it or if it’s in the open with sun on it, it all makes a big difference.”

The tree tapping, sap gathering and syrup making process is done solely by David his wife Sue Ann. After 35 years, they have it down to a science. “This fits us just right with one person in the woods and then my wife finishes at the farm with the gas stove getting it just perfect.”

While the Dumke’s are off to a very early start to the maple syrup season, the decision to capture sap prematurely can be sticky.

“We’re not sure if this will be the only run of the year. You just don’t know. It might get warm and then it’s over, but we wanted to catch the first run and we’ll get some off of that. Hopefully, it’ll get cold again, everything starts over then it warms up and it starts running again and then we can start the whole process.”

Brule River Farm will sell its maple syrup this spring when the Superior Farmers Market kicks off in May.