Ma Nature Plays A Trick

Yesterday Spring 2011 began in the late afternoon. A nice day here in North Central Upstate New York, much of the winter snow had melted, except for piles of white in those property shady spots. Did some necessary outside work in preparation for summer, raked the lawn where winter had deposited some natural debris, and removed the protective burlap from some of our favorite trees… trees that our hungry deer residents find great candidates for browsing.

So good old Ma Nature must be smiling today. On the first full day of Spring 2011, she sent a steady heavy wet snow falling at perhaps 1+ inch per hour this morning. “Sugar Snow” … the old-timers here in New York sometime call it. Perhaps little known by many, New York State typically ranks second behind Vermont in annual Maple Syrup production. Production in 2010 totaled 312,000 gallons, down 29 percent from 2009. Reduced production was due in no small part to an abnormally dry early 2010 Spring. Sugar snow, coupled with cold nights and above freezing days really causes that maple sap to flow. And I suppose those many Northern New York State maple syrup producers are also smiling today… right along with that tricky old Ma Nature.