Vermont maple sugar makers spend countless hours turning tree sap into sweet maple syrup. Despite all their labor, Mother Nature has the final say when it comes to determining if it will be a record season. Throughout the business it is agreed upon that it is important for conditions to be perfect during the late winter and early spring.  During cold nights the freezing process causes negative pressure in the tree resulting in water uptake from the soil.  The thawing process happens during warm days and causes positive pressure creating sap flow out of the tree.  Sugarers monitor the weather to make sure they collect as much sap as possible. With the recent warm and dry conditions, sugaring season has slowly come to an end in most locations.