Well, it has begun: tapped some trees tonight

[HAHA I 1]

We went out after work and tapped 14 trees before it got too dark to tell a maple from an oak. We only wanted to do about 10-15 anyway because we are not sure if it is going to thaw enough tomorrow to run. Its supposed to be 40 tomorrow, so we are keeping our fingers crossed. If it runs, we will tap another 80 or so on Sunday to catch the warm up early next week. This is the earliest we have done it, but last year we elected to miss the early warm spell and paid dearly because we did not get enough sap.

[shane hickey]

I'm getting anxious now, unfortantly I have to wait for another month, good luck hopfully you'll get something this weekend.
shane

[HAHA I 1]

We need to. We ran out of syrup about 2 weeks ago.

[Bemis]

I'm all for January tapping in Indiana. I'm going all in when it warms up mid-state. Good luck.

[adk1]

Wow that is great, and early for us up here in the north but it will keep us going in anticipation!

[Gary R]

Hope the sap flows well! This ought to get us going. I still need to get the shack moved into place.

[HAHA I 1]

Went out and put another 6 in today just for the heck of it. We actually had sap running out of 3 of the trees between the time we drilled and the time we installed the tap. It will only run today because it will be too cold tomorrow, so we will boil it all tomorrow. Then it should run again Monday and Tuesday. We will go out and tap another 80 or so tomorrow to catch the early week run next week.

[HAHA I 1]

Well, I have a total of 29 out now. We gathered a total of 10 gallons of sap off 20 taps on Saturday. It was too cold yesterday, but it hit 38 today, will not go below 35 tonight, and will be up to almost 40 tomorrow. I am hoping to get quite a bit more sap to boil tomorrow. Pancakes on Wednesday!!

[ahowes]

I'm still scrambling to get my evap ready. I hung two on a big maple at the end of the driveway, but no sap yet. I'm quietly hoping it waits a while since I'm not ready. If we get a good run before I'm ready, I'll feel bad.

I've washed my barrels, buckets, and milk jugs, and have cut and sharpened my elderberry sticks. Now all I need is some more scrap metal to complete my evaporator.

I hope to be able to stop by next Wednesday morning on my way to Cincy if you are around. I'll call you first. Thanks for the offer.

[HAHA I 1]

We have 40 gallons in the evaporator right now. We should have about 20 more in the buckets in the morning since the sap will stop running this evening. There is a chance of 3-5" of the white crap Thursday, then we might get another sap run on Tuesday/Wednesday of next week.

[HAHA I 1]

Got a total of 65 gallons off the 29 taps out there. We are finishing up the evaporating right now. The kids and I will probably go out this weekend and tap another 60-75 trees, but we need to make a little trail through a small section of new trees that we just tapped so we can get the tractor through. It will connect 2 sections that we tap, so it will work out well.

[HAHA I 1]

Ended up with 1.5 gallons of really light amber syrup off the 29 taps. It will run again today and tomorrow, but will stop again. It might run again Friday, but we have not tapped any more trees. We plan to tap another 70 on Friday and Saturday to be ready for February.

[ahowes]

I tapped 12 trees last night after getting home from work. I had about 2 gallons sap when I ran it after my daughter's ball game. I got another gallon or so this morning in the dark before work and another 1.5 gallons after work today. That's not much but it's a start.

The evaporator won't be completed until Saturday, so I'm cooking down this little bit in the kitchen. Might get enough for my breakfast Saturday before the welding starts.

HaHa, are you going to be around tomorrow in the early afternoon? I'll be passing nearby...

[HAHA I 1]

Might be heading to Santa Claus area to meet a guy to drop off some parts. Call me when you get near and we will see whats up.

[ahowes]

Probably be late afternoon now, I'll call first and if you're not available or gone, no biggie.
I got another couple of gallons tonight. Tiny by most accounts, but I got enough so far to make about a pint on this run. That will feed my welder on Saturday. Run is done. Total was about 1 gallon per tap on the trees that ran. Several gave me nothing.

[ahowes]

Matt, I called you from the wrong side of the dead spot on old 64 the other day - and then didn't call you back after it was dropped because I figured you were getting ready for class. Hope you're swimming in sap this weekend, let us know...
Thanks.

[HAHA I 1]

When you said where you were I was actually surprised you had any signal at all! Just give me a yell sometime.

And, yes, we are swimming in sap - got 165gal today with probably another 180 tomorrow at lunch. Can't wait for the cool-down so we can catch up!! We spent most of the day bringing wood in to stay dry before this big rain/ice/snow we are expecting.

[Sugarmaker]

Need pictures of steam! And sap being collected and syrup being made!:)
Chris

[Ausable]

Hmmmmmm! Tapping trees - Going to daughters ball games etc. etc. -- Sounds like Indiana is almost a Tropical Paradise in late January -- makes me a little jealous. Spent part of the day chipping drain holes through ice ridges along the roof edge of the house - got all the way up to 25F with the Sun out. Still have 18" of snow on the Sugar Shack roof. Might build a little fire around the base of a maple and see if I get a little sap.... Not complaining really -- I don't live in Michigan"s Snow Belt and the Winter here is nothing - compared to the Folks living further North....I'm just awed that people tap in January and actually get sap -- Have a great year -- Mike