Tapping out this weekend

[northwoods_forestry]

Yep, looks like it might be time. Anyone else?

[shane hickey]

starting to tap monday the 14th

shane

[MapleChaser]

Yep, looks like it might be time. Anyone else?

We are going to start this weekend to. Going to be on snow shoes for sure. That beverage will taste good at the end of the day.

[PARKER MAPLE]

Yep, looks like it might be time. Anyone else?

Hey northwoods loks like we are on the same schedual as last year you and me. I think we tapped at simular dates last year tp. Im taping on sunday here. Tamps are looking great mid week next week man cant wait. I have a couple of last minute items to take care of but other then that im drilling holes. Just got to remember to bring home the drills from work. Good luck this year and keep me posted. Might stop by some day to check you out im in your area from time to time going to work sometimes.

Maple Rookie

[red maples]

Yep final preparations Saturday then start tappin' on sunday.

[Randy Brutkoski]

I started tapping this week. Very slow going, even on snowshoes. I have 750 in so far. Turned on the liquid ring today to make sure it wasnt seized or rusted in there. Marvel Mystery oil did what it was supposed to. She was rotating inside, so no headaches there. The less problems the better.

[morningstarfarm]

started weds...hoping to have most if not all of it done by sat morning..

[BradWilson]

Was hoping to start today but I'm short the tubing for the dry line. Shouldn't matter for a few days (stay on grav) but seems like there is always something holding me back. Can't seem to get everything squared away with the vac. UUUUUGHGGGHHHHHHH. I'm making a temp/mobile vac shack and still trying to get it all plumbed. I'll post pics later, it's kinda neat. Thanks for letting me vent.

[Asian Long Horned Beetle]

I think it's a little early still for gravity and buckets. We have a lot of snow pack and those taps will dry up in late March if you tap now. Vacuum taps will be alright going in now. With all the snow pack out there, I think the season is going to go into April and it is going to take more than a couple of forty degree days to get the sap running well. I would be hesitant to put my buckets and gravity pipeline up now.

[northwoods_forestry]

All my taps are either gravity tubing or buckets and I pretty much tap out around the 15th of February every year. Sure, this will be only my 6th season sugaring in So Vt, but I have yet to see my taps dry up before the end of the season.

A note on the snow depth: My records show that almost as much snow fell at my place just in February last year (44 1/2") than we've had all this year (50 1/4")!

[PARKER MAPLE]

I to looked into my notes lastnight. and found that I actually have about the same amount as last season. I tapped 175 yesterday or so, Im going to try and get the rest of the gravity lines done today. will wait a couple of weeks for the buckets. probably closer to march 1st. Im a beliver with buckets the season should be in the prime, and with gravity tubing you can tell when they start to run the best, at that point I will hang the buckets.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

im going to wait another week since im on gravity, been out today in woods doing new drops and end y fittings. Very slow,probably 2' in my woods, snow shoes make it a little easier.

[PARKER MAPLE]

I had plans this am to finish up tapping but instead i worked in the sugarhouse. boiling and cleaning boiling and cleaning(water), and lots of scrubing. its getting there should be ready to boil sap by thursday if all goes as planned.

[farmall h]

Heard it may drift up to the 40 degree mark next week? Usually tapped by March 3. Anybody see an extended forcast?

[Randy Brutkoski]

1300 taps done and alot to go.

[northwoods_forestry]

1300 taps done and alot to go.

Whew, I'm worn out just thinking about it.

0 taps done and 600ish to go. I'll start tapping in the south sugarbush this afternoon right after I boil some water in the evaporator.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Heard it may drift up to the 40 degree mark next week? Usually tapped by March 3. Anybody see an extended forcast?

yea its gonna get to mid-forty but like a low of 33 or so. Iwouldnt think it would gravity run on that. Then getting cold again go to weather.com type in your zip code hit 10 day forcast

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

1300 taps done and alot to go.

If I had more time Randy I would come help you but still getn stuff together. Just got my syrup pan back from welder and hooked it up, another night or two out in sugar garage and then back to woods

[Randy Brutkoski]

Did 200 more after work today which brings me up to 1500. It was running hard out of my 1 1/4 mainline today, but i let it go on the ground to let the lines flush out. If i had my releaser set up there today i would have easily gotten 2000 gallons today. But i am far from ready.

[farmall h]

Randy I find that if I take advantage of an early tap my tanks freeze up solid as a rock....it's always colder in the sugarhse than outside! So I wait patiently. and let my blood pressure rise. At the rate your going you should be right on target. 2 solid days of tapping and I can have mine done. But 6000? Yikes!

[PARKER MAPLE]

Waiting, for a good run. Anybody think its going to happen anytime soon? I had a little one last week but not enough to really do anything with. would like to be sweetening the pans buy now, thats the hole reason i tap early every year. so my pans are sweet and ready to go come game time.

MAple Rookie

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

im tapping out sat. Sunday looks to be fairly warm might get a little run

[ascutneymaple]

probably going to get out and tap over the weekend. temps still don't look too promising but its going to be march already...sugaring has gotta start sometime...

[BradWilson]

Had 262 taps in by Friday the 18th. Got two short runs, some vac. Probably got 50 gallons of sap but lost about 10. Now its colder than a well diggers a$$ and everything is froze solid. Hopefully nothing breaks and I can get the vac figured out. Gonna have 300 on vac and about another 100 on gravity and buckets. Did a test boil with water on the 19th and need to level the arch better. I'm glad we're not having to actually hit it hard yet.

[Randy Brutkoski]

519 tapped in today which brings me to 3300. Still aways to go. Kind of glad it is still cold. If the sap was running right now I would be at defcon 3 and my wife would hate me because i would be running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Looks like my test boil is going to be with sap.

[northwoods_forestry]

421 tubing taps in and still holding off on buckets. I'll probably start in on those Saturday. We did get enough sap to boil last friday, about 160 gallons or so. Sweetened up the pans good, but now it's all solid ice in the pans. I thought about draining the flue pan, but didn't, and now I'm worried that the ice may have blown a hole in the flue pan drain valve though I won't know for sure till I fire up again and get everything melted.

Sap trickled in yesterday and added another layer to the ice in the tanks. Probably get a bit more today, but it will need to warm up enough to melt the ice around the drain valves if I'm to gather anything.

[jtbucket]

I guess it is go time! not in a big rush thought. Might get a little Monday but nothing to get excited about. Just started to snow!!!! GREAT!!!:(:(:(

[802maple]

That new snow will be good for you JT. Did you and the Orwell sap hauler get your vacuum pump going good?

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

I guess it is go time! not in a big rush thought. Might get a little Monday but nothing to get excited about. Just started to snow!!!! GREAT!!!:(:(:(

got to get excited its sugaring time, I'm priming my liver and kidneys right now for the big flow of beverages to come shortly

[jtbucket]

Tonight the night to work on it . My new sucker will be in monday tuesday to put in my other bush. Powering up the shed this weekend . I have next week off,sounds like sugaring and relaxation.:lol:

[802maple]

Then the long trip to Buxtons from Mikes to get beer.

[steve J]

I tapped my 150 on line yesterdaay will do the 50 buckets tomorrow. Even thou it was warm yesterday the trees were not unthawing fast enough to start a run. Lot of snow up in them there hills and more coming today.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Then the long trip to Buxtons from Mikes to get beer.

love there sandwhiches

[PARKER MAPLE]

Uggg 12 or so more inches of snow. what a pain in the @$$. had to break out the trail again to the tanks in the woods, heavy wet snow is packing good and makes a good trail if you can get threw it. with tomorrows temps the packed trail should set up good for the season. made it down to my tanks to find there about half full and froze solid. hopefully they thaw out in the next few days.

[farmall h]

May just drill afew holes Saturday. Then again maybe I will put up more taps! Maybe both? Ah why not. Looks like we won't get warm weather this weekend.:)

[PARKER MAPLE]

Man I hope so, I hate all this snow. When I first started sugaring it was because I was something to do in the winter season helped me get through it. But this year enough is enough, we got apprx 14in yesterday and lastnight hopefully its done for awhile. I keep thinking about lastyear when we got almost 36in on valentines day ouch that hurt.

[northwoods_forestry]

You're right, Rookie, that big storm last February certainly helps puts that little dump yesterday into perspective, though I still bitched when switching the tractor out from gathering to plowing.

Hanging buckets today, maybe things will open up starting Monday?

[northwoods_forestry]

Tapping out this weekend? Lol, this thread still has legs!

Actually gathered some sap and did a quick boiled today. Well, quick only after I thawed everything out. Only the second boil this season, the first was 11 days ago. Definately may have jumped in a bit early this year!

[steve J]

Can anyone give me an idea what to expect this weekend. It appears we will have temps in the 40s both Sat and Sunday with snow changeing over to an abundance of rain. I am on gravity should I expect a good run with the weather conditions that are predicted?

[PARKER MAPLE]

Im with northwoods here, I might of jumped the gun a bit to early. But im tapped and everything is new, so not to worried about bacteriea drying up holes. As fare as this weekend goes I think we are going to see a change in the weathe and actually start the season off around here. Keeping my fingers crossed we will see. Im very impressed northwoods has already got two boils in and I hvant even gathered anything yet. Oh well im sure to catch up sooner or later. Sap usually runs pretty good for me on gravity when its raining, I think it has something to do with the atomospheric pressure. I have to find another spot for my buckets this year.The place i had lined up fell threw hes going to tap it himself this year and try his hand at making some syrup. He said i hope I didnt mess you up, and I wished him the best and left it at that. whos nows maybe next year he will let me. So anyways i have 180 buckets looking for available trees. If anybody now of any let me no.

Maple rookie

[802maple]

It doesn't look like sugaring for atleast 2 more weeks, then it will be go time, right on schedule.

[PARKER MAPLE]

i just checked the 15day forcast for my area on accuweather.com, its showing only 3days in the mid 30s all the rest above 40 and 20s at night.

Northwoods what do you think, is it go time now??? Im keeping my fingers crossed. I just finished up a huge project at work and seams as if the next 3 weeks are going to have lite work loads. Plenty of gathering and boiling time for me If I keep my fingers crossed.:D

M.r

[northwoods_forestry]

Well, I thought it was time to go 2 weeks ago...

Sure seems like we should get something this weekend and this week. Not perfect, mind you, it will be darn sloppy, a bit to warm at night this weekend and then too cold at the beginning of the week, but when is it ever perfect?

I wouldn't be too envious of my boiling. It just means I've had a frozen slab in the pans for almost 2 weeks now, though I as far as I can tell I haven't busted a seam yet!

Very disappointing to hear about the buckets, nice of that guy to let you know before hand wasn't it? There's gotta be bunches of other big untapped roadside maples in Andover just waiting for your buckets!

[maplekids]

Tapping today

[sugarhouse veiw farm]

well what is the wether for today? snowing here now planning to tap 300 today on grav maybe start the vac to see what happens. eavs are already dripping.