Tapping in western NY

[concord maple]

Looks like the temperatures are going above freezing starting early next week with several days in 40's around next weekend and lows below freezing. The following week shows days above freezing as well. Usually don't tap to last weekend of February but is anyone starting next week?

[backyardsugarer]

I am tapping this Saturday and Sunday. I am on check valves so I can not see the downside to getting an early run. According to the research I should still be able to make syrup through the beginning of April.

Chris

[Southtowns27]

I'm only a stones throw from you and I have 407 taps out right now. Even being as cold as it is, the sun warmed up the trees and a few of them ran a little bit. Last year I tapped January 26th. Time to pull the trigger!

[Alll Tapped Out]

Tapped a couple trees around noon today just to see what was happening -
wow, did I ever get a pleasant surprise - they started running before I got the drill out of the tree... tapped a few more trees this evening, will do more tomorrow and hope to finish up this weekend. Only do about 4 dozen trees with about 100+ taps. But they tend to be real sap pushers when mother nature gives them the go ahead.




Looks like the temperatures are going above freezing starting early next week with several days in 40's around next weekend and lows below freezing. The following week shows days above freezing as well. Usually don't tap to last weekend of February but is anyone starting next week?

[len]

Tapped today- 4 acer saccharum, 5 taps tubing/ buckets.

[boneheadben]

two weeks later today we finished tapping 7500, monday we made 100 gallons. today pulled in 600 gallons from sunshine. now its leak patrol.

[adk1]

two weeks later today we finished tapping 7500, monday we made 100 gallons. today pulled in 600 gallons from sunshine. now its leak patrol.

wow, things are happening in your area!

[danno]

today pulled in 600 gallons from sunshine. now its leak patrol.

Amazing what the high sun will do. Temps here were supposed to be high 30's, but never got above 33. I was pleasantly surprised with the run today with the cold temps. Less than qt per tap, but it ran.

[len]

Tapped today- 4 acer saccharum, 5 taps tubing/ buckets.

First boil last night- ~4- 4.5 gal sap, and yielded about 12 fl oz light amber.

[backyardsugarer]

I have had some big runs with the vac going. I've made a little over 80 gallons so far. Looks good for the end of the week too. Water guys RO is making life good. I love turning it on amd going back in 2 hours to 8% sap. Good luck to everyone in the area.

Chris

[len]

Ran fri, and sat- collected at 7PM Sat (3/5/11), boiled 8PM- 11:30 (light rain), finished 2:30AM. ~7 gal sap, ~24 fl oz light amber (touch darker than first batch).

[len]

3/9- collected ~8 gal sap, boiled 3.5 hr in a light rain (again), yielded ~30 fl oz light/ med amber.

[len]

3/11/11: Collected ~13+ gal sap from 48hr span from 3/9 collection (40's during both days, no freeze at night), boiled 7PM- 1AM (6hr), finished inside ~4:30AM. Yielded 32 fl oz of over density medium amber Maple Syrup.

Possible drop tube pan in the future (and more trees for that extra capacity= same amount of time:lol: ) , and preheater...

4 trees, 5 taps- 2.6 gal/ tap, 1.3 gal/ day, most of the sap from ~22" dia tree in wet area @ 10gal- 2 taps, 2 @ 5 gal pails, 1 full, the other overflowing 2.5gal/ tap/ day from that one tree, remainder from the others, with less from an under story tree.

Definitely showing crown/ size, and location variables affecting sap flow. It would be interesting to see how the sap tests from each tree, but lacking a sap hydrometer...

YTD Gravity 5/16" taps/ tubing/ 5 gal pails- 1 pail/ tap):
~32 gal sap/5 taps = 6.4gal/ tap,
~98fl oz/5 taps = 19.6fl oz/ tap Maple syrup
[19.6/32(100)= 61.25% of 1 qt/ tap/season ball park average]

[len]

I realized that I made an error in deriving % sugar content of sap from maple syrup yield divided by sap. A more in depth calculation could be used though....

[len]

Boiled 21 gal sap, and made a little under 2 qts of medium amber. Some set backs, couldn't boil yesterday, had to redo "archboard", dry, and cure the refractory cement, so 7 gal wasn't boiled yesterday, added another 14 gal today, and had to replenish firewood (scrap wood, pallet, 2x 4's, furniture...). 11 hrs stoking the fire, topping up sap, skimming foam, stoke the fire, top up sap, skim the foam, adjust the AOF compressor/ regulator issues, cut/ split wood, stoke the fire, top up sap, skim the foam.......

[wnybassman]

I don't know how much I boiled down yesterday. Started the fire in the dark just before light and went all day and killed the fire about 6:00. Finished what I boiled in the house and bottled another 1.5 gallons. Still 45 gallons of sap I didn't get to and probably another 10 on trees overnight.

Getting pooped, but glad I got time to do this. All depends on my work schedule, and this year it has been very light.

[len]

Boiled down ~6.5 gal sap to yield ~18fl oz medium amber. One more boil left? I've never made dark amber, or darker (3rd season), so I'd like to go as far as possible this year, but then again, it's been pretty time consuming, and there is too much too do!

[TroutBrookSH]

Boiled down ~6.5 gal sap to yield ~18fl oz medium amber. One more boil left? I've never made dark amber, or darker (3rd season), so I'd like to go as far as possible this year, but then again, it's been pretty time consuming, and there is too much too do!

Keep it going, Len. Tonight's freeze should yield more medium.

[len]

Another boil last night (3/21/11), ~11gal sap, and yielded ~22fl oz of med/ dark? ~38fl oz Maple syrup/ tap so far.

[len]

Micro hobbiest maple chronicles continued- 8th boil last night (3/25), 5 gal slightly milky colored sap with some ice that yielded approx 12 fl oz of a darker syrup (dark amber?) with a reddish coloration, similar to what others are getting now? Not sure if the sap is running clear, or cloudy, or if it became cloudy from sitting in the pails?

We'll see how the weather works out, and what will be yielded next week?

[len]

9th boil: 8 gal sap 3/30 yielded 18fl oz
10th boil: 8 gal sap 3/31, yielded 20 fl oz
11th boil: 9 gal sap 4/1, yielded 22 fl oz

ytd: 109 gal sap/5 taps= ~21.8gal sap/ tap
264 fl oz Maple syrup/5 taps= ~52.8fl oz/ tap

[len]

4/2- 7 gal sap, yielded ~18 fl oz Maple syrup
4/3 pulled taps, collected, and boiled 3 gal that gave off an odor- fish, laundry, buddy?, and might have yielded 8 fl oz, but I was too naseated to get to filtration (through piece of pre filter), so it was poured outside on the lawn. Nasty ending to a good experience, but good for orientation.

I wanted to max the season, go the distance, get max yield. I think I went into student, research mode, because it's OK, as data is collected.

Seasonal totals (not counting 4/3):

116 gal sap/5 taps= ~23.2 gal/ tap
282 fl oz (2.2 gal) Maple syrup/5= ~56.4 fl oz (.44 gal)/ tap

[wnybassman]

Ran halfway decent in Wyoming County last night and today. Gathered 50 gallons from 28 taps, adding to the 20 gallons I got yesterday. Looks like a good day of boiling tomorrow!

[sugar ED]

Ran halfway decent in Wyoming County last night and today. Gathered 50 gallons from 28 taps, adding to the 20 gallons I got yesterday. Looks like a good day of boiling tomorrow!
Hi wnybassman ,
Just seen your tap count was the same as mine 28 as of 12 noon yesterday, started tapping wen.at 9 am, ran all night too,this morning at 10 ,55 gals sap. Now up to 105 taps and just checked the holding tanks with flash light, looks to be at about 140 gals ( more than most years ,but I've tapped 1' to 2' above the ground this yr., never before could I even find that part of the tree trunk at this time of the year! Had to stand on my tippy toes to find the old holes . Going to try to put in another 145 taps sat. and sun, but I may need to start boiling sat after noon if my trees/weather continue to be so nice! .Good luck sapping ! Ed

[concord maple]

Went ahead and tapped yesterday which is about a week and a half earlier than usual. Buckets had good quantity in them last nite which I will collect later today. Most guys have tapped or are tapping this weekend in this area. Everyone is early. No run again until at least Tuesday.

[wnybassman]

Lovely wind we have out there today. Even though we got close to 40 at one point today, trees are just barely dripping. I had plans of boiling the 22 gallons I have sitting and the 6 or 7 gallons I collected today in the form of frozen discs, but the 90 mph winds detoured me from doing that. That direction the wind blows right into my stack, and I am not protected on that side giving a pretty good cooling effect on the surface of the boil. I need a roof and walls, but I have been saying that for 10+ years. lol The good thing is there is lots of ice in my sap to keep things cool, but I still don't like it sitting.

[wnybassman]

I've had 28 taps in for 8 days now and as of this time yesterday I have boiled down 130-140 gallons. Collected another 45 gallons in the last 24 hours, and the trees are still spitting some out. I hope to fire up first thing in the morning if the weather isn't too bad. Winter Weather Advisory in affect for the next couple days, and without a roof over my head any kind of heavy rain/sleet/snow is kinda counterproductive. lol

[bowtie]

i collected about 120 gallons today from 160 taps and around 60 yesterday. i am boiling right now and probably will again tomorrow afternoon and if i do not have much to collect tomorrow will be goose hunting and cleaning evap over weekend. looks good for a big run monday!! hopefully.

[wnybassman]

My biggest run so far this season between last night and today. Collected 60 gallons from 33 buckets and many were still dripping strong. A few of my best trees had overflowing buckets this morning and only had time to collect those before work. Had a few more overflowers when I got home early afternoon. Can't boil today, but will get through as much as I can tomorrow, I have a tick over a 100 gallons sitting. I've never been this backed up before. Hope the big winds hold off until late!

[danno]

Our temps yesterday ran about 33 all day and we had no sap when I left the sugarhouse last night at midnight. Turned off the vac and went to bed. This morning is was 35 and running strong on gravity. Surprise, surprise - just a couple of degrees. Wish I had left the vac on:)

[Brian Ryther]

Dano, Never turn the vac off!!!

[wnybassman]

Sap flow slowing to a trickle, we need this cold air to get here quick. Today I was able to get through 75 of the 100 gallons I had sitting. Collected 40 more. Fire up Sunday and see if I can get through the last 65-70 gallons. The stuff I finished up tonight had heavy sand! Average has dropped to 1.5% or a little less from trees I normally see 2% or better. If I start seeing sugar less than 1% I may have to.................sigh..............dump it. Hate to, but a 86:1 ratio would kill my woodpile.

[concord maple]

Cleaned pan and finishing syrup right now. Havent been in woods yet today. Did we have a run last nite or way too windy. Not sure if buckets are still hanging on trees.

[wnybassman]

Not sure if buckets are still hanging on trees.

I think I saw them blowing by my place. lol

[wnybassman]

So-So run the last 24 hours. Collected a total of 60 gallons from 33 taps but the sugar percentage was still discouragingly low. Before this last freeze I was averaging 1% to 1 1/4% and some maybe a tad more. I was hoping to get back to 2% like I am normally here. The last 24 hours bumped up a little, but still 1 1/4% to 1 1/2% with the better trees slightly more. Uuugh.......... I fired up the rig for a few hours tonight and boiled off 25 gallons or so mainly to bring the sweet back up to a boil seeing my last boil was Sunday.

Another cold night coming up at the end of the week, so one last run for me. I'm likely pulling the plug this weekend if I don't see a better forecast for the future and if my sugar percentage doesn't improve.

[concord maple]

Believe it will be over after the run starting tomorrow. 60s all week and no freeze for at least 2 weeks looking at 3 different weather stations. Disappointing year wish I would have tapped even earlier than I did but who would have thought the weather was going to stay decent all February.

[bowtie]

looks like an early end to so-so year. i thought i would make about 35-40 gallons this year but will be lucky to pull 17-20. with temmps in the mid 50's to low 60's for the next ten days i think its over. i will follow what the big guys do but i think the fat lady will be singing.

[wnybassman]

I decided to pull the plug yesterday mid day and began pulling taps and buckets while I was boiling. By the time I got through my pile of sap for the day, I had all the buckets and storage containers washed and sanitized. That was very good use of my time while waiting to fire. Today I pulled the last of the sweet off the pan and finished that inside, and poured some vinegar in the pan to be revisited in a few days. I tapped Feb 13th and pulled March 11th. A normal 1 month season I guess, but just started and ended earlier. In hindsight I could have tapped a week or two earlier, but you never know going that early. I tried to meet in the middle I guess.

Made a record (for me) 9.5 gallons off 33 taps. Sap started out 2 to 2.5% but quickly dwindled to 1.2 to 1.4% but then rose to 1.5 to 1.8% the last run or two. I'd give the season a 1.6% average, so that's a little over 500 gallons of sap I guess. Even though the last couple batches seemed to appear much darker while boiling, after filtering them out they were only a grade or two less than the first syrup.

Overall I was pretty happy with the season. The weather could have been a little less rollercoastery, and the wind could have stayed below 90 mph for two days in a row too. lol

Got the boat out of storage the other day, and loaded stuff in it today. Time to move on to the next season.

[Waynehere]

Pretty good season on a new arch setup. Made about 70 gal. Tapped Feb 3rd and stopped March 10th. Was little worried about starting so early, but really glad I did. Now to bottle it all.

[concord maple]

Yea I am done after tomorrow. Just hanging out catching the end of this final run from Sunday. Nothing below freezing for two more weeks. Tapped the 17th of Feb. Not a very good year for me.