who's tapping this weekend?

[BoarsNest]

I have limited time this year, so I want to get started. Is anyone tapping this weekend? I looked at accuweather and the end of next week looks like a possible run.

[michiganfarmer2]

your weather, and mine are very different so the info I give probably wontn be much use to you.

The 10 day forcast here around Traverse says the temps wont get above 35. My tenative plan is to tap the weekend of the 5th.

[xyz5150]

I am its starting to look like springs coming.Yesterday the snow was melting off my spruce trees at 23 degrees man the sun is getting strong. Time to go March 1st is Tuesday.

[ELM_DALE_MAPLE]

I got commitments with the church youth group through Saturday night, but Sunday afternoon we are finally gonna get out there and get some buckets hanging. However they are calling for 6 additional inches of snow tomorrow. It's driving me crazy this year!!!

[whalems]

I plan to tap the weekend of the 5th as well. going to do a test boil today and get pans cleaned up. fininsh running tubbing this weekend. lots to do but I am getting closer:)

[delta757and767pilot]

I live in ct so i tapped a week ago and have had temperatures reaching the high 50's last week.

[twofer]

Barring any problems getting everything ready in the sugarhouse or in the woods I plan on tapping on Sunday.

[MartinP]

Here are the high low and avgs for next week in Luther, MI
I think I will tap in this weekend unless something changes with the outlook.
Sat
2/26/2011 25° 13° 0.08 1.2 Cloudy with some snow 33° 16°
Sun
2/27/2011 34° 27° 0.43 0 Breezy with clouds and sun 33° 16°
Mon
2/28/2011 36° 13° 0.21 2.4 Windy with snow 34° 16°

Tue
3/1/2011 27° 13° 0.01 0.3 Chilly with some sun 34° 17°
Wed
3/2/2011 26° 9° 0 0 A chance for snow or flurries 34° 17°
Thu
3/3/2011 32° 23° 0.02 0.1 Cloudy and not as cold 35° 17°
Fri
3/4/2011 43° 26° 0 0 Partly sunny and milder 35° 18°
Sat
3/5/2011 45° 28° 0.03 0 Abundant sunshine 35° 18°
Sun
3/6/2011 47° 17° 0.35 0.1 Rain 36° 18°
Mon
3/7/2011 32° 15° 0 0.1 Mostly cloudy and colder 36° 18°
Tue
3/8/2011 35° 18° 0 0 Mostly sunny 36° 19°
Wed
3/9/2011 28° 19° 0 0 Cloudy and colder 37° 19°
Thu
3/10/2011 34° 15° 0.41 0 Cloudy 37° 19°

[Leadft]

We have been doing a little each week since Feb 13th... Set up our first tubing system last Saturday... Still have about 1/3 of the taps to complete.
Also, about 200 buckets left to put out...

I sure hope Mother Nature is kind to us this year !!!

[farmall h]

Tapping this weekend...getting 'er done!

[coreyws05]

I will be giving it a try on Sunday myself. Walking through all the snow is going to be no fun at all though.

[sticbow]

Sorry, but I have an off subject question. I thought one of you Michigan guys had a homemade copper preheater for sale here in the past month for $60. Now I cant find it!! Anyway, I was looking for the picture of the new one that he had made. Looked like a good design. Thanks!!!

[PeddlerLakeSapper]

Here are some pics. of the pre-heater we built for 2011. These are before we installed an inner hood to catch the condensate and run it to the outside gutters.

We were able to run the evaporator for about an hour last Sunday, and were getting 175 degree temps from the incoming sap.

[sticbow]

Thanks!! Those are the pictures I was looking for.

[Leadft]

I know quite a few people that allready have most of their taps out waiting for the warm up next week....

[firetech]

Well we are going to get all the taps out this weekend snow or not. Numbers are going to get me this year. 100 taps on a new farm that have almost a 1000 total. may be able to lease the whole wood lot next year. 200 taps at the daughters in laws and 550 of my own thats 850 taps on a 2.5 x 10. Can you say long boils. There may still be an RO in my future

[maplecrazy]

340 spiles in finish 100 or so sat hopefully boil soon anyone hearing bulk prices this year yet and by who? :)

[michiganfarmer2]

340 spiles in finish 100 or so sat hopefully boil soon anyone hearing bulk prices this year yet and by who? :)

I asked Dick Olds. Him and his brothers make abuot 2000 gallons per year. He said there is no way of telling till after the season is over, and production numbers come in. Right now he said its about $2.75 per pound

[Tweegs]

I’m already tapped, and tapped too early.

It’s not all bad though, I have a contingency plan if my holes dry up.
I under tapped about a quarter of my woodlot (1 tap in a tree that will hold 2), about a dozen trees that I haven’t tapped because they are hard to get to, and there are about 80 taps on my neighbors property (my good neighbors) that I have permission to tap, just have to put them on buckets or a takedown tube. No trails back there, so I’d have to hump buckets this year. Price you pay for being too eager/stupid.

On the plus side, looks like good weather everyday beginning tomorrow. Had a very small run yesterday, about an hours worth late in the day. Those trees are just begging to bust loose. Good temps forecast for tomorrow, should be a good run.

[BoarsNest]

Put in 83 taps today, found one big sugar that I didn't use last year and put two in that one. Probably do a few more at my buddy's house so we should have around 100 when we're done.

Bonus! Saw 60-75 deer in two fields last night when we arrive at the farm.

[TC matt]

I'll probably set about 20 of my 60 taps tomorrow. Anyone else near Traverse City tapping yet? I'll hopefully set the rest on the 4th. I'm only into my third year and this will be the earliest I've tapped. Are there risks tapping too early???

[acertap]

Placed 25 today and planning on 25 tomorrow.

[holey_bucket]

I
Here are some pics. of the pre-heater we built for 2011. These are before we installed an inner hood to catch the condensate and run it to the outside gutters.

We were able to run the evaporator for about an hour last Sunday, and were getting 175 degree temps from the incoming sap.

PeddlerLakeSapper, Right in my own back yard! Are you related to Ron and Dawn? I live in Clarksville, I work with Dawn, and Casandra works for my wife. I think I may have saw you the other day, did you have a poly bulk tank in the back of your truck?

[PeddlerLakeSapper]

Hey Mark, my name is Dave Kauffman, and Ron is my cousin. You probably saw my cousin Doug from my mom's side. He has a poly tote tank in a trailer, and hauls his sap to my house. We have been sugaring together since we started 3yrs ago.

Where do you live? Why does your profile say "Grand Rapids"

I am on Peddler Lake rd., near Jackson.

[Leadft]

Finished up our FIRST tubing system today... 174 taps draining into a 300 gallon tote... it should be interesting.... This is all new since last year...

[3fires]

I'm doing my best to get all 30 in tomorrow.

[Ed R]

1000+ taps out over the weekend Friday-Sunday. Might add a few more next weekend.

[Ausable]

1000+ taps out over the weekend Friday-Sunday. Might add a few more next weekend.

Ed -- lol - what do you consider a few - 400 or so ? I stumbled around yesterday and got the rest of mine in -- 55 in all.... very little sap over this way -- too cold -- Good luck -- Mike

[Ed R]

Snow was just below knee high thru most of the woods. Had good family help. I counted five trips to the snow bank, counting myself heading out my front door sat morning. Not really running much,just wanted to get set up. The shanty is ready to go as well when ever it decides to warm up a bit. Might add 75 more buckets in a section of the woods we occasionally tap, we could use the syrup.

[holey_bucket]

Hey Mark, my name is Dave Kauffman, and Ron is my cousin. You probably saw my cousin Doug from my mom's side. He has a poly tote tank in a trailer, and hauls his sap to my house. We have been sugaring together since we started 3yrs ago.

Where do you live? Why does your profile say "Grand Rapids"

I am on Peddler Lake rd., near Jackson.

I'm on Darby, about 2mi north of Ron and Dawn's place. I have developed a habit of just telling people I'm near GR. Almost no one knows where Clarksville is, but almost anyone, even from out of state can spot GR pretty quick. I feel like I'm always explaining where Clarksville is because no one has heard of it.

[twofer]

I'm on Darby, about 2mi north of Ron and Dawn's place. I have developed a habit of just telling people I'm near GR. Almost no one knows where Clarksville is, but almost anyone, even from out of state can spot GR pretty quick. I feel like I'm always explaining where Clarksville is because no one has heard of it.

It's over by Saranac, duhhhhh. :)

I have an uncle that lives over that way.

[xyz5150]

The nice part about living in Michigan is you always have a map just use your right hand and point with your left where you live.:lol: Saps running boys i got 75 gallons off 93 taps yesterday and it only got to 33. Right now 16 and its going to 38 time to get serious.

[holey_bucket]

If the NWS report is accurate, from today through next week should make us pretty busy! I'm ready for my buckets to be full!

[WI Sugarpop]

The nice part about living in Michigan is you always have a map just use your right hand and point with your left where you live.:lol: Saps running boys i got 75 gallons off 93 taps yesterday and it only got to 33. Right now 16 and its going to 38 time to get serious.

What if you live in the UP?:rolleyes:

[Ausable]

What if you live in the UP?:rolleyes:

Hmmmmmm! Ya had to go and use the U.P. Card. OK - If You live either in Upper or Lower Michigan and get too Drunk and Drive too far - You usually end up in a Lake and thats sobering. Now - If you be a Yooper and a cop in a strange uniform stops ya -- U B in Wisconsin and in real trouble. If You be a Troll and a cop in a strange uniform pulls ya over - U B in Indiana or Ohio and in more trouble - If in Ohio You will be in jail long enough to miss a Sugarin Season and that could be Fatal......... So -- If ya live in Michigan and drink - do it in the Sugar Shack during the off season and don't drive..... I'm going back to bed --- Sugarpop --- smile -- Go visit Madison --- Mike

[WI Sugarpop]

I got a good laugh out of that one. We have a daughter in law from Marquette and one from St. Joe. I don't know what our sons were thinking.

[Ausable]

I got a good laugh out of that one. We have a daughter in law from Marquette and one from St. Joe. I don't know what our sons were thinking.

Your Sons really covered the whole State finding Wives -- St. Joe is almost a suburb of Chicago - if we are talking about the same place -- Ron - have a great Sugarin Season ----- 37F here and still no sap ----- go figure --- Mike

[Leadft]

I think this will be the last weekend for tapping.... Hopefully the forecast for the next week will last for a few weeks... It should be a good season...

[sugarmangraham]

I got 67 taps put in this week, with maybe a few more to even out the count at 70. Thats more than double what I tapped last year. Now if it would just quit snowing! I have only collected 22 gallons so far but I also didnt check the 30 taps across the road in the back forty. I didn't feel like fighting with the snow and the river running over the drive to get back to those taps this evening. Figured they'd be fine til tomorrow.

[Tweegs]

Got another 15 taps that I’m going to set today, trees I had marked but somehow missed. Seems not only am I getting old, but I’m going blind, too.

We managed enough sap over the past couple of days to warrant firing up the evap for a few hours this afternoon. Most of the family will be over, half have never seen how an evap works. Should be fun, and there’s only 2 or 3 hours of boiling to be done. Easy day, be a good day to get the fruit trees pruned, too, as long as I’m going to have a little help.

Save for today, sap should be flowing the rest of the week, hereabouts.

[whalems]

Tapped my last 425 yesterday:) I have a total of 600. and a brand new to me 4x12 evaporator ready to go!! All tanks are set. Now bring on the sap!!!!

[michiganfarmer2]

IM still working on tubing...reparing last years stuff, and adding more. I think I have around 600-700 taps out. Gonna keep plugging away, and gonna tap next weekend.

[firetech]

Finally getting some sap flowing. Our trees are waking up now,this afternoon tapping we had several running holes with the late sunshine, filling up the tubing really quick. Set another 200 tappes today. All the buckets are set now just getting dropps on the tubing.Only a 150 to go maybe. Picked up all the sap today on 150 gals from my trees and another 100 gals from my 2 sap providers. Looks like it is go time now. We may not get to the last 150 tapps unless I take some time off from the regular job. good luck to all

[michiganfarmer2]

Tapped my last 425 yesterday:) I have a total of 600. and a brand new to me 4x12 evaporator ready to go!! All tanks are set. Now bring on the sap!!!!

You're gonna love that 4x12. I love my 3x12. Now you can REALLY make some steam.

I took my old flat pans, and had them cut up and welded back together for a finish pan, and a canner.

[Sue @ Battel's Sugar Bush]

We're aiming to tap Thursday here in the Thumb. We planned for this weekend until the forecast was blustery.

[user587]

We tapped 275 a few weeks ago (2/12 warmup), and another 250 a week ago. Have collected about 350-400 gal. total as of today, mostly from the early taps. The early taps in the wet swampland have been producing sap, but many of the early taps are only just getting started now.

Found another small woods (50-75 taps?) to tap from a church friend who has been tapping only every 5 yrs or so for personal use, plan to tap the new woods tomorrow. We've boiled a couple times, getting all the equipment figured out and tuned in.

Trying to get lots of sleep while I can...

[mauisun97@yahoo.com]

Tapped 60 Sunday, had some drip that had more sun exposure will do 10 more today and then tune up system. Happy Sugarin its on!