when to start tapping,I have 36 trees on my land 20 miles west of Nashville,TN.

[skidiver]

I plan to put 6o taps in 36 maples on my land 20 miles west of Nashville,TN.Because Spring comes earlier here than in traditional syrup country,should I start tapping in mid to late January? skidiver 12-27-11

[buckeye gold]

My guess is yes you could tap by mid January, but maybe someone from Kentucky can answer better. I'm in southern Ohio and will be ready to tap by the end of January, depending on weather. I am a small operator so every little bit matters to me. I'll be set up and ready by the 20th and tap as soon as I get an extended period of good sap weather. My earliest was on January 22nd two years ago. A fellow syrup producer kind of admonished me about getting taps out too early, but February turned really cold and nasty and I had made more than half my syrup by February 15th and the rest of season was a flop. So I'll go early and take my chances. I am lucky in that I only tap a fraction of the trees on my property so when taps start to dry up I pull them and tap new trees in the prime flow. Early tapping yields me enough to make it worth doing. Using a half pint, I can fire up with just 25-30gallons of sap. Now if your feeding a bigger evaporator and maxing out your taps you might want to wait for prime flow.

[Goggleeye]

I'm from SE Missouri, and I shoot for Jan 15. Like you, buckeye, I'd rather take my chances with too early.

Mark

[maple flats]

I'd be ready to tap but hold off until the forecast looks right. Watch the 10 day, when they show daytime temps above freezing for 2 or more days in a row, I'd tap. It could however be a false alarm too, might just be a mid winter thaw, but at least it gives an indication. With that few taps you can tap on short notice.

[220 maple]

Maple flats,
Mid Winter Thaw? We have not had winter yet! I could have made syrup already if tapped. I believe I was told that the Amish in Kentucky tap in early Jan. However you might find it hard to believe but I suspect the Branons of Fairfield, Vermont will start tapping Monday Mourning, they have 72000 taps (last years number). Yes before you ask they made several barrels of syrup in mid Jan. last season, an their trees was still producing on April 15th when I visited their sugarhouse. They can do this because they don't get extended heat waves like we get in the south. They had only one day from when they opened to April 15th that the temp. reached 50 degrees. Last season I had one 70 degree day in Feb.

Mark 220 Maple

[Goggleeye]

Watch the 10 day, when they show daytime temps above freezing for 2 or more days in a row, I'd tap.
Shoot, right now I'd be tickled pink if we would have 2 days in a row with the lows below freezing. Such is forecast Jan 2 & 3, with highs in the low 30's. I'm thinking of tapping now instead of waiting until the 15th. Long term forecasts don't look good - the la nina cycle looks to be giving us a warm winter here in MO. I guess I was just very blessed to have my first three years of sugaring be what I've learned to be ideal sap flow weather.

[afretired]

I've been working on my lines today, just hoping the weather will turn off cold. I've had a tree tapped out beside my shop for the last week and it isn't doing a thing. Last year it was flowing in early Jan, but then again we had had cold weather in Dec. So far we haven't had a freeze yet. Skidiver, I would tap me one close that I could watch each day and when it starts, tap the rest. Get everything ready so all you have to do is drill the hole and put in the tap.

David

[Greenwich Maple Man]

Wow! I'm surprised at how early it starts in the South. I'm in Upstate NY about 2 hours from the Cand. border and winter hasn't realy even started yet. I know the great big producers will start in Jan. but that is because they have so many to put out. I am of the mindset that onece this warm weather ends we will get hit heavy with real winter weather. Hopefully the season will be a good one. Will be glad to have vacuum. Any thoughts from anyboy else in my neck of the woods?

[1badsapper]

We may be re locating to East Tennessee south of Knoxville, this is good news that there is a season down there. I don't know if there are Maples over that way. Anyone know if there are Maples along the Smokies?

[1badsapper]

I plan to put 6o taps in 36 maples on my land 20 miles west of Nashville,TN.Because Spring comes earlier here than in traditional syrup country,should I start tapping in mid to late January? skidiver 12-27-11

I'll take care of the East side of Tennesse, we are moving there, a little South of Pigeon Forge.

[1badsapper]

We have now moved to East Tennessee 40 mi. South of Knoxville next to the Smokey Mountains. Anyone know about when you should tap?

[Sugar]

We are putting our taps in Thursday. My evaporator, will hopefully be here this week, so we are really excited!

[Shawn]

Wow! the way the weather is here in the Southern part of NH with up and down cold to weather we look at the weather and plan on the last week in Feb. to tap out. But the weather plays the role in this. Use to go on Town Meeting Day in March but found we were missing a good run at the time. Now you go way up north in NH and they have fifteen inches of snow on the ground. We have had rain, snow, ice and in the high 40's with the temps to fall this weekend.

[tltberry]

Mid January is a good time to tap for Middle Tennessee. And probably the same or slightly later for East Tennessee.