Still waiting

[Grand Square Acres]

Well the bug it getting to me. You guys have already tapped out and I am still waiting to drill the first hole. This winter reminds me of 2006/2007 warm all the way to Feb. then mother nature let us have it. Remember we had 20" of snow the first part of March. I hope you guys didn't jump the gun. I have the weekend of Feb. 11th and 12th circled on the calendar as the time for me to tap. Hope I can wait that long, but the fever is really starting to get to me.

[jhd504]

I'm getting antsy, too. I did put in one "test" tap over the weekend. So far, it hasn't produced a whole lot. I'm following the lead of the more experienced people here and waiting a few more weeks.

[christopherh]

Long range forecast up here looks like the temps are going to hover around freezing after the warm spell. I'll be waiting a few weeks myself.

[CrossBroMaple]

yeah im waiting too. installed vacuum this year and want to fire it up. though i do know some people who are putting some taps out now

[woodburner]

The good wife and I tapped out 400 today, sap ran great from 11:00 and is just now slowing. Pumped up over 400 gal and will begin boiling tomorrow. Sap looks good and will test first thing in the morning. My north line never runs when I tap but it sure did today. Matt better get started no frozen lake to fall back on.

[Grand Square Acres]

can't wait any longer. the forecast for the up coming week looks perfect. I am going all in this weekend 400 taps on line and bags. a week earlier then planned don't think it will hurt. looks like it will be a short season anyway.

[mapleguy]

hey there new to this site been reading all of the hype about early tapping you guys are really getting excited hope it works for all of you but remember it's still feb. I saw the forcast for this coming week and by the middle to the end of the week its supposed to be highs by the end of the week in the 20s and possibility of snow. I have about 1800 taps and am getting anxious too was going to tap monday but not after hearing the forcast what a crap shoot

[christopherh]

Welcome Mapleguy! I'm fighting the urge to tap also, but i'm waiting. You guys that have tapped, how are you doing?

[adk1]

I am still waiting as well but today is perfect!

[christopherh]

Next couple of days should be good, after that, the temps look like they're going to dip back down for awhile.

[mapleguy]

yea just saw the extended forcast mon.- wed. not bad but through next weekend much below temps along with some snow hoping for the following week to begin my season

[Bob in Ohio]

Going to tap either today or tomorrow or hold off.
My barometer is a friend in Newbury that he tap last week. From what I heard he up his goal to 2100 taps on vacuum this year.

[buckeye gold]

I tapped on January 14th here in southern Ohio and do not regret it, I'm actually wondering if i should have sooner. I have boiled 13 days and made 6 gallons+ of syrup. Some of my trees are slowing up with this warm spell the last few days. I only boiled once out of the last three. I have tapped some new trees and they are slow running too, I had some cloudy sap even. I'm hoping the run will continue through February here, but I see daffodils getting flower buds on them. I'm moving about 20 taps to new trees today. Two years ago we had an early warm spell and then February turned brutal. I tapped some early that year and it turned out 75% of my syrup came from that early run, I hope that isn't true this year or it will be lean. My goal is 20 gallons off my half pint, I made 18 last year.

[jdill]

I'm still waiting too. A fresh tap always seems to run. I think the bulk of the sap is at the top of the tree. Need several cold days to bring it back down. Maybe we will tap a couple Wednesday. Don't want to saturate system with bacteria right off the bat. Please, someone make it like 10 deg. for a week. My test buckets are not doing well at all.

[johnallin]

To all the northeast Ohio guys,
I'm still holding out here, plan is to get all the kids and grandkids together and tap next week end.
This weather pattern really snuck up and caught me by surprise. Before this weekend I was no where near ready but I took advantage of the weather and spent the time replacing sap tank feed lines, valve set up and other "neglected" items.

A friend in Perry tapped yesterday and said they a decent run going but I don't know if they boiled today or not. Sure is different than last year, or the year before, when we couldn't get into the woods due to all the snow over here.
Just going to have to wait and see who called it right , the early tappers or the slackers like me.

[parsissn]

The weather looks perfect over the next week and a half so I tapped yesterday. Flow was good and I expect to boil in the next day or two. On a related note, I checked some individual tress with the refractometer just for fun. Found mostly 2* Brix, a couple 3* Brix and one 5* Brix! I didn't believe it so I checked that one three times including calibration, 5* Brix every time. Sure wish the entire bush was like that!

[woodburner]

Boiled again today, finished off and shut down for a few days. Have made 30gal with 400 on vacuum. We have had a great start with the sap at 2.5 brix and staying steady. Better sugar than the start last year. Syrup is very light and flavor is the best in the last few years. Need the rest and catch up time.