Yoopers started tapping

[Billy_the_Kid]

Started tapping trees in the UP earlier this week. Hard maple have decent flow, sorts are already starting to bud. Think it's going to be a slow year. Probably should have started about 3 weeks ago.

[JRCunningham]

Greetings fellow Yooper! Don't be too hard on yourself--you didn't miss much. I ran 27 taps in on February 3rd when we had the 40 degree days, and I've made 1 gallon of syrup since Feb 3rd. You didn't miss much by not tapping during that last warm up. These last few days have been a bit aggravating, as the temps would get into the mid 30's, but only for a couple of hours by me. I got 4 gallons of sap out of those original 27 between yesterday and today. I'm regretting tapping as I shortened the season on those 27 taps. We're tapping the rest (77 taps) this week.

I agree it might be a slow year, but even the folks at NOAA know that forecasting weather in the UP is impossible. We'll just have to take it as it comes and give thanks that we live in paradise. :)

I wish you a wonderful maple season, and I hope you have more sap than you know what to do with this year.

--J.R.

[CampSNOcook]

I was in a bit of a panic seeing those warm temps early in the month and not getting any taps in. I did get some in the next round of higher temps around the 14th. The good run wasn't there though. I agree about the temps getting up there for only a short time and the length of days are shorter than mid March. At least I am really ready when the weather cooperates again. I also am keeping notes from year to year and hopefully will learn from this weird winter we have had.

[PerryW]

love the UP. been there 3 times including 2 weeks last summer. we've been from st. ignace to the sault, , pictured rocks, Mt Arvon, Copper Harbor, Porcipines, Escanaba and Ironwood. love the big lake & lk michigan. now I'm jonesing for a pasty.

All ready to tap here in northern NH but waiting for the neighbor's field-tree buckets to start running before I tap my woods trees.

Thanks to those MI sugarmakers for vacation advice last season. Now, I'm jonesing for a pasty.

[JRCunningham]

It's not a visit to the UP without a pasty. :) Our sugarbush is about halfway between the bridge and Escanaba.

Contrary to my previous post, I didn't tap last week. We just didn't have enough daytime temps above freezing to justify tapping. I feel a though I'm pushing it, however, so I'm going to tap this weekend in anticipation of a few 40+ degree days next week.

Strange weather, but it always is up here.

Good luck everybody.

[PerryW]

went right thru Manistique the year before last on our way back from Wyoming to NH. We drove from Escanaba to the lighthouse out at Point Detour where we found fossils on the beach, then took back roads back thru Manistique.

I think our northern NH climate is similar to yours. I tapped 45 taps today, but just because of the snowstorm expected. Waiting to tap the remaining 700 till next week.

[fishman]

Still waiting in the Newberry area. I might throw a few in this weekend just to see.

[larboc]

Put in a couple test taps today in preparation for the first string of above freezing days forecast this year. We've got about 4 feet of snow on the ground. Cold tonight, already 3 above.

[JRCunningham]

104 Taps in on Friday, had a moderate run on Saturday. Expecting a nice run mid week. The work (and fun) is about to begin...

[fishman]

put in 70 taps tonight by the light of the silvery moon. Looks like a good week of upper 30s to low 40s. Only -18 here this morning.

[larboc]

Wow, forecast looks really bad for sap for us, hope they are wrong or the run will be over before it starts.

[fishman]

It's always nice to get that first run under your belt, but last year my best runs came the last week of March and first week of April. I was looking for some good runs this week also but the weatherman changed the forcast AGAIN. I'm glad I'm not wrong that often in my job.

[larboc]

The way the forecast looks, I'm expecting to see buds before sap weather returns. :(
Warm up here by the lake all of a sudden.

[fishman]

Just got my first collection today and now it's supposed to be in the 50s and lows above freezing for about the next week. Terrible season so far but then we sometimes go a week or two into April. I'm not very optomistic.

[Dan]

Doesn't look good next week but it shows a nice cool down for night time lows next with highs going cold later on accuweather. Buds still pretty tight here in northern dickinson county, think I can wait and tap same time as last 4 years, last week of the month- April 1. Went into May last year and north side taps still running when I pulled. Good luck fellow Yoopers

[JRCunningham]

Well Yoopers,

Unless Bishop Baraga intercedes for me and convinces the Big Guy to throw some cold weather my way, I think I'm about done with peak season. Had a nice freeze in Manistique Monday night (the 13th), which was unexpected and truly an answered prayer. Taps flowed nicely all day into late last night. Today I show 52 degrees and the flow has slowed down significantly.

It's been a short season. All I can do is give thanks and hope for many more...

How'd everybody do thus far?

[Mark]

325 gallons of syrup yesterday and it looks like a okay run today. Hope to get past the week of warm weather until it freezes again.

[fishman]

Somehow we've been below freezing the last 3 nights even though the forcast was for 35-39 degrees. Did the first boil yesterday and got a little over 3 gallons from about 105 gallons of sap. I was pleasantly surprised. Trees have just not been running very well this year and it looks like we may be shut down for at least the next week.

[Billy_the_Kid]

Been a strange year indeed!!

Boiled 80 gallons of sap and made a little over 2 gallons of syrup on my new oil drum boiler. It was awesome, and I am very pleased with how it performed during its maiden run. It's natural draft for now, and at one point we were cooking off over 12 gph and I'm not even done building it. Still needs more fire brick and insulation, and a forced draft under fire fan.

Gonna cook another 40+ this weekend, depending on how well the sap glows today after last nights freeze. Buds are all still real tight by me too. There's still hope yet!!