How Early is too early in NY

[backyardsugarer]

I was just wondering if tapping the middle of February is too early. I know I may not get a good run for a couple of weeks but I have vacaction time to get stuff set up Feb. 16-20. FYI The first of March is what we usually shoot for in this area. Are there any draw backs such as the hole growing in or tree infections?

Chris

[Mike]

Chris, A lot of the guys up here tap in feb!! If your using pipe line you should be ok.....When i use buckets i shoot for the last weekof feb first week of march......Its a crap shoot....Ya hope you can catch the first run when ever it comes. even with buckets you never really know...... :D

[syrupmaker]

Chris.... We always shot for the 2nd Saturday of February to tap. If it was colder than cold or just plain miserable out we would try for the next weekend.Like Mike says it's a crap shoot. :?

Rick

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Chris,

I shoot for around the 1st of Feb even though it may not run until the middle of Feb. Sometimes the first run is really good but most of the time it isn't. I am working so much that I am not sure I will have hardly any time to boil other than Friday night and Saturday, so I will tap whenever. It is better to tap too early than too late because if the tap holes stay frozen, they will not start sealing up and it doesn't seem to hurt them any!

[mapleman3]

but if you tap too early and the tree is still frozen, you may have to go back and snug up your taps once the trees thaw... ind I heard it's easier to crack the tree around the tap if it's frozen when you tap in your spout.

[jmattice]

I usually tap on Presidents Day, in the middle of Feb; mainly because I'm off from work that day. It usually seems about right for my area, except for last year when we didn't get tapped till the first week in March. I just try to keep a close watch on the extended weather forecasts.
John

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I guess since I am further south, my trees thaw out earlier and even around the first of Feb, the trees are not frozen very hard down here. Good luck! :D

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jeremy,

I have never really kept up with when the trees budding because I have never made syrup past the middle of March. I may make it longer this year, but I have never had the time in the past! We often see 60+ degrees the first week or two in March sometimes, but it varies from year to year!

[mapleman3]

Brandon
with the mountains, hills and extreme valleys you have there, the weather must be real different from county to county.... any snow there now?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

Snow is all we have had for the past month. You are correct in that there is a lot of variation in weather and temp from county to county. It is almost always colder and they get more snow where I make syrup than where I live and it is only about 20 to 25 miles from where I live the way the bird flies.

[mapleman3]

Good thing the bird fly's, if he had to do all those hills and winding roads he's be tired for sure... you have beutiful country down there for sure.