Sugaring 2013

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Started drilling yesterday late in the afternoon. Got 140 in. A very tiny start, but at least its a start. Not sure whether I'll drill anymore this week with the temps being in the single digits and teens, but as soon as it gets back in the 20's its a green light. Hope to be done by end of first week in Feb. Neil

[backyardsugarer]

Neil,

Do you usually tap this early? If so how long do your tap holes stay open? What kind of taps are you using. Just wodering as tapped Feb. 7th last year and was done March 12th. That had a lot to do with it being 80 degrees out but now I am a little gun shy to tap early.

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Neil,

Do you usually tap this early? If so how long do your tap holes stay open? What kind of taps are you using. Just wodering as tapped Feb. 7th last year and was done March 12th. That had a lot to do with it being 80 degrees out but now I am a little gun shy to tap early. backyardsugarer, We usually start drilling the end of Jan., as it takes us about 2-3 weeks to drill.On a "normal" season we easily boil into April. We use all check valves on our woods. This year I am trying 1500 of the new poly check valves on one mainline. The main reason we start so early, is because we have too many taps now. When we used to only have a few thousand, we would watch the weather and drill a few days ahead of the first warm-up. Do you use cv's?

[adk1]

And its different for everyone. Last year I tapped on Valentines Day. I didnt get my first boil in until Feb 22nd and that was a warm year. I finished at the start of the 80 degree week, so it was the second week of March? I use all CV's. IT was my first year and I was doing what other local guys were doing. KNowing what I know now, I am about a week later than these other guys and I should be still boiling a week later.This year, weather depending of course, I am gonna tap on Feb 23

[backyardsugarer]

Wallings,

I used CV's for 2 years and I was unimpressed. The season did not seem longer and my sap runs did not seem as strong. I just picked up 1,000 of the Lapierre seasonal spouts (throw away) that I am going with this year. I'll tell you one thing the air flows through them much better than CV's, hopefully the sap does too. Given your time of year taping and experience I would look for the next good run into Feburary and consider getting started.

Chris

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Finally finished tapping my woods behind the sugarhouse this afternoon. Glad to be done with that. Been working on it on and off since Jan. 21. Two of our other woods are also done. One woods left to drill. My dad has got a start on it already. Think he's got about 800 done there. Hopefully, we can finish that in the next 2 or 3 days. Neil

[Brian Ryther]

Do you think it might run this week?

[Trout Brook Maple]

I think it might run a little. I'm small potatoes, and trying some new stuff this year. I put some taps out yesterday just to catch some sap this week and see if it all works.

[Dan Bolton]

We won't tap untill last weekend of feb. Always seems to be the right time for us. Every time you get the forecast we are a few degrees colder.

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Brian, I think it might run a little tomorrow and maybe thursday. I hope we get enough of a run to find all leaks. During the last warm-up I only had 2 mains drilled behind house (1600) taps and pulled 27.5" of vac. with plenty of room to still turn regulator down. When I finished drilling the other day, I turned on vac. even though it wasn't running to see if there was any leaks and I could only get 26.5. Must Have a few leaks on some of the other mains. Hope it starts running tomorrow so I can find them. Good Luck this week. Neil

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Do you think it might run this week?

Not up here:)

[Brian Ryther]

-1* last night, north side of trees were frozen today, south side were warm to to the touch and were wet while drilling. who knows what tomorrow will bring?

[sapman]

Finished our 2200~ Friday. Not fun when almost half the taps are close to 8' up! Got very sore, but glad they're done. Now to find leaks.

[adk1]

Still holding off in the S. Adks. just low to mid 30's here the entire week then cold snap for weekend..will be looking hard this coming weekend at the weather for next week.

[Mountain Winds Farm]

Finished tapping today 1480 taps this year. Was running a little this afternoon. Now to test drive the system and check for leaks

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Finished tapping today 1480 taps this year. Was running a little this afternoon. Now to test drive the system and check for leaks Getting bigger every year. Sounds like you also have the maple addiction. There is no cure. I started out 25 years ago, helping my uncle gather 500 buckets every day after school. A year later I had my own 5 buckets boiling on my mom's kitchen stove. Got kicked outside a year later, boiling on a crude cinder block arch with a flat pan. Every year since we have grown and now 20+ years later, we are pushing 10,000 taps, have 2 sugarhouses and 4 sugarbushes. Who knows where we'll be in 20 more years. That is how the addiction grows! Good luck this season! Neil

[stoweski]

Put in 70 taps today. My lines unfortunately don't run to the shack so I have them leading to tanks. Two lines, two tanks, 70 total taps. The trees were dripping like crazy along the field.

Holding off on the others for now until I get back from vacation. Just got the itch to start tapping while looking at the 7 day at work today. All week it's mid to upper 30's then we bottom out again. Hopefully the flood gates open up the first week of March so the real fun can begin!

Here's to a great season!

[adk1]

I hear you ski..I am still holding out. this week is so so here, nothing in the 40's that is for sure..will be watching next weeks weather come sat

[Sunday Rock Maple]

We had 40 degrees today and I turned the vacuum on for about 1/2 hour but it only pulled 15" (got some repairs to do) and only brought in about 20 gallons although it looked like it should've run better. We had -15 yesterday morning and so I guess the trees hadn't had time to thaw out although the snow had melted around the trunks some. I think we lost about a foot or more today, so it'll be a lot easier to finish tapping and fix things.

[super sappy]

Drilled like 70 holes late yesterday afternoon here in southern washington co. No gushers but everything was running except for the real big trees 3-0 in dia ... will test sugar today.

[Lloyd Miller]

Extended weather forecast for this area ( Rensselear County, NY ) looks somewhat variable for temps but decided to begin tapping this week(about a week early for me). I know of one person who tapped in January and got some good days. Hope everybody has a good season!

[lakeview maple]

I put in all of them today 385 ,and a few buckets the Old Goat likes to hang up,The sap was running hard and had a nice steady stream coming off the mtn.I hooked up the sap Guzzler and left it running at the sugarbush behind the barn.There is about 150 taps there and I watched it for a while not knowing what to expect never having used any kind of vac before.It seemed to work pretty good ,I could see the sap moving in the lines,so I went to the sugarhouse and started tapping there,finished it all off and came home with high expectations.I was kinda disappointed,there was about 60 gallons in the tank but not much of a stream coming out of the pump.I took it off for the night and hooked a line into the tank.I took it apart when I got home and there was a piece on black plastic mainline stuck in the flapper ,not letting it seal so it lost vac.I will need to install an inline screen for tomorrow .Great day otherwise looks like I might be sweetening the pans on Friday,YEEHAA the season is here ,and the sap was at 2%.Godd luck and God Bless all,Al

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Sap finally started running about 1 this afternoon. Have about 2000 gallons in the tank now. Not enough to do anything with, so hopefully get some more tomorrow to go with it.

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Very late boil. Decided last minute. Got ro going at 6, ran 3500 gal. through. Just finished boiling. 75 gal. of light. sugar 1.8 Finish the rest tomorrow. Slowed down alot, but releaser in sugarhouse still dumping 125gph.

[Sunday Rock Maple]

I just shut the pump off as it was pulling slush and then the sap stopped altogether. It was on since Tuesday afternoon, not a strong run but steady --- hopefully we can start it up again once the sun is up. Got the pans sweet and most of it through the RO to boil tonight. It was testing about 1.9 to 2.0 here as well.

[sugar ED]

Now, I got to get one of those goats!!! "[QUOTE=lakeview maple;204820]I put in all of them today 385 ,and a few buckets the Old Goat likes to hang up", AS I put in 125 taps & lines ,on the side of my hill today and was at-least 6 hrs. only got 375 left to do ,think the old cordless drill is getting tired lol, was looking at gas drill but to haul that around I'd need at-least 2 old goats ! Oh, as for the sap -today at 5 pm 1 of the 3/4 main line (no vac) with 50 taps -was full stream into tank !. Checked at 11:30 pm and they were still running, not hard but a steady stream (with a 20 tap line) ! keeping my fingers crossed for a good day tomorrow to set the pans / tap and maybe Saturday Fire It Up !! Good Luck Tapping! Ed

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Very busy week this past week. Still trying to work all the early season "bugs" out of everything. Seems like every year starts with issues. Hopefully we got everything pretty much "ironed" out because it looks like tuesday, the season really starts around here. This year so far reminds me of 2008 around here.(normal winter). Past week sap ran so so. 14000 gal collected. Another 300 gal. light syrup, puts us just a little under 600 for the year so far. Got to do something about these late night boils. Seems like every night in the sugarhouse until 3 or later. Need to stop having issues in the woods and start sooner or this is gonna kill me. Neil

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Sap finally broke loose today for the second time this year. Running 2000 gph right now. ro's are having a tough time keeping up. After todays boils we will be over 2600 gallons- all light. Half way there.

[maplehillbros7179]

great run yesterday but it looks like a few days next week might be even better! keep it comin

[sapman]

Finally reached my 1st goal this season today of 600 gallons. Now to get to 700 or more! Forecast looks promising, as long as things aren't shutting down for the year.

[Dan Bolton]

Neil, i finally found your sap house on tuesday! It looked like you may have just left. It was tuesday morning around 9 or so. Beautiful set up. I peaked through the window. Hope to catch you there some time. Good luck.

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Neil, i finally found your sap house on tuesday! It looked like you may have just left. It was tuesday morning around 9 or so. Beautiful set up. I peaked through the window. Hope to catch you there some time. Good luck.Dan, I sent you a pm. Stop by anytime. Yes, I just left. Sold another load of syrup yesterday. Storage is getting scarce, Which I guess is a good problem to have. Good luck on the rest of the season. Neil

[Dan Bolton]

Where are you selling your syrup? We have a drum of medium ready. How much a pound? Thanks. Next time you are over in burlington or headed up to your land swing by the house.

[sapman]

Just finished another 22, still making light, but buddy. Can't believe it, on almost 2 day old sap and somewhat cloudy. Collecting this afternoon, not sure how much more there is out there.

[Mountain Winds Farm]

we moved into medium today, sap is crystal clear and hammering

[sapman]

[QUOTE=Mountain Winds Farm;221902]we moved into medium today, sap is crystal clear and
hammering[/QUOTE

Basically trickling for me. Maybe 1400 today.

Where is Berne? You must have froze last night?