Waiting patiently....

[Mudcat_21]

My buddy and I finally did it and bought our own cooker (Maple Pro 2x6 with dropped flues). We will be finishing the new sugar shack this weekend and getting the cooker set up. Hopefully the lack of moisture in the area won't affect the syrup season. Last year was a complete bust for us with no syrup being produced. Extended forecasts show high 30's and low 40's towards the end of the month. Good luck to everyone with the upcoming season.

[StewieSugar]

I'm jealous of the new cooker and sugar shack. I "upgraded" my cooker last year by insulating it. I gathered enough sap to boil a few hours on two days, but the boils were so short that I couldn't tell if the insulation helped or not. And, I'm still boiling outside in the elements; hope to build a sugar shack in two or three years (on my to-do list after finishing my honey-do list).

I've been out cutting firewood, clearing trails, and otherwise getting anxious to tap. I typically tap in mid-March, so it looks like I need to be patient. ;)

[Mudcat_21]

My friend and I have been syruppin' for about 8 years with another guy. Last fall he sold his farm and the 4x14 evaporator he had was too much for the 2 of us to handle with family obligations and work. He did all the cooking for us and we helped him with tapping, collecting, and stoking "The Beast". So we decided to go with a 2x6 (used, but really good shape, only had to drive into central Michigan to get it :lol:) and go down to about 225 taps for this first year on our own. Everything just kind of fell into place for us to build a sugar shack and know we are very fortunate to have a shack to cook in. This coming Sunday we are going to do our "test boil" to make sure we have everything ready. Looking at the extended forecast I think we will be tapping that first week in March.

[koppscrops]

Drilled my first test tree for the season today. It won’t be long. Tree was oozing sap but by no means ready to tap for production. Looking at the 10 day here in East Central MN I’m not planning on tapping for a couple weeks.

[Mudcat_21]

I was going to throw out a "test" bucket this week to keep an eye on things.

[Gissert]

I went out on snowshoes to check snow conditions on Sunday. (Ottertail County) Deep, but the snowpack has settled and firmed up. Today I ran my snowmobile along the trail, making several passes. If we get some warm days and it freezes at night, it should be solid enough for a wheeler in the mornings.

I'll probably hang a test bag on a silver in my yard, but wont tap for another 7-10 days yet.

[Mudcat_21]

I drilled a hole and hung a bucket....It was just too tempting! No sap yet though

[Gissert]

I hung a bag on a silver in my yard today. Nothing, trees look to be quite frozen yet.

[Bigben]

I tapped about twenty trees late yesterday and we got about a cup total! Rather be early this year than miss the whole thing like I did last year! Going to watch the forecast before I tap the last 50 or so. I am southeast of Isanti. The best of luck to everyone this year.

[dlucas]

Hoping to finish running tubing and put taps in this weekend. Also smelled a skunk last night for the first time this spring.

[Gissert]

Im out of town right now, but my daughter said there was a golf ball size amount of sap in the corner of the bag on my test tree today. I will likely begin to tap in earnest on Tuesday.

[doop]

I've been helping a friend tap his vacuum lines last couple days, done bout 700 so far had a few dribbling, but that's about it.[QUOTE][/

[Crystal]

Still waiting to tap here in Ottertail County. Tried a couple test taps, but no flow yet. Weather doesn't look too promising...more snow and below freezing temps coming. Anyone had any sufficient flow in west central MN?

[Gissert]

I've got a hundred taps in near Underwood. Nothing yet, but the trees are still frozen. My daughter said a silver in our yard dripped a little today (our test tree). The forecst does not look all that good for early next week, but as soon as it warms we could be off to the races. The forecasts this time of year are always a little iffy - they forecast a high of 35 and we hit low 40's etc. When it starts, I just hope it lines up with my days off.

[nicole.koshiol@target.com]

I've got 21 taps in Maple Grove MN. I collected 4.5 gallons of sap today. I'm hoping the forcast is wrong. I live in a residential area and tap trees of neibors, and these trees always get going before the trees we do in the woods. We will be tapping the woods probably mid week.

[dufftj]

Well I think i've learned my lesson about tapping early....Having lived in MN my whole life you'd think i'd have a handle on when the weather is going to change for the better. I remember pleanty of Easters with lots of snow and cold weather...On a more positive note after yesterdays high of 40 I went out and gathered about three gallons off of two trees ....All of my other taps are wet or dripping, just not fast enough.

Tim

[dlucas]

We had about 10 gal off of 115 taps on vac. Most trees were trying to run but its too cold, had -1 wednsday morning...

[supersapper]

Very slow here in Annandale. In three days with 20 taps I got enough to make a quart of syrup last night. It's got to get better.

[Bigben]

If misery loves company, it has been slow in Isanti also. I have about 82 taps out and have gathered about 50 gallons of sap total. It seems as though some trees are doing well, but others are bone dry. Are we still too early?

[mrnorthshore]

we pulled about 700 gallons today on 1300 taps. Some taps are still dry here.

[dufftj]

If misery loves company, it has been slow in Isanti also. I have about 82 taps out and have gathered about 50 gallons of sap total. It seems as though some trees are doing well, but others are bone dry. Are we still too early?

I feel your pain Big Ben....I've had thirteen taps out in the Cambridge area since the first weekend in march and have only collected 2.5 gallons...But it hydroed at 3%....These trees are all silvers ranging from some three tap trees down to 1 tap trees....Hope they let loose soon.

Tim

[Gissert]

Looking better today. Of 120 sugars I have tapped, a handful that catch the best sun are starting to get a little wetness showing. The silver in my yard is doing 15-15 drops a minute this afternoon.

[doop]

I just got in from checking taps most not doing much, a couple dripping nicely. This has gotta be go time starting tomorrow. Weather forecast looks good from here on out. It's killing me not being able to fire up new to me rig.

[dufftj]

Things are getting better! 30+ gallons of sap off of about 50 taps. About 1/3rd havn't made much yet. Tomorrow should be Better! Have about 40 gallons in a snow bank waiting for the next forty then I'll fire off for another boil probably thursday if the weather holds..

Tim

[Bigben]

The last couple of days have been pretty decent here too. I got about 30 gallons yesterday and another 37 gallons today. Have about 125 gallons in the snowbank and will probably boil Saturday for the first time this year. Wondering if next week will be too late or if that may also be okay. The forcasted night temperature are a bit worrisome...
Good luck to all!!

[Doug Shovel]

Hey Duff.....I'm in Forest Lake as well. I pulled about 15 gallons off of 50 taps....although only about 1/3rd of them were producing. Many of the trees that are under snow pack or in the shade haven't done squat yet. Made 8 gallons of syrup in 2011....and with last year's bust....I'm hoping to at least get a few gallons under my belt.

[dufftj]

Hey Duff.....I'm in Forest Lake as well. I pulled about 15 gallons off of 50 taps....although only about 1/3rd of them were producing. Many of the trees that are under snow pack or in the shade haven't done squat yet. Made 8 gallons of syrup in 2011....and with last year's bust....I'm hoping to at least get a few gallons under my belt.

Hello Doug,
Boiled off what I had on hand and reduced it to almost syrup. Shut down and collected early around 3 pm. Pulled about 15 gallons from around the neighborhood. I collected off two large silvers in St. Paul this morning around 9 am, about 5 gallons there. Drove back down to check them out because at 9am they were already starting to drip, both 5 gallon buckets were almost full!
Good luck to you,

Tim

[dufftj]

Hey guys,
Collected enough this morning to top off my 44 gallon storage container! One sap sack with 2 taps was over flowing! Headding out to gather in St.paul .....Counting my chickens, they should be full too!

Good luck everyone,
Tim

[PerryW]

Hey guys,
Collected enough this morning to top off my 44 gallon storage container! One sap sack with 2 taps was over flowing! Headding out to gather in St.paul .....Counting my chickens, they should be full too!

Good luck everyone,
Tim

Just don't count your chickens before they are hatched! Good luck.

[craig101]

how is everyone's silvers looking? are they starting to get buddy? I tasted some silver sap last night and it had a stronger woody/buddy taste to it. I got a bit worried so I grabbed a cup or so of the sap and boiled it. the steam didn't smell funky and after letting the cup boil down to a tablespoon or so, the sap tasted sweet with no off/funky taste to it. So i think it's still good stuff. maybe the warm weather yesterday had something to do with it...

[Mudcat_21]

Silvers have started to "bud" around here. Hopefully the sugars gives us a good week of sap before they turn!

[SilverLeaf]

Silvers have started to "bud" around here.
They haven't opened yet and let the flower out though, have they? I would be genuinely surprised if any in my area started to flower before the middle of next week. It's just been too cold until only a week ago.

[craig101]

so basically if my sap still tastes fine and the boiled down sample still tastes sweet, it's still good sap right? I searched here for "buddy" sap and people say it smells like socks/dead fish, etc. my sap didn't have any of these characteristics.

i haven't seen any flowers yet, but the bud looks to be growing/looking more like a caterpiller if that makes sense.

[RileySugarbush]

Finally flowing here! We will be sweetening the pans tonight with probably over 150 gallons. Still have several trees that haven't started yet.

[SilverLeaf]

so basically if my sap still tastes fine and the boiled down sample still tastes sweet, it's still good sap right?
Yep!


i haven't seen any flowers yet, but the bud looks to be growing/looking more like a caterpiller if that makes sense.
Makes perfect sense. The buds will swell surprisingly large - especially at the top of the tree - before they actually do open.

I'm in the same boat as Riley - haven't boiled anything yet, but will sweeten the pans tonight.

[dufftj]

how is everyone's silvers looking? are they starting to get buddy? I tasted some silver sap last night and it had a stronger woody/buddy taste to it. I got a bit worried so I grabbed a cup or so of the sap and boiled it. the steam didn't smell funky and after letting the cup boil down to a tablespoon or so, the sap tasted sweet with no off/funky taste to it. So i think it's still good stuff. maybe the warm weather yesterday had something to do with it...
Hey Craig, I collect sap from silvers from St. Paul to Cambridge...The buds do look really swollen but the sap has been really sweet...I was told that when the sap starts to turn it will have an earthy smell similar to raw potatoes....Just to be sure I've test boiled sap from the trees in ST. Paul because its been warmer there lately. I just collected from those trees and test boiled a little and it is still fine...Looks like a freeze tonight!

Tim

[dufftj]

Things are staying steady around here. I've done three boils ranging from 32-50 gallons each....The sugar content of the combined sap in the storage barrels has been running around 2.6%.....I've got three gallons of really nice red colored syrup bottled up...First year using a hydro for testing sap and finished syrup..Also first year using an orlon filter, boy does that filter trap alot of syrup! Feels like at least a pint or more! My taps in the Cambridge area are slow to wake up, around the neighborhood in Forest Lake they are steady , and in St. Paul they're rippin! I think if they all really turn on I'm going to be a little overwhelmed.....Good problem to have! Going to boil 45 gallons that is on ice today if it does'nt rain,,or run to Menards and buy a sheet of corrugated roofing to keep the rain off my boil....Having a great time with family and friends....

Good luck to all,
Tim

[dufftj]

Up to 4.5 gallons of syrup bottled up, thats 3.5 more then last year!
Silvers budded in St. Paul Saturday morning and the taps just stopped producing.
Boiled in the rain Saturday afternoon under a rain fly for a 6 man tent, Found out why its called mud season!
Its been raining most of the night, hope it chases the frost out of the woods...
Waiting for another freeze....
Took it all the way to syrup on the wood for the 1st time on the last batch :D

Tim

[supersapper]

Finally flowing here! We will be sweetening the pans tonight with probably over 150 gallons. Still have several trees that haven't started yet. hey Riley, would it be alright if I came down and viewed your operation? I am still batch cooking but my new arch will be ready for next year. I would like to see a continuous flow setup in action.