Fall Tapping

[rschoo]

I read in one of the posts (I don't remember which one) that someone was thinking about tapping this fall. I was wondering who taps in the fall with what results, how it affects their spring tapping.
Bob.

[royalmaple]

You may have seen my post, it was really only a joke.

You can read an interesting study at:
http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/newtown_square/publications/research_papers/pdfs/scanned/rp115.pdf

[White Barn Farm]

I put out 4 taps last November and made some really nice syrup. It ran into January. I didn't tap those trees this spring. It was fun and really turned some heads. I have another woods that I could tap for fall but with selling Christmas trees and wreaths I don't think I have time. Give it a try. :D
Ed

[Russell Lampron]

Interesting study Matt. Notice that they used a paraformaldahide tablet in the tap holes. It has been against the law to use those for along time now. They were used to keep the tap holes fresh. There are some trees that my parants used them on in the sixties and you can see where the holes never closed up.

Russ

[royalmaple]

Yeah I thought it was pretty interesting. It was in 1964-65 that they did the study, so I guess pretty much anything goes at that point.

[220 maple]

FALL TAPPING???
I believe this subject of fall tapping came up once before. Someone said Bruce Bascom was buying syrup last fall that our friends north of the border has just made. According to the post they had tapped with microspouts and was going to go back in the spring and redrill to 5/16ths or 7/16ths. I personally believe that it will work because I sort of do the same thing in the spring when I pull my Beaver River inserts (5/16th) and goto 7/16ths holes. If someone is doing this I'm curious what the sugar content is in the spring. the tree had no way of replenishing itself. Especially up north where the growing season is much shorter. I,ve noticed the difference in sugar content based on the previous summer, the summer of 2002 was very sunny and almost drought conditions until October, then we got plenty of rain and one super snow storm valentines weekend of 03. Sugar content was 3.3 to 3.5. Summer of 03 was very wet and cloudy, Spring 04 sugar content 2.0. I have no desire or time to tap in the fall but I would love to tap all my Red Maples the day after christmas. If I could get a months worth of run out of them before I bring my Sugars on line around the last week of Jan. I would be in good shape when them reds start to bud at the end of Feb. One of these years I,m going to do it.
Mark 220 Maple

[Pete33Vt]

Well Mark this should be the year provided you can make the time and have enough umph! to sugar for that long. It would be interesting to see how it turns out. Of course this is coming from a Vermonter. And at christmas time if we even look at a spout or line they sap no matter how new or old. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Good luck
Pete