Newbie in Orange County

[Hurlmon]

Hello all.

I'm new to this. This year will be my first season. I am doing it with my son. We did a garden this year and that went well so I figured that we needed a fun winter "thing".

Thanks to this site I think (hope) I am ready to go. I have everything for a basic block arch with restaurant pans, and collection buckets and stuff. We will have about 10-15 taps.

My main uncertainty is when to tap. I know 40ish in the day freeing at night, but I am reading info on hear about a "Jan Thaw"
and my upcoming forecast looks like the attached pic.

if that forecast stays true, do i tap or wait till its actually in the 40's since this is the Jan Thaw that I see mentioned in other threads? I don't want to tap early then miss the real run if the taps start to close.
I am located in Eastern Orange County

Thanks for any info.,
Kevin

8335

[whitetail farms]

the jan. thaw really is only tapped by producers with tubing special check valve spouts and normally using a vacuum pump, if your on buckets I would wait till the end of February so you don't risk closing up your tap hole with bacteria to soon.

[adk1]

Yeah I would suggest presidents week there. Kids should be out of school on vacation. In your area that should be about right.

[Hurlmon]

Great.

Thanks a lot.

[Maple88]

I'm also in Orange. Tapped first week of FEB last year and did fine - 2013 was a great season for unsophisticated gravity-types like me. Hope the weird weather won't wreck this year's harvest...

[jimbo 2232]

I too am in northern orange county- watch 10 day forecasts but figure usually about the first or second week in feb.

[georgelineman]

Hey jimbo 2232 ,Three of us here on the Trader are in Cornwall, Orange County ,what town are you in? I tap around the 17th of Feb.

[Maple88]

Anyone else seeing some of the red maples getting furry in Orange yet? This warm couple of weeks has got my trees getting too enthusiastic by far for January... Has me worried it might be a tough season or that maybe that great early season sap is running already. Any older hands then me have any thoughts on that?

[georgelineman]

I have been tappen around the 17th of Feb. in Orange County the last three years and im sticken to it. But i AM ready for the crazyness to start! And people have been bug n me for syrup already! If i could only learn to sell it all and not just give most of it away!!!!!!!!! Maybe this year.

[jimbo 2232]

thats sounds about right got to watch that ten day forecast to see if i tap any earlier. sorry i didnt get back to you , but i dont get on here much . im over near montgomery

[Maple88]

Just stuck in first few taps in Orange on Saturday; will put in the rest next weekend. Nothing as of yesterday noon, but that's what you'd expect.