Too Early to Tap?

[sr73087]

I was looking at the forecast for next week and it looks like highs around 40 and lows in the 20s and teens. Is it too early to tap? Could this negatively affect anything?

[killingworthmaple]

Well it does look tempting. I am going to wait till Feb. But some do tap this early. It makes for a long season if it runs till end of march and your tap holes dry out. But if you tap now and Feb. and March are warm you may be happy you did. It's a gamble.

Nathan

[Starting Small]

Are you on vacuum or buckets/gravity?
-Dave

[sr73087]

Are you on vacuum or buckets/gravity?
-Dave

Buckets for atleast the next few years.

[maple flats]

Too Early for buckets, the holes will dry up before the best portion of the season gets here. On tubing and vacuum, the time might be good, I'm going to start tapping next week, my earliest ever. I'll be using clear CV2 taps on all.

[spud]

I don't hold much stock in a thirty day forecast but if their right then I would not get any sap in January. Looking back on my charts from last year I see that 60% of all my sap came in April. The month of March gave my 46%. That leaves only 4% of my sap in Jan-Feb. I know the CV2s will extend the season but I still want my tap holes to be as fresh as can be on the most productive months. I tapped early January last year and did get sap. My tap holes were still giving me .5-.75 gallons per hole each day in April. What I am hoping for is by starting a little later (Feb 15th or so) the holes will give one gallon per day in April resulting in an increase of 30,000 gallons for that month. If the season is cut short because of warm weather then I could loose a bit. I have a real good feeling about using the CV2 spouts. I am hoping to get between 160,000-180,000 gallons of sap this year using the new spouts. Only time will tell.

Spud

[GeneralStark]

Depending upon how many buckets you have and the size of your trees one thing you could try is to tap some during the jan. thaw (one per tree) and make some syrup. Then, when the season really comes, re tap and hang all your buckets.

[Blocmi]

I put taps in on January 12th last year and I'll be tapping to take advantage of the early season again this year. I'm only making syrup for personal consumption and when I have way more than I need I stop. I also have more trees than taps so I can move the taps to new trees as they dry out.

[PATheron]

Weve been tapping here since last Wednesday. Hoping to hit 8000 taps tomarrow and then Ive got some pump and releaser and infrastructure work to do Friday. Supposed to be 50 on Saturday so thinking might get a run for the first of the week hopefully. I never make syrup after April first at my place so its pretty much go time for us. Roughly 7500 clear checkvalves and 2000 regular clear ones for my new woods. Really interested in what that woods does with almost all red maples. Hooking up two sp22s for that woods on a generator until I get my electric finished there the end of the month hopefully. Bring on the BIGSAP!!!!Theron

[Dave Y]

I rarely make syrup before March 1 so I will wait and continue to get ready.

[dracmaple]

I was looking at taping this weekend but think I will wait another week or two. I have a small operation about 20 tapes on tubing and 30 on buckets. I normally wait on the buckets with fear that the holes will dry up too early. Is it worth taping the lines now or should I just wait until February and tap everything? I don't want an early short season to pass me by.

[valleyman]

**** woodpeckers beat me to the punch! 3 trees in my backyard have wet stains on them. Further inspection showed me woodpecker holes. Sap was flowing well yesterday. I hope they won't cause any harm other than wasting sap.

[maplehillbros7179]

Way to early to tap all the old timers say if your all in by the march first your always usually that's the best January is to early the last week in feb should be your earliest thought

[jmayerl]

The last thing you should ever do is listen to some "old timer" about tapping by this day or town hall day or whatever. You tap by watching the weather for favorable flows. It takes a few nice days to get thawed out from -20 weather but you will make syrup early if tapped in. Also when there is cold weather again bacteria really doesn't have significant growth to heal holes over. Plenty of studies have already been done on this and guess what, sap season has progresivly gotten earlier in the past 3 decades.

[unc23win]

I agree don't follow the norm or certain dates watch the weather and decide for yourself. With all the research and special taps and vacuum SAP season is nothing like it use to be we now know far more about bacteria in tap holes and have the technology that helps extend the season. Quite a few people have taps in all over the country from what I have read in posts TN, Ohio, Kentucky, PA, and VT that I know of and if they share their results the rest of us can learn for next season.

[lafite]

I know it's tempting but mother nature has not yet finished this winter. the next 2-3 weeks looks very cold and stormy. I usually target feb 14 in southern CT, give or take a week or so.

[Outdoorsman0490]

I agree, I was getting real itchy this past week, glad to see the next week + being cold again. My 2/5 smokey lake hybrid should be here on Saturday, everything in the sugarhouse is waiting for it.

[Shawn]

Not yet and the O'l timers do have a lot of information and fact.:cool:

[GeneralStark]

Reminder: There is a January Thaw every year. You can count on it. Is is not spring.

The January Thaw is perhaps the most statistically significant aspect of New England weather. And that is saying something.

By the way...get ready for winter.

[valleyman]

Ah Yep. Deep freeze is a coming back next week. Perfect time to prep. (And Ice fish)

[markct]

Yea i see the next week is cold as normal. I am pretty good as far as work to do in the woods but would like to split more firewood still then maybe setup a gas powered vac pump and zero tank for one other woods

[sr73087]

I was wondering how those that decided to tap early did with the early sap run???

[lisound]

Get ready boys and girls. I plan on an early tap this year. This deep freeze will give us a few over the top runs this year. Just don't be afraid to tap in a bit early!
I love the first few early runs, clear gold. Great on ice cream!
I'm a short run batch producer, so the upcoming weather looks very promising, right Valleyman!

[Noah's Ark]

Looking at the long range forcast and thinking about maybe tapping the weekend of the 8th and 9th. But might hold out to the 15th based on how the weather shapes up next week. Any one else planning to tap soon?

[killingworthmaple]

I was thinking Friday 31th but I will wait to get the 10 day forcast on Friday morning then make a decision.

Nathan

[Outdoorsman0490]

Looks like Friday will be in the high 30s, sat and sun around 40, next week looks like highs in the mid 30s. Anyone thinking tapping tomorrow Friday or this weekend.

Accuweather shows for the next 2 weeks a couple back to back 40s days, a couple back to back 20s days, and most days around mid 30s. I didn't see days on end of highs in the 40s and lows in the 20s till the end of February beginning of March.

[sugarridge48]

Looks like Friday will be in the high 30s, sat and sun around 40, next week looks like highs in the mid 30s. Anyone thinking tapping tomorrow Friday or this weekend.

Accuweather shows for the next 2 weeks a couple back to back 40s days, a couple back to back 20s days, and most days around mid 30s. I didn't see days on end of highs in the 40s and lows in the 20s till the end of February beginning of March.

Is it time to grab some early sap this weekend?

[markct]

I think it will take a couple days to thaw the trees after the cold we had. I plan to wash tanks and move them to the leased state land this weekend and start tapping next week, still a few minor things to do like hook up manifolds etc

[khuberpt]

I placed 8 taps today and hope to get a decent run over the weekend. i will let you know what i get. I have another 40 or so and was shooting for next weekend.

[Outdoorsman0490]

This year I am running a new sugarhouse, new evaporator, new head tank etc. I think I am going to tap tomorrow afternoon, and hope to collect enough over the weekend to do my first boil and make sure everything is dialed in the way I want; giving me the chance to tweak things over the next week or so before the sap starts flowing consistently.

[sr73087]

Looking at the forecast, if the trees dont run today or tomorrow, then it looks like the next run wont be until around the 14th. Is anyone else planning on holding off until then?

[killingworthmaple]

I tapped 175 trees on Friday sap didn't run on Friday the trees ran a little today we will see if there is a good run tomorrow.

Nathan

[khuberpt]

minimal run saturday, will update later on today. with temps dropping sap should stop running. snow for tues-wed than again over weekend will be good to build good snow base for sap storage.

[batsofbedlam]

I think it has been to cold for a dependable sap run. The trees have been frozen throughout and there is a lot of frost in the ground. The warm weather this weekend should start things going . I plan to start tapping my trees toward the end on this coming week into the first few days of next week.
I have not has a good experience tapping frozen wood; lots of vacuum leaks and possibility of splitting the tap hole.
Tapping for me takes two or three days depending on how many of my retired friends I can get together. BTW, all of our trees are on vacuum.

[sr73087]

If this is any indication of the wood in the trees. I tried splitting a some logs yesterday and my maul literally bounced off of a few. Some split almost as normal and others were like a block of ice. Would the tree typically thaw out much faster?

[ctjim]

was thinking of tapping but looking at the long range i think i'm going to hold out for another week or so. like bats said still lots of frost in the ground where i am just the top 1/2in or so thawed and made some mud. saw some taps in from another sugarmaker in town but i am pretty sure they let the 1st run drop on the ground to clean out the lines. still need to finish a final clean up of the sugar house also.

[killingworthmaple]

Today Sunday the sap started to run I collected 110 gallons from 175 tap I was pretty happy with that it tested 2%. I boiled down for the first time on my new 2x6 boy does it boil I ran out of sap in 2 hours sweetened the pan will see what tomorrow will bring they are saying snow and 38 degrees. I need to tap 75 more trees.

Nathan

[khuberpt]

I did a small run of taps, 8 trees. From this i gathered 1.5 gallons of sap, syrup was very sweet. may get a little more today but with the weather changing i am sure it will slow down.

[andysyrup]

I had a very interesting weekend I put about 350 taps out between Friday and Saturday morning first time ever having help tapping!!! As of 430 yesterday evening I had about 400 gallons of unexpected sap it ran alot faster and alot more than I thought it would

[khuberpt]

Looking at the long term forecast, probably best to tap next weekend, feb 14-16. does everyone agree?

[Agent914]

I agree... I usually tap after the 14th too much work trudging thru the snow

[markct]

I started tapping sunday and got about 300 in so far i dont expect much flow for atleast a week but it takes me days to get all my taps in especialy with the snow on the ground

[hodorskib]

I will be tapping out next weekend February 22-23rd hoping for another good season. Good luck to everyone let the games begin and may all our wives enjoy being syrup widows:cry:

[Tanta K]

We have to tap early to teach the kids in town during February. Sometimes we need to reset a tap or two but so far we've never split a tree. We get one run then it refreezes then we get going mid-month for real. Of course, we only have 30 buckets out but this year we have some volunteer interest so maybe next year we increase our # perhaps. We focus on the teaching (1000 kids and adults in 5 weeks time) and consider the by-product a gift. The sap did flow at the end of the week emptied the ice chunks today so we boil sap and not water. The taps were dripping this afternoon and a few beetles found the sap. Must mean spring is coming. Have a sweet week everyone!

[sr73087]

It looks like maybe this sunday would be a good time to tap. Next week looks like mostly high 30s and then 40s. What does everyone think?

[killingworthmaple]

I tapped 175 taps early got one run and finished about 3 gallons of syrup. I am waiting till this weekend to tap the rest cold locked everything down for now and big snow coming Thursday.

[markct]

I been tapping like crazy after work to get as many taps in before the big snow! Its way easier to walk in 10 inches snow than 20 or more of course

[DaveB]

I'm planning on starting to do some tapping this weekend and finish up next weekend. It's probably going to be a chore this weekend and a lot easier next weekend. The weather pattern looks to be turning favorable after about the middle of next week for us CT folks. I have a new evaporator that I'll be picking up and installing the week of 3/2 - that's a couple of weeks late for me but it was the best I could do. It looks like I won't be that far off weather wise though.

[sr73087]

Finally got my taps in this afternoon. Looks like I should have a run later this week, then a lull for around a week and then more sap. However, we all know how accurate the long range forecasts are.

[paqmom]

Putting in taps today and tomorrow! Temps are looking promising.

[sr73087]

Didnt have a run yesterday. Hopefully today the fun begins.

[Starting Small]

Didnt have a run yesterday. Hopefully today the fun begins.

SR73087, where in CT are you located?
-Dave

[sr73087]

Had my first run of the season today. I only have 8 taps, all on buckets and got just shy of 4 gallons of sap. Just over 2.5% sugar content, all red maples.



SR73087, where in CT are you located?
-Dave

I am in Trumbull.

[killingworthmaple]

Checked the buckets this morning 1/2 full.

Nathan

[seacoastCT]

I tapped 8 trees last Saturday and collected 1/2 gallon of sap (total) yesterday. Hoping for a bigger run this week. The sugar content looked good, the color was visibly golden and the raw sap tasted nice.

[G0J0]

likewise. very sweet sap but waiting on the bigger haul to come.

[sr73087]

What kind of runs is everyone else getting? I have gotten probably 14 or so gallons out of 8 taps. Basically all on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Todays run is looking not too good so far.

[hodorskib]

It was killing me all weekend not to go and tap out. However, with this week going back to really cold temperatures and the side of the road where I tap still has 3' of snow on the edges I held off. The last time I tapped out and we got a week or so of cold weather I never really had them flowing again. I will tap out next Sunday and plan on putting out some extra taps in case it turns into a short season. I did manage to get everything else ready to go right down to the RO filters and the paper and kindling for the fire. Good luck everyone.

[Xvermontx]

I got about 20 gal. As of Sunday. Have 25 buckets out, but still not running all that well here in CT. I'm only getting 1% on most of my trees.

[Littlesap]

Started tapping last weekend, finished yesterday, finally boiled tonight, sweetened the pans. After taking last year off, nice to get back in the groove.

[Tom59]

I tapped last sunday.Have 14 taps in, tubing into 5 gallon water bottles. As of this morning have collected about 23 gallons. One tree with 2 taps is not producing at all yet.

[Noah's Ark]

I tapped this weekend. 35 buckets and got great flow. I ran my tubing and will tap them today. I have to order another roll so i can finish off the last 10 taps. I collected over 50 gallons on the buckets this morning. Long range, which is always a crap shoot, shows good weather for sap up to early April. Just hope the buds hold off that long. I could use a good season.

[valleyman]

I have a few in Norwalk and a few in Ansonia and the flow was fantastic in both locales.

[lafite]

now we sit and wait....I'll empty out my pan and keep the concentrate safe until the next boil. It's a pain to drain with the drop flues but I don't see another boil until the middle of next week at the earliest.

[girmann]

Hmm... tapped on Sunday in Farmington. That was the wrong day to start... Minimal flow through the evening and now nothing for the last two days. As lafite says " now we sit and wait..."

[Xvermontx]

Boiled the last of my sap today. Went out to collect, and emptied all my ice cubes buckets .:lol: Oh well ..

[Agent914]

I hung 25 bucks about 2 weeks ago and did 1 small boil last weekend (80gallons) on my newly built evaporator but since then the buckets were frozen solid for the last 4 days …..so I carried a warm bucket of warm water around to free the sap cubes from the buckets. Then brought the sap cubes inside to melt which netted me a little over 10 gallons of sap which is not enough to fire up the new evaporator. So I decided to slowly boil it down on the kitchen stove …so it seems like old times. Sure hope this cold snap breaks in CT for a more favorable syrup season