Tapped in Southern Ohio

[Lazarus]

We're tapped here in southern Ohio, just north of Cincinnati. Got all taps out on Saturday and Sunday.

-Laz

300+ taps on bags
New 2x6 reverse-fire Leader oil evap
New sugarhouse (still in progress but functioning mostly)

[adk1]

Good luck keep us northerners posted on your progress! Boiling pics appreciated!

[RC Maple]

Seems like this would be a great day to have taps in! That's what I told my son yesterday too. Looking forward to getting my own taps in.

[bowhunter]

Tapped one tree out by the barn this afternoon. Tested 2% sugar and running pretty well. I'm going to check the extended forecast again and flush out and run in the RO this week. I'm tempted to tap everything, but I still I'm still going to wait another week. I'm just west of Columbus in central Ohio.

[SevenCreeksSap]

I've been tempted but out of town, now looking at a week of highs in the 20's. Probably next time conditions look good for a few days we'll start the yard test trees. Gettin the itch but not ready anyway. probably start hanging the laterals I curl up and start fixing squirrel chews tomorrow. maybe take the squirrel control device and solve some of that issue.

[bowhunter]

Long range forecast now looks doubtful until after mid February. It may be a short season this year here in central Ohio.

[mapleguy]

The weather guru's are saying the last week of Jan. there will be a major pattern shift to a more zonal jet stream. Long range forecasts are already showing that change. Keep your fingers crossed!

[SevenCreeksSap]

We're tapped here in southern Ohio, just north of Cincinnati. Got all taps out on Saturday and Sunday.

-Laz

300+ taps on bags
New 2x6 reverse-fire Leader oil evap
New sugarhouse (still in progress but functioning mostly)


Are you getting any runs yet Lazarus? Maybe you're having some luck but it's been steady cold in eastern Ohio. I always watch for you guys and the Ky guys then figure I'm only a couple of weeks away if that.

[Tor Haxson]

Here near Athens Ohio..

Tapped some trees about a week ago, had a decent run today. I was gone for the weekend so I only think the run came in today. Might have had some contribution from Friday when it was warm, but I was away.

About 4 gallons of sap off of 7 trees on 3/16 tubing , check valves and gravity. The trees are a mix of reds and sugar maples.

Looking at the forecast I suspect that will be all for a few days till we warm up again.

[saekeaton64]

I couldn't wait until after this cold spell to tap, so yesterday put out 3 buckets near the house to see if anything was flowing.
Had about 4 gallons of good sweet sap by noon today.
Once this cold front passes the long range forecast looks really good.

Best of luck to all this season.

[saekeaton64]

Thought the temp dropped quite a bit last night the trees kept going, had about 3 1/2 gallons more this morning from those 3 trees.

[newman_maple]

Looks like we will stay below freezing (well below freezing) for the next 7 - 10 days. I plan to start tapping as soon as it breaks - long range forecasts predict a thaw next weekend. Good luck!

[SevenCreeksSap]

if the accuweather forecast is right looks like around the first of feb for us to get started.

[Lazarus]

Well this is fun. NOT! We had two running days at the start, collected only 50 gallons. Loaded the evaporator just barely and boiled a few minutes to kill the bacteria. Found our new heated and insulated sugarhouse is actually a bad thing when you gotta go all week without boiling again. Eventually decided it was not worth the fuel to keep flash boiling it to hold off the bacteria and flushed it. Collected another 100 gallons on Monday, fought with our new pump in the freezing cold for hours, finally got sap loaded into our old 33 gallon storage barrels outside. Should keep, but it'll probably be April before those megapopsicles thaw.

Looks like it will be February before we're going again. We've never started processing this late. I just hope this winter holds on a bit longer this season or we'll be having a very short year.

-Laz

[Tor Haxson]

Locked in ice here for almost a week more I think.

I have to deal with my real job in Februrary, so this weather arrangement is not working out so well for me.

With this serious record cold I can at least be thankful that my pipes are not frozen.

Consolation prize for folks within driving distance of ash cave in the hocking hills, that trickle of a waterfall builds a really beautiful Icicle above and frozen ice mound below. I plan to drive out soon to take a look.

I am not writing this season off yet, but I am glad I have a stockpile from last year left over.. just in case we go right from winter so summer and skip spring altogether.

--
Tor

[SevenCreeksSap]

People People all this negativity. Look up and boil whenever you can. the accuweather long range forecast in the tab at the top of the forum says feb 1 and after will be perfect for a month, maybe 6 weeks if the historical averages hold. I'm using this cold spell to try to get ready, cause when it starts it is going to flow a record year. Accuweather and weathermen are never wrong, right?:evil:

[SWohio]

Hey guys this is fine. Be happy. Cold snowy winters with a hard hard freeze before the season is a great sign. good syrup coming. Feb. looks great.(add standard disclaimer of if the predictions are right) Relax and watch nature not the calander. This will break into good runs in Feb. So our buckets overflow two weeks late. NP. relax, stay warm and be ready. I grew up in upstate NY and the guys loved hard freezes/solid winter with snow before the season. If feb stays cool with sun even better. I am a small time backyard hobby guy so I do not have $$$ on the line. But I think we may be setting up for a good year and quality syrup. Warm kills seasons, not cold.

[Tor Haxson]

Reading my post, I did sound negative..

I did not mean that.. yes February will be good. I was lucky last year with work and the timings of the runs more or less working out.

The weather does what it wants, all we can do is be ready.

I will get a big storage tank and deal with the sap tsunami when it comes.

--
Tom

[SWohio]

my plan is to tap today. Temp. should be ok for working. I do not expect any run till the end of the week but I want my buckets hung and ready when it does run. Next weekend I will be trying to figure out/set up a system for boiling. still on the turkey fryer again this year. Feb. looks good and I am eyeballing some storage options. we have a few more days of this frigid air but the sap is coming soon. I am optimistic for a good year with quality syrup. This hard freeze and snow is a good sign. I am drinking up the last of last years syrup and getting ready!!!!!

Update: put my taps in today. a few drips already. good sign. Now let's freeze hard for 4 days then let the run begin!

[newman_maple]

I hope things work out SW. I plan to tap this weekend unless the temps don't cooperate. It is going to be a COLD week. I am anxious to see how these bitter cold temps will impact our runs later on. I expect some big days this year.

[dobbs4m16]

Anxious to get started ourselves. Thinking about tapping after this cold spell coming this week. Wood in the sugar shack, evaporator ready to fire, holding tanks clean, spiles and bags ready to be hung. Let the season begin

[newman_maple]

Below zero now, but a 50+ degree day in the forecast for Saturday. I plan to be tap happy this weekend!

[buckeye gold]

Yup I'm ready to go too. I'm just up the road from you Adams county guys in Ross county and have been ready for a while, I'm planning on tapping Friday. I almost feel like I need to clean again since my stuff has been ready so long. I'm afraid it's gonna be mud city though.

[newman_maple]

I put in 30 or so taps this evening. I plan to do the rest of my home trees Saturday. Forecast isn't very favorable looking into next week so I will likely put the rest on hold until another warmup. I hope the 60+ I will have in this weekend will give me enough to get started. Crazy weather so far!

[Tor Haxson]

Decent run late yesterday and today.
Sure is nice to see the bags start to bulge.

--
Tor

[SWohio]

I am so small time I count sap by the 5 gallons and syrup by the pint. Two taps on one tree cranked out 3 gallons of sap yesterday. My goals are at least a pint of syrup a week and a gallon of syrup at the end of the season. (I know a pint a week will not make it but I can also count on at least a couple quart+ weeks. Last year I had a 1/2 gallon weekend once. I know not impressive for you guys but it puts syrup on my shelf. and I enjoy it.)

[RC Maple]

SW - I think it's just great to be able to make your own and to have fun with the family doing it. Anything over that is just gravy. I keep looking at the forecast and am hoping for the middle of next week. I can't wait to get going.

[buckeye gold]

I got 28 gallons off 55 taps today and put in the pan and built a modest fire and reduced it down to sweet concentrate. I killed the fire with 8-10 gallons left and left it to steam off from residual heat. will drain the sweet tomorrow because they say 6 degrees Thursday. It's a start anyway, but made me nervous trying to guess at how much fire just to reduce that modest run. It gave me some practice on the new pan though.

[SWohio]

ok, weather is not cooperating this year. I thought we would start a week or so late but Feb. looked good and the sap would flow. nope. one decent day and now back to ice storm and temps dropping below freezing for a week. A slow start. Maybe the month will improve.

[newman_maple]

Really frustrating so far. 14 snow days from school and counting. Snow days are nice when I have sap on hand, but not this year. Ice damage was minimal for me - only one large maple limb came down at my home sugarbush. Looks like another week at least to wait :(

[Tom_saw]

I tapped a Red maple last Friday and it still hasn't run yet . Looks like it is going to be below freezing until at least the 13th .

[SWohio]

Everything is just sitting, waiting, covered in a layer of ice, frozen for what looks like another week. Buckets hung, sap ran, boil started and my first pint then....... it all froze up and stopped. So we sit and wait.

[SevenCreeksSap]

8674

I call it (IM) patiently Waiting.
Picture went in sideways,tilt your head.

Sap season officially starts this thursday. News 9 said so. They never get anything wrong.

[buckeye gold]

Hey I have about 60 buckets that look just like that, lol

[SWohio]

who's ready for some sap????

[Tor Haxson]

who's ready for some sap????

Who is NOT ready for some sap :)

I have been stranded in New Jersey due to weather, I get home to Southeast Oh Friday Night, I would be thrilled to boil Saturday.

Might even add a few trees on bags.

--
Tor

[SWohio]

This season so far has been, run starts then, bam frozen and back to waiting. My trees started to thaw out and run on the south sides on Thurs. then yesterday snow cold and everything frozen up again. But.......... wait for it......... next week looks good. lol as if we have not heard that a few times already. A small boil today and then back to waiting/expecting. This season will get started sometime. I had a tree that I was going to get some pychological help for. It has maple leaves, maple crown, maple bark and in all ways is a maple tree but........ for the last two years has not produced any sap. I have stood staring at this tree, looking at taps, wondering what is wrong. So this year I put one tap in and did not include the tree in my very small tap count. Last Thurs. the one bucket was the fullest one I had. Well over a gallon of sap, at least a gallon and a 1/2 in one day. Maybe my little talks with the tree have helped. I gave it a few kind words of encouragement to boost its ego and hope it keeps up the good work for the rest of this season.

[newman_maple]

SW, maybe I should use some of your tree whispering techniques on my low producing trees!

[Tor Haxson]

This season so far has been, run starts then, bam frozen and back to waiting. My trees started to thaw out and run on the south sides on Thurs. then yesterday snow cold and everything frozen up again. But.......... wait for it......... next week looks good. lol as if we have not heard that a few times already. A small boil today and then back to waiting/expecting. This season will get started sometime. I had a tree that I was going to get some pychological help for. It has maple leaves, maple crown, maple bark and in all ways is a maple tree but........ for the last two years has not produced any sap. I have stood staring at this tree, looking at taps, wondering what is wrong. So this year I put one tap in and did not include the tree in my very small tap count. Last Thurs. the one bucket was the fullest one I had. Well over a gallon of sap, at least a gallon and a 1/2 in one day. Maybe my little talks with the tree have helped. I gave it a few kind words of encouragement to boost its ego and hope it keeps up the good work for the rest of this season.

I have a huge maple that produced very little last year. Then I took a look at where I tapped and I think I tapped above an old fence line wound. I am hoping a new tap location will bring this monster tree online.. either that or some tree whispering.

[SWohio]

Hoping a good run starts today and we can all get on our boil. Maybe we can have some sap/syrup numbers to post to replace these "all ready, still cold, next week maybe" posts.

[SWohio]

A good run today and taps still running at 9:00 pm. tomorrow could be bumper. Then rain and maybe a bit too warm. (first time that has been said this year lol) Being small time I finished my first quart today. lookes good. (I am still measuring sap 5 gallons at a time and syrup one pint at a time)

[Tor Haxson]

My trees started a run in the morning today.

Kept running all day. Will start boiling tomorrow.

A mixed bucket of sugar and red maple tested at 2.25 brix.

My slope is north facing tends to hold cold and snow longer than the rest of the county.

--
Tor

[newman_maple]

All the taps are in and the sap did flow well today. I brought in just over 80 gallons and tomorrow should be big. Half my taps are on a north facing slope and they always take some extra time to wake up. It is a hectic week for me, but I hope to keep up and get some boiling in this week.

Wed - Only brought in another 75 gallons today, but I am boiling this evening for a few hours. North trees should produce for a decent day tomorrow, but stormy weather coming tomorrow night. I hate replacing bags when the wind has whipped them around. Cold again next week which is probably a good thing after this heat wave.

[SWohio]

off my 15 taps I have a 1/2 gal. of syrup on the self. Another solid pint ready to finish and if this run continues I will get my third quart finished tomorrow. 3 quarts is a good start on getting my gallon. Good syrup! light. About the same color as my honey. I would have liked a few more degrees of a drop tonight. (37 right now) Big winds and rain supposed to be coming tomorrow evening, then a bit hit and miss through the weekend. Next week is looking cold again. It will be good. A good freeze to stop this run and reset for another fine. So, collected 5+ gallons yesterday morning, 5 more last night and 5 more today. Taps were still running but slowing today. 5 gallons is equaling a pint. So all in all i am happy. Not all taps running equal. Some that were running great have slowed and others have come on. The whispering tree has almost stopped again. I think it likes 35 degrees and bright sun. "big red" as my daughter and I have named another tree is pouring out sap so...... again I'll take it.

[SWohio]

Update: Fri. evening 2/21: well this week has been good. I have 3 good quarts on the shelf, shared a pint with my daughter's class and maybe a pint coming from my current boil. That makes over 40 gal. sap off 15 taps ( over 2.5 gal/tap avg. but taps have not been running close to the same. some heavy some light still) and one gal. syrup for the year. I may be able to squeeze another quart out over the weekend before the rain and freeze hits. I expect at least one more good run before the end of the season (maybe more) and so far the syrup is nice quality. A late start but if we can keep this frozen winter going into april it would be great!! Sorry to all the gardeners (oh wait I am one of those but...) good luck I hope everyone is doing ok
Last edited by SWohio; Today at 07:07 PM.

[newman_maple]

I only collected 260 gallons this week, but at least I finally have sap to boil. My taps have all but stopped running and the wind has been a pain. I am sure I will have some leaky bags, but that is the trade off for using bags. In a couple nights, the freeze will reset the trees and hopefully bring a nice run. The temps do not look very high, but once they start and ground thaws more, high 30's can produce nice runs. Late next week shows us in another freeze. I hope to have some sap to boil next weekend. SW, I am glad things are going well! I hope those buckets and taps are working out. I hope we have a great March too. I have had to pull taps as early as the first week in March, but in 2008, I boiled every weekend in March.

[SWohio]

First let me thank you again newman for the buckets and taps. This year has been much better, more organized and easier with the buckets and taps. A huge improvement. Thank you. I still have a limited number of mixed bag, below avg. sized trees and on my turkey fryer but this year is better than last year. It is a fun hobby and I love the syrup. Each year I set my goal of 1 gallon of syrup on my shelf for the year. First year did not make it, last year squeeked over but not the best quality syrup. This year I should make it with out problem. And good quality. So yes each year has been an improvement, Thank you. My taps slowed and as I said the "whispering tree" has just stopped again. I am looking forward to another good freeze to reset for another run maybe next weekend. It is easy to complain but this year has not been all bad.

Newman: I did some math (I know, whenever I say that some folks become very scared but..) I gave season avg. on taps. This week alone I was a little over 1.5 gallons per tap which is about the same as you. I do not keep good data like you do, so my back of the envelope numbers will not be as exact as yours. Blurry look; tap avg. is about the same for each of us.

[SWohio]

8829 A bit of sugar sand. Bottled hot, so the jars sealed. They will go to the shelf and settle by the time I use it. I am happy with the results so far. quart jars

[newman_maple]

As of 2/24 last year, I had brought in just over half I collected for the season. I am sure that will not be the case this season since it has been so cold. I have not tested my sap, but I believe my sugar content is good so far. Last year, I brought in an avg. of 15 gallons/tap. I see my taps are running again today. I am heading out for the evening, but my sons are going to start boiling this afternoon. I might collect from my home trees late and boil late. Either way, I should have another 50+ gallons by tomorrow.

Update: So much for that Saturday sap run. I did not collect from my 80 far trees, but the other half only produced 20 gallons. Oh well.... Bring on the freeze!

[SWohio]

This week's run has come to an official end here. buckets and taps are dry. boiling off the tail end, not much to speak of. Will let the cold come in take a rest, reset and get ready for the next run. Maybe the end of the week and a weekend run. Fits well with work. lol

[SWohio]

small run yesterday and today. Better yesterday. today was colder and ice on the taps but sap running through the ice. 5 gal. of sap collected. Tail end syrup from last run was dark dark dark. I think it maybe partially from my pot and the tail end of warm weather sap. This little run looked much better, back to crystal clear and cold. Scrubbing the pot and ..... I guess boil this down a ways then save till next run. Maybe this weekend another small run coming. So far an ok season. The dates are off and lots of cold but syrup looks good. (other then that last boil). Cold weather makes small runs but quality syrup. IMHO.

[newman_maple]

I brought in 20 gallons yesterday & 45 gallons today. It will be freezing in the tank while I wait on warmer weather. By the time this warm weather hits again, I will be 1100 gallons low from last year (record year). I do know when it runs in March, it will run fast! The sugar content has been good so far so that helps. The first two weeks in March are not going to be easy. 2 weeks of Thursday night PT Conferences, Dr. appts, hours of collecting and boiling. Might have to pull the plug on a personal day on at least one of those Fridays. We live for this time of year, but other things always get scheduled at the same time. Enjoy this cold snap and pray the trees get well rested for a big run this weekend.

[SWohio]

The taps are dripping and the boil is on again!!!! Collected a good 7 gallons today. Add to the 5 gallons from earlier in the week. I expect another quart by the end of this boil. Then. Lock em down for the next storm and cold blast. but starting next weekend ..........

[newman_maple]

Nasty weather is almost here. I brought in 120 gallons today. Biggest day so far. They are still dripping fast and the temp is still 42 so they will run awhile. I just hope i can navigate my hillside paths to collect Sunday afternoon. I boiled off the 65 gallons I had from the first of the week (after I thawed it out) and have been working on the new sap. Late boil tonight then a big icy, sleety, snowy boiling day tomorrow. Sounds like school is not likely Monday so I should be able to finish off this weekend's sap then if I can't finish tomorrow. You are right about next weekend SW, it looks like the big sap is a week away.

[SWohio]

Good morning Newman, I did a collection about 7:00pm last night. I brought in the 7 gal. I mentioned last night. Woke up this morning to 32 degrees and rain. Did a collection at 7:00 am today and brought in close to 8 more gal. It is getting uncomfortable to collect already. Rainy, cold and a layer of ice starting on everything. I have the early week collection on the stove ready to finish. Yesterday's collection finishing in the kettle and will move it in to the kitchen this morning. And this morning's collection sitting in the cooler, will go into the kettle next. I am trying to avoid long boils, adding and adding till the run quits. I did that last year and finished over a 1/2 gal of syrup at once but it was very dark. This year I am taking 5-10 gals. of sap and boiling it down to near syrup then holding it till the next 5-10 gal. sap comes through. I will add the near syrup batches at the end to finish. So right now I have 3 collections at different stages. I expect the sap to quit today. So by tonight (or early tomorrow morning because I am predicting no school also) I will combine the 3 "nears" and finish. I think you know me enough by now to know my records are nowhere near as accurate as your but my back of envelope guesstimates, I expect about a 1/2 gal. from this week's runs. This run is going to be darker, how much.. I will not know till it is finished. That is a big part of the fun. By Tues. I will know. I do not have a good final filter system so I have to wait 24 hours after finishing to let it settle and find final color and clarity. I agree with you, another good run may be coming after this weather system moves through early this week. Finish this week's good run, clean up, reset and get ready for another. I do not want to jinx anything, but after a slow, delayed start and lots of hand wringing this season may turn out ok after all. Good luck and keep letting us know how you are doing.

Update: 6:00pm. Finishing boil from this week's run. Not done yet but close and I can already tell darker and lots of sand. Taste is good!
6:00am Mon. Two nice quarts of dark amber, cleared nice. good syrup. I have my 5 quarts on the shelf, 3 light and 2 ambers. and 1 short quart that is very dark (my mistake, scorched pot before making the short quart) on the counter that I take a little drink off of to keep my energy and spirits up. My friends should now start getting happy, because while they do not know it yet, from now on I will be less stingy and willing to share syrup from the next runs.

[newman_maple]

My Sunday collection was not fun, but I waited until the first round of freezing rain passed. I managed to get an additional 55 gallons. I finished boiling everything down last night to avoid my sap freezing. The small batch that was sap from the first of last week turned out dark and was very dirty. The big batch I collected over the weekend was extremely clean and it finished off to be very light, maybe the lightest I have ever made. The sugar content continues to be high and my pan very hard to clean. I will take that tradeoff. I forgot to check the actual sap brix. I will do that this weekend.

I am glad things are working out for you SW. I hope we get some good weather soon and our season back on track. We still have not bottled anything. When we have a lot of light, we wait and blend it with grade B to make more dark amber. Plus, I want to get rid of more of last year's syrup first. I try to keep about 10 gallons on hand in the event the year is a complete bust. We are at about 1/3 of a normal year so I really hope things improve. Good luck!

[SWohio]

ok, so we finished up last week's run, cleaned up, reset, took a rest and we may be on the doorstep of a 5-6 day run. Ready?

[newman_maple]

There shouldn't be much action today, but the forecast looks great for a big and busy weekend!


ok, so we finished up last week's run, cleaned up, reset, took a rest and we may be on the doorstep of a 5-6 day run. Ready?

[mapleguy]

Yea it looks like weather is finally going to moderate at a slow pace which I think is great. I'm just south of lake Erie and we should have a decent run by sat. Beginning of nxt. week looks promising too. Still have 150 buckets to put out yet will try that tomorrow.

[newman_maple]

The south sides of my trees were doing great this afternoon, but the north sides were just waking up. I managed to get 50 gallons and decided to boil some down tonight since I have PT conferences tomorrow night.:( My boys are going to collect from our home trees and boil some tomorrow evening and I will have to collect from the 100 hillside trees after dark. I expect some full bags tomorrow night and a huge day Friday. The timing is bad, but that is all part of it! Good luck!

[Tor Haxson]

Here in athens County the trees on bags started a little drip today.

One of my 3/16 lines that gets more early sun started to run a little bit.

Not enough to even gather, but enough to force me to check my lines, my bags, and stack some wood.

--
Tor

[SWohio]

Came home yesterday to one bucket simply overflowing onto the ground. Good run!!! Wed.=3 gal, Thurs.= 5 gal and yesterday 10 gal. Get your boil on!!!

[newman_maple]

I have brought in just under 400 gallons since Wed. It is tough keeping up when it runs like this, but that is part of it. I will collect again before dark and should hit the 1,000 gallon mark for the year. Happy boiling!

Tuesday Update - Taps have almost stopped. Collected 115 gallons since Sunday. Boiling some of it down tonight - I am sure it will be Grade B. I saw some buds on small red maples, but have not seen any on my sugars. I hope the cold wed night resets things for one more good weekend. I need it to have a decent year. I am sitting at 1125 gallons collected. A normal year for me is about 1500. One more good weekend will get me close.

[SWohio]

I took a break after last weekend's good run. This warm weather not much sap. I checked a couple close buckets, nothing much in them if anything. I did not even look yesterday. With this cold coming in I plan on dumping what may be in the buckets tonight. Then be ready, and maybe get another little run for the weekend.

[Lazarus]

Looks like maybe one more week of good weather. Some of the silvers are budding out though, but not all. Most of our mix is silvers and reds. Hoping to make a few more gallons. We're at around 30 gallons of syrup so far, last year we were at 100 by this point. Just hoping we'll have enough to meet the festivals we're already committed to.

Most of this year was really a lot of getting used to a new sugarhouse and new evaporator. Lots of lessons learned. The biggest one? Having plumbing in the sugarhouse means heating it, and in a heated sugarhouse sap in the boiler goes bad very, very quickly if you are not boiling daily. And accidentally boiling sap that has slightly fermented is an epic mess. EPIC.

-Laz

Pic - My silvers whomp those sugars. This baby is a three-tapper, puts out 10 gallons of sap a day easy at 2.5% sugar.
9163

[Tor Haxson]

I am cleaning and rinsing out the buckets, if we get a run later today or tomorrow here in athens county, I will have time to boil.

The last run was more than I could handle, at the tail end I started only saving sap at 2% or above.

One more average or above average run keeps me at the "only slightly crazy hobby" level, and would give me about 6 gallons of syrup for the year.

Learned a lot this year.

First year with a refractometer.. wow some trees red and/or sugar deliver better sap than others. Seeing 20 gallons of 1% sap is a little bit heartbreaking when the 10 gallons of 2.5 actually have more of the good stuff.

I learned that 3/16 tubing and collecting to a few central collection points sure beats climbing muddy hills with full buckets.

I learned I need to upgrade from steam table pans to something better.

Last year was better weather, and who knows this season is not over yet, but for me I think that I have to focus on my other work after this weekend.

[newman_maple]

I checked my bags late this evening to make sure the wind had not knocked them off. I had 6 on the ground and 2 leakers. It only reached 36 today and I have some taps running (could have collected 25+ gallons). Friday should be good, but no freezing nights forecasted here for a few nights. I do expect at least 200 - 300 gallons for Friday/Saturday, but who knows with this crazy year! Good luck everyone!

[bowhunter]

It was too cold up here to run, but like you I hope for 200 gallons or so over the week-end. Next week looks like about the end to me.

[Lazarus]

Most taps had a few inches in the bags already this morning. One big silver at the south edge right on the drive is always a good runner, but was inexplicably full this morning. I know it was empty last night. I had to haul out a bucket to empty it into before I left for work. My ATV can only pull 100 gallons on its trailer before it gets stuck in the mud (less this time of year), so it looks like multiple offloads are in my future tonight (hate those, takes too much time). I'm predicting near 400 gallons tonight alone.

[newman_maple]

I only got 200 gallons this weekend and it looks to be grade B. I don't have time to pull taps so I will leave them and see if it gets cold enough to run again. I am well below my yearly sap average. I just hope our syrup totals come in OK with a good sugar content.

[Lazarus]

I hear ya. I pulled in about 225 gallons Friday night and another 75 on Sat. I had a lot of big runners that had blown down in the wind, but still not the bounty I was hoping for. I'm leaving mine up on most trees for a week more, but as the attached pic shows, another issue is brewing. Baaaaaaaad silvers!

9222

[newman_maple]

I haven't seen any buds like that yet on my trees, but I have some sapling silvers that are budding.

Monday Update: The freeze last night did get some of the taps running. I managed to get 65 gallons this evening. It isn't much, but with tomorrow's sap, I should get another 2 gallons of syrup. I will take it!

[Lazarus]

225 gallons tonight, but I feel like I'm really skating on thin ice with these buds. Might pull some of these guys after tomorrow. In truth, I've never let it go this close. I'm not entirely sure what buddy sap looks like, so I hope I catch it in time. So far the sap smells and tastes ok.

[buckeye gold]

I pulled taps today. I had a few trees that had sap that was kinda clear, but all the others were really cloudy and my last syrup was slightly off flavor. I made about 60% of my projection

[Lazarus]

Ok, I'm pulling taps on Saturday. It's starting to get real out there. My silver on the driveway has massive red buds, but a boil test still smells and tastes fine (how can that be?) They're about all drained out from that last freeze, and it looks like the next pop of good weather isn't until next week. I don't think these babies are going to hold back that long. Feel like I'm playing Russian roulette with 5 bullets in the chamber. Spring is clearly here.

[SevenCreeksSap]

Guys dont panic yet on the season, I think the red is the flower first. Silvers are the first to flower and probably bud, but look for the leaf bud. I just hate to think the season was this short, and you guys aren't that far south of me. I guess if the sap is bad, it's bad, but if its still good..........


Flowering and Fruit
ing:
Silver maple flowers in March
-
April
before the leaves, usually before red maple. All
flowers on one tree are nearly synchronous. Fruiting
occurs in April
-
June, maturing about 3 weeks after
pollination and all released over a short period, usually
less than 2 weeks
(Burns and Honkala, 1990).
The flowers are usually greenish or yellow from
reddish
buds, about
.2
inches
long, the male (staminate) flowers
fascicled, the female (pistillate) flowers in drooping
racemes, the flowers functionally male or female.
Individual trees commonly have all male or all female
flowers (the species essential
ly dioecious) or some trees
may have more of one type than the other, and scattered
flowers may be functionally bisexual (the species
technically polygamo
-
dioecious)
(Burns and

http://blekko.com/ws/silver+maple+flower+/images

[Tor Haxson]

I hear you Steubenville is not that far north.

My sap is probably still good. I hit my target of 6 gallons, double from last year.

A little tired of boiling. I might boil whatever is in my buckets and tanks that looks good.

I have found I can adjust the fire under my steam pans to get a pretty good boil, so I may go one more round.

--
Tor

[Lazarus]

Those are flowers? OK now I'm embarrassed. I always thought those were buds. Of course, I don't climb up there to look a lot. That would explain why the sap isn't bad yet. Near 70 degrees tomorrow and sap has stopped, but next week there are some low temps coming again. Maybe I should wait to pull?

[pepperfarms]

Hi guys, been following this thread closely (located in SE Ohio) and I too am torn as to whether to pull or not, temps look great for the next week, but not sure when the point of diminishing return starts........ I do really value all your thoughts as it helps give direction to my plans.

[Grand Square Acres]

I will not pulls taps until the sap starts to get cloudy. So far it is still running clear. But I think next week will be it, what a messed up season.

[SWohio]

Too warm. I have a bunch of sticky buckets full of bugs and a bit of cloudy sap in the bottom. Wind has been blowing buckets off. Ready to pull this weekend. Then I see the forecast and thoughts of "well clean up, check taps and maybe squeeze another little run......." Then back to "nope, time to plant peas, prep for bees and move into the spring, pull those taps". I expect to decide while standing next to a tree sometime today.

[newman_maple]

Tough to know what is best, but I will wait and see if this week's sap is clear. I have never had taps in past the 15th, but my trees are always a week or two further along so maybe I can get a couple more gallons yet.

[Tor Haxson]

I am in the same state of mind as "SWOhio"

I stopped boiling last week. My wife was glad to see me clean up.

I had been too busy to pull that taps, and the buckets are full of bugs.. But the taps are still in. And tonight is cold, and tomorrow is warm.. Hmnnn..

I might.. just might , clean the buckets in the morning, look at the crowns for buds, and maybe gather what nature gives me.

--
Tor

[Lazarus]

Well this week was pointless. I've only been getting a few gallons of sap per night to boil, and today in the balmy 60 degree weather only a few taps ran. That means the holes must be closing. On top of that, my flue pan fermented last night in the warm sugarhouse, and all I can do is pitch it. 40 gallons or so of slimy brown cider smelly stuff. Should've pulled taps last weekend when I was originally planning to, would've had more syrup. I can save what's in the syrup pan, but the flue is gone :(

.