When you guys think its gonna go

[tessiersfarm]

Just looked at a 30 day forecast and wished I hadn't. Come on March.

[maple flats]

Just wait, it will happen when it should. We might have a old time traditional season. As long as this cold doesn't go too far into March, that could likely set up a very short season.

[Maple Ridge]

They can't predict a 7 day forcast right. Unless the cold runs into March I shoot for the last weekend in February. I will keep an eye on the weather, and might put in a test tap 15th or 22nd. I will have everything ready for February 22nd, and sit back and wait. I have head that weather like this makes the sap run sweeter, but again will have to wait and see.

[Revi]

The national weather service is predicting a normal early spring.

http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/seasonal.php?lead=1

[adk1]

Around Presidents week

[spud]

In my area the last week of Feb seems to be the real start. If all goes well with my back I should be all tapped in by the 15th-20th of Feb. I think it's going to be a real good season. Time will tell.

Spud

[Shawn]

Planning on 16th-17th but who knows and the long range is to far out but looks cold

[Cider Hill Maple Farm]

Hi guys,

We have a bit of a wait yet, ok by me!! Went out to check on some lines last weekend, to my surprise one main was down without any damage and a couple of lats, within an hour everything was top notch. Looking to hit another new bush this weekend with a couple hundred new taps,this one will need some work to get the mains and lats in, I'm guessing a 8 to 10% grade in 200 yards. I built a new 3' x 12' oil fired arch to replace the 18 year old one, a few more sheets of board and I'll be ready to run a test. Oh by the way nice to see ya writing again on the Trader REVI ,one of these days I'm going to pop in and visit.

Best to all!!

Shawn

[Revi]

I'd love to see you! I'll be playing maple during the week of the 15th to the 23rd, so give me a shout and we can check out the sugarhouse.

I'd love to see your place at the Cider Mill Farm some time too. I'll have a little time around that week, if the sap isn't flowing yet.

We usually tap around the end of February, so I'm predicting February 22nd is when it gets going for Central Maine.

[Chicopee Sap Shack]

I'm looking at around valentines day ish


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[adk1]

thats about when I really start paying attention to the forecast. before that not much

[Daves Maple Farm]

We target Feb 15 however if its still sub 0 we can wait another week.

[bees1st]

Regarding long range temp. predictions . I don't hold stock in them . Back in Nov. they were saying Dec. was going to be above average . We all know how that worked out ! Back in the day I used to like to be all set to go March 1st . With mostly check valves now I start to drill holes after looking at a 7 day forecast . And we all know how those work out !

[Revi]

I would love it if it starts around the 15th of Feb. I have vacation, so I would love to spend it maple sugaring.

[miner1]

I saw some sapsicicles on a Norway maple today...the sun is getting high...

[Cider Hill Maple Farm]

We worked in a new orchard this past weekend, by late Sunday afternoon I noticed some sap dripping from the broken branches. The time to tap is creeping up quick, with a lot of small loose ends to finish up, I'm hoping we have a least a couple more weeks before it starts to flow!

Best to all!

[Maple Ridge]

My wife and I plan on getting all the final prep done this weekend. Not much left to do but it would be nice to have everything ready to go and put in a test tap on the 16th and wait for the season to start.

[JuniperHillSugar]

The sugarhouse will be cleaned this weekend and we'll get things ready. The days are getting longer, the sun is trying to loosen Old Man Winter's grip on the Maples for sure.
I've been cutting next year's firewood in an area for future sugar production. I'm trying to get the big ash out to let the young maples thrive.
February vacation we will probably tap a few. We are all on buckets so we don't go until it's ready.
Good Luck to all.

[adk1]

The sugarhouse will be cleaned this weekend and we'll get things ready. The days are getting longer, the sun is trying to loosen Old Man Winter's grip on the Maples for sure.
I've been cutting next year's firewood in an area for future sugar production. I'm trying to get the big ash out to let the young maples thrive.
February vacation we will probably tap a few. We are all on buckets so we don't go until it's ready.
Good Luck to all.

Must be another teacher eh?

[Revi]

I'm a teacher also, and I would love to do maple all February vacation, but it doesn't look good. Maybe by the end of the week it might warm up, but not in the very near future.

[Revi]

I just looked at the 10 day, and it looks like 36, 36 and 40 for Weds, Thurs and Friday of next week, so that might work...
http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/hdfForecast?query=04976

[Shawn]

tapping out next week 16th and 17th

[abbott]

Based on the current forecasts, I'm planning on tapping early next week. I checked/fixed all the lines this week and added a few taps. Still have to set up the new releaser and sap tank and get the evaporator rinsed and set up and the vacuum pump set up.

[gmcooper]

I was back out tapping this afternoon. What a mess, with 2'' of semi soft crust on top of 10-12" snow. Even with snowshoes on I broke thru almost every step. Breaking thru means lifting each shoe up thru the chunks of crust. Awesome workout but not nearly enough trees tapped. The 2 coyote hunters that hunt on the far side of the sugarbush thought they were going to have a heart attack walking in and out today.

[Brandon]

We put in 500 today, like you said the snow was a pain, more on the way tonight

[Ryan August]

GOT 86 taps in, ten to go. Would have been much easier prior to this snow, but all good. Even had some in the sun having some sap flow, end of this week, temps look promising

[West Sumner Sugar]

We put in about 130 yesterday. Not a drip of sap. Cant wait to get the steam rolling!

[abbott]

I was back out tapping this afternoon. What a mess, with 2'' of semi soft crust on top of 10-12" snow. Even with snowshoes on I broke thru almost every step. Breaking thru means lifting each shoe up thru the chunks of crust. Awesome workout but not nearly enough trees tapped.

My big old wooden snowshoes held me up pretty good. I was out all day and only fell on my face three times!

[500592]

Looks like a good practice run coming up and then a week of cool weather before it really begins.

[MapleLady]

Revi -- I hear you -- am a teacher too and was hoping to boil sap on February vacation next week! I put on my snowshoes this afternoon and managed to put in 5 taps in my backyard. All 5 taps immediately started that lovely song of drip, drip, drip! It won't be too much longer!

[Finest Kind]

"Just wait, it will happen when it should,"

This is EXACTLY what I am going to say when my wife says that I need to fill the woodbox…great quote!

[RollinsOrchards]

Up here in the Highlands we are expecting a high in the lower thirties with a lot of wind Thursday, and Freezing rain/rain on Friday. Given that Tuesday morning was close to 15 below zero and there is almost three feet of snow in the woods we don't expect enough of a run to fill the evaporator this week.

Next week looks like back to below zero and highs in the teens.

So . . . we aren't going to tap this week - going to run another 2500' of pipeline and be ready when the weather really breaks.

[Maple Ridge]

I plan on putting in my tubing this weekend, and the buckets next weekend. I just hope the season comes in with a mild warmup and not hit us with 50 deg days right off the bat.

[Cider Hill Maple Farm]

I,m tapping starting tomorrow. The first orchard I need to add another 500' of mainline so I don't have to deal with mud like last year. The second is ready to drill, but the third, well that's a whole different beast, this is a new orchard with all the mains and lats up but I need to cut in the drop-lines. Rough count, there are a little over 200 taps here in this new bush, so one whole day will be at this location. We have eliminated all buckets this year in small areas and gone to one collection point with 5/16" and 55 Gal. drums. Looking at the extended forecast, I'm not seeing a 40 Degree day in sight, not good!

Best to all!!

[Smrdc1974]

Second week of March looks promising and from then on should be good...... Can't wait.... Second season and can not wait to try my new evaporator.... Last year 2 gallons from three trees.... This year, 12 trees and hope to double production.

[abbott]

Second week of March looks promising and from then on should be good...... Can't wait.... Second season and can not wait to try my new evaporator.... Last year 2 gallons from three trees.... This year, 12 trees and hope to double production.

Welcome to the Trader! Yup, on your scale it makes sense to hold off until it warms up again. I'm not sure if being tapped already is going to add a lot to my syrup total, but at least I can get the kinks out. Looks like I'll get a decent boil in tomorrow and probably leave some sap to boil a bit on Sunday, too.

[Revi]

We tapped about half of our trees today. I guess we'll let them clean out the tubing, so we'll be ready for next week. It's looking like it will freeze up this week, and then maybe we'll be okay to start in earnest the week after. We'll see... I sure hope it doesn't stay frozen much longer than that...

[Cider Hill Maple Farm]

Relocated a tank downhill 300' on the 325 tap orchard to make collection a lot easier and pick up an additional 20 +/- taps. Once all was set, I had to at least put a couple taps in to see what was happening, not much!!!! Then we headed to the new 200 tap orchard to start installing the drops and saddles, another day we'll have this one ready to tap. After trudging through 2 to 3 feet of snow all day in snowshoes, today will be spent in the sugar house taking care of last minute details. I had planned on tapping this weekend but with another cold-snap on it's way, I'm thinking next weekend.

Best to all !!!

[bees1st]

I had set pretty near 75% of my taps by noon yesterday . Had a decent first run of the season . Approx. 1.5 gallon / tap. Hopefully fire up the rig later today. No where near ready !

[Chicopee Sap Shack]

I tapped last Monday and Tuesday Collected a decent amount Friday it was running good yesterday I'm gonna gather that this morning and then again at about 3 this afternoon and then light the fire for the first time.

Scott


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[Maple Ridge]

We in tubing (117 taps) yesterday and also had a good run. Not enough to start the boil. Lines were running a little today. We have another 98 buckets to hand next weekend. With the freeze coming this week, not much sense to hang buckets yet. I am sure we will be able to boil March 7th.

[GotSap?]

154 in this weekend with about a dozen on 3/16 tubing.

[Revi]

We tapped about 150 this weekend, but we will start in earnest next weekend.

[Chicopee Sap Shack]

Boiled down about 100 gal yesterday 2% sap would have had a draw off if I had about 15 gal more but no such luck. Drained the pans last night with the cold coming in this week.

Scott


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[Mike's Sugar Shack]

Tapped 220 at my house ran into problems with my bender releaser.But i got lucky and picked up 2500 tap realeser and what a difference from the bender.Now i just need to wait for lines to thaw out hopefully it comes soon.

[Cider Hill Maple Farm]

Checked the two test taps on the big orchard, drops were full and solid of frozen sap. Plan on getting the RO room up and running this week after work! Evap. close to being ready, a little polishing and replacing the hoods we will be ready when Mother Nature is.

[CPlace]

We put in just over 100 taps all on gravity this weekend and were getting decent sap flow. We will be tapping the rest (150 buckets) this weekend.

[das fisch]

Boiled down about 70 gallons last night, I also drained pans out as the cold is setting in for a bit here

[Revi]

It's cold, but I guess that means good snowshoeing for tapping this weekend anyway...

[Maple Ridge]

I was going to hang my buckets this weekend but I think I will wait. I see where someone was concerned that the holes may start to dry up if there isn't any sap flow. I think the 117 tubing taps I have in will be ok but taps for buckets? Not sure. I only have 98 buckrts so I can do them in a day. I just hope when it does come, we have a good season.

[Chicopee Sap Shack]

Wait for warmer weather to be on the horizon before any more taps


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[Finest Kind]

10 below zero this morning…looks like about a July 3rd tapping date!!

[gotti2033]

I am sure glad I have 2 gallons completed. Looks like maybe a week out to start running again.

[Revi]

It looks like the first weather that's even remotely warm enough is next Thursday and Friday. They are supposed to be in the mid to high thirties. It's too far off to get our hopes up though.

[miner1]

The forecast does not look promising for the next week. Looks like the second week in March. This hobby really like farming, we are at the mercy of mother nature.

[Revi]

It looks like the middle of the month before it gets warm enough to run every day. Next Tuesday looks good, but that's a week away. We'll see what happens. They are too far out to predict next week with any accuracy. This weekend is saying only 32 for Saturday, which isn't enough to get trees running.

Maybe the week after next...