Might tap next Monday!

[mantispid]

I tapped in mid to late February last year and got 9 weeks of flow. The weather looks to be warming up next week in SW michigan, with about 3 days worth of the right temperatures, then things warm up above 40F for several days. Here's hoping we don't get another warm spell like we did two years ago. I'd rather hold off a bit longer but if temps seem consistently above freezing for more than 5 days or so, then I'm going to take the gamble and tap earlier than later.

[sugar daddy 1]

I don't think things will warm as fast this year. With all the record cold in the US this year. With 80% of the Great Lakes frozen over it's going to take a lot of warm air to warm things up. The trees are very cold it will take more than a day or two to get them to run. We'll run some lines, finish getting the sugar house ready. Start tapping around the first of March.

[maple milker]

I am at least going to put in 1/4 of my taps on Monday also. The South side of my woods near the field edge always runs several days sooner-especially if the taps happen to be on the south side of the tree. I bet the trees are frozen to the core now though with -15 degrees last night!

[Ed R]

I'm with Sugar Daddy 1 on this one. Its going to take several days for the trees to thaw out before they can run. You will end up with enough sap to be a pain/just get started then it will freeze back up hard as a rock. You'll have to drain your evaporators and deal with iced up equipment. I'm waiting to the first week of March to start, this is just the January thaw one month late.

[maple milker]

I think you guys just changed my mind for me. I would definitely have to drain the evaporator. Maybe we'll loose a little snow by March 1st. besides. Thanks for the advise.

[southfork]

About March 1st looks like the time in southern Michigan for open taps. Closed systems can probably begin anytime soon. In Lansing area we will tap late February, or in very early March, unless forecasts change. Not going to do it now.

[mantispid]

I don't even fire up the evaporator until I have at least 90 gallons of sap, so just let it freeze up in the holding tanks and use the 'ole Native American method of concentrating things down. Easy for a small hobbyist operation like mine.

Though this year even a small amount harvested today will allow a test run of the new RO system. I won't be tapping the bulk of the trees for another couple weeks.

[Spartazoo]

I too am not doing anything until March. The temps plummet again next week.