Southern NH, To tap or not to tap

[MJFlores]

I was planning on tapping this weekend, but now I'm not sure what to do. Still lots of snow out there. Roots would still be frozen here I'm guessing. Today and tomorrow looks like warm weather but then it appears to be back to cold for a week or more. Looking at the long ranger report, maybe waiting to have taps in for March 3rd seems smart? What does everyone else think? :confused:

[Bucksaw]

I am thinking the same thing as you. All my taps are on buckets and last year I think I missed out on some good late runs because I tapped 75% of my trees too early. Have one test tree tapped and I may tap a couple more but most of mine will be tapped in early March. Hopefully this works out.

[325abn]

I am holding off! If I had lots more taps and/or vac I may have tapped this weekend.

[DoubleBrookMaple]

I am holding off! If I had lots more taps and/or vac I may have tapped this weekend.

Good move. I am in southern Vermont, and tapped 60 two days ago, hoping for a test run, and haven't got a drop. All on tubing. My bucket taps I decided to wait on already. I will wait to do the other half. It is much colder where I am on a west facing mountainside. only 38 deg at noon today.

[BAP]

I held off even though it was tempting. With snow so deep I don't think it will run much and I don't want to end up with blocks of ice in the tanks if there isn't enough to boil. I suspect that fresh tapped when it warms up again they will run good and last longer if the season is a late one.

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

My taps are flowing, friends in Merrimack got 55 gallons yesterday on only 30 trees...I've got 5 gallons already this morning from mine....and my tress do not flow fast and furiously...I'm glad I got some early action.

[optionguru]

I think I'm just a little too far North. I tapped 23 a couple days ago and it just started running a little yesterday afternoon. I've got about 10 gallons so far. Would really like another 5 or 10 to run the evaporator for the first time with the new upgrades. Seeing how unproductive this mini-season has been I'm glad I only tapped 1/3 of my trees early.

[Shawn]

Tapped out Monday and Tuesday. Pipeline not running and rest on buckets way out back nothing unless are in direct sun and just a little. Three stud trees in back yard on buckets very little with the others in back yard, one stud tree today buckets half full emptied them into others and buried them in the still deep snow to keep cold. Need at least fifty gallons to fire up to be safe.

[Wingo87]

The sap gods treated me well today! I got 10 gal on my 14 taps I have out so far! Should get more tomorrow. Hopefully will make a half gallon of syrup tomorrow

[red maples]

It took a while for the trees to thaw but full sun and 49* here got things running at 360 taps(so far still more line to run and buckets to tap) I probably have close to 275 gallons so far. since yesterday lunch time anyway that's when my lines were cleaned out enough that the sap was really saveable at that point hopefully boiling tomorrow. I will tap buckets and gravity next weekend to get ready for the next wave. Hopefully it keeps up straight well into April