When are you going to tap or have you yet?

[Ridge777]

I was just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on when to tap. Weather forecast looks good for the next few days and then cold till 15th. I put in way to early last year and my taps dried up. I was thinking of tapping a hundred tomorrow in case it runs this weekend and the rest when it is here for sure. I am shooting for 250 taps this year to feed my new rig and want to get every drop.

[western mainer]

Up here in Greenwood we put in ours on Feb. 11 and had good runs on the 21-23. If your on tubing why put it off, we do use all leader check valves. That good run was 3 weeks early for us, don't know what the fuss is on the cold cause up here the nom is a few runs starting around March 14-18 and the last week going into 2 1/2 weeks in April
Brian

[West Sumner Sugar]

I put some taps in in Lewiston today and it was running, not hard but still dripping. Get drilling!

[Mike's Sugar Shack]

I have put in 420 taps in on vacuum so far. I am waiting a little longer before i put my buckets out yet.

[efoyt]

I put in around 50 taps last Saturday and Sunday...buckets and plastic tubbing to 5 gallon buckets on the ground. ridge777 how early did you put in when your taps dried out? Did it never run or just shut off early? Did I put in to early?

[Maple Ridge]

efoyt, You will be fine with your buckets. If you had them in for 2 to 3 weeks, that might be an issue. I put in a test tap each year early and last year it ran to the end. I am going all in tomorrow. Hope to get a boil in sunday to sweeten the pans.

[Ridge777]

efoyt
I put in around Feb 5th last year when we had a 3 or 4 day warm up. After that it froze up solid for a couple weeks. My taps ran, just not that great. I added 50 more deeper in the woods in late March to help my season. A lot of work to collect those 5 gallon buckets by hand. Live and learn!! I would say that Maple Ridge is right on based on my experience with last year. I am going to take his and West Sumner Sugars Advice and get a Tappin!!!! Thanks to all.

[Smrdc1974]

Tomorrow is the day..... Time for tappin'.... 7 last year to 22 this year with a new home made evaporator...... Let it flow!!!!!

[Darren Allen]

Tapped today 3/7. 75 taps a mixture of buckets and tap line. I figure sap will run tomorrow then take a week off since temps are going to be low next week.

[JuniperHillSugar]

Ridge777,'
I'm in Bowdoin and tapped on 3/6 & 3/7. Just 170 buckets for us, but still waiting for the warm-up. I know bigger operaters in Bowdoin & Sabattus have tapped around the same time. Each season is different, I guess it is just a gut feeling really. Good Luck

[Aaron Roy]

I got 15 taps in this weekend and got about 4gallons of sap

[RollinsOrchards]

We almost finished tapping yesterday afternoon. I think we came close to 1100 taps in so far. We have a few dozen more buckets to put out when we get to it. Now comes the joy of breaking the roads out again. Breaking trails is going to be a two tractor affair for sure - one to ram the drifts and the second with the farmi winch to pull it back out.

I think if we melted the ice in all the tanks and buckets we might have half enough sap to fill the evaporator.