2015 NW wisconsin

[Brad W Wi]

OK is it just me or is it almost time? Starting this coming weekend the weather is to warm up to perfect temps. Any one out there tapping? Thurs or Fri. I hope to start. About a week earlier than I normally do. So what's everyone out there doing?

[OCHTO]

My trees are about 5 miles from you on old J. My log book is at the cabin so I don't know what exactly my tapping date was last year but I believe it wasn't till around the 25th that I finally got some good runs. I'm going to wait another week. A lot like last year with the super cold temps. I think the trees have to warm up. But who knows? I think you should tap and let us know what's going on. If I see you out there this weekend I'll stop in.

[mike z]

Think I'll wait until the weekend before I decide. I'll tap middle of next week at the earliest. It takes a few days of good temps before it will run very well anyway. I want to see what's on the other side of this warm up.

[collina1]

Tapping this weekend. Few days of being tapped in the cold wont hurt anything. Vaccum pumps are being turned on around me Saturday.

[syrup2make]

It looks like I'll start tapping this weekend. The highs for the coming week is in the low 40's. Of course, we live in northern wisconsin and forecast can change in 5 mins, so I'll keep an eye on it. Things are ready to go.

[GramaCindy]

I figure the weather is perfect for this coming week, I'm going for it. If it gets too cold again, (Which I'm sure it will) the tap holes will be fine. Not much growth in them if it's really cold. A good two weeks early for me.

[Troy D]

I put in a few taps today and am going to get the rest of the trees Monday.

[gouldjs]

I was washing all my buckets and lids when a buddy called me up in Polk county and said his taps were dripping. I finished up my washing and went straight to the woods with 40 taps, buckets and my drill. Holes got wet almost instantly, first time in my life I had them dripping right from the start. Of course they slowed quickly, but nearly every hole had moisture. I would imagine by wed or thursday things will really be going.

[syrup2make]

I got the smoke stack put on the evaporator, put in 57 of 225 taps. Washing out the pans, sap tanks, and rinse my buckets tomorrow. Should be collecting by Monday and cooking by Wednesday.

[markcasper]

Not much happening west of Menomonie. Started tapping today and maybe 10% were dribbling and that was on the strong south slope. South slopes have been mostly bare all winter, rock hard, and am thinking there is a fair amount of frost where its been bare. I expected the south slopes to be running more than this, it will take some warm days. Nothing on the ridge tops were wet at all. Tapped a regular sample tree that I normally tap weeks in advance of the season and even it was bone dry.

[logboy]

I tapped a few South of Menomonie today and all were dry. I'm on a North facing slope. I was at Andersons earlier buying some things and they said they were tapping today.

[aarons]

put out about 75 taps yesterday and today, nice weather to be out. nothing dripping yet, expect in another day. In Grantsburg area.

[Diesel Pro]

I'm hoping they wait for me. I have a snowmobile trip to the UP next weekend so I may not get to tap until the 21st. Might be able to sneak them in on the 15th.

Tapping in Merrill area.

[mainstreet]

Tapped 10 today in Hudson. Some moist drill holes but nothing dripping yet.

[Brad W Wi]

Have all mine in. We did half on Sun. and finished up today (Mon). Some holes were wet right away but it stopped a little later. Still have time to finish up last minute things around the sugar shack.

[aarons]

put out about 75 taps yesterday and today, nice weather to be out. nothing dripping yet, expect in another day. In Grantsburg area.

day 2, 4 trees are starting to flow of the 75 taps, expect more tomorrow.

[mike z]

Put in 225 over the last two days, will put in another 75 today. Had an inch or so in the buckets yesterday from the ones I hung the day before. Last year I cursed the snow, this year I hate to see it go.

[Brad W Wi]

Mike Z, I know what your saying. I feel like I was caught with my pants down. Last week we had lows of 25 below. Now this, as of today I've got everything set but it was a rush.

[aarons]

Still have 75 taps out for about 3 days now, just some starting to drip about a gallon total, we need to put 25 or more taps out but am thinking that how cold it was right before turning to spring is slowing things down? new to this. Grantsburg WI area.

[mike z]

Buckets 1/3 full today. Mind you, they are 2.5 gal alum. Buckets, so only about 1/2 gal. Yeah, I'm playing a bit of catch up right now. Looks like I may be gathering Thursday.

[mike z]

Just checked buckets. Slow going out in my woods. Had 22 this morning too.

[Brad W Wi]

Went to my sugarbush this A.M. Some pails 1/3 to 1/2 full, but far more were close to empty. It was running this P.M. so there's hope. Everything is all set to collect just waiting for the sap. We did check sugar content and everything we checked was at 3%

[mike z]

Some of the larger 24" dia trees are starting to let loose now. Most everything else just a half gal. or so. Will collect tomorrow and start the season boiling.

[logboy]

I finished 75 taps on gravity lines two days ago. So far I havent had one drop. I have a hunch we wont get a run until it cools off a little next week and we get some hard freezes at night.

[stumpmaker]

Zero to little frost in the ground in most of Sawyer County. Snow depth anywhere from 16" down in SE part of the county to 6" or so in rest of the county. Cut down around 15 Sugar maples for work related, and all where wet in matter of minutes on the stump.

It is close but not yet for all on sap run. Will tap this weekend and get ready for the "run" when is happens. Keep having fun.

[markcasper]

Checked my woods I tapped on Saturday and only 50 gallons of sap from 330 taps last. Getting vacuum on there by this afternoon, so hopefully things will change. Another woods I tapped yesterday had probably 85% with some sort of sap flow and got vacuum going right away with a fair flow I thought, left pump run and on the ground overnight, will start saving today. Have a north facing bush that will be tapped next. Working out and trying to do this is a struggle, lots of vacation time after this week.

[GramaCindy]

I just got back from a nice walk through my sapping trails and it looks like they are finally starting. Now I just have to hope that the nighttime temps don't impede sap flow too much.

[Brad W Wi]

Thurs we collected about 140 gals of sap out of 400 pails. Did get it into the evap. to sweeten the pans a bit. Checked things Fri. A.M. and nothing going on. Thurs. night low of 40 and Fri. night low of 34. Hoping by Mon. or Tues something happens.

[mike z]

Lots of waiting to do now. I was in such a hurry to get the buckets out I didn't bother with the covers. Now I can leisurely walk along and put them on and enjoy the near summer like weather. It's way more fun to be frantically humpin' full buckets of sap out, even with knee deep snow.

[aarons]

we have maybe 110-120 taps out. Today is starting to see some good flow from many trees now so hopefully this keeps on. about 20 gallons saved so far and have not collected from our large jugs yet.

[gouldjs]

boiled down 35 gallons of sap today, didn't want it to sit in storage on a 70 degree day. Drained about 2.5 gallons of sweet from the pan and put it in the fridge. Crossing my fingers for next week.

[Brad W Wi]

Sunday we collected 130 gals of sap 3.5 sugar . We boiled it down. Looks like the weather is changing to what we need.

[aarons]

today was best day yet for sap flow. We have about 120 gallons now and will start cooking tomorrow. If weather holds like it is forecast, we may do 3x the production of last year.:D

[aarons]

today was best day yet for sap flow. We have about 120 gallons now and will start cooking tomorrow. If weather holds like it is forecast, we may do 3x the production of last year.:D

3/18 about 190-200gallons collected and started cooking today.

[Brad W Wi]

Thurs had a marathon boil of 15 hours, today it was 7 hours. The sap is running good 2.8 to 3.5 for sugar. Everything is boiled off. not running very good right now, so I hope to have a break tomorrow to finish some of and bottle.

[mike z]

I'm not that far from you Brad; why can't my sugar be that high?? I just bought some bottles today to bottle up what I have done so far; about 15 gal. Hope it runs like heck tomorrow!

[Brad W Wi]

Mike Z not much happening here today. Maybe tomorrow. Chance of snow Sunday night. Bottled 15 gals this morning. Taking a break this afternoon.

[flying squirrel maple]

Boiling was going great, smell was awesome thirty seconds later, pan scorched arrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggg!!!!!!!


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[mike z]

Been there, smelled that. It's like being somewhere great and having a trap door open up beneath you, dropping you into another world. A bad world. Can you save it?

[mike z]

The taps really opened up today at around noon. Collected 250 g. tonight.

[flying squirrel maple]

We got the steel wool out and a lot of elbow grease to get it cleaned, but I think we're forced on drawing from one side only. Warped it, and learned a valuable lesson. Too much beer and a short attention span is not a good combo when your at 6. 😡


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[WI Sugarpop]

We got the steel wool out and a lot of elbow grease to get it cleaned, but I think we're forced on drawing from one side only. Warped it, and learned a valuable lesson. Too much beer and a short attention span is not a good combo when your at 6. 


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I didn't think you're supposed to use steel wool on stainless steel. We use scotch bright pads.

[flying squirrel maple]

Shouldn't but necessity is a evil beotch!!!


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[WI Sugarpop]

Shouldn't but necessity is a evil beotch!!!


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I hear ya.

[gouldjs]

Things have really turned on in Polk County since Saturday for almost everyone I have talked too. Next few days should continue to run well.

[GramaCindy]

The sap has been flowing really well, almost 1 gallon per tap each day. I imagine it will really pick up today or tomorrow with the weather changing to snow. So far what I thought was sweet sap, turned out to be about 60 to 1:-(. After collecting late yesterday I detected a noticable raise in sugar. Hopefully today's boil will go faster.

[flying squirrel maple]

The sap is flowing today! All 300 bags are full, now the fun begins!!


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[Brad W Wi]

Been flowing good in the Winter area. Been boiling steady the last 3 days. Plan on it again tomorrow. We collect late morning and could collect again late afternoon.Tonight and tomorrow looks like snow and rain. Maybe I'll catch up on bottling.

[mike z]

Collected over 2200 g. now. I have 300 more to boil. Didn't run today, don't expect much tomorrow either.

[markcasper]

Finally a slower day on Friday and a chance to sleep in tomorrow. Been only sleeping every other night for the last 10 days. Wasn't ready this year and didn't get them all tapped. Boiled 4 times and they've been 80-100 gallons of syrup per time. Just got a north side woods tapped last Friday and they have did well at about 3%. The rest is anywhere from 2-2.3%. The first 2 batches were all dark, some very dark, on the 3rd batch it lightened way up and Thursday morning it was lighter than light amber. Sugar sand is awful and is plugging the float coming out of the flue pan, I have never had this before and must be careful or I'll burn it up.

Hoping we get another week or two, but am afraid with all of the warm weather a few weeks ago we aren't going to make it that far. All I know is good vacuum is a crop-saver. Am thinking Sunday and Monday we will all be drowning in sap!

[gouldjs]

boiled down about 200 gallons this weekend and finished off a previous batch. Up to about 6 gallons finished at this point with a few gallons to finish off in the fridge. We will see what happens this week.