early start?

[steel tap syrup]

I have read that some people are going to start tapping early this year. What are your guys thoughts on this? Seen some people are talking about starting in a couple weeks. That seems way to early to me. I usually start March 1st. and pull taps about April 1st. in the mid Michigan area. They were talking about starting early because of El Nino. they think it will be a short season.

[wnybassman]

Confused here in Western New York as well. Next weekend I am going to be looking at the long range and try to make the best decision I can. They are saying a much warmer February than normal around here. I'd just as soon wait as long as I can, but don't want to miss out on an early season either.

[odave]

Hi neighbor - another Fentonite here. I am thinking about doing mine in mid February if the temps are right, just in case we get a warm March. But this is only my second year and I'm itching to get started :)

[wokeupthisam]

Was 36 degrees and sunny here today. Noticed a 2-inch maple with a broken branch from the recent winds, pouring sap from the wound. Next week forecast is hi 30s to mid 40s each day, 20s at night. Going to be tough to gauge when to tap this year I think. I may do what I did last year and tap a sapling or two I've marked for thinning anyway, and if the sap is flowing well and the forecast looks good, put out the 'real' taps.

[troynh]

Was 36 degrees and sunny here today. Noticed a 2-inch maple with a broken branch from the recent winds, pouring sap from the wound. Next week forecast is hi 30s to mid 40s each day, 20s at night. Going to be tough to gauge when to tap this year I think. I may do what I did last year and tap a sapling or two I've marked for thinning anyway, and if the sap is flowing well and the forecast looks good, put out the 'real' taps.

Ditto that. I'm tapping 10 tomorrow to see what I can get this week. (just for fun....)

-Tim

[DeciMaple]

Hey Fentonites,
I am just Northwest of you. I put in three taps in the open today to test the run.:) It got up to 42 degrees here today! So far each bucket has about a cup in it and the taps were running at a medium speed. A Maple in the woods with a wound was leaking slowly so they are running too! This is the earliest that I have ever tapped, and am kind of nervous that if I put in all of my taps they'll dry up early. Then again, I wouldn't want to miss the first run and just get a short season. :confused: So what are the rest of you, Michiganders doing? Do we wait, or do we let the sugaring fever get to us? Well, for now I am planing to put in all of my taps in on Friday the 29th. Have fun sugaring!

[wokeupthisam]

Good luck Tim - it looks like an early run may be in the cards

[adk1]

Some producers near me are tapping now when they typically are tapping in mid February. I have a cold bush so I am holding out some. I am tryicslly a week behind the others I chat with but the past 4 years of making syrup I typically am starting to tap around valentines day

[Forrest hunters]

I'm not rushing it here just north of Grand Rapids. Only about 5 days on the extended forecast above freezing and some of them not going below freezing at night. On top of that my pole barn doesn't have a roof or cement floor yet and my new smokey lake hood and steam stack are not here yet. Can't wait but deffinately can. I will tap very late Feb or early March as usual. Last couple years it's been around March 7-9 for start here and still a slow start then.

[steel tap syrup]

I looked at the 30 day forecast in my area. I think I'm going to wait till Feb. 20th weekend to tap. That's only about a week earlier than I normally would start.

[Tweegs]

Typical January thaw going on right now.
Temps are going to dive again next week.

We tap 2nd or 3rd week of Feb, usually.
No plans to start earlier than that.
Fowlerville here, only about 20 miles south of you Fentonites.

[Leadft]

Typical January thaw going on right now.
Temps are going to dive again next week.

We tap 2nd or 3rd week of Feb, usually.
No plans to start earlier than that.
Fowlerville here, only about 20 miles south of you Fentonites.


Some producers near me are tapping now when they typically are tapping in mid February. I have a cold bush so I am holding out some. I am tryicslly a week behind the others I chat with but the past 4 years of making syrup I typically am starting to tap around valentines day

I usually start 2nd or 3rd week of February too !

[Snappyssweets]

Breaking down and putting taps out today.
The weather is obviously going to dip again. However I expect we are going to be in this cold/thaw state from now till official spring of every few days we hit it right with a week maybe two of consistent cold yet.

[Kbrooks80]

I have an almost totally new setup this year. Upgraded to a 2x5 Smokey Lake hybrid this year. Totally new sap feed system, float box and steam hood. I hope to get enough sap to do a test run. I will then have some time to fix anything not working the way I hope before it runs for real.
This morning I collected about 40 gallons so I am well on my way.

[MidMichMaple]

I tapped a couple sugars on Saturday and they've been running ever since. I thought we were going to freeze up later this week, but now the forecast is looking warmer. Now the sun is peeking out, which wasn't supposed to happen today either. It's looking like this could be more than a blip on the radar.

[DeciMaple]

The forecast is looking much warmer! And I am very happy, because I had succumbed to the "sugar fever" and put in all 65 of my taps two days ago. Just collected around 30 gallons of sap and the trees are running at a good rate right now! Who else in Michigan has tapped already?

[Snappyssweets]

All 85 taps in, Still working them to get the proper flow but I have sap running on all trees.
Today will be first actual gather. Yesterday was a tweaking day pulled five gallons still with the clouds and rain even.

Today everything is flowing so I expect 10-20 gallons by dark.

[jimmol]

Where do you go to get the 30 day forecast?

[David in MI]

Where do you go to get the 30 day forecast?

You should be able to get long-range forecasts at both accuweather.com and weather.com but I've not found even the 10-day forecasts to be very accurate beyond the first 5 days or so.

[toquin]

Poked 1 south facing yard tree, very slow drip, Woods are still sleeping

[MidMichMaple]

Got about a gallon of sap each from my medium-sized sugars today, even with the clouds.

[Snappyssweets]

I guess I have a slight advantage with the lake only a 1/2 mile away and our woods being lower laying. I have waders on to collect due to standing water through the trees with the snow too. But I have pulled 20 gallons so far even with the clouds and cooler weather still. However I am at least boiling the first 20 gallons now to see what I get. Its darker then last year (sap that is) A few were stained last year this year most seem to have some stain if you will to the sap.

[MidMichMaple]

I guess I have a slight advantage with the lake only a 1/2 mile away and our woods being lower laying. I have waders on to collect due to standing water through the trees with the snow too. But I have pulled 20 gallons so far even with the clouds and cooler weather still. However I am at least boiling the first 20 gallons now to see what I get. Its darker then last year (sap that is) A few were stained last year this year most seem to have some stain if you will to the sap.

What do you mean by "stained" if you don't mind my asking?

The sap finally stopped flowing but I had a nice little run. My best tree gave a couple of gallons to one tap in about 18 hours.

[Cedar Eater]

I'm thinking I'll be tapping much earlier than last year (which was my first year). The swamp didn't freeze before getting covered with snow this year, so the trunks of the trees don't seem to be deep frozen. Maybe the woods trees will flow better than they did last year.

[Snappyssweets]

What do you mean by "stained" if you don't mind my asking?

The sap finally stopped flowing but I had a nice little run. My best tree gave a couple of gallons to one tap in about 18 hours.

Instead of clear the sap from about half the trees had a coloration almost like the color of a light varnish when you wash a brush a slight yellowish hint. I am doing finish boil now to see what I got out of the 20 gallons or so of sap. If its slightly off it will be either put on the shelf for our own use, boiled to the point of candy and poured or turned to sugar itself. I refuse to waste it. LOL it smells too good to consider that. :D

[Run Forest Run!]

Bruce in my experience, it sure sounds like melting snow (or rain water) is rolling down the bark of your trees and getting into your buckets. Moisture picks up a light yellow/brown colouration as it makes its way down the bark. When that happens, be sure to taste the sap before boiling. Not that it's harmful or anything, but because sometimes your bucket can contain more water than sap, and then all you make is steam and no syrup. A sap hydrometer can sure come in handy those days, otherwise trust your taste buds.

Could this explanation be a possible cause in your case? It's always been the cause of my "stained" bucket contents.

[Snappyssweets]

Karen I thought it possible, then I checked and the way I have it set up I cant figure it out.

I run my tube lines off my spiles and I have holes drilled to the 5/16 in the lids of my buckets. Which the lines run into. They are 5/16 also. So they are tight.
Only way I could think of it is if the water ran down the trunk and then somehow worked itself into the tap holes and then down the taps. I guess its possible. However my end result was still about the same as last year off the boil. <shrugs> Ah well one of them dilemmas I will have to watch as we get into season. Either way its nice to be doing something and hey its FUN!! :D

[Run Forest Run!]

Hmmm. :confused: Your system sure sounds pretty tight to be letting in stained water. Did you happen to notice the colour of the shavings when you drilled your tap holes? If you've hit a bit of a decaying spot in the tree, the sap passing through that area could get stained on the way out of the hole.

In the meantime, enjoy your time boiling tonight. I'm so jealous. :mrgreen:

[Snappyssweets]

White clean wood. When I drilled.
Like I said anything is possible Maybe the racoons opened the buckets and let the melt water in while sucking up the sap before they wandered off full. LOL

[ehausinfrats]

Was looking at the extended forecast for next weekend when my son and I are camping outside with the Boy Scouts. Friday night is 9 degrees. Not bad compared to last year at -15. I'm still waiting. I have tapped mid February before years ago. But it doesn't look good this year for me. Still plenty of work to do yet too!

Eric