my tentative target date

[michael marrs]

Looking at the weather outlook, ( accuweather) , ( and hoping), there is a warm up this weekend, lasting a few days, and then a chill down again. I have a lot to do. building a new arch, as well as tapping, and gathering wood, ( basically everything), but after the chill of feb 25-27, I am hoping to start my taps providing everything else is in order. Last year, I ran taps to 7 trees. This year , I am running 60 trees,w/ some being huge, that will take 2-3 taps. I got permission, to tap at my archery clubs 3-d course, and cook down there as well. I am very excited about getting going, but would like to ice fish a few more days. I am also thinking , with the size of this, I may buy a tote, for sap storage

[Cody]

I would get ready for the sap run.Big trees and possibly big canopy could give up to 2-3 gallons per tree a day plus high sugar content.We did a woods a few years back like with about 90 big maples in a pastor and we would get about 150 gallons of sap a day and the sugar content was 3.5 or better.

[michael marrs]

thanks for your reply, how do you measure the sugar content?. I don't know what I had last year, other then it was good

[saphound]

You measure sugar content with a hydrometer, or a much more pricey refractometer. :cool:


http://www.mapleguys.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=SRCH

[michael marrs]

You measure sugar content with a hydrometer, or a much more pricey refractometer. :cool:


http://www.mapleguys.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=SRCH

I have a hydrometer, I didn't realize it measured sugar content., It is incredibly windy here, and will be for a couple days, I think when the wind is done, is tap time for me. Last year , ( my first), I tapped 7 trees. this year , and got just over a gallon of a beautifully amber colored syrup. This year, I have marked 60 to be tapped, but will watch how the temps develop, thanks S H