Tapping

[Tonyguzz@comcast.net]

Tapping 40 trees today in central Illionis.
Is anyone in Illinois flowing yet ?

[katmike]

Yes, I've collected about 90 gals on about 60 taps so far. Next few days won't be too good but middle of next week, watch out!

[dogpatch]

Collected 50gal.this morning, trees were running well ,even trees in the shade were runniing. It is so windy I am going to wait until tomorrow to boil. By then I should have another 30 gal. or so. I put my sap pails in a creek and covered them with ice.

[KevinS]

I am waiting on a few more parts for a vac system. I am officially glad I do not have buckets out today. I would be chasing them across the county

[Flatlander]

I finished tapping everything last Sunday/Monday. Boiled almost 700 gals of sap off the last two days. Getting ready to check if it ran overnight. With this weather, it was slowing down. We need it to freeze up again.

This is the first year since I have owned the 2X6 evaporator that I have been able to make that golden colored, fancy grade, syrup. I don't know what changed. Nothing new from last year to this year. But it sure was nice to see that golden color again.

Hows everyone's sap content? I'm running 2.2% sugar for my woodland trees.

Welcome Tony. see your new. Not too far from me.

[Tonyguzz@comcast.net]

Thanks, We tapped 35 trees Friday and had 50 gallons Saturday .

[katmike]

I am seeing 1.4 - 1.5% sugar. Ugh.... hope it's just early season issues. A lot of my trees don't have good crowns, but I tap everything that's big enough.

[MapleMounder]

Finally got most of my taps in yesterday. Collected today after church. Had a few dry bags but most averaged about 1/3 full. Tested the sap from the collection tank and it was running 2.1%. Fired up the evaporator and got the first boil of the season under my belt. Good luck to everybody this year!

[TreeTapper2]

Boiled 50 gallons Yesterday. Heading out to see what's in the buckets for today.
Don't have a sugar reading, new sap tester seems to be miscalibrated.

[Flatlander]

Its been a slow week for sure but the sun came out this afternoon and got things flowing again. Looks like tomorrow will be a good day for a change. Mounder, glad to see you are back. Hope all is going well for you up there. Tree Tapper, what/where did you get the sap float from? You getting high readings or low?
Ordered one of those Shufflo pumps today to try my hand at vacuum. I have three individual lines that all come into together but have their own tanks. I'll have to build a small manifold and link all the tanks together to catch all the extra sap, hopefully. Hope it works as well as everyone else has said it will. I know its a little late in the season, but I'm never ready for season anyway. Kevin, what did you do for vacuum?

[MapleMounder]

Been a fairly good week here up North. Big runs Saturday & Sunday, a few of the taps yesterday were running over a drip a second. It was a couple late nights in the Sugarhouse. Wife and kids just got back from collecting tonight. Looks like we had a decent run today but no record setter. Going to be a late night again because I have rail safety class out of town tomorrow and most likely won't be able to boil. Weather looks not too enjoyable for the outdoor guys up here the next 24 hrs. Freezing rain now just starting to change to snow with a few inches expected to stick around. They are calling for near 60's this weekend so whatever white stuff sticks won't be here for long. I really Enjoyed my outdoor boiling days but sure is nice to be in the dry on nights like tonight.

Glad to hear from you as well Flat. Good luck with the new pump, would love to be on tubing one of these decades.

[Flatlander]

We had a huge weekend as well for the sap run. about 900 gals total. Collected some yesterday as well but things pretty well dried up again. Got the rest of the week off now so I am hoping for a good last week of sap running. Doesn't look good for the season beyond this coming weekend, but the weather forecasters have been wrong before!

I am afraid my pump comes in on Saturday so I doubt I get the chance to try it out. Looking forward to the snow. Plan on throwing some in the freezer for Saturday's brunch and party. Planning to make some sugar on snow for the kids that show up. Give them all a good sugar buzz and then send them home with their parents!!!!

Mounder, I too am glad to be inside. Had the thermometer pegged at 120 in the shack with the door open on Sunday. Thats too warm but it does feel good when its 20 out at night! Tubing is the way to go. More work at the beginning and end of the season but a lot less time needed during the sap runs. Squirrels are my biggest problem.

Good luck over the weekend all..