Central mn 2016 tapping

[SYRUP FREAK]

TEMPS HAVE BEEN 40'S DURING THE DAY, 20'S AT NITE. ANYBODY TAPPING IN CENTRAL MN. (MOTLEY, mn.) 2-21-16

[KSV]

I tapped on Friday after a friend prodded me. I have a tiny operation (16 taps (-:) but 8 of them started running right away.

[BigPine]

Thinking we are still a couple weeks away .... North of Garrison 7 miles.

[warners point]

I'm going to run a few 3/16th lines this weekend near McGregor. Hoping to wait a couple more weeks to actually tap trees.

[SZimm]

I live between Princeton and St. Cloud. Tapped several trees last week. One dripped right away. Drove past someones operation last Friday about 5 miles west of me. Almost all of those bags were full. I tapped 30 more trees on Friday and 16 more yesterday. Nothing significant happening as of yet.

[wbreitbarth]

12 taps out of 24 running. Emptied 5 gallons at 2pm yesterday just went out at 7am and emptied 10 gallons! 10 day forecast in southern MN looks good yet! With only 1 day below freezing!

[BigPine]

Are your 3/16 lines gravity? If so, how many taps do you run into one line?

I'm going to run a few 3/16th lines this weekend near McGregor. Hoping to wait a couple more weeks to actually tap trees.

[warners point]

Yes the 3/16th is on gravity with about a 40 foot drop. I'm going to put around 20 taps on each line. I believe you can go up to 30 if you want. I'm hoping that 40 taps on 3/16th will produce the equivalent of around 100 on bags. I can't wait to see!

[psparr]

If it runs anything like mine, you'll double or triple the bags.

[Kilroy]

Anoka county - 64 taps yesterday, 22 gallons today. 37 degrees in the afternoon.
Here we go...

[BigPine]

Is there any chance I could 'tour' your operation. I am most interested in the gravity 'main' lines. Over the years I have dabbled with a 1" mainline on gravity.
I have lots of questions. I can send you my phone number ....

[lastwoodsman]

Sandstone area, east central Minnesota--- Going to start tapping this week-end--a dozen test bags have shown nothing yet.

[Joeyhowe]

Oak grove mn east of elk River saps flowing. Put out 6 test taps Monday night and collected 5 gallons last night. The week ahead looks to be promising no end in sight for this early season.

[SYRUP FREAK]

Put out just 10 taps yesterday 2/23/16 and have 5 dripping. No big accumulation but a start. 9 miles south of motley. Best trees down by pond in low area.

[dufftj]

Driving home from work the other day and I noticed a neighbor that tapped a few maples. So I drove by the next afternoon to see if he was catching any sap. Some had an inch in them but most were flapping in the breeze. Weather is looking good but the ground by me is still frozen solid, but not much snow cover. I think I'll prob tap this weekend . Here's to a good season.

[lastwoodsman]

A fellow syrup maker here on the east side of the twin cities, MN has 700 bags out mostly silvers. Only 80 gallons yesterday. Nothing really happening yet. That could change fast this week-end. 50's Sat.

[212Maple]

280 bags out since Sunday (more going out tonight), 130 gallons of sap so far. Most taps just starting to run; hoping it gets crazy this weekend! Enjoy the run!

[Joeyhowe]

Anoka county - 64 taps yesterday, 22 gallons today. 37 degrees in the afternoon.
Here we go...

Where abouts in anoka county. I'm in oak grove mn just north of Andover. I'm on my second year of tapping and always looking to check out other people's operation to Maby improve mine!!

[SZimm]

running about 50 taps - Collected just shy of 10 gallons sap yesterday. NOthing today (too cold) expecting something significant tomorrow!!

[BigPine]

Hey Terry. Let everyone know what you find running this weekend - if you tap.
We are straight west of you - just north of Garrison. We will be out of town this weekend, and plan on tapping beginning Monday depending on the temps.
Thanks for the tour 2 years ago. Uncle Wilho is no longer with us, but he never stopped talking about your sugarbush.
Happy Sappin'

A fellow syrup maker here on the east side of the twin cities, MN has 700 bags out mostly silvers. Only 80 gallons yesterday. Nothing really happening yet. That could change fast this week-end. 50's Sat.

[Kilroy]

Where abouts in anoka county. I'm in oak grove mn just north of Andover. I'm on my second year of tapping and always looking to check out other people's operation to Maby improve mine!!

Joe - just sent you a pm. I'm in Andover.

[Schnep's]

Put out some test taps yesterday and all running. So put out 26 in yard and open area. All running with a couple at about a gallon. This will be the earliest by at least 2 weeks that we have put out any taps. Hope we are not jumping the gun at put them out.
Just on the south end of Mille Lasc

[warners point]

We tapped the 50 3/16th today and have sap running like crazy here in Mcgregor. It really is amazing watching the sap run down the line. We also hung 30 bags and those are dripping good also. Looking to get everything else out next weekend.

[mnguy]

put out 100 bags this morning by Cambridge. Nephew just called this evening and said all the bags have about a gallon each in them.

[BigPine]

Thank you McGregor and Cambridge for the updates. Went to hockey games, and have not yet tapped - NW corner of Mille Lacs.
Looking for advice from nearby sappers - should I begin tapping today, or with the cool off coming, wait?

[North!]

Sap started flowing late yesterday. Picked up pretty quick. Looks like a week of cooler weather. Lines are all flushed and ready.

[Schnep's]

Went collected 40 gallons out of 60 taps.Not running today we are going to hold off with the rest of taps till next weekend.I don't think it will run till then

[Lano75]

Tapped 91 trees on Thursday and collected 120 gallons yesterday!

[BigPine]

Thanks for the update, I did tap one this am - and @ 4:30 pm it was giving some - no bucket, but not much.
I will do about 100 - and start tapping Wed -Thur.

[BigPine]

Monday; 4 am 32F; 6:30am 12F with gusts to 30mph
Did anyone in Aitkin county get much sap so far?

[SYRUP FREAK]

Saw on facebook, a friend who has a large commercial operation just north of milacs lake
tapped 5000 trees this last weekend. He does have a vacuum system however. Had 5 gals. yesterday near Motley mostly in a lower area by a pond.

[lastwoodsman]

Similar for us in the Sandstone area. Setting up vacuum Thursday for the weekend.




Went collected 40 gallons out of 60 taps.Not running today we are going to hold off with the rest of taps till next weekend.I don't think it will run till then

[Troutlakemaple]

We are going to start tapping Thurs.

[Bombadil]

In the Princeton area have out 18 taps got about 20 gallons of sap. Hoping that after this cold snap they will start running again.

[zzammon]

Put in 44 taps near Little Falls on Saturday. Most were dripping. Collected 18 gallons of sap Sunday morning.

[davewittwer]

In the Princeton area have out 18 taps got about 20 gallons of sap. Hoping that after this cold snap they will start running again.
I'm jealous, I'm north of town and just got wet buckets, that's about it.

[SYRUP FREAK]

Have bags with frozen sap. Is this still good and will it yield any sugar?

[wbreitbarth]

Have bags with frozen sap. Is this still good and will it yield any sugar?


It will be fine. I froze all my sap last year because of the warm Temps and it cooked off fine, and had the same sugar %

[Bombadil]

I cooked off that 20 gallons of sap got 3 pints of nice syrup.

[SYRUP FREAK]

Thank you for your answer on the frozen sap.

jack

[chad]

Put out a couple of test taps out Saturday both ran so I decided to put out the rest today after getting everything else taken care of, now all that's left is to wait for the runs and hope they are good one that last and make a good season.
Best of luck to all happy sugaring

[Bombadil]

What is your guys advice on the weather. I notice we may have atleast 3 days were the night time temps will be above freezing. Will this bud the trees? Or do they need more then a few days above freezing?

[lastwoodsman]

The next three days look good and then the long range bites.

Setting up vacuum tomorrow morning.

[SilverLeaf]

Will this bud the trees? Or do they need more then a few days above freezing?
They need more than a few days. Get a good week though where the days are hitting 50-60 and the nights aren't freezing and any Silvers might decide to pop. Silver and Red maples will bud out earlier than Black and Sugar.

[craig101]

I put my 9 taps in last week. 19 gallons so far, mostly from last weekend and monday. It looks to be a nice couple of days and then sucky sap weather. I got the feeling of "get the sap while you can", 50s during the day and not freezing at night isn't good....

[BigPine]

Today is the first day of anything running here NW corner of Mille Lacs Lake.
Looks like about 1/2 gallon per tap today, but not collecting any until tomorrow.
107 taps on drop lines to pails.

[mnguy]

Picked up 40 gallons today in Cambridge

[davewittwer]

Today is the first day of anything running here NW corner of Mille Lacs Lake.
Looks like about 1/2 gallon per tap today, but not collecting any until tomorrow.
107 taps on drop lines to pails.
That's about what I pulled today

[Gissert]

I pulled 85 off 170 taps today. Of those 170, I has 25-30 bags on the ground so I probably had well over 100. Sweeting up the pan right now :)

[Lano75]

111 on 95 taps today. cooked it off.

[Joeyhowe]

20 taps collected 25 gallons as of noon yesterday. Will go back out this evening to
Collect again. Hoping for 20 full 5 gallon buckets. Wishful thinking atleast. Centeral mn.

[Schnep's]

Collected 65 gallons from 90 taps on Sunday afternoon everything running. It got down to 31 last nite hoping to get more today.

[SilverLeaf]

If you have a hydrometer, use it. Your temp calculation is likely correct, but won't stay correct for long - as the weather changes so does the temp.

[BigPine]

If you do not have a hydrometer, consider getting one. Best I could see, you have 50 taps - and that would yield about 50 quarts - using the 'Big Pine Yield Conversion Table'.
It is a money pit, but with 50 taps it seems you could justify KNOWING when you have syrup.

If you have a hydrometer, use it. Your temp calculation is likely correct, but won't stay correct for long - as the weather changes so does the temp.

[zzammon]

Not just any hydrometer, a Brix hydrometer for finished syrup. Fleet Farm sells them. A moonshine or wine hydrometer won't help much.

[Laurie Enget Richard]

i am here to tell you all. we have a small 1 acre yard with only a few silvers. We tapped the last week of February and i also tapped a friends couple trees. We have gotten MAYBE 10 gallons of sap and nothing really more since. I have one pail that is small and full otherwise nothing. I think we have 17 taps. Its frustrating... is our season done? we have trees that haven't even given us sap yet. Hopefully tomorrow. ugghh anyone else having this problem?

[Gissert]

Depending how where you are,m you may be ok yet. In central Ottertail county, it was below freezing for about 40 hours - Yesterday afternoon my 170 taps (all sugars) busted loose pretty good. Most were dripping 1-4 drops per second at 5PM. It should flow again today. The sugars show no signs of budding yet and the sap has been nice and clear. I have a few silvers in my yard and they have buds, but are not opening yet.

[Tapping Gold]

I have two silvers in RICHFIELD MN which ran the two weekends, 5 days really. The one tree has budded out Wednesday the other has not. They are dripping this morning but i assume the one could be bitter. I'll test it in a small cup first.
Today i travel to Wealthwood MN to inspect my other taps. I'll let you know.

[SYRUP FREAK]

I processed 35 gals of sap yesterday and it finished into 4 pints. I understand that i should be getting 8 pints/40 gals of sap? What am i doing wrong. Does everybody usually get l gal./40 gals. Of sap?

[SDdave]

Oh no. Some years for me its a 50:1, some its 35:1. Use a sap hydrometer and the Rule of 87 to get you close to an approximation of syrup available.

SDdave

[chad]

At the risk of sounding dumb what is rule of 87
Oh no. Some years for me its a 50:1, some its 35:1. Use a sap hydrometer and the Rule of 87 to get you close to an approximation of syrup available.

SDdave

[flyzone13]

Does anyone think we might get another run yet with the cool down coming in the next few days or is it pretty well over? I think I may hang on for a week yet. Sap hasn't gotten real cloudy yet and it still tastes good so why not.

[chad]

Here on the south side of Mille Lacs lake the trees have slowed down, but there isn't a bud to be seen so far so I am gonna hang in there and see if this season could at least try to be normal 9whatever that is)

[SDdave]

At the risk of sounding dumb what is rule of 87

87/(% sugar of sap)= approximate gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup

so use 2%: 87/2%= 43.5 gallons

I get asked all the time how much syrup I collected that day so this is real handy.

SDdave

[Johnny t]

Fellas I'm an hour SW of the twin cities. No buds as of today. I too am holding out for another run. If we get through this warm spell we could run for quite a while according to the forecast. Talked to my cousin down the road tonight he has a thousand on vacuum and he got 800 gals. today 600 each of the last two days. There's still hope. Syrup got really dark really fast with warm spell. Anderson's are saying that if we get through the warm spell the sap will clear up and lighter syrup will be back. Fingers crossed.

[Gissert]

Central Ottertail county here. No sign of buds on the sugars here. Just finishing the last of 400 gallons over the weekend. Ran 200 through and got 4.7 gallons of dark amber. Hoping to get that again when I finish in the morning.

Starting tomorrow tonight, it looks like freezes for the next few nights so they should go again.

[lastwoodsman]

Getting excited for the cold weather coming in. Normal start in our area is always around the 15th. We will see what Thursday and the rest of the week brings!!

[Troutlakemaple]

Just getting started up north here. First batch boiled and bottled. Next great days are coming 1st boil in 2015 was March 24. Gonna get a bunch of snow too!

[lastwoodsman]

Pretty quiet here. The next few days should improve the flow!

[flyzone13]

I am hoping for the best with this cool down. Not sure what to expect. I had forgotten about a bunch of trees on a north facing slope. So I checked them out and they did not have buds yet and the sap I got was nice and clear. Maybe they will help me out since my silvers have all pretty much quit for the year.

[Joeyhowe]

13845 little over a gallon processed yesterday still coming out good. Down to about 10 taps. All the rest of the trees have budded. Have another batch of concentrate to finish up. Hoping for one more good run the next couple days. Hoping to end the season with 2.5 gallons.

[SYRUP FREAK]

Today checked 60 taps and got 6 gals. Of sap. If weather doesn't make a difference, i'm done this weekend. Motley, mn. Short season.

[warners point]

Today checked 60 taps and got 6 gals. Of sap. If weather doesn't make a difference, i'm done this weekend. Motley, mn. Short season.

I'm not worried about the season being over. If you ask me, its just getting going. I look at the early start of the season as bonus syrup. The next 2 weeks look like prime weather for tons of sap. It wouldn't surprise me if we're still making syrup 3 weeks from now.

[doop]

Sap is running like crazy here. When I put in my 3/16 line I didn't account for all the firewood I would need. Can't believe how well the 3/16 performs, I've compared it to some guys on bags down the road and there is a big difference.

[flyzone13]

Sap is running like crazy here. When I put in my 3/16 line I didn't account for all the firewood I would need. Can't believe how well the 3/16 performs, I've compared it to some guys on bags down the road and there is a big difference.

if you don't mind me asking, what and why is their such a difference?

[SYRUP FREAK]

Hope you are right, I have lots of buds that are pretty big, and getting a little brown sap, but not bud sap. Will wait and see!!!

[davewittwer]

Hope you are right, I have lots of buds that are pretty big, and getting a little brown sap, but not bud sap. Will wait and see!!!
Do you still boil brown sap? This is my first year and don't want to ruin what I have collected thus far.

[psparr]

A little yellow is probably ok. Brown, not so much.

[Tapping Gold]

Slow in the Weathwood MN area. Collected 22 gal on 44 bags in the last 5 days. Mine too was a bite stained. Will boil in the morning see what i get. Need either a big low pressure system or some sunshine to get this going again. My sugar maples are in the woods so no movement on any buds yet.

[warners point]

The brown discoloration of the sap is usually caused by rain running down the bark and then dripping into your bag via the outside of the tap.

[doop]

" if you don't mind me asking, what and why is their such a difference"
The difference is one of Mt neighbors on bags has 90 taps and has collected 60 gallons so far and maybe has another 20 in his bags. I've collected 1000 gallons on 275 taps on 3/16 tubing with about a 35 foot drop. We haven't really had any great sap days yet. With bags you really need the cold nights with sunny days to get much sap.with the 3/16 gravity vacuum I've noticed when it would normally be a slow drip on bags I'm still getting a sap. If just a few trees get dripping on the line it creates vacuum and pulls on the tap hole and gets them running better.

[BigPine]

Wow! 1 versus 4 gallons per tap. If anyone else can confirm similar results I will pursue this.

" if you don't mind me asking, what and why is their such a difference"
The difference is one of Mt neighbors on bags has 90 taps and has collected 60 gallons so far and maybe has another 20 in his bags. I've collected 1000 gallons on 275 taps on 3/16 tubing with about a 35 foot drop. We haven't really had any great sap days yet. With bags you really need the cold nights with sunny days to get much sap.with the 3/16 gravity vacuum I've noticed when it would normally be a slow drip on bags I'm still getting a sap. If just a few trees get dripping on the line it creates vacuum and pulls on the tap hole and gets them running better.

[warners point]

I'm not getting 4:1 ratio on my 3/16th more like 2:1. I have a crazy microclimate. I'm on a point so anytime there is a south or east wind there is a noticeable drop off in production. Hopefully there will be some calm days so it will really start producing.

[doop]

I don't know that it always that big of a difference, but if you interested look in the tubing section there are many discussions on productivity, and how tos.

[Schnep's]

Been Slow here at the south end of Mille Lacs. But collected 30 gallons from 90 taps last night of good clear sap. Barely got above freezing. Hoping for good runs the next couple days. Our total so far is about 8 gallons.ght

[davewittwer]

Good run the last few days in Pease


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[flyzone13]

Really impressed with the runs of sap that I got over the weekend. I thought for sure the season was over. I am glad I didn't pull everything after it got warm. Looks like it should continue for me at least for another week or so.

[doop]

Thought it would be running better today. Only got about 70 gallons today, took awhile for the lines to thaw out though. Supposed to be a little warmer tomorrow, that should help.

[Bombadil]

Good sap run in Princeton Yesterday and today. Could be good again Monday.

[BigPine]

Yesterday (Sunday) was the best run around here in several years! Only have about 100 taps, but may have to use the 4x4 tank(s) - 265 gallons each for storage.
Hoping I have enough wood.

[Schnep's]

We also had a good run yesterday 90 taps and got 110 gallons and it was still running late.

[Tapping Gold]

Thanks Warners Point for the stained sap explanation, that does make sense. Made a darker syrup. Good run in Wealthwood Sunday as well. 60 gallons on 44 bags, That million dollar sunshine sure helps. Looks nice and clear.

[MN_Maple]

Pulled 300 gallons of sap last night off 500 taps. Another 550 gallons tonight. Had one tree on bags at the house that produced 4 gallons per tap in the last 24 hours! Running out of storage real quick. Great problem to have. Now hope the woodside holds out :)

[Lano75]

Fellow Sappers!

Saturday 75 gallons, Sunday 144 gallons, Monday 107 gallons! All on 93 taps droplines and buckets.

[flyzone13]

Been a crazy last few days here to say the least. I have never run out of storage space for my sap but last night I did. Looks like long nights of boilng ahead for me.

[SYRUP FREAK]

Pulled 200 gals. The last 4 days on 50 taps. Have made 3 gals of syrup this year which is all i need for us, christmas presents, etc. Pulled the taps, but would have overflowing bags and buckets tomorrow. No more storage. Hope everybody is having a great year. This last 4 days were the "perfect storm" for maple syrup.

[Tame Fish Lake]

Collected 300 gallons off 125 taps with three days run time on them. Filled the storage tote for the first time, still could get a couple gallons before the weekend. We will get some good use out of are 2x6 evaporator. I definitely got what I asked for the flood gates are open.

[BigPine]

Couple miles from Tame Fish Lake, we got 2 - 3 gallons per tap yesterday. Can't keep up with evaporating 15 gph. Getting out the 'ag' tanks (265 g.) this morning.

[warners point]

Started at 6 this morning with 800 gallons and after collecting tonight we are down to starting tomorrow with 600. I figure there's enough wood to make through Saturday. Its just crazy!

[Sugar Bush INC]

Way too much sap! There is talk in our group of pulling taps or dumping buckets in the woods! If someone has a portable RO system I would love to use it! Taking a batch off this morning of 270 gallons and we have over 500 to still cook. We didn't collect yesterday because we have no more holding tanks.....I'm sure they are near full in woods.... So tired! Thankful for cooler and windy weather.

[doop]

Sap is pouring in here too, yesterday was the best day I've saw for a few years. .

[Sugar Bush INC]

Anyone in the Bennettvile area of Aitkin Co taking sap? We are over run and need a few days to catch up! We don't really want to dump sap in the woods...

[RileySugarbush]

Watch your sap carefully! Down here in the Twin Cities we got our first hint of buddyness last night. Looks like we are done. What an early season!

[markcasper]

Watch your sap carefully! Down here in the Twin Cities we got our first hint of buddyness last night. Looks like we are done. What an early season!

Do you tap many soft maple? I picked up the smell about 15 minutes into boiling yesterdays sap. The taste is not too bad, but something defnately isn't right.

[RileySugarbush]

All Sugars. We had about 120 gallons of Thursday's sap in the tank when we started boiling at 4:00 PM Friday. Rain was coming so we collected about 5:30 and had to mix in about 150 gallons. We didn't notice any problems until late that evening when the syrup started to taste a little flat. With about 50 gallons left, a very slight buddy scent showed up in the steam, and the syrup turned pale and blah tasting. Not nauseating, but heading that way. We finished it up but kept the last couple of draws separate.

The maples have clearly swollen buds. Funny to be done now, when we would normally just be starting to boil.

[warners point]

Anyone in the Bennettvile area of Aitkin Co taking sap? We are over run and need a few days to catch up! We don't really want to dump sap in the woods...

Check with Lemeers over on Hickory Lake maybe?

[warners point]

Watch your sap carefully! Down here in the Twin Cities we got our first hint of buddyness last night. Looks like we are done. What an early season!

No worries 2.5 hours north of the cities. Theres probably at least two weeks left. The buds are locked up tight and plenty of ice still on the lakes. Our problem this year is we're going to be running out of wood tonight. We should finish up with over 40 gallons. Its been a great quick and early season.

[Tame Fish Lake]

We are in the bennettvile area, on Tame fish lake. Did you already dump the sap? How much sap do you have if you haven't dumped it?

[flyzone13]

I think tomorrow will be my last day collecting sap, I was going to stop sooner but the cool down we had really helped and the sap was still clear. Looking at the forecast I do not see any days below freezing. My syrup has been getting darker but sure smells good and tastes even better. Even though it was a short season I think I made more than last. Not really going to know until its all done.

[BigPine]

South Aitkin County - still collecting ... and cooking! Thankfully I have plenty of boiler wood as the 2 cords I had up for cooking is long gone. Should be caught up tomorrow, but everything is still running here.

[tonka]

Still cooking in NE Ottertail county, hoping with this cool down to get a couple more boils done.

[Gissert]

Central OTC here near Underwood. I finished a couple batches of concentrate from last week. One had 6 gallons of medium amber, the other was 4 gallons of lovely light amber. Got a 220 gallon batch simmering down now to finish, and will start another tomorrow. After that next batch is done, I think I may pull the plug. I'll be well over 40 gallons. Amazing season.