Normal Tapping

[warners point]

I figure we need a thread for us "normal" saps.

We have everything ready to go. 160 taps on 3/16th. We're still locked into winter in the Mcgregor area. Fresh snow and over 2 feet of ice still on the lake. Our trees are just starting to wake up. One test tap that was in all last week only produced 1/2 gallon of sap. I'm glad we didn't rush to try and be ready. The forcast looks like we might have a couple weeks before things really get going good.

[Mike1ranger]

I'm right there with you. In Grand Rapids and eyeballing the 11th based on the extended forecast. Couple loose ends to tidy up this weekend but overall all set to go.

[DocsMapleSyrup]

We are in a similar state. I tapped 1/3 of the trees that are on 3/16" back when we had the warm weather. Ended up with 60 gallons of sap. I have yet to put out the bags as I think we are still a couple of weeks out. Looking forward to getting started and am getting a few things together as well.

[Bombadil]

Ran like crazy yesterday, today is even better. Have 17.5 gallons of sap so far, should see around 20-25 by the end of that day. That is about 1 gallon a tree.

[lindnova]

I didn't get a chance to check yesterday and had overflowing today. Had 5 gallons from 4 taps on 2 trees overflowing into a 5 gallon bucket. Most bags have 2 gallons. Stainless and my new aluminum taps are great, but the old aluminum taps aren't doing much for this second run. I am thinking there is truth to bacteria and cleaning taps. I must not have done a good enough job.

[warners point]

Our trees finally started to run. It looks like a couple of good days and then back into the deep freeze. There were still trucks all over the lake yesterday. What a difference being 150 miles north of the cities makes.

[Lano75]

160 gallons on 99 taps yesterday

[Russell Lampron]

I didn't get a chance to check yesterday and had overflowing today. Had 5 gallons from 4 taps on 2 trees overflowing into a 5 gallon bucket. Most bags have 2 gallons. Stainless and my new aluminum taps are great, but the old aluminum taps aren't doing much for this second run. I am thinking there is truth to bacteria and cleaning taps. I must not have done a good enough job.

When I was using buckets I would wash my taps when I pulled them and boil them just before I tapped. One year I didn't boil them and it turned out to be a mistake. Three weeks later 1/2 of the holes were dried up. Boiled the same taps the next season and only had 1 tree dry up 4 weeks into the season.

[Troutlakemaple]

I am still holding as well. still in the deep freeze here. Looking at tues./ weds. next week.

[GoldyCon]

I put 10 taps in to try and catch this past weekend warmup and got about 20 gallons but it looks as though they will stop for a week now.

[doop]

I've been busy running 2,000' main line back to my evaporator, and fabbing up my new pans. I'll be tapping this week, doesn't sound like I missed much. Looked at my starting dates for when sap usually starts to run in my woods and it seems between the 12-19. Hopefully have everything ready by sunday.

[Keitha333]

I've been busy running 2,000' main line back to my evaporator, and fabbing up my new pans. I'll be tapping this week, doesn't sound like I missed much. Looked at my starting dates for when sap usually starts to run in my woods and it seems between the 12-19. Hopefully have everything ready by sunday.

My brother and his buddy tap in the Cromwell area just west of you and he has a few test taps out and you are right your not missing anything. He was going to tap this weekend.

[Gissert]

I tapped 160 on the 28th. On the 5th and 6th I pulled in about 180 gallons - there was a fair amount more, but I left some in the bags after collecting on Monday due to the forecast winds - Good thing I did, only a few were on the ground yesterday.

Shut down the evap Monday night, and finished the concentrate yesterday. 4.25 gallons of lovely light amber. Cold was welcome, trees were slowing down a bit after several days above freezing.

[warners point]

No cooking sap this weekend everything in storage is frozen solid. Hopefully things will be ready to roll the following weekend.

[buck3m]

There's a slow drip started after these last cold days. Looks like the next week will be a good one. If it is it will be a worthwhile season regardless of what the weather does after that.

[doop]

Started to run a little yesterday, still have a 100 or so taps to run and some minor adjustments toy new main line. Waiting on the welder to finish up on my new pan as well.

[warners point]

Still waiting for the first boil. I did get the apple trees pruned this morning. It looks like there should be a good run the next few days.

[GoldyCon]

I put the last of my taps in this weekend and the forest has just started to drip now. I had 40gal from my yard trees to process and got 1.25 gallons of syrup but it was really dark which is dissipointing as my first batch was a great amber color.

[Lano75]

3/20/17 collected and cooked 142
3/22/17 collected and cooked 80
3/23/17 collected and cooked 115

99 taps
70 on 3/16
29 on buckets

[Shorty]

We are done for the season. Collected 100 gallons yesterday, should be done with cooking and bottling in another couple of hours. 31 gallons of syrup from 1550 gallons of sap, about 325 taps on Soft Maple trees.

[warners point]

Cooked for the first time today. 300 gallons turned into 200 gallons from the cold weather the last couple of weeks. Two runs of 150 gallons so far. Still lots of frost in the ground.

[GoldyCon]

Our forest trees have just started to run now and the yard trees that have been producing for a month are starting to get cloudy. We have processed 100g from our 40 taps and are up to 3.2gal with the latest batch being our best so far. Great flavor and amazing color.

[Lano75]

100 gallons yesterday. Made about 3 gallons of syrup.

[MNmapleboyz]

Looking for responses from northern MN operations, I have about 300 taps out and only about 700 gallons collected so far. The seemed to be coming out last weekend but things have been slow, looking to see how others are doing in this part of the state(Bemidji area).

[MNmapleboyz]

sorry, meant to say the frost seemed to be coming out last weekend.

[Mike1ranger]

I have 71 taps over in GR and only collected about 40 gallons. Finally had some frost last night into this morning and home on lunch and have some good flow today it looks. Dang 7 day forecast keeps changing on us.

[doop]

Not doing well here either 325 gallons so far, and forecast doesn't look good.

[Lano75]

Another 67 gallons tonight!

[Joeyhowe]

Another 67 gallons tonight!

Buds popped on my today. I hung it up and called it a season. Ended up with 5.25 gallons on 18 taps. Was a awesome season but things were smelling a little buddy today so I called it quits.

[Mike1ranger]

I have 71 taps over in GR and only collected about 40 gallons. Finally had some frost last night into this morning and home on lunch and have some good flow today it looks. Dang 7 day forecast keeps changing on us.

I did get another 55 gallons today thanks to the frost last night.

[Schnep's]

We collected about 50 gallons on 100 taps last nite. The ground in the woods is still froze right below leaves. Hoping we will be good for a few more days. Only have about 8 gallons of really nice syrup so far. On the south end of Mille Lacs lake.

[Trapper2]

Buds popped on my today. I hung it up and called it a season. Ended up with 5.25 gallons on 18 taps. Was a awesome season but things were smelling a little buddy today so I called it quits.

Wow, 5.25 gallons on 18 taps. That's unbelievable for the year that we are having. Congrats.

[Joeyhowe]

1627016270
Wow, 5.25 gallons on 18 taps. That's unbelievable for the year that we are having. Congrats.

I tapped in February when the early warm up came. I had a very long season. Best I've had so far. Only my 3rd year doing it but I'm addicted! I got access to tap my neighbors 10 acres so looking to break my 5.25 gallon record next year.

[Shorty]

We collected about 50 gallons on 100 taps last nite. The ground in the woods is still froze right below leaves. Hoping we will be good for a few more days. Only have about 8 gallons of really nice syrup so far. On the south end of Mille Lacs lake. When my father-in-law was alive he would always say he wished he lived by Mille Lacs lake because the trees were really sweet like 25 to 1, are you in that area? He lived NW of Barnum and it was 45 to 1. I'd be happy with that because our trees NE of Brownsdale are 50 to 1.

[warners point]

Things are finally running good. 200 gallons in the last 36 hours. We're going until the sap stops!

[Gissert]

We are going to keep pushing too. It been a weird season, but we've been able to keep up so far. Sugars here have not even come close to budding (ottertail county) and no frogs peeping yet.

[chad]

When my father-in-law was alive he would always say he wished he lived by Mille Lacs lake because the trees were really sweet like 25 to 1, are you in that area? He lived NW of Barnum and it was 45 to 1. I'd be happy with that because our trees NE of Brownsdale are 50 to 1.
I'm seven miles south of Mille Lacs and I'm at about 30 to 1, would love to get at that 25 to 1 ratio though

[Schnep's]

We are in cove Bay and run about 30-33 to 1.had a good run yesterday 80 gallons on 100 taps. Hoping for more today,

[Lano75]

Ended up with 115 on Friday and 67 on Saturday. Making dark amber. We picked up the buckets and pulled taps(29) . Going to collect the 3/16 gravity lines today and call it a season.

[warners point]

The sap ran the best of the season today. Probably 200 gallons to cook in the morning. Cooked a little down on the stove and it still tastes amazing. We will pull taps on Sunday.