2018 What is everyone doing in PA?

[unc23win]

I was able to hold to my original plan to start tapping on Saturday the 13th of January (my earliest tapping date ever). Although with the drastic change in weather from 62' on Friday with 3 inches of rain then overnight turning into six inches of snow and about a 60' drop in temp I was not able to get started as early as planned because I had to plow snow.

Anyhow this afternoon after moving snow a little more and waiting for the thermometer to read on the + side I have about 300 taps in. It is what I would call perfect tapping weather about 15' with no wind. They are calling for 40's this coming weekend if you can believe in the forecast. Time will tell however I'm hoping to be somewhat ready (as in pump, tanks, and releaser ready) if it happens otherwise I'll just keep working at tapping.

I'm sure others are tapping just wondering what everyone else is up to.

Best of luck to all!

[Paddymountain]

I likewise am waiting to see what the weather brings, and was wondering the same. How are the guys down south doing?
We are almost in the exact center of the state, I'm thinking the cold weather this year has been fairly wide spread.
I have very little to do yet. I want to set my barrels the last Saturday in January and I have a 3/16 line with about 22 taps to deal with.
I think the earliest I've ever tapped is February 2nd. I'm going to have about 400 taps this year, so won't take too long to get plugged in.

[Maplewalnut]

I am most likely going to start tapping this weekend. Anytime you can tap without snow is a plus for me and considering I added a new bush on steep slope its almost a must do. I cant imagine going up and down that slope in snowshoes. If its cold afterwards so be it, I'll keep tweeking things and changing drops til we get sugaring weather.

[meadster02]

I'm planning on holding off until at least the first week of February, but I also am only running about 900 taps on three bushes so with two guys we can get tapped in a weekend. That being said if the weather looks like its gonna change sooner I will tap sooner.

[sbedilion]

I'm just a backyard syrup guy. I ran 1 line (29 taps on 3/16) on the 8th. First time on tubing....wanted to run one line early to figure out the process. It took me forever without a 3/16 tool. Sap ran great for a couple days and filled my 55gallon drum. I'm planning on installing 2 more lines this Friday. Forecast is looking good starting Friday.

South of Pittsburgh.

Cheers.

[Dennis H.]

Wellllllll,,,,
The forecast as of right now looks very tempting for this weekend. Last season I tapped the 22nd so basically about the same time.
I still have a few things to get into order 1st but it would not be an issue if I wanted to tap Fri or Sat.
The forecast right now shows 38 Thurs, 40 Fri, 47 Sat, 50 Sun and 53 for Mon. SO looking very nice for go time. I will make my mind up later in the week, maybe Thurs, by then I should see what next week will be like.

I normally do all my woods work during the week Between Christmas and New Years but this year I drew the line when the temps were single digits and winds blowing like crazy.
I went up Sat and got all the trees of the mainlines and made repairs to the mainlines. There are still a few lat's that looked at and a mainline side tie or two to fix.

[minehart gap]

17073I did my test boil today and rigged up the cables to the cupola doors. All of my 3/16” and main line is ready.

I plan to tap on Friday if the weather outlook stays the same.

[Z/MAN]

[QUOTE= Anytime you can tap without snow is a plus for me [/QUOTE]

Mike, you better check the forecast for tomorrow.lol

[helptheold]

Backyard tapper here, planning on doing it next week as we're headed out of town this weekend. The extended forecast is looking pretty good for our area, if we weren't going away I'd have already put some taps out.

[Maplewalnut]

Mike, you better check the forecast for tomorrow.lol

Yea, that didnt exactly work out. Lol Although most should be melted by Monday

[unc23win]

We got some snow yesterday afternoon and into the evening I guess maybe 3 inches. Today is a little colder than yesterday around 15' I would love to be outside tapping but I will have to wait until after work. The forecast is still showing a warm up starting Friday for about 5 days but nothing terribly cold in the 10 days (of course I don;t trust the forecast much past 24 hours ha ha) so I'm just going to keep plugging away and see what happens. I'll have the releaser and tank ready by tomorrow night and I'll turn off the valves for lines not tapped and see what happens.

[sbedilion]

I goofed. I tapped my first run last week for that short warm spell....just trying to learn the tubing process. Planned on running 2-3 more lines this Friday. Last night I was getting all my stuff together so I would be ready to go....and I can't find my taps. I think I left the small bag of about 100 taps laying in the woods. Now covered by 4-6 inches of snow. What are the odds I find it on Friday under the snow....haha. I put in a quick order today for more taps but I doubt they will arrive before the weekend. First Fail of the season...haha

[Sugarmaker]

The "getting ready for syrup days" are fast approaching. I would like to have the sugarhouse ready to go during this next warm spell. Maybe even get the tubing hung up too. Then just watch the weather for tapping weather. Do need to cut a little extra wood if I have the chance also.
Regards,
Chris

[Hoppy]

I just put 6 taps in my backyard. The sap was flowing nicely. I have 3 more huge sugar maples on a relative's property that I'm going to tap hopefully tomorrow. I am also upgrading my boiling setup and will hopefully post some pictures when it's done. It's about 80% finished now.

[sticknstring]

Newbie here and maybe this isn't where I should post this, but I am in Cumberland county PA, so figgered I would search info out from my keystone state brethren.

Brand new to this maple syrup makin gig. Like, helped my buddy boil some sap down outside on a turkey fryer setup to the point where he was almost finished with some syrup in a pot on the stove. I tasted some out of that pot on a spoon and it was pretty dang good. Couldn't believe how good it was. That is the entirety of my experience on the whole syrup thing. Fast forward...... Just ordered a 20 tap kit off amazon, excited to get into this thing and make some syrup with my 4 and 7 year old girls. Now, I have been reading up a little bit, a lot on here, about the whole process of this and there is a ton of info, though no reading on the internet can come close to actually doing it. I am hoping to start though as far ahead, or probably more appropriately as little behind as possible. I realize its a ton of work for a little yield, though that yield will be worth a million dollars when we are covering the mickey mouse pancakes with it!

My questions are unlimited, but lets start with these few...

1) As far as the first collection, I am really starting from nothing here as I don't even have trees in mind yet to tap. My research has told me that I want to tap just sugar maples if possible to be working with sap that has a higher sugar content leading to less cooking time or at the very least more yield for work done. I've read about the hydrometers or whatever that measure the sugar content. Is that something worth putting money out for to just mess around a little with this stuff, or is there another way to test which trees may be giving off better sap, say by tasting the sap and focusing more on the trees that may have a sweeter taste?

2) With my buddy, he collected the sap in food grade buckets and stored until he was ready to cook down. Then used a propane turkey fryer. I have a propane turkey fryer, however, I am hoping to keep the cost down on whatever I can, so I am hoping I can set up to do the bulk of the cooking down on a wood campfire. I have an existing stone campfire ring and the materials to "choke it down" and set up the pot on to cook down. Feeding firewood will be much cheaper than running through propane tanks. In regards to this, how do you want the sap...boiling, rolling easy or just simmering? I would assume a good solid roll?

3) How do you know when it is finished? I read somewhere about a pound of syrup should weigh 11 lbs, so a cup should be around .6875 lbs or just shy of 7 oz? Or do you just go until it tastes the way you want it?

4) Bonus question for now... Is bark ID the best way to tell a sugar maple right now? Ive looked at a lot of pictures of the bark, and I think I spied me a bunch of decent sized sugar maples on a property down the road from my house, but its owned by the township, so I don't think I can work out anything on them. I do have access to a decent amount of woods that I have permission to hunt, I just need to put boots to the ground and find em....

Thanks for any help, your time is much appreciated

[sbedilion]

Welcome! I started 3 years ago just like you. First year I tapped about 20 trees. Last year I have about 50 taps. This year I ran my first tubing line (3 lines total), with a total of 80 taps. It's addicting but also frustrating when you first start and your working on next to no knowledge or budget.

I'll try to answer your questions although others with more experience should chime in. I do remember getting started very well and my issues.

answer 1. Sugar Maples are the best...but tap your easiest trees. It's a daily chore to collect so make it easy...plus your kids won't want to help if its too hard (been there). I tapped a red maple in my backyard the first 2 years. It was probably my best performer...by far. Never checked the sugar content though. Some report Reds do very well....others say they are just ok.

answer 2. Campfire will work great for what you are doing. Plus it's enjoyable to hang around the fire. I still cook on a firepit...but with a 3ft x 4ft flat pan.

answer 3. This is what I did. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNTzAenpHVA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNTzAenpHVA) It isn't perfect but it will get you close enough. Some batches were runny...others were fine. If the next day it seems too runny...just throw it back on the stove a bit longer. It can be a bit frustrating...but it gets the job done. My second year I made sure I had a hydrometer....no guessing with that thing. Plus I added more taps...so it was worth it.

answer 4. this time of the year....you have to ID by the branches. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnpefntpusc pay attention to the first 1 min. opposite branches. you might have to stare up at the tree for a while to spot it. some of my maples only have a few "opposite branches" because over time one side of the "opposite pair" breaks.

Also...youtube has everything you could ever need.

good luck.

steve

[Hoppy]

Sticknstring,
I barely have any experience but I will share how I started last year. Steve covered a lot.

My son and I tapped the sugar maple in our backyard. It's huge with multiple trunks so we put 5 taps in Super Bowl Sunday (apparently too late). We managed to get 16 gallons of sap. I used walmart spring water jugs (screw on cap). I put a 3/8 hole in the cap and put the drop tube through and then a length of mason twine to hang the jug from the tap. I collected and stored in the same type of gallon jugs. I kept it stored in our garage fridge until I couldn't store anymore. This year I bought some food grade buckets and lids. I'm collecting at a relative's property as well so I can haul 10 gallons of sap if I need to at the moment.

I bought a 4 inch stainless steam pan on amazon and used it to boil outside on my coleman campstove. I would just let it go all evening for about 5 hours. I would put my concentrate in a stock pot and put back in the fridge. The next boil I'd add to it.

I finished on the stove and tested boil temp of water and then went 8 degrees above that. The syrup was light and thin but delicious. I think I may get a hydrometer this year.

I have expanded my boiling setup this year to a two pan setup. Hopefully it works well. I've added pictures. I would like to do it over wood but at the moment this allows me to boil without a lot of attention. I just keep an eye on it every hour or so.

What I'm curious about is how people filter. I tried last year through my cone filter that came with my taps. I still had sediment in the jars.

I bought some buckets and am thinking of trying a homemade vacuum filter. I saw some good youtube videos on that.
If I come up with something that works I'll put some pictures up.

[sshirk5573]

I'm in Boiling Springs, and do a small backyard operation every year. Most I've made in a season is 10 gallons, but I'd be more than willing to help you out if you have any questions.

Newbie here and maybe this isn't where I should post this, but I am in Cumberland county PA, so figgered I would search info out from my keystone state brethren.

Brand new to this maple syrup makin gig. Like, helped my buddy boil some sap down outside on a turkey fryer setup to the point where he was almost finished with some syrup in a pot on the stove. I tasted some out of that pot on a spoon and it was pretty dang good. Couldn't believe how good it was. That is the entirety of my experience on the whole syrup thing. Fast forward...... Just ordered a 20 tap kit off amazon, excited to get into this thing and make some syrup with my 4 and 7 year old girls. Now, I have been reading up a little bit, a lot on here, about the whole process of this and there is a ton of info, though no reading on the internet can come close to actually doing it. I am hoping to start though as far ahead, or probably more appropriately as little behind as possible. I realize its a ton of work for a little yield, though that yield will be worth a million dollars when we are covering the mickey mouse pancakes with it!

My questions are unlimited, but lets start with these few...

1) As far as the first collection, I am really starting from nothing here as I don't even have trees in mind yet to tap. My research has told me that I want to tap just sugar maples if possible to be working with sap that has a higher sugar content leading to less cooking time or at the very least more yield for work done. I've read about the hydrometers or whatever that measure the sugar content. Is that something worth putting money out for to just mess around a little with this stuff, or is there another way to test which trees may be giving off better sap, say by tasting the sap and focusing more on the trees that may have a sweeter taste?

2) With my buddy, he collected the sap in food grade buckets and stored until he was ready to cook down. Then used a propane turkey fryer. I have a propane turkey fryer, however, I am hoping to keep the cost down on whatever I can, so I am hoping I can set up to do the bulk of the cooking down on a wood campfire. I have an existing stone campfire ring and the materials to "choke it down" and set up the pot on to cook down. Feeding firewood will be much cheaper than running through propane tanks. In regards to this, how do you want the sap...boiling, rolling easy or just simmering? I would assume a good solid roll?

3) How do you know when it is finished? I read somewhere about a pound of syrup should weigh 11 lbs, so a cup should be around .6875 lbs or just shy of 7 oz? Or do you just go until it tastes the way you want it?

4) Bonus question for now... Is bark ID the best way to tell a sugar maple right now? Ive looked at a lot of pictures of the bark, and I think I spied me a bunch of decent sized sugar maples on a property down the road from my house, but its owned by the township, so I don't think I can work out anything on them. I do have access to a decent amount of woods that I have permission to hunt, I just need to put boots to the ground and find em....

Thanks for any help, your time is much appreciated

[sticknstring]

Thank you very kindly everybody. Steve, thanks for the reassurance on the campfire and the videos on tree id and syrup readiness. Hoppy, the tip on the steam pan was fantastic, I found a catering/restaurant supply place near my work that has them, am gonna go pick up one or two today. sshirk, that is very kind of you and I may just take you up on that offer in the near future. I have family living in Boiling Springs, my brother lives in white rock acres, my dad lives behind Karns and just found out my other brother is working/doing some tree work in Boiling Springs today. Small world!!! I picked up 5 food grade 5 gallon buckets last night, so once I get my taps in the mail, hopefully by middle of next week, I can start getting some sap to evaporate! I have about a week to find some trees and get the firepit set up to cook over. Thanks again guys and I will definitely be checking in here daily to see whats going on here!

[unc23win]

Well we have about 15-1600 taps in so far. Turned the pump on and found some leaks yesterday after work. Planning on Friday to be the first day of collection although I won't start the pump until I get home from work. It looks like it should run all weekend and then get cold again. We will start making syrup when we get enough sap. Ready or not here we go!

[Sugarmaker]

I feel about like Jared. Have to start some time.
At least one other sugarhouse in the area was boiling last night. Anothe sugarmaker was going to tap a portion of his sugarbush today too.
We seem to be getting a little earlier, at least the last few years. I poked 200 holes today and hope to have the remaining 400 in by tomorrow afternoon. Hope to get a run this weekend. Our Maple association meeting is Saturday. May have to gather after the meeting.
Still a bunch of little things to do.
My wood supply is a little short this year. I have more wood its just not under cover and that just doesnt burn well.
Regards,
Chris

[Dennis H.]

Sticknstring welcome to the Trader.
It is also good to see another person making maple syrup in the area. What part of Cumberland county are you in. I am just up over the mtn from Carlisle just outside of Landisburg.

Warning, you will find out quickly that this can be a very addictive hobby.

I can not really add anymore insight into your questions that others have not already answered nicely. Just try and keep it fun.
As for the township trees why not ask? You may be surprised of the answer that you get.

[sticknstring]

Hello Dennis,

I don't know how far into this thing we will get, but I am excited to give it heck! My girls are itching for our taps to arrive and as I tell them to be patient, I am probably itching more inside, ha. I am right over the mountain from you not too far, I live on 233 just south of Colonel Denning a few minutes. I was just through Landisburg Saturday night to head to Perry County Archers to go to a bow shoot. I agree, it's pretty cool to know that there are people in the area doing off the beaten path things like making syrup!

[sticknstring]

Anybody ever tap black walnut trees? I read a bout it a little today, was hoping for some first hand exoerience on how it turns out. I have access to a bunch of them, very close to home.

[Sugarmaker]

There are some folks doing walnut syrup. I have enough problems with maple!:) Do a search you might find some info. I know it can be pricey when done. I have never tasted any of it. Folks do Birch syrup also.
Good luck.
Regards,
Chris

[Kippster]

So far this year, I'm just cleaning the dust off the equipment and getting all the buckets, spouts and lids washed. I was given two 275 gallon food grade tanks in cages, so those got thoroughly cleaned as well. ( I know there has to be a shorter name for those things: somebody tell me for goodness sake) Temps have been above freezing here, hit and miss, but now it's below freezing and going to stay there for the majority of the next ten - fifteen days. I'm shooting for 130 taps this year - all buckets at this point, so I'm just getting gear cleaned up, equipment all in order, cutting firewood & trying to be patient...... I'm in maple mode - the weather is not. Grumble....
Oh yeah, had heard of birch and hickory syrup, but never walnut. Cool to know

[oldtree]

Anyone around SE PA? The warm weather had me exited and we tapped a few trees on Sunday. Sap was flowing nice at first, but now it seams like winter came back and everything's at a stand still.
This will be our fourth year at it, we'll probably have about a dozen or so trees tapped. This is the earliest we've ever tapped, so I've never experienced holes drying up from starting the season too early. I've read that bacteria build up in the tap hole eventually and block the flow, does anyone know if it's possible to pull the tap and clean out the hole by re-drilling if this happens? Or perhaps it's more of a microscopic type of blockage.

[Sugarmaker]

oldtree,
You should have approximately 6 weeks after you tap. Your mileage may vary!:) Re tapping may get you a few more days but generally is not worth the effort BTDT.
Your temps should be better than we are getting in the north west part of the state. Good luck.
Regards,
Chris

[kingOFgEEEks]

I tapped a few trees last Sunday with the kids, and it ran well for a few hours, and again on Monday. I'll probably go out this weekend and get the evaporator ready, and hope for warm weather in the coming weeks. This coming week doesn't look so good.

[Sugarmaker]

Built tank lifter for draining and cleaning about $100 plus fab time:

https://i.imgur.com/CykpFff.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/8N5uo3i.jpg

Regards,
Chris

[sugarwoodacres]

Sticknstring welcome to the Trader.
It is also good to see another person making maple syrup in the area. What part of Cumberland county are you in. I am just up over the mtn from Carlisle just outside of Landisburg.

Warning, you will find out quickly that this can be a very addictive hobby.

I can not really add anymore insight into your questions that others have not already answered nicely. Just try and keep it fun.
As for the township trees why not ask? You may be surprised of the answer that you get.
I have almost 200 taps as well and haven't found a homemade ro to fit my need. I'm curious about how you built yours. Good luck this season

[TPosey]

I just finished putting in 330 taps on 3/16, hopping to get 70 more before we tap. Got collection tanks in and hoping to do a trial run on my new 2x10 evaporator next weekend. Plan on tapping everything the last week of February. This will be first year with this many taps and a evaporator that should boil around 100 gallon hour compared to my old home made evaporator that did about 18 gallon an hour. Started out on pans over a fire to where I am now and it never seems to stop. When they say its addicting it sure is.
.

[weaver]

Just got everything ready here in drums. 30 Taps going in on Saturday. Looks like it’s starting to warm up here next week looks pretty good, how’s everyone else doing?

[Sugarmaker]

Froze up right now. Resting! Should be doing lots of stuff, but not!
Regards,
Chris

[minehart gap]

I’m with Sugarmaker. Frozen. Looks to thaw sometime Friday night or Saturday morning then the sap should flow hopefully.

[Sugarmaker]

Weather forecast shows continued gradual warming into some good potential sap weather mid next week. Its time to have your things ready to kick off the season! Even though I made some syrup it seems like the restart is always a challange too! I know that I have frozen sap blocks in the collection containers that could be removed. Lots of things in the sugarhouse to get going on like canning some fresh syrup for my rent payment. Still cold, just hit 27 F and stopped snowing!
Good luck to all the folks and families making maple! Bee safe and have loads of fun!
I have to get out and do something!!!!:)
Regards,
Chris

[red gate maple]

Thanks for the encouragement for me to get out there and tap some trees to get the season started. This weekend is it!

[Sugarmaker]

Thanks for the encouragement for me to get out there and tap some trees to get the season started. This weekend is it!

Most of us don't need much encouragement! The hobby is generally quite addictive, you may have realized that already.
Hope things go good for you.
Regards,
Chris

[SSS2017]

Not new to this forum but new to this thread. I’m not nearly as big as most of you but I’m in my second season and first on lines. I have 8 runs on 5/6 with 4-5 trees per line. Just tapped those today. I have 2 lines on 3/16 and a shurflo with 44 trees combined and I’m tapped those tomorrow. Supposed to hit mid 40’s here this weekend and the rest of the week looks good as well. I’m also tapping 5 massive yard maples on my mom and dads property. I have 2 lines with two taps in each of those trees... interested to see how those produce!

Excited to get going! Good luck to everyone!

[HowardR]

My son and grandson (visiting from Virginia) and I in got our 550 taps in today and yesterday. It looks like a big run is starting.

[Billinpa]

I hung some bags yesterday evening just before dark and the sap was really flowing. If it kept running all night at the pace it was my bags will be full when I get home from work today at 330. Planning on tapping in my tubing Tuesday.

[Sugarmaker]

I hung some bags yesterday evening just before dark and the sap was really flowing. If it kept running all night at the pace it was my bags will be full when I get home from work today at 330. Planning on tapping in my tubing Tuesday.

Bill,
Fire that rig up and make some syrup!
We are just starting to thaw out right now at about 38 F.
Regards,
Chris

[Sugarmaker]

My son and grandson (visiting from Virginia) and I in got our 550 taps in today and yesterday. It looks like a big run is starting.

Howard,
Your about the same scale as us! Good luck with your season and may your sugar content be high!
Regards,
Chris

[Billinpa]

Sugarmaker,

I plan on doing a batch probably Tuesday or wed since we are going to get a big jump in temps Thursday. Don't want to loose my sap!!
We were up to 45 yesterday and holding about 38 today.

Bill

[sticknstring]

How do u know if a tree is too "buddy" to tap. Im about to tap a tree, think it may be a silver, and it has fairly pronounced buds on it. It has been cold here for awhile, so not sure what to think.

[sticknstring]

Definitely a silver. Looked at the leaves below it. Definitely a lot of buds. These trees are decent size, one is a triple trunk with each trunk being about 24" where it breaks splits 4-5' off the ground. The other is at least 24" DBH. Attached is a pic of the bud clusters up in the tree, hopefully they are ok to tap.17531 Here are the leaves17532

[sbedilion]

Im definetly not an expert but I doubt any of the trees are close to being buddy. Id tap away! Good Luck!

[sticknstring]

17535Just tapped another silver at my moms, the sap is running pretty good i think. Definitely much better thsn the first two trees i tapped. Getting a drip every 3-4 seconds outta both taps. Here is a close up of the buds on it.

[DASH]

What your seeing is normal for a silver, and your sap will be good until those "buds" start to swell, at that point if boiled the syrup will be very strong usually too strong.


DASH

[sticknstring]

Sweet, thats what i was hoping to hear. Temps are to be a bit high i think in middle of week, but hopes are high for tomorrow and tuesday and then the end of the week and weekend. Next Sunday, my girls and i will hopefully be lighting a fire in out new block pit built to evaporate the sap down. Appreciate all the help from everybody here thus far. Thanks a ton17538

[SSS2017]

My lines are flowing! I got about 45 gallons today on my two 3/16 lines on a shurflo and mountain maples sap sucker. 41 trees 16-26” in diameter. Sure beats my 45 buckets last year!

[HowardR]

Low tonight is 24 and high tomorrow is 36, so I doubt if I'll get any sap tomorrow. But the weather forecast for the rest of the week suggests an enormous run is about to happen.

I tried out my home-made gas-stove-top evaporator today. I pour the sap into a 15 gallon pot with a spout at the bottom controlled by a float in a float pan. The float keeps the sap about 2" inches high in the float pan and in the next three connected pans, each on its own gas stove. I had near-syrup trickling out the end of the last pan into a stainless steel bucket. I can work inside on my computer and just go out and fill up the 15 gallon pot about once an hour.

[Hoppy]

Sounds interesting Howard. Do you have a picture?

[HowardR]

I just put up a thread under homemade maple equipment. Here's the link:

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?31945-Natural-Gas-Stove-Top-Evaporator

[unc23win]

Well I finally made some syrup last night after getting parts from all over for various items it was nice to get rolling and sweeten the pans. I ended up making about 12 gallons of pretty light Amber Rich (IDK if I'll ever make delicate). I'm so very happy to get one run on everything before this weeks weather. I know some folks have held off on their tapping this season while others myself included went earlier and it is interesting to hear about all the various tapping dates it seems everyone has their own strategy. Mother nature is calling for some sap this week and there is no doubt about it.

Best of luck to all!

[Paddymountain]

The sap is starting to flow more here in Union County, yesterday hardly at all.
Have my tanks thawed out and evaporator ready to go, it's all sweetened as I had made about 2 gallon of syrup
on that run last week of January. I agree, looks like the middle of the week will be the real start to the season.
The weather looks favorable out into the next two weeks.

[sticknstring]

I tapped three different silver Maples yesterday. The final of the three I tapped had five different 12 inch or better shoot coming out of one trunk that was probably 24 to 30 inches in diameter a foot from the ground. That tree had sap flowing immediately upon drilling and I'm not exactly sure how much I will find tonight, but I know that from the two different shoots I tapped on that tree I will have at least some sap. The first two trees I tapped were completely dry when I tapped them and I just had my wife check them and there's not a drop of sap from either tree. Being brand new to this, I am kind of panicking as to whether I did something wrong on the other two trees. They were very big trees so I had high hopes of getting a good flow out of them. They get very good sunshine. Could I have done something wrong or am I just a rookie wigging out over nothing? I'm heading up to my ground to tap a couple more trees tonight and I want to make sure that I'm doing it right. On all three trees so far, I tapped the south facing part either on a trunk where it splits Out from the base of the tree or above a large root. Bored my hole with a 5/16 bit about 2 1/2 inches deep and then tapped my plastic tab in with light hammer pressure until the hammer started bouncing back at me. I tried to ream the holes out good, not necessarily reaming the hole to be miss shaped but more pulling in and out to make sure I got all of the loose wood shavings out of the hole

[Sugarmaker]

SnS,
Drill approx 1.5 inches deep, slight down hill slope to the hole. Gently tap on the spile. you should be good to go. Some trees run better than others. My daughter has two silver maples that only produced a quart of sap all year.
Regards,
Chris

[Paddymountain]

I managed to gather about 160 gallons of sap today.
Just finished boiling and made about 3 1/2 gallons of syrup.
My new preheater sure upped my boil rate!! very pleased and love the hot water!

[minehart gap]

Paddy mountain, glad that you’re preheater is working so well.

I will be passing by your place tomorrow and if I can manage a little extra time I will try to stop in to see it.

[HowardR]

After a very cold night -- 16 degrees -- the sun is shining and the temperature is climbing into the 40s with a warm night and some warm days to follow. All of the trees will be waking up from their winter nap. I'll be rinsing the RO membrane and getting my RO going this afternoon. This is going to be a HUGE run!

[unc23win]

Got a little sap here yesterday and today but nothing too big. Today has hung right around 40 and rained on and off with some wind so the temp did not feel that warm. Still quite a bit of ice around our line in a sluice under our driveway is frozen in ice in solid ice. Tomorrow and Wednesday it is suppose to be in the 60's but if its anything like today it certainly won't feel like it. Been in the woods checking for leaks as soon as we notice vacuum dropping. In the meantime we have been and adding on taps every chance we get.

[unc23win]

9pm Monday until 9 pm Tuesday was my biggest sap run ever a little over 2 gpt in 24 hours. No complaints here!

[unc23win]

Made syrup right along in February and March came made syrup March 5, March 12, March 19, and last night March 22 none of which were big runs. Last night the syrup went back to a pretty light Amber Rich after being dark for quite some time and the sugar content was the highest it has been all season 1.8-1.9. Weather wise looking ahead it looks like things should get going on daily basis again. Just about 50% of my bottom line goal.

Time will tell

[meadster02]

Pretty slow over here on my side of the hill. Just about the time it gets running temp drops and it shuts off. I'm about 50% of where I ended up last year as well but looks like some runs to come yet.

[slammer3364]

Have not had a drop of sap in 3 weeks,this is nuts . Made a half gallon of syrup thus far on 100 taps YUCK

[Sugarmaker]

In NWPA the yield has been in the 50% range. Normally we would be around 150 gallons currently at 91. Season looks to be just starting next week and we may be done.
Regards,
Chris

[Bill]

Erie Co. PA
We made 10 gallons of great tasting rich syrup last night. We were almost sold out of syrup and associated products during North West Pa. Maple Taste and Tour.

Chris we are a fair amount less than half a crop. I guess we need more road side trees!

Bill Phillips
Ft. LeBoeuf Maple

[slammer3364]

been getting a little sap in the last week,not much sugar content though. Would like to make a gallon or two more but I kind of doubt it.Wind blowing about 40 miles an hour and its snowing. Had about 30 gal. to boil off today made a little over a quart of syrup.Tough going the last few years here.

[minehart gap]

Pulled my taps last Friday.

Have been filtering, bottling, making sugar and glazed nuts. Today will be cleaning up the sap tank and evaporator. Then cutting more firewood for next year.

I'm seriously considering a RO for next year and to house it and keep it above freezing, I'm looking into a cave like room. Does anyone have experience with this? Any suggestions?

[Father & Son]

As usual I was late tapping. Only tapped my small woods this year and put a Sap Guzzler pump on it. So far excellent results. Made 9 1/2 gallons Wednesday night. Going to rinse out the cage tank in the woods because the weather for the next 7 days looks great. As long as the taste stays good, boiling as long as I can.

[unc23win]

Haven't had much sap here the last couple of days. Boiled Wednesday night and made some nice dark but not too dark robust that tasted great. Calling for freezing 4-5 more nights. Gonna see what happens!