anyone doing buckets this early?

[Earthman]

Hi all- Anyone considering doing buckets this early? Week ahead looks pretty good (perhaps too warm some evenings). Really indecisive right now.

Mike

[jrm]

Not yet... everything's clean and ready to go. Holding off until next Weds or Thursday. For me, today and tomorrow seem good. But next week's temps has highs in the 60s and a few nights with lows in the 50s. Even next weekend, lows predicted in the 30s.

Saw the first taps on buckets near me yesterday.

[raptorfan85]

I have 30 buckets out. Just finished off about a gallon of syrup this morning actually... First of the year. Hopefully the big warm up this week isn't as warm as they are predicting.

[Asa Matras]

We got ours out. We do about 50 buckets. I say its game on for sap season. Good luck!

[Dill]

Hey its Asa! I've never run into you guys on the interwebs before.
Good job on the 4th place for the Carlise.

[lords sugaring]

I've got 75 buckets out in Candia, have a few more to get out here soon. Few ran ok last week still not enough to fill my pans and run the evaporator. I can't wait to go vacuum !! Next year maybe

[Russell Lampron]

If you use new taps you can expect 4 to 6 weeks before the holes dry up. It will be Saint Patrick's Day in 4 weeks so your taps could be shutting down before Maple Weekend. When I did buckets I would wait until the first of March to tap them. I used metal taps and boiled them just before I went out to tap. I would have a couple dry at 4 weeks and lose more after that on 24 buckets. Is this warm spell going to be the beginning of an early season that is going to end early like it did in 2012? Or is it going to get cold again with everything freezing up for 2 or 3 weeks? Time will tell and it's your gamble. If it were me I would wait until next weekend because you aren't going to get much sap with the buckets after Monday.

[Asa Matras]

Hey thanks Alden. Ya, figured it would be a good idea to join maple trader.

[red maples]

I put in 24 last night these are on the edge of a field and there was old barn but the owners had it taken down so now the trees are done much earlier because it gets sun all day. the others I am waiting on because they are exposed yet. I was gonna do them but decided to wait until this warm spell is over.

On vacuum its closed system and using new taps every year keeps the holes open for a LOOOng time I have had some of my best runs at the end of the season after being tapped for 7 to 8 weeks in some years.

[Earthman]

Hi all- Thanks for all your responses. I have tapped all of my vacuum systems (shurflo), and about 80-90 taps with three foot drops into five gallon buckets. I will save my other 80 or so metal buckets for next week. I was thinking the same as all you stated regarding the vac system ones....that they may last awhile as they are in a closed system. Regarding the drops into 5 gal pails, I was thinking that it was ok to do those, as they are less impacted by the air/elements, and that they may last awhile. The metal buckets will be immediately exposed and that is why I am waiting. Anyone agree with my strategy? Interested to know how long drops into 5 gallon pails compare to metal buckets and spiles.

Hope all is well and thanks for the input.

Earthman in New Boston, NH

[MapleCamp]

Ive ran drops with clear check valves sprouts and they ran great. I was told that using cv sprouts on drops into buckets was pointless but I have to say I start right around now and they run right through March. Ive got a few years experience with them. The buckets on snow can be problematic. I had to give up the 5 gallon buckets, causing back issues. Its all tubing now , surflo assisted.

[MapleLady]

I set out 16 buckets on Monday. As of this morning, I have collected 30 gallons and it is still running, but slowing down. I am hoping that by the weekend I will do a small boil. I don't usually tap until the last week in February or first week in March. This week's weather forecast was hard to resist!