Central minnnesota

[SYRUP FREAK]

The temps here by Motley look the best after March 14. Went through the weather mess last year and want to get a steady flow. Hopefully not outthinking myself as some buds are pretty big already.

[motowbrowne]

We always used to tap right around the 15th of March. That was before global weirding set in, but this year that might be right. Certainly no point in putting out buckets when it's too cold.

[lindnova]

I was going to wait, but couldn't hold out and put out 17 taps Thursday. Checked them this afternoon and 2 were running - got 2 gallons total. Should have waited and I know better. Now doing a small boil on the stove.... Still have another 10-15 taps to put out in about a week.

[Wannabe!apleMan]

Upgraded system this year to 3/16 nat vacuum.
Lines are run and hoping to tap end of week.
Small backyard operation in Excelsior about 30 taps.
I can’t stop reading forums on this web site!
Only have a barrel stove so ended up doing small RO system for sap.
Found a great evaporator in Wisconsin and told the wife about it and she said I have issues!
This has been a great learning experience!

[SYRUP FREAK]

Snowing like a big dog today, expecting 10 inches, already have 6 inches at 10 a.m.. Woods had 12 inches yesterday, going to be tougher tomorrow. No trees tapped yet.

[Solarsapper]

This is my 5th year of syruping. Previous years typical start of the run is March 12-18th, except last year which was crazy early on February 1st. I only tap the 2 trees in my yard in Oakdale, 7 miles east of downtown St. Paul. Still, I average about 1.5 gallons of syrup per year.

I tapped the one tree, that is more exposed and runs earlier, on Friday morning, 3/2, and it started running an hour or two later. The ground is still covered in snow, though only less than a foot by the tree, so I was unsure that it had thawed enough. But in 4 days, it has yielded 3 gallons from 2 taps, and the weather has been too cold the last day or more. This is the first time I have double tapped the tree. We now have more snow from the Monday/Tuesday storm, but warmer weather coming again Friday. Hoping this couple of cold days will re-pressurize the tree, as it has started to slow/stop after a couple of days above freezing, and hoping the taps won't dry out. Really good freeze-thaw starting Friday for at least a week. I'll probably tap the other tree on Saturday.

[RileySugarbush]

Upgraded system this year to 3/16 nat vacuum.
Lines are run and hoping to tap end of week.
Small backyard operation in Excelsior about 30 taps.
I can’t stop reading forums on this web site!
Only have a barrel stove so ended up doing small RO system for sap.
Found a great evaporator in Wisconsin and told the wife about it and she said I have issues!
This has been a great learning experience!

Wannabe....We are just down the road to you on Lake Riley. We should get together this season!

[Keitha333]

I was able to get 10 gallons on 38 taps over that little warm spell. Most came out of about 6 trees...hopefully they will all start up within this next week as is seems to warm up later. Sap is all froze now!

[Wannabe!apleMan]

Hey John!
Yes just down the road near Christmas lake
Would love to see your setup and if your in the neighborhood, stop by and check out my little operation.
Everything is setup and running. Some trees are running and some still dry.
Just finished prepping filters and will hopefully fire up the evaporator Starting Friday

[RileySugarbush]

I'll send you a private message with my phone number. I am around most the time so let's get together and share some stories. Same situation here, some are running well, others still bone dry. we collected 50 gallons so far and hope for good production so we can fire up by the weekend.

[Schnep's]

Put out 30 taps last weekend and got about 20 gallons collected last night. Put out another 50 taps and have 20 more to go. Most of them are running now. On the south end of Mille lac Lake. The way the weather looks should be cooking this weekend.

[Gissert]

200 tapped in central Ottertail county. Trees are just starting to wake up. About 60 percent were dripping yesterday. Hopefully they will run some more today, forecast looks good for the weekend.

[tonka]

Anyone checking sugar content? I checked the sap in my newest bush and it was at 1.4%, pretty disappointed when I seen the number.

[Lano75]

Checked my first 25 gallons and had 3%.

[RileySugarbush]

2.4% in Eden Prairie

[Solarsapper]

4% just east of St. Paul, MN

[BigPine]

Collected 60 gallons from 81 taps on drop lines to buckets (nothing the last couple days).
Sap is reading 2.0 - 2.1% (this is typical for us early on). All hard Maples - lots of snow.
NW corner of Lake Mille Lacs.

[Schnep's]

Made one batch so far about 2 gallons. Not running much yet(I think I tapped about a week too soon like always). Hope it will cut loose this weekend. Big Pine nice to here from you.

[tonka]

How's everyone's season treating them despite the weird spring? I think just like most of you have noticed, there has not been no major run yet. As I was in the woods I notice with all the snow (a good 12" on the other tail and Becker county line) that the snow seems to be just melting away from the trees on the ground, I walked up to a couple trees and the ground is still frozen solid. The future temps are not that promising but do you think that once the snow is gone in the woods and the ground it thawing that the trees will run better despite the none freezing nights or will it be done with regardless next week when the temps are predicted to be 40s some nights? I think my thinking is all wishful more the realistic.

[Austin351]

Sap ain’t running today? IMO - We basically have till Sunday and that will probably be it for the season.

[tonka]

Sap ain’t running today? IMO - We basically have till Sunday and that will probably be it for the season.
Yeah sap is running here today.....thankfully. not ready for the season to be done with!

[Austin351]

I think that is how all of us "up north" people feel. Amazing how being tapped for over a month and it really comes down to a 3-4 days.

[Birddog]

Well I got 40 gallons of sap yesterday and 58 gallons today on about 100 taps near Barnum. At least I got to try out my RO. Pretty disappointing season but something is better than nothing.

[Lano75]

Tuesday-155, Wednesday-148 and Thursday-126. I am hoping we get sap through Sunday.

[JimSeyMN]

Well, is the season over? So far I have boiled 7.4 gallons, it is a record for me, 3 years in.