Southeast Ohio 2019

[bigrick_2u]

Considering tapping this weekend. Looks like the temps will dip down again for a bit next week but then be up by the weekend.

Anybody tapped yet?

-Rick

[bowhunter]

The forecast doesn't look good until late February or first week in March here in central Ohio. Accuweather forecast looks like 3-4 years ago when we only had a two week season the first two weeks of March.

[buckeye gold]

This season concerns me as well bowhunter. It looks a lot like a season we had a few years ago when winter set in right at the end of January and didn't break until late February. It was my worse year on record. When we got runs they were huge, but I think I only boiled like 5 times. I am afraid when it breaks it will be 60 degree days. That is what usually happen down here in southern Ohio.

With that in mind I am going to put all my taps in tomorrow (Jan 26th) and get whatever runs I can. I am usually pulling taps by March 10th. I think we'll have a run early next week and then freeze for a week and then I hope it's full on maple season from mid February. I did not make hardly any early season syrup this year for the first time in 5 years. I put out 38 early taps and got two small runs. I finally drained the pan and finished off my sweet, made less than 1/2 gallon of syrup. I wish I hadn't even tapped my fall woods.

[bigrick_2u]

I'm still new to this (3rd year). I'm going to tap tomorrow and see what happens this week. Hopefully will have enough to get my first boil in for the year before everything freezes up again. We will see.

[dugan.55]

All tapped in here, between zanesvillle and marrietta
170 on lines we will see what happens this year good luck guys

[Redbean]

Here in Athens county I have collected 338 gallons of sap. And made 6.2 gallons of syrup so far. How is everyone else doing?

[RaisingKFarm]

We tapped Monday this week, put in 30 tree savers, we use food grade bags to hang off the tree savers. Collected yesterday, got around 50 - 55 gallons of sap. We had a few days where the temp didn't get over freezing and then we got a 50 degree day and now avg lower 40's.

Tapped 10 more during collection Thursday, and will tap 20 more this weekend.

[esetter]

All done down here. Made about a gallon on 16 taps. It got warm and has stayed warm for the last couple weeks. Trees will be budded out soon. Hate the short ones! Hope you guys get another good run or two. If anybody gets stuck with some extra sap , give me a shout!

[bigrick_2u]

28 taps on about 20 trees. Some trees producing very little... I've collect around 80 gallons so far... Finishing 20 gallons right now. Should be somewhere around 1.5 gallons of syrup. REALLY hoping this weeks cold front gives us a good push.

Gallia County.

[bigrick_2u]

This year is technically my third year... but I would considerate it my second year since the first year didn't produce any syrup. Desperately searching for ways to upgrade my system. Currently on a homemade barrel evaporator. Getting 3 gph if I bust it the entire time and stay on top of feeding wood and playing with the draft. Wind yesterday was a killer. Really hoping to upgrade to either a 2x4 or maybe a 18"x48" CDL... still doing research on the subject.

Ran a few lines linking some trees together this year, as opposed to last. Last year I just had a gallon container at each tree. Really want to run tubes through the whole property and run a mainline to a storage tank. Still trying to figure out logistics, how to move tanks, do I need a pump. Bad part is that this is all on a neighbors property. He doesn't care what i do but I kinda hate to invest so much on someone else's land. My wife and I have been trying to find some property for a couple years now. Hopefully in the next year or two we can make it happen. Good luck everybody.

[esetter]

Needing to upgrade your evaporator is a good problem to have. I build a wood fired when I made the jump from a turkey fryer set up. I find if I point my air inlet towards the wind it gets hotter faster. Ive still got some insulation issues but it works.

[bmbmkr]

Rick I'll be glad to help you out with your tubing system. I may be able to help you with an evaporator upgrade as well. I'm about to outgrow my 18x72 rig. She's not perfect, bu I've made about 80 gallons of syrup on her the last three years combined. 18x42 drop flue behind an 18x30 syrup pan. The syrup pan is for a 30" wide rig, I turned it 90 Deg and put a bulk head fitting in to connect it to the flue pan. I'l be cooking tonight, you should run over after you get off work. Or come over this weekend and walk through the woods and see my rig. I was planning on boiling another 2 years on this set up before expanding again, but I keep finding ways to move sap from all these tappable trees. I'm thinking of selling my boat to upgrade to a 2x8 lol Lord help me. I've got the bug so bad!

[buckeye gold]

SELL YOUR BOAT......blasphemy blasphemy. Surely I didn't read that right bmbmkr. what is a man without his boat? I'm sorry but the evaporator goes before my boat goes. I think I have about a week left and I'm done. Haven't had any sap for three days, but it running now and looks good the rest of the week. It has been shorter but good so far. My sugar is the highest it's been in several years, the only down side is the MUD!

[bmbmkr]

SELL YOUR BOAT......blasphemy blasphemy. Surely I didn't read that right bmbmkr. what is a man without his boat? I'm sorry but the evaporator goes before my boat goes. I think I have about a week left and I'm done. Haven't had any sap for three days, but it running now and looks good the rest of the week. It has been shorter but good so far. My sugar is the highest it's been in several years, the only down side is the MUD!

I've got 2! The 17' Alumaweld with 50 hP Honda, might have to go I'll keep the Minn Kota I pilot and Lowrance side scan and put em on the 14' Jon that I have a go devil on, been usin it more since I moved home anyway, We'll still have the kayaks and canoe, We catch more fish off the kayaks than both boats combined. When I met my wife she wanted a kayak instead of an engagement ring, she got it. We had our first date on the Alumaweld, we caught a bunch a catfish that night, you've really got to romance a southern woman! (She's from NC). Been together for 11 1/2 years, ( married for 11 1/4)- she puts up with my sugarin an I put up with her sheep, goats, chickens and cows- we eat pretty good though.

I just hauled down 250 gallon from Dads place, goin out to cut out a few more reds from the lateral up in the holler, the ones I cut out day before yesterday down low sprung buds yesterday. Cooked off 500 gallon last night only made 5 1/2 gallon of syrup. I hope these sugars hold off through today's heat wave, supposed to be a cold set this weekend. we'll see. I passed the 40 gallon mark last night.

[buckeye gold]

I've got 2!

Well as long as you have something to fish out of. I just bought a new Tracker deep V last year. I sold my old 19' deck boat and got a nice fishing boat. If you ever want to come up my way I can take you Saugeye Fishing on Rocky Fork or Paint Creek or crappie/catfishing.

My trees are really slowing up. I don't think I have much time left as sap is clouding a little. I put out ten new taps on buckets today just for some fresh sap flow. They are all within a few yards of my collection tank, but were too offline to catch with my tubing line, so it'll be easy to just dump them in the big tank. that ought to help me make my last 6 gallons. when I get that made I'm quitting even if sap is still flowing. Sap has slowed, but my sugar is still good at just under 2%

[mountainvan]

I used to fish paint creek back in the 80s. Mainly channel cats and bass. Cowan for crappies. Now the dacks for pike.