Is anyone tapping in southern Michigan yet ?

[sebastian]

It looks like the weather is changing next Friday

[toquin]

We have to be ready so close to the lake. Weather can change in less then a week from what the forecasters predict. I will finish today putting lines back up and then wait with drill in hand.

[Savage3OO6]

I’m new to this, it’ll be my first year in a backyard operation. I’m in Grosse Ile, MI and I’ve been watching the forecast like a hawk. To me, it looks like next Friday is going to be the day, but I’m definitely looking to the veterans on here for guidance. I’m only tapping three trees and they are all silver maples, so I don’t want to wait too long. I feel like picking when to tap is a stressful decision!

[kwestermann]

Tapping approximately 300 sugar maples in Novi, Michigan. Some nice temperature swings (below freezing at night, above freezing during the day) forecasted Friday, February 22nd.

[sebastian]

I see a thaw at the end of the week . I am going to start taping this week

[Ed R]

I'm waiting to see the extended forecast on Wednesday for next week. It looks like it might turn really cold again. I might tap anyway for this weekends run. As long as it stays cold the taps should last till the end of the season.

[pdiamond]

Hey all I am in Nashville and everything is still froze up. I do all buckets and bags. Going up to 110 taps this year all on sugars. Really getting itchy to pull the trigger, but I'll be patient and continue watching the forecasts, The last few years we tapped mid February, this year maybe this weekend for sure the first weekend in March.

[claystroup]

I'm waiting till first part of March here in the thumb. Got one last snowmobile trip planned for next week and got to take advantage of the great snowmobiling snow we have gotten this year. Best snow in past 5-6 years.
Clay in Almont

[Kbrooks80]

I will start tapping on thursday. This weekend is looking good. Major upgrade to the shack and tank storage this year so looking forward to testing everything.

[GLTaylor]

Savage3006
I am in Allen Park and same backyard operation I will do 10 taps. Last year was my 1st year, I tapped 6 trees and ended with just less than 1 gallon over 4 weeks. I am planning on tapping March 2, 2019.

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[Don(MI)]

We run around 300 Taps here in the Thumb area, Dad and I talked a few days ago. Our thoughts was to tap March 10th I believe...

But this warm up has me 2nd guessing!

[Savage3OO6]

I was going to tap today, because the next 5 days look favorable, however the extended forecast shows it getting very cold for more than a week afterward, so I think I'll hold out until our next warm-up.

[Ivyacres]

Long range (10day) is very cold and this looks to be at the most a three day run. I'll hope for more at the far end and wait for some of this snow to melt. I'm in the Byron Center area. Good luck for a great season!

[Savage3OO6]

I tapped 3 silver maples with gravity lines in Grosse Ile this morning. Sap is flowing at 2.1, 3.4 and 4.1 brix. I’m very happy! I had to secure my buckets, because we’ve got high wind and thunderstorms tonight.

[Spartazoo]

Haven't done syrup in 5 years. I put out 8 taps today south of Kazoo. It's flowing but I haven't tested the sugar content yet. I will tomorrow. It's flowing, I plan to do a cook later in the week.

[Spartazoo]

Looking at weather.com... March 8th is the tap date.

[Mille705]

If the forecast I have tonight holds we will start tapping the 6th and hope to have them all in by Saturday morning the 9th.

[Snappyssweets]

If things keep as they say I will be with you Mille705
I will lay the first and all taps on Saturday the 9th here in Midland County.

[Woody77]

The extended looks like the 8th till April 1 with only one day that stays above 32° it's going to be a hard short season. I can't wait. Good luck to all and happy sugaring.

[Shirlsaw63]

I will be taking Friday afternoon off and tapping then - NW Kent County. I do about 20-25 taps.

[Mark79]

Good Morning All,

Southwest Michigan here and thinking I will start drilling Friday evening and Saturday seeing Saturdays High is 41F and Low 37F. That should get things thawed and flowing.

Looking forward to boiling! :)

[dlwithers]

Will be in the woods in Grant Township Friday. Probably put in around 70 taps.
Made 12 gallons last year. Have not decided how hard I want to work this hobby in 2019. Weather might determine ultimate goal...
Tapped 2/10/2018 so this start has already been delayed a month. But this is Michigan, 2 words never used in the same sentence here: Normal & Weather. Or as I like to point out, "Michigan weather - what could go wrong"?

[Ivyacres]

So it was real nice for three days 22-24 Feb and we tapped then. Had a nice run, but boy it froze up hard these last two weeks. Looking at putting in a couple more lines to replace 40 buckets from last year and will see how they do. Not much slope. Should be a good week to get everything running, still a foot of snow in the yard. Good luck to you all.

[Woody77]

We are going to do our best to tap today. We are in the center of the state I'll let you all know if it runs today.

[claystroup]

We tapped 75 trees today, 35 more to go tomorrow and we will be done in Almont, MI in Southern Lapeer county.

[odave]

I tapped today - backyard hobbyist in the Fenton area. I only tapped three of my possible twelve because work is crazy and I won't have time to boil all that much. But I figure some syrup is better than no syrup! :)

[Woody77]

Ran out of time yesterday. Got 285 in today 16 to go Tomorrow and were all in . The run was spotty some were a solid stream some had no drips.
The neighbor got 360 in on hanging buckets. Same result as mine.

[Spartazoo]

South of Kalamazoo here. It seems the trees finally thawed and broke free today. I'm a backyard syrup dude. We just got in from collecting 40 gal on 15 taps using 5 gallon buckets.

Refractometer had Sugars at 4.2 and Norway's at 3.1. We'll take that.

It got really cold last week and locked everything back up, nice to see it thawed finally.


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[claystroup]

Gathered 80 gallons out of my 110 taps today. Sap Hydrometer read 3.0 percent, the best I have ever had.

[Woody77]

Weird first run only 120 gallons this morning on 300 taps. Buckets still only couple inches in them. But the 200 gallons we got yesterday made the lightest syrup I've ever made it's lighter than grade A fancy. But it was yummy in my tummy.

[Savage3OO6]

My little backyard operation consisting of three silver maples is over for the season. Buds popped on Thursday the 14th. This was my first year, so I learned a lot and I know that I want to expand next year, hopefully with some sugar maples. Regardless, I had a lot of fun, the syrup is so good that I could drink it and I’m hooked for life!19718

[Ed R]

You are only done if you just want to be done. The syrup will still be good, I'm boiling today and I'm 40 miles south of you with reds and silvers. Don't let the flowers fool you on silvers and reds.

[Wannabe]

Don't let the flowers fool you on silvers and reds.

True story.

[Spartazoo]

It’s been a great day to boil outside Kalamazoo. It’s been a hard rolling boil all day in my backyard 2x4 oil tank operation.

Sugar maples really flowing too.


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[Savage3OO6]

You are only done if you just want to be done. The syrup will still be good, I'm boiling today and I'm 40 miles south of you with reds and silvers. Don't let the flowers fool you on silvers and reds.

Really? Dammit! Well, I don’t want to be done, but I’ve already boiled everything down and cleaned all my stuff. I suppose that it wouldn’t be difficult to pull it all back out. So how do you know when silver maples are done? When the sap stops flowing?

[Ed R]

They usually just stop wanting to run, even if the temps are optimal. Go ahead and get your buckets back on, tommorrow will be the best run of t he year

[Ivyacres]

175 to 350 per day for a week now and this one should be better. The sunshine is so appreciated, you can get into the woods without slogging through deep snow or deep water. Hopefully a couple more weeks to go and we'll catch last years take. It's a great time to be outside and the days are getting noticeably longer.

[Mark79]

The sap is flowing! My taps that receive good sun throughout the day are producing 1.5-2 gallons each as of yesterday and guessing the same or more today. Get it while you can!

[claystroup]

I took in approx. 220 gallons on 110 taps today-incredible. Sugar was 2.2% overall. Glad I bought an RO this year.
Clay in Almont

[Mark79]

Just checked my buckets and average was 2-2.5gallons per tap in 24hrs. :)

[Woody77]

Well we called it done today. It was a short 11 days boiling .but we faired well anyway.

[twofer]

Today we will begin pulling our taps in Charlotte. Overall, it has been a pretty good year. The weather wasn't too bad, we made a good amount of syrup, and no major equipment broke, including me. :)

[Mark79]

With this crazy weather anyone tapped or planning to tap in Michigan yet? If you already did are you getting decent flow and is the sap any good? Forecast over the next week near Grand Rapids is freezing at night and upper 30's during the day so thinking i may but a few test taps out. I have that gold fever starting up :)

[toquin]

Going to wait a bit and watch Feb. temps

[Mark79]

Probably best I'm just getting excited. :) I plan to put out a few testers tomorrow just to see if the flow starts but being the ground is still pretty frozen near me not expecting much. We shall see. :)

[Pdiamond]

I am getting prepared. Looks to me like long range forecast will be late mid February or end of February. Just have to keep watching the weather. Gonna play with some 3/16 tubing this year and see how that goes. Never have done any tubing before.

[Spartazoo]

I am in no way ready yet but here in Kalamazoo the forecast is for highs in the low to mid 30s with lows in the 20s for the next 10 days. By that time February is half gone. I think I will put out a couple test taps tonight to see what is going on.

[Mark79]

My 9 taps are flowing great! 1.5-2 gallons per tap in 24hrs. I too am waiting until late Feb to add my additional 30-60 taps just not ready for constant boiling yet.

[toquin]

Starting to look good this last half of the month. I will start drilling end of the week.

[Woody77]

Looks like Saturday in central lower. The extended forcast is really good looks like 5-6 weeks. Fingers crossed.

[Woody77]

Welcome to Michigan. Lol forcast has changed again looks like we get a few more days to prep.

[steelguy]

was thinking of tapping Sunday.....may wait a bit longer, but who knows , the forecast has been changing DAILY!! :-|

[Michiganiac]

I may tap Sunday. (2/16/20)

It's hard to guess what is optimum now.

It's not like years back when you planned on the 2nd or 3rd week of March...

[bspiece]

Looking at the forecast today, we are planning on next Friday (2/21/20).

[Maple River Sugar]

Looking at Friday the 21st.

[steelguy]

tapping tomorrow
looks like a good 4 day run and then a break so I can get caught up.
good luck to everyone this year!!!

[Michiganiac]

I have 170 taps in so far.

Going out today to sink some more.

Shooting for 250 or so.

[Balrog006]

Set a few yesterday evening after work, will set a fee more today and tomorrow-trying to have everything ready for this weekend. Concerned with a short season I have more supplies coming to get more sap faster this season-I can always pull a few if it gets to be too much.

[Michiganiac]

Ran out of tubing at 216 taps.

Close enuf.

:D

[Pdiamond]

I was planning to tap this weekend, unfortunately my uncle past away and we will have to attend his funeral and mass this weekend. I will miss a few days and probably start sometime next week. They are calling for rain in the early part of the week and I am sure I won't do it in that. Work some more in the sugar house, then tap after the rains are gone.

[Wolfcreek Maple]

We are almost tapped here in mid Michigan only about 100 left to go. Slow going this year as squirrel damage has been awful. With any luck should be boiling Sunday.

[toquin]

Almost 400 gal. Monday,got all the bugs worked out on some new equipment. Worst year I have ever seen for tree rats.

[bspiece]

We got 242 taps in today. Another 60 tomorrow. All on buckets.

[Michiganiac]

We got 242 taps in today. Another 60 tomorrow. All on buckets.

My sympathies.....

We ditched the bucket brigade 4 years ago.

Do you have all matching buckets - or have the lids number matched to the buckets?

[bspiece]

My sympathies.....

We ditched the bucket brigade 4 years ago.

Do you have all matching buckets - or have the lids number matched to the buckets?

Luckily all of the buckets and lids are the same, so match making them isn't an issue.

[Ed R]

Looks like the first couple of runs are going to be the 3-4 days warm then 3-4 days cold type affairs. I am tapped down at the state line and had my first boil last night.

[Balrog006]

Looks like the first couple of runs are going to be the 3-4 days warm then 3-4 days cold type affairs. I am tapped down at the state line and had my first boil last night.

Agreed, this run may stretch into Tuesday for some but then stop until the next weekend and run a bit longer.

I don’t mind a slower start as long as the season is a good one overall.

[kipegan]

Tapped 30 trees Saturday morning 2/22. Sap is running crazy 90 gallons at 2.5%

[Wolfcreek Maple]

Our tree's finally let loose Sunday night, averaged almost 3 gal/tap sugar is good at 2.5