View Full Version : Tapped in Needham
Ntatar
02-24-2019, 07:44 AM
24 gravity buckets for the Needham neighborhood sugar bush are tapped. Weather forecast looks great:
2/24: 46/33
2/25: 30/10
2/26: 28/19
2/27: 37/21
2/28: 39/30
3/1: 45/31
3/2: 37/20
Folks down the road from me tapped Friday. Tonight's high winds, and the current freezing rain, has me holding at least until tomorrow afternoon, as I don't feel like chasing down containers. Happy sugarin'!
Ntatar
02-25-2019, 09:27 AM
Great run yesterday but wind def. blowing buckets off this a.m. - I even left a gallon in the bottom to try and hold 'em down.
In past years, there were periods were I resorted to tie-down straps or bungee cords, to avoid losing map buckets/sap.
eustis22
02-25-2019, 09:47 AM
I always put a brick on the coverto hold em down
I always put a brick on the coverto hold em downNever thought of that. Might need to try that this year. Easier than trying to tie around a tree.
tgormley358
02-26-2019, 02:15 PM
I don’t know if bricks on top would have done the trick yesterday in Harvard where I live. Multiple large trees blow over or snapped and many power lines down. But that was obviously a very unusual occurrence. I’ve had my buckets blow off in less wind. One large branch of a tree fell on top of one tubing line - will have to repair that one.
Since last Thursday I’ve collected about 140 gallons from 75 taps.
Tom
Yesterday was wicked. Lots of tree debris, fortunately nothing big near the house, and I don't think any of my tapping trees are affected. Lots of road closed with downed trees and wires, the largest impacted road was finally open again about an hour ago.
But, I did hold off. 10 day forecast has nothing over 40 and only two days in the upper 30s. Wondering if I'll tap at the end of the week to catch those two days. Saw NWS issued a noticed that they expect first two weeks of March to be colder than normal across the country.
Ntatar
02-27-2019, 12:05 PM
Definitely need to change my weather forecasting app! Should have waited....
Hindsight is everything. My taps are out an ready to go, just gave the 5 gallon storage buckets their pre-season vinegar rinse. Looking at the 10 day forecast and still wondering what's right. Friday through Monday looks, although Monday in single digits for the long. But, then the rest of the forecast I can see is predicted below freezing and quite cold lows. Hmm.
Ntatar
03-06-2019, 08:40 PM
These crazy cold days are killing me! Next week is looking good:
3/8: 39/22
3/9: 39/24
3/10: 44/37
3/11: 48/28
3/12: 39/22
3/13: 43/27
mar2rafn
03-07-2019, 09:23 PM
.. in the morning, then going to New Orleans until Thursday night. Will need sap sak sitter to make the rounds if forecast holds - looks like 4 days out of the next 7, then serious warm-up: the end?
Ntatar
03-08-2019, 04:57 AM
I hope not! Would love to see solid two or three weeks instead of this on again off again stuff. It was 5 degrees yesterday when I took the dogs out.... that’s February weather, not March weather!
This pic was yesterday. It was 8 when I woke up this morning. About an hour ago, I went and peeked at the nearest tap, same as this pic, and was still frozen. Hoping it warms up soon and starts dripping and that the season isn't just one run.
19641
Ntatar
03-15-2019, 11:12 AM
After an AMAZING week things have really slowed down this a.m. with the warm night. Fingers crossed another good week coming!
My first boil a week ago was 17 gal, after getting rid of some ice and saving the large 1/2 buckets ice cubes, and came away with 5 - 8oz bottles. Testing sap after the ice removal, I ranged from 1.5 to 3.4%.
Today, finishing boiling 17.5 gals, very little ice, and may sap ranged from 1.4% - 2.3%. We'll see what I end up with.
Almost no flow with yesterday's warm temps. Buckets have sap today, from a distance, it doesn't appear to be gushing. Hoping these next 4 days give up more gold.
csk91
03-19-2019, 06:45 PM
I tapped 2/3-2/10 collected 300 gallons of sap boiled down to 5.5 gallons syrup on 23 taps. Pulled everything Saturday. I am in buzzards bay.
tgormley358
03-20-2019, 12:03 PM
Made my first syrup of the season last night, after a few mistakes the last two weeks cost me at least 6 gallons of production. Sap is finally starting to flow strongly. But maybe only for another week. We will see.
Ntatar
03-21-2019, 12:43 PM
Thinking about pulling taps this weekend - ran out of wood and had to make some late night runs to gather up more pallets. These last three weeks have been perfect!!
Thinking about pulling taps this weekend - ran out of wood and had to make some late night runs to gather up more pallets. These last three weeks have been perfect!!While I'm not using my barrel this year, I'm fortunate that my local Ace, just up the way from me, lets me take as many pallets as I'd like. Just finished my 3rd boil and bottle and made another 28 oz. I'm hoping for one more week.
How'd you like your new rig? You've noted you've had a great few weeks. How much did you get?
Ntatar
03-22-2019, 11:57 AM
We just picked up some pallets to do one last burn too but the smelled TERRIBLE while they were burning - dark black/brown smoke too. We're are thinking they must have had some sort of preservative in them. The clean white pine pallets we used at the start of the season were perfect. Too bad we ran out. Sigh...
We just picked up some pallets to do one last burn too but the smelled TERRIBLE while they were burning - dark black/brown smoke too. We're are thinking they must have had some sort of preservative in them. The clean white pine pallets we used at the start of the season were perfect. Too bad we ran out. Sigh...How frustrating! Someone told me this info my 2nd year burning pallets -- when they cautioned me that some could contain chemicals. Maybe this will help for future pallet runs. (At my Ace, I've avoiding any that have paint on them, and for the most part the remainder have either been heat treated or kiln dried. The codes are marked on the pallets...
The IPPC stamp: if you don't see it, use it with caution! A pallet may be perfectly safe without this logo, but you don't have clear information.
The treatment code : [HT] = Heat treatment / [MB] = Methyl Bromide / [DB] = Debarked / [KD] = Kiln Dried.
Ntatar
03-26-2019, 07:40 PM
Good to know! I'll be giving the store owner a gallon of syrup as a thank you and remind him to call us as soon as he starts collecting the clean pine pallets. We chopped up 75 this year. I think we'll try to get 120 next year just in case it turns out to be an amazing season.
I learned that I could stack 6 pallets in my van per load. I never reached 75, but my sap load is lower than yours... my trees just aren't great producers. For the 13 taps I've put in the last few years, you'd think I'd have a greater quantity of sap to boil. This year I boiled only 54 gals, that doesn't account for ice dumped, but maybe, just maybe that would total 3 gals, but I suspect not.
Pulled 12 taps yesterday, left 1 in the driveway sugar that was still producing, until this morning. I was boiling today, the last 3.5 gals that I'd collected (since the 22nd.) Pulled that last tap when I took its bucket to add to the boil today.
All told just over 3/4 gal syrup. It's all light in color and flavor. (I don't know the actual grades.) None of mine was dark in color or robust in flavor. I have to say that I do prefer the stronger maple flavor to the lighter vanilla/marshmallow flavor. Still delicious none-the-less, and for the darker, I'll buy from my local farmer's market Vermont small producer who I've gotten to know.
To those still boiling enjoy the rest of your season.
raptorfan85
03-27-2019, 05:09 PM
We just picked up some pallets to do one last burn too but the smelled TERRIBLE while they were burning - dark black/brown smoke too. We're are thinking they must have had some sort of preservative in them. The clean white pine pallets we used at the start of the season were perfect. Too bad we ran out. Sigh...
I would bet the pallets were made of poplar. I have burned some and it smells terrible and makes lots of black smoke.
Ntatar
03-28-2019, 07:44 AM
Totally possible! I asked our guy about timing for next season. He said August is when his pallet supply cranks up - apparently most snow blowers are bought in Aug. Because of the tax free weekend that falls around this time. Who knew?!
Ntatar
02-25-2020, 10:37 PM
Tapped in Needham this weekend - Feb 23. First day was 27 at night and 60 the next day. We’ve been collecting the buckets 2x a day over the last 3 days to keep up. Expecting a slowdown with night temps creeping into the 40s. Could be back in business this weekend if temps drop back down. Reds (5) have been slow or dry but sugars (25) are gushing.
Ntatar
03-06-2020, 08:45 PM
Sap is producing around 2% but Syrup has been darker than I’ve seen in the last five years. Warm temps and no snow?
Ntatar
02-27-2021, 09:01 AM
Tapped in Needham and planning to run the RO machine all day today (2/26) and boil down tomorrow (2/27). Excited and the run is STRONG!
Ntatar
02-13-2022, 06:11 AM
Anyone tapping out here in Metro West.? Extended forecast makes it look like it’s reasonable to start. I’ve been burned too many times to wanna jump in but I’m worried I’m going to miss the window… I’m all gravity buckets and drop lines
Kamina
02-13-2022, 08:03 AM
I’m in Upton. Tapped a couple days ago using drop lines and bags. Tapped 20 trees and had five gallons of sap in about 12 hours.
Ntatar
02-14-2022, 09:29 PM
Nice! 8 degrees here tonight but 50s later in the week. cRaZy weather... I think I'm going to hold out another week... Will probably change my mind tomorrow! LOL
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