Getting ready

[Evella]

Anyone else gearing up for the 2020 season. We actually tapped 6 of our 50 trees 2 weeks ago even though it’s low sugar sap it tends to be my favorite syrup. We made about a gallon of syrup over the last two weeks and it’s really light almost butterscotch flavor. Watching temps closely because I’m not sure what this season is going to do.

[thecabinguy]

I’m locked and loaded. I’m holding off until after this rainy cool weather moves out. Maybe this weekend I will tap.

[Evella]

We tapped last weekend had some really good short runs. But in the last two days I collected almost more sap than ever. If this keeps up it will be my biggest boil since I started 3 years ago

[thecabinguy]

Well that's a good sign. I was afraid to tap too early. I've done that before and caught a good flow only to have it freeze solid on me before I could collect it. That complicates things for a while. I needed another week to recover from some knee surgery, anyway. I'll be out tapping this weekend. It looks like good potential for next week. Hope your boil goes well.

[thecabinguy]

The sap traps are all set. They started flowing a bit on Monday. I hope it keeps going for a few days, but I may not get a good flow until after the next deep freeze later in the week. I tap all red maples and they can be very stingy at times. The weather, at least looks conducive for the next week or so. We’ll see.

[Evella]

Good luck with that knee. I know that I would be out for a season with a surgery like that as I collect it all in 5 gallon buckets and it’s a haul. We boiled on Saturday and had about 120 gallons. We ended up with 2 1/2 gallons of a nice amber syrup. Up to now only got about 70 gallons for this weekend still a little more then a regular boil last year. I have about 45 taps in and I’m tempted to do a few more but they are getting further and further from where I boil. Good luck!!!