Monongalia Count 2021

[llew.williams]

I haven't tapped yet.
Last couple of years I tapped extremely early since it was so warm. Partially tapped last year on January 6. Syrup in jars on the 10th.
This year I am holding out till the last weekend in January. Then do all of them in a couple of days.
A warm, sunny day like this sure gets me thinking about it.
I just know some sap was moving today.

[220 maple]

llew. Williams,
Over in the Eastern Panhandle we hoping for a mid January start, we are always warmer than you because of are location on the eastern side of the mountains.
Mark 220 Maple

[llew.williams]

Well, I know what I said. I was going to wait till the end of the month, like old times.
But I was going to test releaser with water today. I thought, "hmm, it is above 40, maybe I could test with sap". I put in 19 taps. It is flowing like crazy. Every hole that I drilled was gushing. I'm starting at dawn tomorrow. I want to put in a good 8 hours, see if I can get half of my trees tapped. Woo Hooo. Syrup season has started. I just put in RO membranes and rinsed them. I can't wait to fire the evaporator.

[maple flats]

Check and correct your date please. Today is 1/3/21! I could do it for you, but I know you can fix it. Just click on edit post, make the correction, then click on Save.
I know, most of use screw up the date as a year changes. It's an easy error.

[darkmachine]

I'm in Hardy county in the eastern panhandle, I'm waiting on stainless steel taps, both for buckets and lines...i really wish i had them. I am tempted to use up the hundred or so plastic spiles this week....just because the weather is soooooooo fantastic....the season is so short here i don't want to miss it.

[Pdiamond]

If they are the same size spiles, you can tap in the plastic spikes now and then switch out when the ss taps arrive.

[220 maple]

Dark Machine,
Did you get permission to tap on the GW National Forest? I guess it been a year since I talked to you at the event in Pendleton County at the Swilled Dog hard cider factory.
Don't hesitate to use the Private Message system on this forum, if you have any questions or thoughts that may only apply to us. I try to check out Maple trader daily.

Mark 220 Maple

[llew.williams]

Oops, wrong year. I can't correct it. I don't see any way to change title. I can edit body of the message but not title. Can't seem to delete either. : (

[maple flats]

OK, I corrected the date. Not because those following now wouldn't know, but as the years pass, it might confuse some. Sorry, I wasn't aware you couldn't edit the title on your own post. All is fixed now.
Have a great season, and most importantly, have fun!
Dave

[darkmachine]

New stainless spiles arrived yesterday!!, i didn't even get a shipment notice, pretty quick turnaround. I went ahead and hung to buckets near my sugar house just to see if I could get any action...and holes were dry. It gives me a little breathing room though to get all my tubing work done/reaird and build a box for my vacuum pump so i can keep it warm.

[llew.williams]

Canned 11 pints today. Beautiful light red. Smells wonderful.
Fired evaporator this AM at 4:30 and just sat in that sweet steam and meditated. Ahhh. Been waiting a year for that.
Good sap flow on Sunday and Monday. Since then pretty slow.
Next couple of days supposed to get into 40's. Fingers crossed.
143 taps in now.
I've got about 40 more trees. I'm going to wait a couple of weeks for those.

[llew.williams]

Excellent sap flow for a couple of days this week. Collected a couple hundred gallons. 2% sugar! Better than my first run. That was about 1.75%. Finished in RO last night. Fired up evaporator this morning at 5 AM. Been cooking all day. Should get into finishing pan tomorrow. The let's see what I got. I don't like to estimate. I'm always wrong. Then long distance weather forecast looks pretty grim. I'm saving 40 more trees for end of the month tapping.

[marylandlinemaple]

put in 80 taps Sunday 1/24 in northeast Preston County. Doing a huge construction project this winter so I am going to take it easy on the maple this year. Waiting a week or two to tap another 120. Forecast isn't looking too good.