Tapping 2008

[SUGARSMITH]

I had to look twice but there is a sugar house boiling away this week in NW CT. I guess he feels the time is right. Seems to me the tap holes would dry up right in time for the real season. Unless of course he pans on retapping

[dhbiker1]

too bad for them it's getting cold again. It will probably be about another month give or take.

[SUGARSMITH]

I had thought about tapping the end of this week till I saw the forecast for NW CT.Mostly freezing temps for the next two weeks. Based on that I am thinking of Feb 22. What are the thoughts of others in CT ?

[Dick]

While I don't have many I am thinking of tapping next weekend. My local nature center is giving a talk/demo to the public on the art of syrup making. I offered to help but also questioned them as to their feeling on having enough to boil. We will see.

[wkies]

I'm in SW Connecticut (Stamford) - I will be tapping next week. Temps are up and down but I would like to get them in and get some of the early run.

[DaveB]

My grove is in Somers (North Central CT) and I put about a little less than a 1/3 (about 75) of my taps out last weekend. I got several good runs and made a several gallons, but it is going to be turning much colder for the next couple of weeks. I'm glad that I got an early run in, but I could have waited. It looks like the sap will run on a few of the days over the next couple of weeks so I don't think the taps will dry out and I should be ok.

I'm hoping with the cold weather I can get another good 'early run' when it does warm up again.

Dave

[JasonS]

I talked with a guy in southbury today, he tapped last weekend (2/2-2/3), and got about 700 gallons on 200 taps. Seems like a really good week to me. Maybe I missed something. It was warm but the sun didn't come out to much, it rained alot. I almost can't believe I missed a week like that. The trees I tap are about an 45 mins north and on the north side of a hill but I still wonder If I missed something?

The long range looks cold until Feb 23 or so. I think I'll wait until then???

[SUGARSMITH]

I will be tapping this weekend in the upper northwest of Ct, looks like some decent weather for the week after the impending snowstorm rolls through. This is the longest I ever waited, usually I am too early. It will be interesting seeing if waiting later makes a difference.

[ctjim]

i will be tapping the rest of my trees, in lebanon/salem ct, this afternoon. i've had 6 going since the 2nd week of feb and have gathered about 35 gals. so far. last season was my 1st season and i only had 8 taps, and will be going for 50 this year, about 25 on gravity and another 25 buckets, well sort of. i have used cleaned 1 gal milk jugs and a 4in piece of tubing on a 5/16 plastic tap. the tubing enters the milk jug right at the top above the handle in a very tightly drilled out hole and then i have some wire on the handle up to the tap to support the jug. hope to get some sap on an early run this week and hope for some good weather the next few weeks.

[markct]

i live in northfield ct, kinda the lower edge of the northwest corner, since this is my first year i was so anxious i put in a few taps back in january, and they flowed great during the warm week or so that we had, they overflowed some of my gallon jugs and did real well, and have flowed since then for a few days at a time when it warmed up, a few of the warm rainy days a week or two ago did great too. i know it was too early but i couldnt resist!! i plan to move some of my taps that are a pain to get to onto trees that are easier to access near the road. i noticed that klug farms in torrington has there tubing up along the roadside.

[dhbiker1]

I've gotten over 250 gallons since monday and will collect another 100 or so tonight. Will boil thursday night. I've made 6 gallons so far and have super low sugar content to the point where I am questioning the hydrometer that was brand new this year. The first sap I was getting was around 1.75 and now it is less that .5. I am thinking the accuracy is less when the content is lower. I'll just have to boil what the trees give me. I was hoping for at least 25 gallons which would only be a pint per tap. Theres still time! How is everyone doing?

[Fred Henderson]

It has not even started here yet. I plan on starting to tap tomorrow and finish up next week.

[dhbiker1]

Boiled from 4pm yesterday until 4am this morning and made just under 5 gallons, all dark. I thought I would draw more but the sap is low sugar content. I also am going through wood like no tomorrow. Looks like i'll still get some on vacuum for the next couple days and I'm spent so I won't be heading up to northern VT skiing this weekend.

[Parker]

DHbiker1 How is it running down there and how is that Bender holding up for you? DO you guys have much snow down there?

[dhbiker1]

Not too bad, no snow down here and way too much rain. I'm destroying the fields and will have fun fixing my ruts in the cows pasture in a month or so. The trees on vacuum ran good yesterday and the day before with gravity barely giving anything. The releaser is working good! Things are probably just getting under way up there. I don't mind that you have alot of snow because Mt. Washington will still be good skiing when I have time to get up there in a few weeks. good luck!

[dhbiker1]

For the great weather we've been having this week it has been super slow. Only vacuum is giving me much of anything and that is not great. All these reds are starting to bud and i'm fearing the end will be soon. I am only at 13.5 gallons for 200 trees. That is half of what I expected my minimum would be. I'll keep boiling and make sure i don't mix any buddy syrup in with the good.