Is It Time to Tap for me?

[Dennis H.]

Well I know it is getting close for me to tap, I am told that around the second week in Feb is the time to shoot for, but when I look at the 10 day forecast here I am starting to think I may be able to start this coming week. Now the guys that are saying second week in Feb are about 100 miles north of me, I am down near the mason-dixon line.

I attached a pic of the 10 day forecast for my area and it looks to me that the temps might be in my favor to go ahead and tap, what do you all think?
I wish I could see out longer than 10 days but if I could I know it wouldn't be very acurate. How many days of above freezing do you have to wait till you go ahead and tap?

Being this is my first year my trigger finger is getting itchy and the cordless drill is ready to drill some 5/16 holes. Seeing that we had a good cold snap here for the last 2 weeks and then seeing the warm up that is coming I don't want to miss that first good run.

I added a link to weather.com for my area, the pic of the forecast didn't turn out as good as I hoped.


http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/17024?from=36hr_topnav_undeclared

[backyardsugarer]

I would go for it Dennis. It looks like a good run could be coming. I let an early chance in mid February go by last year and I will not make the same mistake again.

Chris

[HHM-07]

Dennis,

Wish that weather report was for my area i would be all over them. Are you on line or buckets? It is always good to get a good stretch of weather like that at the begining of the season , agood start gets you going for the year. good luck and get out in the woods


Dick @ Hobby Hill Maples
170 taps on line
2x4 wood fired

[softmaple]

take a look at www.accuweather.com (http://www.accuweather.com) it is a 15 day outlook. and take an average of both

[VA maple guy]

Dennis, I am in northern Virginia and usually start tapping in late January to early Febuary. I would go ahead and start a little early if I were you. I would have already started this year but I am currently in Camarillo CA getting drowned by rain.
Gerry

[mtcrumpit]

Dennis, I would take advantage of the weather when you can. The worst thing that will happen is it will get cold. Take it while you can or you may miss out

dale

[mfchef54]

Not having tapped since 05 I'm itchy too. weather for my area looks like it will be good this week into next. I'm going to tap some trees on sunday and see what happens.

[mountainvan]

Tap one tree now and get ready for the rest. If the first tap starts flowing and the sugars good, do the rest. Weather does look good for sap flow.

[Dave Y]

Dennis,
with your small operation I would go ahead and tap. you can do it in one day. If you get sap finish it to syrup. and wait for the next run don't hold any sap between runs. that what i did before i got a larger evaporator. Now I will wait till presidents day to tap as it is a 3 day weekend for me.

[Dennis H.]

Thanks everyone, the wife is going to love hearing it starts this weekend.

Well it looks like I will put them in on Sun and see how the week goes.:cool:

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Not to pour water on this fire, but I don't see hardly any syrup weather in that forecast at all. The trees should be frozen pretty hard from this low temp cold weather and it is going to take more than that to thaw them out. I doubt you would get over a gallon of sap per tap for the entire week if this forecast held true.

[royalmaple]

Weather like that will certainly get the trees thinking about it. Little bit of motivation. Doesn't look like gusher run type weather but you might be surprised.

You still have to take these bench mark starting days with a grain of salt and a bit of common sense. If it is going to be -10 and the official start date, might not be a good idea, but if a week ahead of time its gonna open right up and temps are right....The trees don't know.

I've been talking to my ladies down the road, giving them a pat and wiping the snow off them when I walk by. Just getting them warmed up to the idea of the annual drilling. Just so they don't get mad at me. From what I can tell they are all smiling and are ready. If I was ready I would have tried that short spell of warmth we had a few weeks ago.

It's not warm now, it was -5 (straight temp) this am here and no sign of sap. But you can tell the sun's getting stronger for sure. Even on these days where it's struggling to get into the 20s like today, the sun is feeling warmer.

I still need a month, so you can keep that heat down your way. Don't send any up here yet.

[Sugarmaker]

Dennis, I looked at your forecast first then read all the threads. I agree that the weather looks like it has the potential, but I see clouds and snow several days. I would be ready but might not tap. I have seen it reach the high for only a hour or so during the day. Which means that most of the day and night the sap might not run. Looks like a crap shoot. Be ready tap a few and be ready to hang them all if the weather warms and the sun is going to be out.

All the other pros say go, I say no:) But that is based on your weather forecast if it was hear in ERIE PA, being a lot further north. we can easily be hit with a cold blast while you guys are taped and boiling. So watch others in the same weather zone as you and play your cards.

Good luck and will be looking for your posts:) I know you need to get that new evaporator fired up!

Chris

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

One thing to remember as I have watched the weather for years this time of year and the long range forecast is usually over-optomistic and as the time gets closer, the forecasted temps usually drop. Remember, it is still January and winter is showing no signs of loosening its grip.

[Dennis H.]

Well I guess I will wait and see.:(

How many days of warm weather do you need for the trees to thaw for sap to run? I know it depends on temp and if the trees are on a south side of a hill.

Man is this tough sitting and waiting when I have everything ready, well I think I have everything ready, and the forecast is showing some good temps.

http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/17024?from=36hr_topnav_undeclared

[mountainvan]

7 out of 9 days above freezing. I would not wait. My guess is you'll start getting sap monday, but I have been wrong before. Usually not about sap flow though.

[tappin&sappin]

Guys, you might also check: http://www.weatherunderground.com/

This site proved to be the most accurate in the fall when I was interested in wind direction & temp.

As for me, the weather is still too cold in my neck of the woods. Which is good, cause I'm not ready yet!

- Jake

[Sugarmaker]

Dennis, I have tapped In Jan Its all mother nature now. You will have days that you think it will not run and it will . I may have discouraged you? But it is really dependent on where you are and the temps, wind, sun and the maple gods!:)

Tap some and let us know! Who ever taps first can tell the other locals that they missed the first run!.
We watch each other like hawks. If some one on our road has tapped the race is on!!

Have fun! Dont let a old timer keep you from the excitement of looking in the buckets each day. I am looking forward to it also and hearing how you do!

Regards,
Chris

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Definitely a lot more promising forecast than last night. By tommorrow night you will have a better idea. Good luck either way as it will be interesting to see if that forecast holds up with the optomistic forecasters.

[Dennis H.]

We will see how today goes with temps.
Yesterday the forecast was to be mid 30's and we never got above 29.

Today they are saying 38 so we will see.

I don't mind holding off a few days, I guess there is no sense in tapping and placing buckets if nothing is running.:(

[markcasper]

I don't know how many you have, but if can do them in a day, I wouldn't jump the goose. Is your ground frozen and how much? I am talking in the woods, not in the open. If theres a foot of frost versus nothing, that will make 7-10 day difference for my area, even if its in the 40's every day. At my place there is zero frost in the ground, unlike the past several. This due to early good snowfall 4 days after the winter lockdown. I am getting ready earlier than normal this year, as this may be a Febuary start for me. Have not had that since 2002.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Dennis,

Put in a test tap at one of your trees and see what it does. This will give you a better idea of what you want to do and when.

[Dennis H.]

Well I waited out the day to see how the temps went, we only got up to 34.

I will see how Monday goes, it looks like it will be the start of the warm up. If Monday is close to what they are forecasting I just might start. So far the forecast has been a little higher than what I am seeing here.



http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/17024?from=36hr_topnav_undeclared

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

That is 4 below what they were predicting and the biggest problem is that it wasn't 34 long as it took a long time to get there and wasn't there very long before it started cooling again. If you open too soon, you can miss some big runs in March as the holes may dry up or will likely at least be slowing down some.

[Sugarmaker]

Dennis,
Brandon has said it about as I would have. Good luck as Jake said, in your neck of the woods!

Chris

[Ahnohta]

Mark C.

You private mail sections is filled up and will not accept anymore until it is cleared out some.

thanx

D