Tapping a little early

[Swingpure]

I just read this article from Maple News. Once again, like the link I shared on another post a few days ago, it appears to give the blessing to tapping early with some caveats.

https://www.themaplenews.com/story/early-spout-deployment-okd-by-proctor-researchers/441/

Being a backyarder, I am not suggesting tapping now in December, now that it has turned cold, but it seems to give the okay to start tapping trees a week or two ahead of when you think they might start running.

This year I will have 178 taps on 4 long lines, 4 medium length lines and 6 short lines. If I can get a few days head start on the tapping, prior to when I actually think the sap would run, that would be helpful to ensure all of the taps are in when the time comes. As an example if I think the sap will start running when the Sugar Moon is full on March 7th, I would start tapping March 1st.

Am I correctly understanding the article?

Thanks

Gary

[82cabby]

I believe so. But also remember you want to tap when you’re ready to start processing. You don’t want to collect sap and have it sit in your tanks for a week or more while you get everything else ready. I’m a small producer as well (~120 taps) and generally tapping is the last thing I do. I keep an eye on the weather and the calendar and try to tap a few days before I anticipate the first run.

[Swingpure]

I believe so. But also remember you want to tap when you’re ready to start processing. You don’t want to collect sap and have it sit in your tanks for a week or more while you get everything else ready. I’m a small producer as well (~120 taps) and generally tapping is the last thing I do. I keep an eye on the weather and the calendar and try to tap a few days before I anticipate the first run.

I agree that you should be ready to start boiling when you start to tap and I will be. Assuming that my base stack and pan arrives before early February, I will be in position with a day or twos notice, to start boiling.

[bigschuss]

For hobbyists Gary, it's not so essential to tap on THIS day or THAT day. Watch the forest. Watch the snow melt. Watch the daily temps. Tap when YOUR trees are ready, not when a web page or a manual or an almanac says to.

For example, I am in a VERY cold and snowy 2,000 plateau in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. There are years when the guys out East are done boiling, and I haven't even tapped yet. I imagine in Ontario it's similar? Generally, I tap the first week of March. But there are occasionally years when it gets warm early and I tap in mid-February. There are years when I still have 3' of snow in mid March and don't tap until late March. Every year is different.

Tapping too early for guys like you and I won't affect you in any real way. Tapping too late and you might miss some good runs.

[Swingpure]

For hobbyists Gary, it's not so essential to tap on THIS day or THAT day. Watch the forest. Watch the snow melt. Watch the daily temps. Tap when YOUR trees are ready, not when a web page or a manual or an almanac says to.

For example, I am in a VERY cold and snowy 2,000 plateau in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. There are years when the guys out East are done boiling, and I haven't even tapped yet. I imagine in Ontario it's similar? Generally, I tap the first week of March. But there are occasionally years when it gets warm early and I tap in mid-February. There are years when I still have 3' of snow in mid March and don't tap until late March. Every year is different.

Tapping too early for guys like you and I won't affect you in any real way. Tapping too late and you might miss some good runs.

Thanks.

It sounds like we have a similar tapping season.

I have been to over 40 States and strangely enough the States in the northeast are the ones I have not been to. I did not realize there was a mountainous region in Massachusetts, until you pointed it out and I goggled it. It sounds like a gorgeous area.

I will let the weather tell me when to tap. Last year I tapped after I thought the sap was running, this season, I will tap a few days ahead, so that all of the taps will be in for the day the sap runs.

I half jokingly say how many days until I start tapping. Today I am 86 days away from the sap running. That is the half joking part. Last year I started tapping on March 6th. This year the Sugar Moon will be on March 7th, so I am using that as my sap run date, knowing it could be a week or so sooner or later.

[Swingpure]

After I posted my last post I remembered reading that you could hurt a tree tapping it if it was too cold. Searching on it I found this post on this forum in it’s old format:

http://mapletrader.com/community/archive/index.php/t-35291.html

It seems with a sharp good bit, a proper hammering technique and temperatures above +20° F / -6.7° C, it should be okay.

[bigschuss]

Thanks.

It sounds like we have a similar tapping season.

I have been to over 40 States and strangely enough the States in the northeast are the ones I have not been to. I did not realize there was a mountainous region in Massachusetts, until you pointed it out and I goggled it. It sounds like a gorgeous area.

I will let the weather tell me when to tap. Last year I tapped after I thought the sap was running, this season, I will tap a few days ahead, so that all of the taps will be in for the day the sap runs.

I half jokingly say how many days until I start tapping. Today I am 86 days away from the sap running. That is the half joking part. Last year I started tapping on March 6th. This year the Sugar Moon will be on March 7th, so I am using that as my sap run date, knowing it could be a week or so sooner or later.

You bet.

I think we do have very similar climates. Yes, the Berkshire Hills of western Mass. are not that high, but the 2,000 plateau I live on feels more like Northern Maine or NH. Spruce and fir swamps, moose, snowshoe hares, and very long, cold, snowy winters. And if so, I think you are spot on with your first week of March estimate. On average, March 6th or 7th is about when I tap.

Looking forward to see how it goes for you this year.

[220 maple]

It would be interesting if the big guys would be on mapletrader, for example maple jack, with there 750000 taps, or Glen Goodrich with his 200000 taps, the Hargroves in New Brunswick with 250000 taps, how many taps do they already have in? And how much syrup have they already made! After every freeze and thaw I’m willing to bet the sap runs?
Mark 220 Maple