2023 Tapping season in CT???

[therealtreehugger]

Who has tapped yet? I’m getting to the point where I think it’s time, in southern CT.

[bryankloos]

South Western CT here, and I'm planning to tap towards the end of the week.
Very curious to hear what everyone else has planned.

Best,

Bryan

[SkunkWorks]

I’m in. Had the Mason going all weekend.

[Woodsrover]

I tapped last Saturday. Was away this past Saturday but pumped 600 gallons up to the sugar shack and put most of it through the evaporator yesterday. Even managed to draw off a few gallons.

[DaveB]

I plan on starting tapping on the 5th and finish on the 11th and 12th. After the cold snap later this week it looks more like status quo of what we've been getting this winter which, to be honest, hasn't been bad sugaring weather.

[CTguy923]

i,m in Litchfield county and i,m going to tap Monday the 6th after this quick cold snap thats coming

[voluntucky tapper]

you might be right ,i'm thinking the same , but i still have mud back in the bush ,makes everything harder to do

[TheNamelessPoet]

I am going to attempt to do it this Sunday if my plans fall through, otherwise ill be doing it over a couple days during the week.

[therealtreehugger]

I wish I had tapped last weekend, but I wasn’t ready. I still have some buckets to clean (why didn’t I do this in a June??). I did fix the tubing where a few large branches fell on it, replaced some taps (using my awesome new tool!) and flushed it out. I have a hot water spigot outside and I push hot water (warm when it gets there) up through the mainline and out the taps, a few at a time to maintain enough pressure. Pan and preheater is ready to go. I know it’s supposed to be frigid this weekend, but I need to get out there and finish up.
I put in one tap a few days ago, and I see the frozen sap-cicle from the tubing! The goal is to be tapped by the end of this weekend.

[DaveB]

I know it’s supposed to be frigid this weekend, but I need to get out there and finish up.

I'm waiting to Sunday to do any tapping. I don't like being out in the woods with 40-50mph winds and with the cold I've had issues with bark splitting in some red maples when I've tapped in really cold weather. I have a mix of red and sugar maples so I'm waiting.

[bryankloos]

119 Taps in today. I wish there was a little more sap at the drill-holes, but the ground is still rock solid and the trees are probably a bit tight after yesterdays cold. Many Many branches down from the winds.

I've got the Sap Sucker pulling at about 10psi with a little drip here and there, all dumped to ground to flush the lines.

Now I need to clean up and prep the RO and then the Mason. Fun times ahead!

Hope you are all well.

Bryan

[therealtreehugger]

So much for being all tapped at the end of the weekend. I did tap about 30 taps, on tubing. I have been testing the sap sugar content of each tree as I tap it. If I don’t do it now, I wont be able to tell the difference, as the ones on tubing all go into one collection bin. If I hadn’t taken the time to test each individual tree (w a refractometer) I probably could have gotten all the tubing ones tapped, but as the sun went down, the sap stopped running. <sigh> Maybe tomorrow.

[Woodsrover]

I pumped 350 gallons to the sugar shack before the big freeze and boiled it yesterday. Drew off 4+ gallons and left a thick pan. The first boil last weekend was golden and the first couple draws yesterday was golden left in the pan, but it quickly turned amber from what I pumped last Thursday.

Should run pretty hard this week and I can see us boiling all next weekend starting Friday night. I would love to have 1200 gallons by Friday. Guess we'll see!

I have a funny feeling about this year. I can see the season being over earlier than later.....

[bryankloos]

After tracking down a split spout, vacuum jumped up to 18psi and this evening I had 50 gallons in the IBC.
Temps are still above freezing and I’m guessing I’ll have another 50 by the morning. I love when the system works!

I’ll be prepping the RO Wednesday in anticipation of first boils this weekend.


Off to the races.

[therealtreehugger]

I have a funny feeling about this year. I can see the season being over earlier than later.....

Nooooo!!!! I hope you are wrong . . .:-| but we will see.

I tapped the trees I have on tubing only, that go to my main tank Sunday and yesterday (about 40 ish taps). I hope to get the bucketed trees tapped today.

[DaveB]

I have a funny feeling about this year. I can see the season being over earlier than later.....

I'm way behind time and financial resources but I started tapping a few lines on Sunday to clear out the lines this week and will plan on finishing this weekend and next and hope that the season doesn't end prematurely. It looks like things might turn colder mid-month but let's see how long that holds. If the rest of this winter is any guide it may not last but we are ready for pattern change.

[Woodsrover]

Bottled 4 gallons last night. Dark.
I had golden last week and this week went right to dark.

[Tobey802]

I tapped on Sunday still waiting for the first good run in Warren. Unfortunately my land doesn’t get the best sun and it’s flatter than a pancake always trying to fight gravity 🤦🏻*♂️ I have 82 on a shurflo 4048 running 15 pounds at least something is helping me. I hope tomorrow I have an enough to run my new RO bucket and boil for the first time. I had about 30
Gallons total between yesterday and today. I always seem to run later than most people.

[CTguy923]

I tapped on Sunday still waiting for the first good run in Warren. Unfortunately my land doesn’t get the best sun and it’s flatter than a pancake always trying to fight gravity ����*♂️ I have 82 on a shurflo 4048 running 15 pounds at least something is helping me. I hope tomorrow I have an enough to run my new RO bucket and boil for the first time. I had about 30
Gallons total between yesterday and today. I always seem to run later than most people.

i think its just our area up here, we never seem to get the big runs on the days other people do, for a small state our weather can be totally different then most of the state

[DaveB]

i think its just our area up here, we never seem to get the big runs on the days other people do, for a small state our weather can be totally different then most of the state

Yep...I have taps from Somers to Woodstock in the Northeast corner which range in elevation of 300' to 1200' and there's always differences and that's in that 30 mile span lol.

[TheNamelessPoet]

I tapped Sunday (most of them were maples :emb:) and out of my 40 or so taps, I have gotten almost 50 gallons of sap so far. I held off as long as I could.

Like Woodsrover I am a little concerned with the weather and the season. I ALMOST tapped 3 weeks earlier but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

[therealtreehugger]

I am 80% tapped. I have a few more buckets to go in a neighbors yard across the street. This day job just takes up too much time! Last year this time, I wasn’t even considering tapping yet, now I feel like I am behind!

I boiled everything I had last night (90 gal-ish?) so it wouldn’t have to sit in the warmth today. Didn’t draw any off yet, but up it started to smell nice!

[TheNamelessPoet]

I am 80% tapped. I have a few more buckets to go in a neighbors yard across the street. This day job just takes up too much time! Last year this time, I wasn’t even considering tapping yet, now I feel like I am behind!

I boiled everything I had last night (90 gal-ish?) so it wouldn’t have to sit in the warmth today. Didn’t draw any off yet, but up it started to smell nice!

I tried to boil all mine last night for the same reason. I had something come up and had to stop unfortunately, (another reason I love propane instead of wood) but I put it all behind my shed where it gets maybe 1 hour of direct sun in the winter early in the AM, so I am hoping it will all be fine tonight!

[Person25]

I set in about 65 taps on Thursday. Looking at the weather I just had to. I have some buckets yet to hang but if it is a short season, I'd rather be in early with the bulk of my taps than late. So far ive collected about 175 gal anywhere from 1.5% to 3%, the RO purring away now. Unfortunatly the shack is still a mess, thats this weekends project, along with trying to make some room in the walk-in for all the concentrate ill be making until next weekend when ill be able to boil.... What a mess this year has been already, phew.

[lafite]

86 taps in Cheshire with another 15 to go on a new gravity line. I had my first boil today to sweeten the pan with just under 100 gallons. I can't believe the amount of sugar ants in the bush. I would expect the moths to be next.

[lafite]

I drew off my first 2 gallons today after boiling 140 gallons. Looks like this weekend might have some hope. Next week looks to be setting up for a good run!

[therealtreehugger]

The past few days have been so warm, I needed to fire up the evaporator just to boil off any microbes growing on Monday. Today was also way too warm, but there wasn’t enough sap in the pan to light a fire, and pretty much nothing has run, so I siphoned off what I could from the evaporator pan, about 8 gallons, and brought it inside. I got it down to about 2.5 gal, and by the way it’s acting, I think it’s close. I didn’t check it yet. It was warm enough out that I had the windows open and the bathroom fan on, and the house was still hot! By siphoning the pan, I left a lot of sediment/niter behind!

It’s supposed to get colder tomorrow night. Hopefully we have a good run!

[DaveB]

I was putting in additional taps this weekend and the sap was flowing pretty well. Besides today, the weather looks good going forward. I did notice some red maples in lower elevations and in open areas starting to bud with all the warm weather that we've had but all of mine appear to still be producing sap. I only started tapping on the 11th so I hope that's the case!

[CTfarm]

I was so looking forward to this year's season. I've only boiled once in 3 weeks. Runs are to far apart and I can't collect enough when they do. I can't keep anything fresh and now I'm seeing moths in the buckets. Can't fight it anymore. I have to call it quits and start cleaning it up. Next year.

[DaveB]

I was so looking forward to this year's season. I've only boiled once in 3 weeks. Runs are to far apart and I can't collect enough when they do. I can't keep anything fresh and now I'm seeing moths in the buckets. Can't fight it anymore. I have to call it quits and start cleaning it up. Next year.

I hear ya. I waited to tap on my usual weekend...around Valentines Day and haven't boiled yet. I collected some sap but it was a frozen block this weekend. It's only 2/20 and long term looks like more seasonable temps. I don't know about down by you but outside of today I won't see temps above 40 till next week. 38 off a low in the 20s (single digits on Saturday) isn't going to run much. I usually collect through the end of March so I have time I figure.

[TheNamelessPoet]

I ended up dumping probably 65-70 gallons last week because of the warm temps. It smelled "off" and did not taste normal so I figured I'd err on the side of caution.

I bet I'll have a big collection today. It has hit 57 today in my town! Tomorrow looks no bueno, but Wednesday it MIGHT run , 26 overnight to 43 during the day. After that MAYBE Sunday. Though the weather changes so often withing 48 hours it kind of hard to judge lol.

[lafite]

not bad in Cheshire off of 98 taps. I boiled off 105 gallons today which was collected from the last 3 days. I drew off 4.25 gallons at 56 brix. The run today was a minimal continuation from the freezes the other night. I know it's going to be an off year. The ants are everywhere. Needless to say the pan is sweet and I'm hoping the next few days can get me past the 5 gallon finish mark. I don't use RO.

[therealtreehugger]

I was so looking forward to this year's season. I've only boiled once in 3 weeks. Runs are to far apart and I can't collect enough when they do. I can't keep anything fresh and now I'm seeing moths in the buckets. Can't fight it anymore. I have to call it quits and start cleaning it up. Next year.

CT Farm, I’m not far away, in North Guilford. I’m hoping to have a few runs this weekend, after that, we’ll see. So I’m holding out a little bit more.

And the ants . . . go marching three by three . . . into my sap . . .

[lafite]

one heck of a run yesterday. I just checked my buckets and they are overflowing. Best 2 days of the year.

[TheNamelessPoet]

one heck of a run yesterday. I just checked my buckets and they are overflowing. Best 2 days of the year.

Mine was ok. got about 35 gallons on 60 or so taps. I am expecting today to run well as long as the wind doesn't pick back up. I think that's why we didn't not have a GREAT run yesterday. Plus, it is getting warm earlier today than yesterday.
Im up in Tolland

[therealtreehugger]

Two good days of runs. Problem is, I boiled the night before, emptied my sap collection tank, rinsed it out and drained it, and forgot to close the drain . . . Still had sap in the 5 gal buckets, but probably lost half of what I should have had for a day.

[Person25]

Well, we’re at that point in the season for me…should I say or should I do…. I had to pitch some sap before boiling yesterday, it still tasted fine but it just seemed like it was getting a little bit thick and ropy-like. Interestingly that sap was from Friday, while the sap collected from the previous Sunday was still awesome. I think yesterdays boil might have been it, we’ll see how it runs this week and make a decision in the next few days.

Either way, it’s been a tough season but I’ll have made enough to keep the hobby alive. How’s it looking for everyone else? Usually I’m done about this week anyways but I’ve always heard people going longer.

[lafite]

finished bottling 3 days ago. 10 gallons total. 4 different grades. I could have done more but I was alone with over 90 taps on 3 acres. I'm happy with the frustrating season. The last 2 weeks were what saved my season.

[therealtreehugger]

I had called it about the same time, the first week in March. Season was a month long for me, almost to the day, which was only a week-ish shorter than “normal”. Only made 5 gallons, but considering the season, that’s not too bad! Made some really light stuff early on. It was suggested to me that I enter it into the Durham Fair this year. Got me thinking, maybe.