Possible tapping this weekend in Berkshires

[berkshires]

Looks like after this little hard freeze we're supposed to have a big warmup. If the forecast doesn't change, I will tap this Sunday. That's a week earlier than typical in the foothills of the Berkshires at 900 feet, but last year I stuck to my guns and didn't tap early, and missed a very good early run, which I didn't make up for later.

Here's the forecast for Feb 6 - 10:
22811

And for Feb 8 - 14:
22812

Not quite ready yet, but I'm close. Should be able to make it happen by Sunday.

GO

[Buffalo Plaid]

I’m a bit further east of you but planning on tapping as well. Best of luck with the season

[KiO]

I was thinking the same thing if the forecast stays as is. Good luck!

[bigschuss]

It won't be long now. I'm at 2,000 and always about 10 degrees colder than the northern Berkshire averages. I also generally have 3x the snow and am 4 weeks behind the average first tapping dates for the Berkshires. Very little snow though this year. Enough to collect sap with a snowmobile right now, but if I lose it all in the next 4 weeks my trails becoming impassable and my season shuts down. Hoping for a few Nor'easters between now and early March!

[berkshires]

It won't be long now. I'm at 2,000 and always about 10 degrees colder than the northern Berkshire averages. I also generally have 3x the snow and am 4 weeks behind the average first tapping dates for the Berkshires. Very little snow though this year. Enough to collect sap with a snowmobile right now, but if I lose it all in the next 4 weeks my trails becoming impassable and my season shuts down. Hoping for a few Nor'easters between now and early March!

Hope you get a very localized Noreaster, just over your place, LOL. For me I'm enjoying being able to get up the steep road without chains.

Gabe

[bigschuss]

Hope you get a very localized Noreaster, just over your place, LOL. For me I'm enjoying being able to get up the steep road without chains.

Gabe

LOL! I hear you. :lol:

I'm sure there's not too many hoping for a Nor-easter. Without more snow though I fear I may have a short season. Last year we had very little snow and had a very short season before my trails turned to mud.

Good luck this season Gabe.

[berkshires]

Good luck to you too Bigschuss! By the way, I assume you are not tapped in yet?

GO

[bigschuss]

Good luck to you too Bigschuss! By the way, I assume you are not tapped in yet?

GO

No not yet. I am still recovering from that last snow we got. It wasn't much, but it was heavy and turned to freezing rain and I have a ton of trees down. I don't have a single trail that's passable right now. Not quite as bad as the 2008 ice storm we got at 2,000'...but a real close second.

Once my trails are cleaned up I'll think about tapping. If the weather stays milder than average I could see myself getting taps in in the next few weeks. But I normally don't tap until the 1st week of March.

[berkshires]

Yikes! Sorry to hear about all the downed trees. Good luck!

Gabe

[groomer_guy]

Tapped on Feb 18th this season which was really early. We will see how the season fairs. I am on the other end of town from bigschuss so it will be interesting to see the difference on sap flow.

[berkshires]

Tapped on Feb 18th this season which was really early. We will see how the season fairs. I am on the other end of town from bigschuss so it will be interesting to see the difference on sap flow.

How has your season been so far? You're closing in on six weeks now, so I hope things have been productive. When do you usually pull your taps? Normally I would pull mine (I'm at around 800 feet in altitude) around the beginning of April, but even though trees we're still flowing pretty well I called it quits a bit early this year since I started really early and had a very productive season.

GO

[berkshires]

Groomer and BigSchuss, I was just looking at the weather - I would think this week would have been a great run for you guys?

GO

[bigschuss]

Groomer and BigSchuss, I was just looking at the weather - I would think this week would have been a great run for you guys?

GO

Terrible season for me. Although I needed the snow to access my sugarbush, that Nor-easter 2 weeks ago really hammered us and dumped TOO MUCH snow. Probably had about 38 to 41" or so. It was too deep for my snowmobile...couldn't pack my trails or access my trees. Tons of branches came down blocking my trails. Last week I tried to get my machine out to pack trails and salvage the season as best I could. Was hoping just to even boil for a few weeks. Got my snowmobile BURIED! out in the woods. I took my helmet off and left it with the sled...and walked home and waived the white flag. This is only the 2nd season in 22 years that I haven't tapped.

So, I got what I wished for...a good Nor-easter. But it ended up shutting me down.

[johnpjackson]

Terrible season for me. Although I needed the snow to access my sugarbush, that Nor-easter 2 weeks ago really hammered us and dumped TOO MUCH snow. Probably had about 38 to 41" or so. It was too deep for my snowmobile...couldn't pack my trails or access my trees. Tons of branches came down blocking my trails. Last week I tried to get my machine out to pack trails and salvage the season as best I could. Was hoping just to even boil for a few weeks. Got my snowmobile BURIED! out in the woods. I took my helmet off and left it with the sled...and walked home and waived the white flag. This is only the 2nd season in 22 years that I haven't tapped.

So, I got what I wished for...a good Nor-easter. But it ended up shutting me down.

:o :( Sorry to hear that!