Tapping week after Christmas

[fisheatingbagel]

AccuWeather is showing cold overnight temps towards the end of next week. I was planning to tap right after new years but may tap mid week. What are you all doing?

[220 maple]

Dave,
After last Spring’s early stop I understand completely why you want to tap early, I’ve got 25 years worth of experience and in those 25 years the season has move ahead at least two weeks, the spring of 98 we started right after Valentine’s Day, we got lucky, it was a good Spring, my father based his decision to start from the guys he worked with, they was all over 3000 foot elevation, we found out later to tap the first warm day after ground hogs day, that worked for 10 years then we started tapping the last week of January, now we’re looking at 3rd week in January, what we are trapped in now,
Is season compression, it has been staying to warm to tap earlier in January. I have actually made good syrup one time in April, needless to say I’m afraid that won’t happen again, for 20 years some best runs was the first two weeks of March, the past 5 years we’ve struggled to make any edible syrup in March

[GWebb]

Thinking real hard about it. Got everything ready - just need to drill some holes. Maybe tomorrow 12/29.

[kentfamilyfarm]

Just finished off putting our 330 taps in today. I may be jumping the gun this year but I missed half the season last year I didn't want to miss anything this year.
I have a whole new setup and I am pumped for a new year.
We have been prepping our new property since September.
Lyon County Kentucky

[fisheatingbagel]

Hi Dave, have you collected any sap yet?

[fisheatingbagel]

Hi Geoff, did you tap yet? I'm thinking tomorrow if I get all my ducks in a row.

[kentfamilyfarm]

Fish,

No not yet our main run looks to be starting Monday. We had a trickle from some of the smaller trees on Thursday as we were tapping but not a flow. Monday looks to be the start and ill let the sap run out on the ground for a couple hours to flush the tubing then start collecting in the tanks.

I have a few small things to do like insulate the RO and a couple other things, but nothing that will keep me from collecting and sugaring.

[kentfamilyfarm]

Out of curiosity where is everyone located

[fisheatingbagel]

I’m in Louisville

[kentfamilyfarm]

Dave I have a friend that just started sugaring over in Taylorsville.

[fisheatingbagel]

Nice. Hope the weather cooperates for him getting started. We're tapping today, the weather still looks good for the week. After this week, it's a crap shoot! January is all over the place these days.

[C13A]

I just tapped my old lines today. 120 or so taps on Red Maples with 5/16. Most of my taps are East slope and were not running when I drilled. About half of the North slope were dripping okay. I need to let it flush about before I start storing. My freight shipment for tubing is coming tomorrow, but I'm not sure how much I'll get up this year. I keep looking at all the trees I should probably cut out before I have mainline to worry about. No shortage of projects...

I'm in Lawrence County.

[GWebb]

Hi Dave, I tapped on the 29th. I'm still dry. Geoff FYI for others: I'm in northwest corner of Franklin county KY.

[fisheatingbagel]

I thought we would have a good run yesterday, but only an inch or so in the buckets.

[C13A]

No flows here either. Thought the 18 low might kick it off but no luck.

[GWebb]

I had a little bit last week - enough to flush my lines. Today (Monday 1/8) I collected 18 gals out of 55 trees by 3:00 pm today. It was still moving pretty good - maybe 2 gal/hr. With warm weather and fronts coming, not sure how much more I'll get for a few days. Geoff

[fisheatingbagel]

I've had a little flow; yesterday seemed ideal weather for flow, but it wasn't doing much. Next week is not going to work very well :-)

[C13A]

I had low flow late Monday, good flow on Tuesday, and am still flowing today. At least that's what my East facing lines are doing. North facing hasn't really kicked off yet. I've begun doubting my counts, but I should have around 30 north facing and 90 east facing. I'm probably looking at 90 gallons ready to go this morning. I had put a shurflo on my east facing lines and it has been nice to watch that work. The best part for me is that I'm sitting at 3% sugar coming out of my Red Maples. It'll be a long night to get it done before it's 60 degrees out though.