2024: Weird Weather - Giving It A Shot

[JayTee]

Just a hobbyist with about 45 taps; well, 41, 4 are in Black Walnut. With the cold weather around New Years, set a test tap out and another a week later. Just a little action on those. Today, the test tap looked like the attached picture. Had a few taps set this morning that started filling immediately. You can see the second/new tap on the other trunk of this tree is doint nothing, as did many of my taps.

Weird, results on the website also, won't let me upload a picture. More that one way to skin a cat!

https://i.postimg.cc/PJ9qsHn6/PXL-20240128-163602699.jpg (https://postimg.cc/D4QhLtZs)

These taps dropped this in the half hour after tapping . . . then stopped.
https://i.postimg.cc/C5Pcwvcr/PXL-20240128-170533593.jpg (https://postimg.cc/n9m4k1bq)

See what happens over the next couple of days.

Cheers!

John

[cmeudaly]

I’m on the west side of Missouri, hour south of kansas city. Tapped in Kansas actually. Everything was totally frozen mid January when I normally tap and now everything is above freezing and I’ve only had one or two good runs. Forecast still looks too warm. Pretty bad start for me but I’ll hold out some hope for later February.

[Goggleeye]

I tapped about 1/2 my trees Jan 1-3 and the other 1/2 during the really cold spell in January. Definitely would agree things seem different this year. I had a decent flow (2 gallons/tap) at the first run before the big cold spell. Now for the part that has me totally amazed. The temperature here hasn't got below freezing Since Jan 21. We are now going on 10 days of constant sap flow. One section of my sugarbush 175 taps - has averaged over 225 gallons per day for 8 days straight. I've never seen anything like it. There are a few small sections of woods that aren't producing like the others, but for the most part we are averaging 5-10 gallons of sap per tap over the last 10 days. I've noticed little difference between the early tapped trees and the late tapped trees.

MG

[JayTee]

Geez Googleeye! I'm just south of you, north of Cape and East of Jackson. Only 41 taps, no vacuum. I've had all of about 19 gallons so far!

I've actually got one tapped tree with buds that are opening up!

Say, this isn't Phil, is it? Or is he just lending you a hand?

John

[Goggleeye]

Geez Googleeye! I'm just south of you, north of Cape and East of Jackson. Only 41 taps, no vacuum. I've had all of about 19 gallons so far!

I've actually got one tapped tree with buds that are opening up!

John
We're in a frost pocket. Almost always 5-8 degrees colder in our hole than in the surrounding countryside. What you're saying is what I've heard from others, though. We have been blessed with a really good sap run. The syrup is mostly on the very dark side, though. And I'm attributing that to the warmer temps. The chemistry of the sap just seems different. Levels of nitre and maple sand like I've never experienced. Give me a holler if you want to come out.


Say, this isn't Phil, is it? Or is he just lending you a hand?
John
Help me out here - I'm lost. What are you referring to?

[JayTee]

What sap I've gotten this year has made a lovely dark syrup also. Excellent flavor.

https://i.postimg.cc/0jLNtq7S/PXL-20240202-201208395-PORTRAIT.jpg (https://postimg.cc/FkVmR8WF)

I would enjoy coming by very much! Hmmm, if I can find somewhere to send you a PM, I'll drop you my cell phone number. (Done)

One of our R/C Plane Club (Southeast Missouri Modelers Association - SEMMA) members was not at our last meeting, as he was helping somebody with their syrup. One member thought it was Gihring . . .

John