What are the experienced people doing this year?

[timhammond]

Through mid-February we are going to have temps fluctuating below and above freezing. Have people already tapped? What about the days where here in central Iowa that we aren't even going below 40 in the next weeks?

[upmep]

I am tapping a tree in my yard and watching it. If it starts to go I will put some taps in the woods. I’m sure we aren’t done with the cold yet. With this you just take what nature gives you. I hope everyone has a great season. I am retired this year so I have more time to do what I want to do.

[l3rian]

Tapped mine last weekend. I was out of town, but the wife, kids and neighbors collected it for me. Just finished boiling about 100 gallons off of 12 buckets.

[iowatapper]

Never tapped this early before, but we tapped on Thursday, February 1st. Put in about 220 taps. Took off 300+ gallons of sap yesterday (Sunday, Feb 4th). Quite sure it will run again today, but it very likely will have some more cold days again before March. No telling at this point how good or bad the season will be. Good luck to all of you.

[tbear]

Hey everyone,
I tapped in saturday february 10th, 100 taps +-. So far we've boiled off 240 gallons of sap for a total of 4.5 gallons of dark. So, we've got low sugar content and dark syrup, i think we're at the end of the season. According to the calender we're early, but what I'm seeing makes me think it's closer to the end, unless things can reverse and go from dark back to amber or golden which I've not seen. Also, the sugar sand is kind of jelly like making it slow and difficult to filter. Right now I've got 125 gallons in the stand tank, pretty well frozen solid. Id be interested in what others are seeing.
Oh, hey Upmep! Glad to see youre still boiling and congratulations on your retirement! I pulled the pin last year myself!
Have fun, ted

[upmep]

Good to hear from you also tbear. I would agree with everyone also. I have made a little less than 3 gallons so far and the last was really dark. It looks like it is going to warm up again in a few days. We maple syrup people are the only ones wanting cold weather but not too cold. You keep thinking we will get a cold snap lasting a while. It doesn’t feel like the middle of February.

[tbear]

We boiled the last 125 of sap tuesday the 20th and pulled taps yesterday. Ive got 4 gallons bottled up and 4 or 5 gallons to finish off. We boiled about 475 gallons of sap total this year. Ill post the amount made when i can. Kind of a strange year. Ted

[tbear]

I finished and bottled 2.75 gallons today. It was lighter than the first two batches which were medium dark. This batch was still dark but right on the line between amber and dark. Oh, and the sugar content went up. Strange days. Ted