Are we going to ever tap

[firetech]

My oh my it sure seems like we are never going to get started. 15 more days with only a couple over freezing. Hope this does mean we are going to get the BIG SAP all at once. Still waiting in Perry. Herb.

[MaplePancakeMan]

I've had three days of sap running so far this month, which will probably produce me 13-14 gallons of syrup which is good but man has the weather been ever fluctuating. They say its gonna be warm then 3 days later its only in the 20's. However taking a look at the long range by the first week in march it looks to turn into the perfect sugar weather.


I'd like to say it was smart to tap when i did, but i'm not so sure. I guess some syrup is better than no syrup

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

FIRETECH

maybe 1 more week

RICH

[Tom Cook]

Rich

Those of us that are patient shall reap the rewards!

Tom

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

TOM checked thew 10 day forecast and i dont see anything before MARCH 1

[firetech]

I looked this am before work and I didn't see much to get excited about till aleast the 6th. I'm only in my second year but are we starting later than normal? I should'nt be complaining I got the sugar shack dried in yesterday and will set the evaporator Sunday. Add bricks, wash the pans,and keep building tapping harnesses. FFA leadership regional contests tonite,my daughter(Ag Advisor) ask me to judge (parly-pro) for her chapter,so off to be with the kids tonite. I love watching our future grow and to be a part of it

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

this is my 3rd season last year i tapped feb 20 the year before feb 24. this year who knows?? have a good time with the kids

RICH

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

could not wait any longer. did my 55 taps on roadside buckets at noon today as soon as i pulled the drill out the sap was there. it looked so good i went to the woods and did 150 on vacuum . still got another 50 to go on another mainline. I would like to say a big thank you to ROYALMAPLE for his expertise on my flat land on vac,and sap ladders. sap was flowing decent

RICH

[firetech]

Rich I'm going to 1) set the evap tommorrow frost is in over a foot but we have cooked that out so that not an issue. 2) brick and plumb for a couple of nites and Fri/Sat is planned for a tapping party. I'm getting exited finally things are going in the right direction. I've got 200 tappes for buckets and a 100 ready for tubing. I power washed all the tanks today and cleaned the pans. Keep the posts coming, Rachoo,Mark ,Zamboni how are you guys doing?

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

FIRETECH

this is my first year for vacuum and i can see im going to really like it. i am impressed on the 1st day

RICH

[Zamboni Driver]

Hey fellow tappers of MI,
Good luck to all of you before the season starts.
Rich,
Hope the vacuum works well for you and you have more sap than you can boil.
I did however tap back in january of this year. Only because i could do so with out tapping my sugars. All the taps I put in were on Reds. So nothing lost there. I have about 80 taps in so far from January and plan to pull those as the tap holes have dried up some. After this we will wash up and tap sugars the first real good sign of a decent run. I have added forced air to my arch this year and have been pleasantly surprised by this. Evaporation rate is up 25%. Hope for a better season than the last! Jim

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

JIM
you will like forced air
how did you make out on the early tapping???

RICH

[Zamboni Driver]

Rich,
Early tapping was OK. Not what i expected but still some syrup is better than none at all. Learned a few things along the way too....early tapping makes for a really loooooooong season!
Jim

[rschoo]

I posted in Rich's thread. No joy for me. Temps are too low.