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View Full Version : Tapping in the Northeast Kingdom.



maplecow
03-02-2008, 12:45 PM
Hello, I was wondering if anyone on here lives in or near the Northeast Kingdom, if so what are your thoughts on when to start tapping? Thanks and have a great day.

VtSugarhouse
03-02-2008, 06:21 PM
I started last weekend. It took me 2 days to get in 487 taps and usually do at least 400 per day. The snow is deep and it is deeper this weekend. I have about 5 feet in the woods. Was going to tap more today but opted to worked in the sugar house getting it ready.
Supposed to rain Mon and Tue so the snow will settle and possibly tap more then. This is 2 weeks later than the past 3-4 years but this is a real winter.

Good Luck

maplecow
03-03-2008, 07:24 AM
Any one in the Island Pond area thinking about tapping yet? I still have a bunch of work in the sugar house to get done, but I don't want to miss the first run.

VtSugarhouse
03-03-2008, 08:29 AM
My brother is in Island Pond and he isnt tapping yet...too much snow.

maplecow
03-03-2008, 09:40 AM
Small world! I'm sure I know your brother it's a pretty small world up here. I'm pretty excited to get boiling this year as it will be my first year in a sugar house. Typically I have boiled in the past outdoors on a very crude, but suitable concrete block fire with a 24" x 35" pan. Only tapped a big fat 17 trees! This year my son bought a used 2x6 barrel arch with a real honest to goodness stainless steel pan! So we converted an old shack here on the farm and I'm going to give it go inside for the first time. It is also the first time with this type of arch so it should be rather interesting. I'm glad I found this site as it is comforting to know there are other people just as nutty about boiling as I am!

802maple
03-03-2008, 05:07 PM
I don't know how many you have to tap but it is going to be more then a week probably 2 before any sugaring weather hits our area. Our weather here is very much like yours.

milkin_maple_trees
03-05-2008, 09:37 PM
Howdy Neighbor! We're in Holland and the only folks tapping around here are on pipeline. We have a very late bush so we're always the last to tap around here. We hang out with all our pipeline friends while while our bush thaws out! Then they hang with us while we're still making syrup in late April!Logging friends of mine say they've never seen so much snow in woods as this year! We'll probably be on snowshoes and the taps will be 6 feet up the trees! But then again, you never know, I've seen the snow drop by feet per day. AT least it shouldn't be a dry spring this year! Good luck to you!

maplecow
03-07-2008, 07:10 AM
As anxious as I am to start boiling it can wait a little bit longer. I still need to get the pipe for the evaporator up through the roof, level the evaporator and a few other small things. Oh! and I still need to get 40 or so more buckets and spiles, some spring I might be ready.

maplecow
03-08-2008, 07:37 AM
Howdy folks! Well we got the pipe in and through the roof, leveled the evaporator, put some more tin on the floor and tapped one tree just for good measure. Sap ran a little bit and made me more anxious than ever.