Season start?

[Tweegs]

A check of the extended forcast says that starting Feb 6th we will have at least a two week run of daytime high's in the 40's and low's in the 20's in my area.

Sounds to me like the perfect weather pattern, just seems a bit early and there is always the accuracy of the forcast to be called in to question.

What do you guys think?
Start punching holes next weekend if the forcast holds true or wait it out a bit more?

[Haynes Forest Products]

You know how Global warming is causing this funny weather better get it going. Might be your only run. And here I sit in Colorado not going to tap for another 45 days...........YIKES.....................in Wisc.

[Big maple]

We always wait until th last weekend in february/ first week of march. Normally that is when the weather starts to work properly. We stll might have a two or three week deep freeze after next week but, maybe not, I think you may be jumping the gun. I can't wiat to boil we're lighting a fire in the evaporator tommorow morning (just to watch things work).

[Big maple]

When does everybody else tap normally in Michigan?

[Tweegs]

At our last place, and mind you we only had a couple of trees, it was always toward the end of Feb. in the SE part of the State.

We moved last May and are now looking to tap 100-175. I want to limit what goes wrong in my rookie year, so I'm here more to get advice than give it.

Don't take my word for when it should start :lol:

[fred]

dont jump the gun!!!getting a couple of small early runs of light is NOT worth the sacrifice of losing the tail of the season with the best runs because of dryed tap holes.if you time it right you dont have ream the holes. it not good for the trees.we dont start till the 3rd week of Feb. at the earliest.

[Haynes Forest Products]

TWEEGS: Its as easy as boiling water. Tap what you think you can handle get used to the rig then start tapping everything in site. You can always cover you mistakes if you have a full fill tank. Always worked for me.

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

we usually tap between feb 25 and MAR 1 depends on the weather

RICH

[Tweegs]

Think we will stick with the concensus and give it a couple more weeks.
Would be nice to let some of the snow melt off too.

Was out yesterday making trails to the pick up points, gave the tractor one heck of a workout and still couldn't get through much of it. Don't know how you folks in the high country do it, didn't realize just how out of shape I was 'til I started slogging through the knee deep stuff.

Almost makes me wish the kids were still little and at home.....almost :grin:

[howden86]

I plan to be ready around march 12. That is my average start for the last couple of years but it is also 5 weeks away so things could change

[firetech]

Ya I saw the extend forcast and kinda got my shorts in a bunch too. But I'm just getting back from the daughter's after 3 weeks of staying there with the new granddaughter and her toddler brother. Went out to the sugar house and started working in there yesterday. Tapped 2/18/07 tapped 3/8/08 so not much of a history but I'm not ready yet.

[Tweegs]

Got in a bit of a panic too. Not ready yet either. Pan isn't here yet, still working on the arch, holding tank was just ordered yesterday and should be here by early next week.

Looks to be a false alarm anyway as the extended forcast now says the weather isn't going to hold.

Good thing too I guess. I should have enough wood ready but would feel better if there were another tree or two on the pile. Got plenty of dead and still standing ash. Nothing but time to drop it, cut it, split it and stack it.

Weeeee!

[kirkhedding]

Holy cow, I just watched the weather and their talking now at least a whole week in the 40's and maybe one day close to 50. What to do? What to do?

[firetech]

I asked my son to set a tap in the tree in his yard tomorrow. If it runs this week end we will put in 200 tappes asap. With syrup price being decent and my custumers are asking for new crop we have to go. If we need to ream the holes so be it, its still better than useing a 7/16 tap. I've lost so much time at the daughters house. I'll buy my wood for the evaporator. 100 bucks cut and split walnut for the first round then $20 a full cord for slab wood that I will need to cut to size. We will put the sugar house together Sun. I'll rinse just enough tanks to get the job started and finish with the rest of the equipment on the next freeze. Yep my shorts are really bunched. I'll post when the holes are wet. Live'n fast in Perry Mi

[Big maple]

I've found that no mtter how much time we spend getting ready for season there is always fifty more things to do before you start. I have come to expect that we will never be completely ready but at the last moment everything is ready enough.

[Tom Cook]

Hey Big Maple,

How did the new rig work on your test boil? This forcast of warm temps sure is tempting but I am going to wait until 3rd or 4th week of Feb. It has always worked for me to wait. I think there is somthing between winter and spring tapping.

[Big maple]

Hey Tom,
No test boil yet. We have been reworking lines at my place and getting every thingin the shack ready. I think the first test boil will be around March second with sap. It isn't our first rodeo and I am pretty sure that we won't have any glitches that we can't fix on the fly.

[Tweegs]

Can't resist.
Got 3 or 4 taps out behind the house that weren't going to be in the tapping scheme, too few and too far out of the way to be included in a normal collection cycle.

An early run of "private reserve" boiled off in the kitchen is just too good to pass up though. Think I'll set those for now and hold off a couple weeks on the rest.

[firetech]

Just got back from setting some test tappes. 1 is flowing at a good rate(full sun) a couple of more look like they can go in the next 24 hrs. I'm on roadsides and yard trees. Just watch'm close or you may miss out on a starter run. Talking to some more property owners,gett'n close to my goal of 400 all roadside and yard trees.

[Tweegs]

Put 3 taps out today. Haven't checked yet to see if they are running. Great big old yard tree in full sun.

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE GROWING FIRETECH
i tapped 2 test trees also in the woods today, just came in the house and nothing is happenning high temp today + 42

RICH

[firetech]

Couldn't hold out any longer set 106 taps tonite after work. About half of them are flowing and with 60 and rain tomorrow I just couldn't resist. Hopfully I can sweeten the pans this week end. told'ya I'd let you know. Love them roadside and yard trees. Only two more miles of buckets to go

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

same here firetech, tapped 150 on vac today also seem to be running fair

RICH

[Tweegs]

Only a little from the yard tree yesterday, expect today will be better. Temps near 60 should give it a boost.

Wife and I got rear ended on the Interstate yesterday morn. We are both fine but the car isn't. Hit by a big plumbing truck, clocked us good.

Home today to take delivery of our pan...errr...ummm...I mean recoup ;)

Getting that 100# pan off the truck is gonna be fun, really am a bit sore. Nothing a good dose of Ibuprofen wouldn't fix, I should think.

[Tweegs]

Pan is here!! 100# my eye, 30# maybe.

It is dirty though, what are you guys using to clean them?

Looks like it just wasn't cleaned after last seasons use.

[michiganfarmer]

I aim for the weekend closest to the 10th of march. Depends on the weather. This year might be the 7th, or it might be the 14th.

[michiganfarmer]

Pan is here!! 100# my eye, 30# maybe.

It is dirty though, what are you guys using to clean them?

Looks like it just wasn't cleaned after last seasons use.

At the beginning of the season I use hot soapy water, and a scrub brush. If I dont scorch, or burn anything I just rinse it out at the end of the season with clean water, drain it, and let it sit

[Greenthumb]

get a low fire going to warm and let a little viniger and water simmer than rinse with clean water

[firetech]

Rich how did you do yesterday on sap. We got about a gal/tap Don't expect much today though. Herb

[Tweegs]

Quick question on this pan.
It is a 2X6 cross flow with what I assume are draw off ports on each side, about 1" dia. Again, I assume I need to sweat (silver solder) a chunk of copper plus a valve to the port, correct?

Also, should I position the pan so that the draw off end is over the fire box or at the stack?

First time I've worked with a real live pan....forgive my noobness.

A couple of quick adjustments need to be made to the arch yet, so I'll hit the pan with soap and water tonight. Plan on a test fire this weekend and if needed, will use the vinegar approach. Thanks for that.

[michiganfarmer]

Quick question on this pan.
It is a 2X6 cross flow with what I assume are draw off ports on each side, about 1" dia. Again, I assume I need to sweat (silver solder) a chunk of copper plus a valve to the port, correct?

Also, should I position the pan so that the draw off end is over the fire box or at the stack?

First time I've worked with a real live pan....forgive my noobness.

A couple of quick adjustments need to be made to the arch yet, so I'll hit the pan with soap and water tonight. Plan on a test fire this weekend and if needed, will use the vinegar approach. Thanks for that.

If the ports at each end are in different compartments, I would make one a draw off, and the other a feed port.

I dont think its gonna matter where you position the draw off port.

[Tweegs]

Didn't think the position would matter, but better to ask.

Looks like the wind took care of any potential wood shortage. Lots of branches down, couple of trees too.

Gonna be a busy weekend.

[firetech]

150 gals of sap and the first boil of the year. Hotdog roaste and all for the granddaughter smiles are priceless she just needs a couple front teeth. No syrup but the pans are sweetend. We'll set another 100 taps tomorrow looks likea couple of good days coming.

[Sap Rustler]

Hole in a tree only produces for so long. Start too early,you wind up with a dry hole

[Big maple]

And, so begins the dribble of infinite knowledge of the Sap Rustler.

[Sap Rustler]

There is nothing more exciting than the first boil. After months and weeks of cutting wood, running lines, fixing taps, revamping last years mistakes, and last but not least tapping tress. Being from Texas this has been a wonderful experience for me. My partner "Big Maple" somehow manages to increase the work load a little more each year. What started as a Drink'in sport has realy turned into something. I can think of no beter way to spend early Spring.

[Tweegs]

Was talking to the folks over at Sugar Bush yesterday. They are going to give it another couple of weeks, as they always do, for the very reason Sap Rustler gave. Said they've missed one season in the past 60 years.

Going to take a run out there Saturday, need some bottling and filtering supplies and they have the part I need to fix my draw off problem. Think I'll bend a few ears while there. Hear they are a great bunch. My first experience with them over the phone was quite positive.

[Old Farmer]

The folks at Sugar Bush Supply are a great bunch. I have been there and I ordered some sap bags from them on Saturday. I plan to tap this week.

[Tweegs]

Braved the snow storm Saturday and made the trek out there. Picked up some high temp hose to fix my draw off problem, some filtering supplies and other odds and ends.

Got some good info, talked to Rick for a while about the Leader evaps and worked out a deal to get our hands on one by next fall. Productive trip.

The place was hopping, everyone was busy, but not too busy to take the time to school us new folk. Really wanted to stay and yap for a while but knew we should get out of the way, they did have a business to run after all.
Good to see them busy.

We'll be going back out there this weekend for the bottles and anything else I can dream up between now and then.

[firetech]

We are going to set the last 300 taps this week. Next week we all best be in the sugar houses boiling and not playing on the computer. Big Sap for the week. Check the extend forcast. Tweegs were you in there about noonish? I picked up 2 more rolls of tubeing.

[argo76]

When should I start tapping? I live in lawton, mi (near kalamazoo) This is my first season. I'm tapping 6 trees. I have read through all the posts here and it seems to me I should wait another week or 2. But some of you have all ready started. Any advise for a rookie.

[Dave Y]

argo,
You should tap when you see a weather pattern devleoping with day time temps in the 40's and freezing night time temps. That is when you will get your best sap flows.

[Tweegs]

We are going to set the last 300 taps this week. Next week we all best be in the sugar houses boiling and not playing on the computer. Big Sap for the week. Check the extend forcast. Tweegs were you in there about noonish? I picked up 2 more rolls of tubeing.

Yea, there abouts.

Were you the fella asking for a particular type of tube they were sold out of?

If so, glad to meet you.....almost :D

[firetech]

Yep I was hoping to get some memory flex for some drops but had to go with the 30 p I take down my lines and memory flex just handles easier. Man its too bad we don't wear name tags.

[Big maple]

Tapped about 800 today got the generator into the valley turned on the vacuum pump start cap. was bad replaced it then I let the smoke out of the motor seems the start winding had an issue. Sap rustler picked our barrels up from Sugar Bush today and the rest of our record fittings. gotta pic up a motor in the morning I'm not really excited about that part but then we will see how many vacuum leaks we have this year. It shouldn't be that bad because we replaced and re vamped a good majority of our lines. Here we go!!!

[Tom Cook]

Tapped Tuesday and the sap really started to run late this afternoon. Should be a good run tonight and Thursday. Next week looks to be busy boiling sweet water.

[Tweegs]

Yep I was hoping to get some memory flex for some drops but had to go with the 30 p I take down my lines and memory flex just handles easier. Man its too bad we don't wear name tags.

Indeed.

Going to send mama back out there Saturday for her bottles and jugs, I'll be busy tapping, going to start tonight.

Lost one leg of my 220V feed to the barn. We put in a larger propane tank last year. The guy digging the trench to the new location cut the feed. Looks like the repair didn't hold up. Got that to deal with this weekend too.
When it rains, it pours.

[firetech]

Tweegs check your PM

[Tweegs]

Gotchya bud! Thanks!

[Big maple]

Pretty excited, we are going to start tapping the rest of the lines in the morning. Fixing leaks and putting the finishing touches on the shack in the afternoon, There are going to be five guys plus myself so I hope we can get done and drink some barley pops before the Warden wants me back in the evening. Maybe we can light a fire at dark we have seven or eight hundred gallons of sap to boil but I don't know exactly how long that would last us and I don't like having to pull burning logs out of a fire box.

[Tweegs]

Well, the coffee is hot, we've got biscuits in the oven and the crew is on their way. The chickens were kind enough to provide the eggs and mama just got back with the sausage and bacon. Bacon n eggs, biscuits and gravy, here we go! Pancakes by next weekend for sure.

Tap the trees, fix the barn, weld the trailer. Drop a couple of logs in a ditch so I wont get the tractor stuck....again. A quick trip to the hardware and we're off!

Let the games begin :D