Tapping in fall

[syrupkid]

i have heard rumors that one can tap maple trees and get sap in the fall if this is true i better get my butt into gear and get all my new equipment home and set up for the fall season

[3rdgen.maple]

Syrupkid I have heard the same. Always wondered what the outcome was and if you tapped the same trees in the spring if it would over stress them. Any info out there guys and gals?

[MaplePancakeMan]

I would think that you would want to tap them in the end of October ish early November and you wouldn't tap those same trees again in the spring. This would work best for someone with a lot of trees that wanted make syrup consistently thought out november-december and March to april. Its my impression that you get more sap when the trees are starting to wake up rather then going into a deep freeze

[mapleack]

I've read and heard, that yes it can work, but you get less sap and lower sugar content. Here are some older 'trader threads that discuss it.
http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?t=4862&highlight=fall+tapping

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?t=1168&highlight=fall+tapping

[brookledge]

maplekid
As others have said yes you can tap in the fall. Any time the temps fall below frezzing and then rise above the sap will flow. However the sugar content will be lower than in the spring time. Also it puts more stress on the trees because you will need to re tap in the spring so you will have twice as many holes.
Keith

[halfast tapper]

There is a sugarmaker south of me that has about 30,000 taps. About 2 years ago he tapped out 7000 taps in the late fall. From late october to mid of nov he produced about 2000 gallons of syrup. He did not tap those in the spring. He tried it as an expierment, he said he won't do it again.

[3rdgen.maple]

halffast did he give a reason why he would not do it again 2000 gallons of syrup is nothing to laugh at.

[fred]

more time and less return

better spent working in the woods or relaxing in the keys

[3rdgen.maple]

Well ma and pa inlaw have a place in the keys on the ocean big 32 foot fishing boat right out their backdoor and although I love to fish especially fly fish it does not tickle my fancy visiting the place and less return is the name of todays economy and less is better than none. If I work in the woods anymore I gonna have fields. I need a better reason lol.
Just don't mention bowhunting that is my weak spot.

[fred]

if you tap in the fall , those trees cant be used in the spring. very hard on them. besides hunting season is coming up :)

[PerryW]

I would think Fall tapping would be great for someone with a tourist business where the steaming evaporator would bring in business.

Just tap a small percentage of your trees in the fall and run a small evaporator to bring in the tourists.

Sell the syrup at a premium price because it's hot off the press.

[brookledge]

The bottom line is if you tap the tree in the fall and not in the spring you will not get as much sugar out of it . Sugar content will be low. So in the case of that producer who made 2000 gal from 7000 taps in the fall, thats a little over a qt. per tap which is not bad but it sounds like it was more work than he would have done in the spring to make the same amount. That is why he says he won't do it again
Keith

[3rdgen.maple]

Here's the skinny guys. I have more maple trees than I can handle with my current setup. I could put in 600 taps a year for a few years and never touch the same tree with a tap. My thoughts were that I am running out of syrup in a hurry and the Salmon fisherman who bring millions into my town in october through January will not be able to taste my maple syrup this year. I have a restaurant that is running low and they want a display with glass bottles with a Salmon on it with the wording Salmon River, Pulaski NY. The salmon shops need there syrup for glazing the smoked fish. I thought I would give it a shot and see what it does for me. Like I said I will not have to even touch my regular season trees with any fall taps. My thoughts were maybe to hit some of the cull trees as well and there are about 300 to 400 taps in the river bottom that are 90 percent sugarmaples that I cannot get to in the spring because it will be a foot under water. Im just trying to think of a bad reason to try it in my situation and the only one I can come up with is Bowhunting time. But I cannot Bowhunt in the dark but I can boil then. I can give up a couple hours of daylight to gather sap. Does anybody truly know what the average difference in sap to syrup ratio is?
Somebody please talk me out of this. So as you can see I will not be giving up any sap in the spring and I already have another 200 plus taps llined up for next season that will put me at 600 for next year. I am gonna have to sell the new evaporator after that cause My game plan is that I take my profits and spend it on nothing but maple and keep upsizing so by the time I retire I will have a good hobby with a little extra spending cash. Last choice is buy some bulk syrup and Bottle it but it is not my syrup and there is less profit margin in it and did I say it is not my syrup. Hard work does not scare me I laugh in its face. :lol: If I do this I will tell you guys what a stupid idea it really was and then complain to all of you for not stopping me.

[KenWP]

Well 3rgen if I had the trees and needed the syrup I would go for it. I made way to much syrup for myself already this year and will down size probbably but don't count on it next spring. With bowhunting way I see it just shoot a doe call the season quits and stop sitting in a cold tree. I had to stop hunting because of she who has to be obeyed and the fact I can't keep warm sitting still anymore. That and deer meat gives me a headache.
So you better get out there and mark off those trees so those Steelhead and salmon fishers can have there salmon candy and nice darl smoked salmon.
Must be nice to have faith people will like your product. Lady asked me how much I wanted for a gallon of syrup and I went shy and said I wasn't really selling it.

[3rdgen.maple]

Ken you are suppose to talk me out of it remember. I am gonna be sorry I know it.

[dschultz]

3rdgen got to remember tapping in the fall the weather's getting colder and not warmer like in the spring so when you go to clean thing's up your going to freeze doing it.Unless your in a nice warm building.

[KenWP]

Was warmer here in December then it was Novemeber. Stupid trees tried to bud out.

[3rdgen.maple]

dschultz got it covered heated garage. It just keeps looking better and better lol.

[brookledge]

3rd gen
It seems like nobody is going to talk you out of it. give it a try for one year, especially since you are out of syrup.
keith

[KenWP]

And remeber the trees don't bud untill May so you can tap all winter or untill you kill of the tree.

[3rdgen.maple]

Funny Ken. I was looking back at last years weather and If I tapped last fall I could have made syrup well into December. We normally don't get real cold here till January. I think the lake temperatures help out as I am due west about 10 miles from it.