Anyone still Have taps in?

[backyardsugarer]

I am hanging on until Friday. Supposed to be mid 20's at night and 40's with sun during the day. I don't know if they will run or what the sap will look/taste like if it does come out of the trees but I am going to give it a shot.

Chris

[homefarm]

been kinda warm this week suposto get colder by the end of the week gonna give it one more try gonna pull the taps next week.....Chris.....

[gator330]

Chris,

We're still in but will pull this weekend. It's just plan dead last boil was real dark even after washing everything. That was almost two weeks ago. Hope you had a good season. Last year it wasn't this nice when I opened the pool and that was in May, Crazy weather for wanting to make big syrup!!

[backyardsugarer]

Decent season thanks to vac. Want one more run to make some commercial to buy new stuff for next year (RO).

Chris

[briduhunt]

I have left my taps in but have not had sap to boil in last 10 days. My last boil I produced some C grade. Very dark but also has a good taste. I have about 1 1/2 gallons of this in quarts and a few pints, I might be giving this syrup away to freinds and family after they taste it this weekend so I am sure the will use it. I have left some near syrup in the pans so I can boil this Saturday at my pancake breakfast so everyone can see the process and smell the sweetness of maple. I will be pulling my taps on Sunday as I have a lot of budding trees especially my trees near the lake. Very dissapointing season but that is what we get when we work with Mother Nature. I am now seriuously thinking about getting a RO for next season but not sure I can find the money for the larger tanks for processing and the RO.
The more I read from another posting about someone who has a portable RO buisness who travels to the different sugar houses, the more I like the concept. I am also considering finding someone who has a ro that could run my sap thru his ro for a fee. Anyone out there with any ideas fell free to let me know I also think that there are other small guys like me that would like this arrangement also.
Just thinking out loud.

[3rdgen.maple]

Taps are still in and will stay in until I see leaves lol. Im desparate. Brian I think it would be a better choice for you to put that RO money into a vac setup for next year. With the weather we had and no sap on gravity we are gonna need it. RO is useless without sap.

[backyardsugarer]

Brian,

I plan on expanding my shack and getting RO for next year. I would consider running your sap through to concentrate for a percentage. I got slammed with year with vac and my little 2 by 8 so I took a ton of sap to trout brook sugar house in Mendon. He has a nice RO that does about 120 gallons of permeate per hour. Without him I would have never been able to keep up. I am ready to clean up and start putting posts in the ground and running 220.



Chris

[wnybassman]

I left 6 taps in after I pulled the rest Wednesday last week. Mainly for my own information for whether or not another sap run could occur after such a warm spell, so I know what to do in the future. Last weeks weather was perfect for cleaning everything and putting it away.

No budding at my house yet, although just 15 miles NW of here it is budding like crazy.

[Snowy Pass Maple]

I'm surprised to hear people pulling taps out. I'm in central Dutchess County (near Millbrook, NY) and I can't see any sign of buds yet on the maples I've tapped along my driveway. Last week, we had a few good days of sap flow, and I'm optimistic we're about to see a few more through the weekend.

Wondering if we're just in some sort of cooler microclimate? Not on a mountain or anything. Woods here are very thick - not sure if that matters...

I'm being careful to not combine sap over different days as it gets later.

-Colin

[maple flats]

I'm still hoping. I have not pulled any. Last flow was last Friday. Tomorrow morning I am going to wash tanks and wait, I already have about 80 gal water in the tank , the tank brush on the truck and my hydrogen peroxide waiting to be added. Might have sap start tomorrow but more likely Thursday. The buds are still tight and I have check valves on everything. I'll see if the holes dried up with this warm weather and CV on gravity. So far on the season I only have 570 gal sap on 575 taps. Sure hope this isn't the end. Vac for sure in 2011.

[Brian Ryther]

All taps are in and still giving sap every day. Looking for a big run within the next 5 days.

[concord maple]

Taps are still in. Hoping for another big run in the next few days with temps. in mid 20's at night and around 50 for the day.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

I'm still in, gonna call Mother Nature's bluff on an early Spring. Got enough extra gas stashed at the vacuum pump that is a mile over back to go at least 4 days with no resupply. My only fear is the mile and a half of pump lines will be frozen solid and I won't be able to get the sap to the evaporator. Temps Thursday night in the teens, high Friday of 30 and Lows Friday night in the single digits. Pump lines go through several evergreen groves and can be slow to thaw. The releaser tanks in the front bush can all be reached with the team and gathering tub so if the front line freezes, I can handle it but the road to the back line is a sea of mud since the frost went out. Might try to get across it early Sat morning if it is frozen enough. If there is sap, I'll find a way to get it. Not gonna let that PATHERON guy beat out a NY sugar maker!

[MillbrookMaple]

We have had a poor season without a vac. I have 400+ taps out and only 33 gallons made so far. Last small run was Friday and the syrup was still way lighter than Light Amber with a great taste, so I am still hoping for a good second wind. I see a red tinge all over the mountainside, especially after yesterday's rain. I am hopeful since I see temps in the teens for the end of this week at our elevation (2000ft) but wonder if the buds will start affecting the flavor.

[Bucket Head]

Mine are still in and their going to stay in till at least the first weekend in April. This weekends weather forecast looks like somthing might happen. I'm generally not an optimist but since this season has been horrible, I'm trying to be real optimistic for this weekend. If enough runs, I'll boil it and see what I get.

Steve

[Russell Lampron]

My taps are still in and I made some syrup last night. Still a dark amber color but the smell and taste are terrible. I don't know if it was the slightly sour smelling sap or if its the red maples budding. I am going to finish building the finisher that I am making so I can drain and boil what is in the evaporator. Then I am going to wash everything and start over. If I still get lousy smelling and tasting syrup it will buy supplies when I go to Bascom's. I have a special drum just for Bruce.

[beechsap]

I have all reds tapped. About 25 on buckets and another 25 on gravity tubing. Crappy volume this year but what I've made has been a very tasty medium/dark.
Some are just starting to break, some not. Haven't had any sap for about a week. Not pulling any just yet though, hoping for a little bit this weekend then re-evaluate.

[davey]

Sap is running in Macedon today

[maple flats]

Mine are still in and will stay in until the buds break. My bigger woods ran today, the smaller didn't. My taps are ALL in sugars this year. Buds are still tight.

[maple flats]

I just figured my sap collection and just over 12% of my season total flowed today. I collected at 5:00 and it was still running. Will collect again in morning about 9:30 and boil tomorrow. The forcast looks like I might double my season or even better.

[Russell Lampron]

Good luck Dave. You need it.

[KenWP]

If a guy has a chance of sap off of unbudded trees he might as well wait it out untill the buds break or Theron taps them for you. I can use a couple of gallons of mersh this year for a project I have in mind.

[backyardsugarer]

Got about 300 gallons of sap yesturday. Turned the vac on at 7 this morning and the sap was flowing some. Clearing up some too. After the hard freeze Friday the weekend could be good. Lots of boiling and basketball tonight.

Chris

[MillbrookMaple]

Just finished boiling about 350 gallons off.(100 from yesterday 250 today) Cleaned the evaporator and started fresh today. Pulled off 4 gallons of very good medium. There was an inch and a half of snow on the grown walking back to the house. I hope this is a good omen for a good second wind!

[concord maple]

I agree with backyardsugarer. High today around freezing and low tonight around 10 with mid to upper 40's tomorrow. Could be a good run tomorrow and Sunday. Was going to pull taps Sun. but supposed to be around freezing at nite until Tues. so its looking like taps will be kept in until the middle of next week. Last two days sap was fairly clear. Going to finish off this weeks boils today. Doesn't look as dark as last weeks. The wonders of below freezing nites and mid 40s days..

[backyardsugarer]

and the grade is coming back up so Sat. afternoon and Sun. should be nice runs. Plan to make syrup into next Friday, then it is over by the looks of the forecast.

Chris

[wnybassman]

I'm starting to get a sick feeling I should have left all my taps in. :(

[Fred Henderson]

You will be a lot sicker after this next run. In past years I have been where you are now, but that was when I had a lot less taps.

[troes30]

i agree...dont pull yet. If u have vacuum, keep the pumps running. Especially the last couple years, the buyers will take anything. Last year we made fancy last boil but it had an off taste...he didnt care - got fancy price. How has everyone done crop wise? Everything ive heard is bad...most a half a crop. At least the price will stay up.

[concord maple]

Finished off some medium this morning (was pleasantly surprised). Should get a good run tomorrow-Mon. Made 10 gallons so far on 70 taps.

[sapbrush]

ok what is mersh, i see it all the time on here, must be a new york thing huh jim

[Fred Henderson]

i agree...dont pull yet. If u have vacuum, keep the pumps running. Especially the last couple years, the buyers will take anything. Last year we made fancy last boil but it had an off taste...he didnt care - got fancy price. How has everyone done crop wise? Everything ive heard is bad...most a half a crop. At least the price will stay up.

Last year I made 107 gallons. This year I am at 2/3's of that but I did make some very nice very light medium as I call it.

[wnybassman]

ok what is mersh, i see it all the time on here, must be a new york thing huh jim


Not sure, but I think it is com-mersh-al grade.

[briansickler]

Taps still in hoping for a good run Sat & Sun. Dumped all 160 buckets yesterday ready for fresh sap. Buds are holding tight.

[troes30]

turned on vac this morning but froze so heavy that doubt ill get much. sun is warm though...

[wnybassman]

I think I may be learning something with my experimental taps I left in. Two very cold nights and yesterday not above freezing, today it is 45 with sun hitting the trees nice, and nothing is happening. A couple holes totally dry, and the rest a drip now and then. I'm sure the tree is pumping sap, but my holes are past their prime.

[beechsap]

I think I may be learning something with my experimental taps I left in. Two very cold nights and yesterday not above freezing, today it is 45 with sun hitting the trees nice, and nothing is happening. A couple holes totally dry, and the rest a drip now and then. I'm sure the tree is pumping sap, but my holes are past their prime.

About the same here in North Broadalbin. I have all reds tapped and many are budding. I pulled and re-set 10 taps today and yesterday from trees that were not producing or had pushed buds. Getting a bit now, certainly no BIGSAP. Another 10-15gal of sap would be sweet:lol: and then clean up for next year.

[maple flats]

I still have my 575 taps in on gravity tubing. It was below freezing all day yesterday and went to 15 this morning. It took until 1:30-2:30 for things to start running. At 3:30 I had about 75 gal from my 400 tap bush and it was running fairly well. I will collect in the morning and boil, then see if I have more to collect. My buds are all tight yet and the holes have not dried up BUT my flow has been poor at best this year. I'm going to try to keep going all week, the forecast looks ok thru Thursday but no more deep freezes in sight. This might be the end.

[johnallin]

Our trees have started back up. Just made two rounds collecting, pulled some dry taps and tapped some fresh trees which ran like crazy. Hope it holds through the night so I can get one last boil in over here. Only 4 boils so far this year for a total of 10 3/4 hours and 383 gallons run through. Not too good at all.

[beechsap]

johnallin:
Beautiful sugar house! I'll be sure to let my wife see it so she will have me build a "potting shed,"!;)

[MillbrookMaple]

I have to agree beautiful saphouse!

[johnallin]

Thanks guys we are looking forward to lots of fun over the next several years - only thing missing this year is some sap!

[troes30]

turned on the vac this m orning at about 930...wind is very cold but temps about 35. sap came in surprisingly good. expecting about 3/4 a gallon per tap in the tank by morn. neither woods ran much at all yesterday. should get to the weekend then most likely done...callin for 70 by sunday

[beechsap]

Having a pretty good run today!!!:mrgreen: :o :D :D

[danno]

Runnin' kind of slow in CNY on vacuum. 1st year taps seem to be running fine, but few years old taps have all but stopped. Am wondering how those taps would have done on CV's.

[troes30]

cant help u personally danno ....my only woods with CV's is a first year woods also. It is my best running woods this year but cant say its because of the adapters. I have heard the neighbors are impressed wiht them though.

[themapleking]

Last day today. was taken 70 gal to make 1 gal. Ended up with 13800 sap on 845 taps. Used the CV taps 22" vac ave, sap per tap was 16.33 I did better than most guys this yr. a crappy yr at that. Time to clean up take care everyone till next yr.

[backyardsugarer]

got a lot of nice clear sap today but it is taking 66 gallons to make a gallon of syrup. I will collect whatever runs into Monday and then call it a year. Thank god for vac. Gravity guys around here did not have a season.

Chris

[Bucket Head]

I'll agree with that. This gravity guy had no season either. If I could have looked into the future back in February, I would'nt have drilled a single tree. I would have spent the time preparing for 2011. This season was a complete waste of precious time, energy and money.

Signed: A very dissapointed syrup maker.

[3rdgen.maple]

I'll agree with that. This gravity guy had no season either. If I could have looked into the future back in February, I would'nt have drilled a single tree. I would have spent the time preparing for 2011. This season was a complete waste of precious time, energy and money.

Signed: A very dissapointed syrup maker.

X two on that one

[briduhunt]

All in all a lousy season but still better than working. LOL. I only made 1/3 of what I made last year but thats maple farming. I left 90% of my taps in hoping for a run on Sat and Sun but no go. Only thing left to do is pull taps and star the clean up process (worst part of maple). I have already started to look for a hill side to tap for next year and get away from buckets next year at the same time increasing tap count to 4-600. I even decided to start saving for an RO in the next three years, unless a real good deal falls into my lap. Oh well at least I do not have to cut as much wood for next year.