2024 Tapping Season

Drove up into the Thumb where our sugarbush is this past weekend. Taking care of some preseason preparation work. We are pretty remote so no water, no electricity (small generator only).

Hoping to add a few additional taps this year and hit 30 taps. A lot of water on parts of our property this year. A number of trees we could tap are under water. I wonder if anyone experienced any difference in sap flow between trees in water and out of water?

Also hoping to lear about running lines this year and how best to do this without a vacuum pump. Anyone in the Thumb area willing to give a few tips, please DM me. We only boil on the weekends.

2024 goal is to produce 100 - 8 oz bottles.

These next two weeks have me perplexed. If these temps were in the middle of February, I'd have my taps in. My plan was to possibly have taps in either February 10 or 17 this year depending on the weather. I'm in the Thumb area (but live in NW Oakland County) and there is still a lot of snow and ice up there. DOesn't help that I have to go out of town the weekend of Feb 3.

Same here. I'm starting a new sugarbush in northern MI, and the forecast temps up there have me wondering if I should tap before February even starts. Anyone else thinking of setting taps soon?

Not sure what to do. Got quite a bit of snow on the ground , but getting light rain today and yesterday.

Just looked at the 10 day forecast. Mid 30's for next 4or5 days, then 40's and pushing 50 for the next 5 days . I think we'll get going in the next couple days. A little early but got to go by the weather, not the calendar.

Running hear.Not even close to being ready,do not believe this weather was predicted 10 days ago

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Originally Posted by ScottT

Drove up into the Thumb where our sugarbush is this past weekend. Taking care of some preseason preparation work. We are pretty remote so no water, no electricity (small generator only).

Hoping to add a few additional taps this year and hit 30 taps. A lot of water on parts of our property this year. A number of trees we could tap are under water. I wonder if anyone experienced any difference in sap flow between trees in water and out of water?

Also hoping to lear about running lines this year and how best to do this without a vacuum pump. Anyone in the Thumb area willing to give a few tips, please DM me. We only boil on the weekends.

2024 goal is to produce 100 - 8 oz bottles.

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Scott I began using 3/16 tubing a couple of years ago. I created a slope by starting the tubing out high and it doesn't take much. I am just a small producer, but using the 3/16 tubing with 5/16 drops really made a big difference. I use a 55 gallon drum to collect into and that will fill up in about 2 days with 15 taps. I am adding more tubing this year.

Just curious for those who have tapped-what sugar % are you seeing?

We aren't ready to tap yet. Will probably wait until the middle of February, weather dependent, of course. :D

With this forecast it's tuff to wait. Curious if anyone's having a decent run now or over next several days? Please keep us posted. Freezing at night with mid to upper 40's during day for next 8 day's.

Running slow here. We will be half tapped Wed. 31st