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Well I thought it was over. But I still have a bunch of trees that are flowing clear sap, and it was pretty cold last night, so I expect a small run today, as we approach the end of the 8th week of collection this year.....pulling buckets tomorrow no matter what!
I'm thinking of just tapping one tree to see what happens. Anyone else? Just north of Milton on the escarpment.
I am thinking about trying a few on Tuesday of this week as well this is one crazy winter.
I've been feeling like I should be tapping for about a week now. Crazy. Last year seemed really early the second week of February, but it was a gusher.
Im just west of Milton near Campbellville. Put a new stack on the evaporator, and visited a couple guys that have gone from buckets to tubing......but I'm just not mentally ready to tap in January. I should be skidding logs out of the bush right now, but its a muddy flood. Kinda depressing. We will soon have no snow left.
My neighbour is tapping a few hundred tomorrow, I'll let you know what he gets.
FYI, The 1 tree didn't produce much. I wonder if that tree will be a good indicator.Quote:
Originally Posted by wobbletop
I don’t think temperatures dropped below freezing for you overnight, so that is why the flow was not good. I think since December you had many good flow days.Quote:
Originally Posted by wobbletop
Monday,Tuesday and especially Wednesday should be better flow days. The long range looks like several good flow days the second week of February.
Decided to just try my reg buckets and lids will do those 35 just to test the waters and save my lines for bit later. 15 in today other 20 tommorow when I realized atv was outta fuel 🤦*♂️ lol
Neighbour tapped yesterday, said today was a very strong run. He recommends I tap ASAP.
I think it's crazy, but it looks like it's time.
https://i.ibb.co/XsQgZqZ/20240131-144309.jpg
We tapped Saturday and Sunday. Got and ok run, but the weather has not been to cooperative.
After that initial run, it has been slow here as well. Maybe too cold at night?
It helps if you add a location.
So far weather has not cooperated here either, yesterday was ok but had been getting too cold at night then taking till mid aft to get above freezing no where near the sun that was forecasted either but I think next couple days will be good. I am near Owen Sound.
Fixed up. 2400L of sap so far
Yep. It's going here. Having to RO just to make more room for sap storage.
Tapped in today with about 60 trees. Sap was running fairly well, had 1.5" in bottom of the first bucket by the time we finished. Weather sure is screwy this year! I'm concerned about tapping everything now as taps may dry up mid March and who knows when the seasons going to end! So plan for now is run with the 60 taps for a couple of weeks and then put the other 70 taps in. I guess only time will tell if this is a wise move! One of the main goals of our evaporator is to show public how syrup is made at our Maple Festival and that runs weekends until the end of March so the other thing I need to consider is having sap until then to be able to run the evaporator!
Tapped 65 on Feb 4. Have collected 300 + gallons of sap over the week. Located just W of Woodstock.
Paul
We put out 59 taps on the 4th 1st boil of 660L of sap last Friday 9th so much fun https://www.facebook.com/chris.stones.3110 :D check out the after burner! :o
Most of my neighbours tapped a month ago, but I just wasn’t ready, or feeling it.
Tapped this past weekend, first collection yesterday, 880L from 166 buckets, great first day.
Pretty weird to be doing this with zero snow in the bush, and very dry ground.
Not sure how much of a season I will get, hope a few weeks at least.
Despite not freeing for the last few nights, the sap ran all weekend, but not fast.
The next 3 days look ridiculously warm, sure hope the trees decide to wait it out, as there looks to be good sap weather after Wednesday night. Fingers crossed.........
Well, we've made it so far. Sap collected on March 8th was starting to get that yellowish-greenish tinge, and seems to make more foam in the evaporator, but after the cold weather on the weekend we are back to clear flows and still at 2.0 Brix yesterday afternoon, and again during this morning's collection, as it ran all night, and is still running. No freezing overnight temps till Sunday (yikes) and the robin's are singing. Let's hope we make it though another mini-heat wave!
Pulled my 65 taps on Mar 6. Finished with 91.6 litres. Shout out to Sheets Maple. Have been using the 5 inch press for several years and it never ceases to amaze me how quickly it allows me to bottle and how crystal clear the syrup comes out.
Paul
Pulled my taps and cleaned buckets up today what a weird year. Ended with just over 32 litres of syrup real good for my little setup.
And we’re back…..haven’t collected in 12 days thanks to almost a week long heatwave followed by a week of cold. Some trees are right back with full buckets this afternoon, some are bone dry and may be done for the season. Sap was running clear, and sugar was at 2.1. Lots of flies and moths, more mud and snow than I’ve had all year, and the buckets will soon need a good wash, but it looks like we may get another week yet.
Good run today, sugar varied between 1.9 and 2.2. Looks good for another week based on the temps in the forecast
It’s been a good week, had my highest single day flow of the season on Wednesday.
Forecast doesn’t look great, but I am super happy we got some good runs this week.
Lots to boil down, going to be a busy weekend. The woodpile is starting to look pretty small…..
What a great weekend to be boiling. My trees are slowing down, especially the ones in higher, rockier ground, while the lower trees with wetter feet next to a cedar swamp keep cranking out full clear buckets. Some slight,colour in todays gathering, so the end may be near. Sugar has dropped to 1.8. Happy Easter all!
Pulled my 20 taps yesterday. Some of the tress were still going strong (always a shame to dump sap) but most had stopped altogether. That may have been due to the early tapping this year (Jan31).
The syrup gets very dark this time of year. I don't like making the really dark stuff.
About 1400l of sap and about 27l of syrup, so not the best ratio.
Had my lowest collection of the year today. Many dry taps, some tree pee, and lots of dead moths, flys, ants, and other bugs. I think it’s over. Except for about 10% that are still cranking out full buckets of clear sap. Sugar was still at 1.8 to 1.9, and no off taste. Will pull by the weekend, gonna be lots of washing required this year, buckets are spotted on the bottom and a bit slimy. Dead bug brew….and we wonder why the syrup gets darker!
Surprisingly a few trees are still cranking out full buckets of clear, but the sugar is down to 1.7, and the rest are dry or dribbling yellow tree pee, with more bugs than sap in some buckets, so it’s all over except the final boil down, clean up and bottling. What a weird season.
How are things going this season so far?
It’s been 3 really good weeks, I think everyone has been to busy to post!
Surprisingly good flow today, as it barely froze last night. I’m over 50L/tap now on average. Sugar has dropped to 1.9, maybe all the rain?
I did have 3 or 4 trees with full buckets of yellow sap, a first for the season.
We got lucky and warmed up fast today, with little wind, so the ice damage wasn’t bad. Looks like it was a different story for folks in central and eastern ON.
Well I thought we were done on the weekend. Buckets are getting lively, sap a bit coloured, lotsa moths and flies, spring peepers singing like mad, and now this little cold snap, so maybe one more run?