Time to tap

It amazes me on how some trees will produce and then one right next to it dry as a bone. I noticed I had some maples that still had kepdry leaves on them kind of like a white oak, they didn't produce a thing today. I've also got one sugar bush in a hollow that is wet. I've tapped it for three years and I can spit more than they produce. They are mostly red/swamp maples, but with all the water you would think it would run out of them. Any one have any ideas on why they don't produce?[/QUOTE]


On my grandfathers farm there was a sugar maple that was never tapped,when I asked why I was told that it didn't run.Years later when I cut the tree for firewood I found out why-it was 95% heartwood.

Bruce
I would be glad to trade with you, I don't get the chance to sample real syrup from fellow cookers. I would be more interested in finding out how mine fairs against seasoned sappers such as yourself. As soon as I get a good batch going I'll drop you a line. Our temp is starting to drop today, by Monday they are predicting -2 for the low which is cold for us. I also have an outside wood furnace, I made it several years ago and I wouldn't take anything for it. Just last month I ran another zone off of it to my honey house where I have my extracting equipment, refridgerator and snacks. It stays a toasty 70 in there, so when we need to take a break we have a nice place to rest.

Stay warm

David

David

Well, we had big plans for today. I just knew we would have lots of sap. Well the temp got up to 44 but the wind was blowing and it seemed colder than it was and they never really started to run good, maybe they will run through the night. My uncle suggested we walk around the woods with a chainsaw running and maybe the trees would take the hint, either give up the sap or be turned into fire wood. It is currently 37 degrees and only supposed to get down to 33 tonight with a high of 44 tomorrow. Then tomorrow evening dropping fast to a -1 by Monday morning. This evening we had lots of help to show up ready to work, but nothing for them to do. What a shame. Tomorrow it's going to be hard listening to the preacher all the time thinking about the sap running.

David

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Originally Posted by afretired

Well I've been getting everything ready, trying to get ahead of the season. The weather has been great. Been having teens and twenties at night and thirty to forties during the day. Yesterday I put out a few sap sacks to check on the trees and we have sap. So when everyone else is watching ballgames and staying in the house, I'm going tapping. Tonight it is supposed to get down to 24 and up to 49 tomorrow, then 16 and 33 for Thursday. Looks like it will be this way for several days.

David

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Our bags were nicely filled and frozen hard. We dumped what was liquid into buckets and pitched the ice. We will be about 41 tomorrow, then 9 on Monday, into the negative temps at night....Probably won't go empty sacks again until Thursday or Friday. Usually the ice can just be smashed in the bags and dumped, but today we had to take hangers completely apart and the ice was rock hard. Didn't even break, when thrown on the ground.

Yeah that is one of the downsides to bags I have found out

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Originally Posted by adk1

Yeah that is one of the downsides to bags I have found out

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I think it is hard on the bags too, but this is the first time we have had to do that. Still bags are best for this momma and her four chicks.

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Originally Posted by Sugar

I also didn't want to tap when the trees were frozen, because tapping can crack the tree.

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Is their significant risk to tapping frozen trees? I need to tap today (off work), but the high yesterday was 3. High today in the 20's. Big sap coming this weekend that I don't want to miss out on. Is their much risk in the tree splitting, how can I avoid this, and will the taps stay well sealed once the temperature warms up?
Mark

Hello folks

I tapped just after the artic blast on the warm up. Got some sap runs but then it got cold again. Hoping for a warm day to get the sap dripping Sunday maybe ;-)

I added 45 more taps the other day when it warmed up again as i found it not to be a good idea to drill frozen wood. Auger bit works ok but a good hole is key and warm day makes a better job for me.

I think the damage would occur when you drove the spile into the frozen wood more then drilling it. But frozen wood must dull and work a drill bit more also.