January Thaw

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Originally Posted by Andy VT

Nothing wrong with playing around for scientific/fun reasons. Admittedly, that's why I'm doing maple anyway. Otherwise I'd buy my entire year's worth of syrup, for well under 100 bucks and be all set! This past season (2022) I tried a couple taps around February 10 when it warmed up and did get a little bit of sap, but it wasn't much, and I was satisfied to never bother tapping early again. Of course that was just with tubing drops into buckets.

Though not as much as 2022, I suspect getting the correct timing for bucket tapping will still be my biggest stressor for the 2023 season!

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Agree. I was just responding to the question..."would it be good for early season tapping?" knowing the OP was fairly new to this. Yes, the sap will run if temps. are conducive to sap flow...Nov., Dec., or early January. Old news there. But almost nobody taps then though because it's not worth the few days of sap flow. Didn't want to see him go and tap his trees in January chasing a mild spell only to have his trees all dry up before the season actually began.

Sounds like you had the exact experience to confirm that...just not worth it. Go with time tested and proven techniques. Don't go reinventing the wheel. And certainly don't stress about any of this as hobbyists, which the 3 of us are. It's easy to overthink all of this. But in the end, we're just boiling water.

Back about 10 yrs ago, my 3 helpers were all in college and their break ended on or about Jan 20 or so. I started on Jan 2 and as soon as repairs were done we started tapping with the hope it would be completed before my help went back to school. Most years we made it, but sap rarely flowed much before late Feb.

Dave Klish: I will say my early February tapping experiment, while it didn't gain me much, didn't seem to hurt much either. My early taps didn't give out any earlier in the season than my later February taps. The difference was only 10 days, so that might be one reason.

Agreed on all counts bigschuss! As hobbyists it seems we have to take turns dreaming and encouraging each other to try things and learn, and talking each other back onto the ground. I have worn both hats in the same thread, and occasionally in the same post. :lol:
You've been at it much longer than Gary and I so we do look to you and several others to keep us on or near the ground!

I tapped 17 trees today. Long story on My plan 2022/23 thread.

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Originally Posted by Andy VT

Dave Klish: I will say my early February tapping experiment, while it didn't gain me much, didn't seem to hurt much either. My early taps didn't give out any earlier in the season than my later February taps. The difference was only 10 days, so that might be one reason.

Agreed on all counts bigschuss! As hobbyists it seems we have to take turns dreaming and encouraging each other to try things and learn, and talking each other back onto the ground. I have worn both hats in the same thread, and occasionally in the same post. :lol:
You've been at it much longer than Gary and I so we do look to you and several others to keep us on or near the ground!

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While I was at it longer, not really much longer. I did make some syrup back in the 1970-80's, just up to 9 taps max. I didn't get the "bug" until after I sold my contracting business and started driving school bus for something to do. I decided to make syrup in 2003 and added more taps every year until I had 1320 taps. During this time I attended every winter conference (in Verona, NY) and attended every seminar I could fit in. Those mostly are where I learned how to make syrup. After each conference, I referred to my notes from each seminar and decided which I wanted to incorporate into my operation. After a while I tried some experiments of my own, most failed, some did fairly well.
Along about that time, Chris (the original owner of this great forum asked if I'd be willing to be a moderator and after some coaxing I agreed, but I really felt I had little to contribute)
Along the way, I learned enough to help other, mostly hobbyists, I had very little to offer long time producers. My main asset is that, from seminars I've attended I can recall just enough to get into the conversation and things grow from there.
Back to when I tapped and was fully tapped by Jan 20, I can't recall it ever hurt me because I was too early. My taps never dried up before the sap season was over. Much of that was because I at that time was on 100% tubing, only 2-3 buckets to show visitors and those buckets were generally tapped 1-2 weeks before Maple Weekend.

Loving in southern Ohio we have a lot of swings in our weather pattern that are condusive to sap flow. I have early tapped for years (probably around 10 ). I have experimented with everything from very early to slightly early. Maple News even done a profile on me a few years back (https://www.themaplenews.com/story/s...prepping-/343/ ). My conclusions are that very early tapping (more than 6 weeks prior to traditional dates) is not worth the effort. However, tapping 4-6 weeks early to hit early sap flows has been moderatly productive to me and actually saved my season a couple years. With that said, I have also concluded that these taps will suffer reduced flow during the peak of season and will stop flowing sooner. I am aboout to set my 50 early taps within a couple days, for this warm up. After all my trials of different approaches here is my final conclusion:

Tapping 4 to 6 weeks before traditional dates can be moderately productive. You will see lower sugar content and less sap. I no longer risk my primary bush to early tapping! I have two laterals in a seperate woods that get early tapped. Last year I had 160 taps total and 50 of those were tapped early and 110 during my traditional dates. I do not recommend tapping all your taps early on gravity or buckets. I am all 3/16" gravity and natural vaccum. You will do a lot more work and end up in the same place you will be by waiting. Now if you have extra trees, then tap them and get you some bonus syrup, but move on to your regular taps during regular time.

Just my 2 cents

I'm still pretty new to the maple thing, this being my 4th season. I, like SwingPure, have looked at the 10-14 day forecast and the broader forecast of a warm January, and decided to start tapping my trees today. I have about 40 on my property and do another 40 of neighbors. I also need to wrap up my season early-mid March for family reasons, so for me it seemed like the stars alined to tap early. And i got some new maple equipment for Christmas, so my impatience to use it is the final straw to get going :)

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Originally Posted by CanterburyMaple

I'm still pretty new to the maple thing, this being my 4th season. I, like SwingPure, have looked at the 10-14 day forecast and the broader forecast of a warm January, and decided to start tapping my trees today. I have about 40 on my property and do another 40 of neighbors. I also need to wrap up my season early-mid March for family reasons, so for me it seemed like the stars alined to tap early. And i got some new maple equipment for Christmas, so my impatience to use it is the final straw to get going :)

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Personally I say great.

Today I checked to see if the sap was flowing and it had not started yet. It reached 5° C / 41° F, but it was cloudy for most of the day. Tomorrow will be 8° / 46° F and I am hoping it might run.

It was fun and exciting just checking, and if the sap doesn’t run, it doesn’t run, and if it does, bonus. Being retired and the lake not frozen enough yet for ice fishing, I have time to boil if I do get any. These are not my main lines and it is just fun doing it.

I am a bass fisherman and every year I try to learn a different technique or two and work at it to be good at it, just to expand my abilities. I see trying this is just the same as doing that. I will get to learn new things about sugaring, whether this adventure is successful or not.

As they say in the Shawshank Redemption: “Get busy living or get busy dying”.

Good luck with your tapping!

I went out at 11:30 pm and the sap is running! We will see in the morning just how much.

I normally tap 2nd week of Feb. Ohio weather is forecast to be just freezing or a little below overnight to mid 40s daytime, for the next 2 weeks.
As a hobby tapper I am thinking I should be getting ready. Maybe I should have already been ready and be tapping now.

David