Southwestern Ontario

Printable View

02-21-2021, 07:59 PM
Smokeshow

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willen

Is it over? Wednesday and Thursday nights are both forecast to dip to freezing, but today's buckets had some clear, some cloudy, some yellow, orange, pink and almost greenish sap, and lots of moths....plus I noticed that the birch sap was running. Does the sap ever run clear again with colder weather after this starts, or are we all finished for 2020?

Where in Campbellville are you?
02-22-2021, 06:54 PM
Willen

Smokeshow, I sent you a PM.

So, +4 on Tuesday, +5 on Wednesday......then above freezing on the weekend again in the forecast - should I be tapping already???
Who has tapped already?
02-23-2021, 08:13 AM
BSHC

havent yet but looks like will be this weekend.
02-23-2021, 12:31 PM
Hkb82

I started laying out lines yesterday and will be putting some taps in today. I’m sure I’ll have a drip 💧 happy sapping
02-24-2021, 07:11 PM
Falloutshelter

Tapped my trees 4 days ago just started dripping today with plus 6 temp. Weekend looks promising I am super new to this but with our real cold winter will take a bit for trees to get moving and thawed out from what I read?
02-24-2021, 07:42 PM
Hkb82

Yup it will be slow for me with these cold temps and knee high snow in the bush. I set up and tapped 2 lines so far 30 taps. Slow slow drip today but it all goes on the ground the first day for me. Although my lines were cleaned at the end of last season I still like to let them flush through a bit. We still have some cold day ahead so it’s going to be a bit in my area. Trying to hit the heavy flows with nice fresh tap holes this year as I’ve kinda tapped a bit early in the past. I still consider myself new after 5 years. Lol
02-24-2021, 08:07 PM
Sugarmaker Dave

Finished tapping this past Friday. Tough work with knee deep snow in the bush. Doubled my taps from last year to 300 this year. Heading north this weekend and hoping to see something in the buckets. And like Hkb82 I too will be dumping the first bit.
02-24-2021, 09:11 PM
Ocelotsden

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sugarmaker Dave

Finished tapping this past Friday. Tough work with knee deep snow in the bush. Doubled my taps from last year to 300 this year. Heading north this weekend and hoping to see something in the buckets. And like Hkb82 I too will be dumping the first bit.

Being a novice, what's the purpose of dumping the first bit, and how much are we talking about?
02-24-2021, 10:06 PM
Sugarmaker Dave

The end of last season I pump isopropyl alcohol into my taps and lines to disinfect. As mush as i drained most of it out when i tapped this season there will still be some residual. When the sap first flows it will flush the rest out which is why I will dump the first sap. Not talking a whole bunch here.
02-24-2021, 10:07 PM
Run Forest Run!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ocelotsden

Being a novice, what's the purpose of dumping the first bit, and how much are we talking about?

Hi! Those fellows are dumping the first bit because they use that first sap to flush their lines. That will not likely apply to someone like you who I assume doesn't run miles of tubing in your operation. :) Have a great season!