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I am looking for some feedback from bigger producers or people that have tapped really early in the past.
I have changed out around 250 drops on a smaller bush of mine and was considering tapping this weekend (Feb 1.) I know some producers start tapping in January every year. Will the tap holes stay open for 8 weeks with new drops?
It is on vac and I usually finish by April 1 at the latest. Taps always last 6 weeks for me, not sure about 8. I know it is weather dependent too.
Thanks
8 weeks would be ok if using check valves
I have gotten 12-14 weeks using CV taps. Actually you don't need CV in year 1, just 2 and 3. It is advised to change the drops after 3 for best results.
I know a guy that runs a 45,000 tap operation he uses through away taps. Changes them out every year. He starts tapping a day after Christmas. He turns the vacuum pump on as soon as a tap is in a tree and doesn’t shut it off until the tree stops producing. The theory is under vacuum bacteria can form.
In my experience with new drops/lines regular spouts you'll get a good 8 maybe 10 weeks of real solid flow (clear polycarbonate spout completely full of liquid). After that you'll get sap but a very diminished flow (clear polycarbonate spout will be partially full/ trickling not solid as it was)
With old drops/new spouts a solid 6-8 weeks will be seen. in my experience the CVS performing next to regular spouts reacted exactly the same in most cases. Never forget that every system, every tree,and every season are different.
You will pull sap on vaccum for up to 10-12 weeks but likely less than half the volume as many of the tapholes have started to close and are plugging with bacteria, or have already and are getting virtually no flow.
I've tapped in mid Jan, and finished pulling taps in early to mid May. About half of those late pulled taps are still flowing. For that my taps were on 100% sugar maples. Now I tap about 50% reds, they will quit flowing much sooner, related to the weather I think more than how long the tap was in. My vacuum shuts off as temps get down to 29F and back on at about 33-34F. The vacuum pump is on 240VAC. It is set on a timer to shut off according to the hourly forecast, on manually.
I have all hard maples, no reds. I pull decent vac. (20 inches on average). Thinking I will go for it on old and new taps. I can always boil water the 2nd maple weekend if the holes dry up.
The main thing to understand is that bacteria(yeasts, molds) close all holes, this happens at a rate that correlates to time.
You will get a solid 6-8 weeks of run, from there it drops off considerably. By week 10-14 the sap may be flowing but at an extremely reduced rate. It's important to understand that although taps produce sap beyond 12 weeks it's a low yield and that's with good vaccum. Ideal tapping time is extremely important for optimal yields.
Brand new systems are a slight exception.
I've started tapping every year for the past ten years or so the first week of January with no noticeable drop in flow in April. This year we started tapping December 19. I run high vacuum (over 27"). Keep leaks to a minimum (find asap after they happen). I use cv2 spouts. Never had an issue with premature taphole drying. I've got multiple videos from years past of 12-16 week old taps running into the releaser on our Facebook page( link below).Quote:
Originally Posted by backyardsugarer
Neil
Our experience is the same. For our production bush we use CV2s and tap starting in mid-January. Vacuum is as high as we can pull (26-28"+, our sugarhouse is about 1,300 ft elevation). Sap is generally still running when we pull spouts, but we stop making syrup when it turns commercial/industrial.Quote:
Originally Posted by Walling's Maple Syrup