Two weeks ago I was going to put out taps around the 16th. Now the weather forecast is making me think I won't put any taps in until mid or even late February.
What's everyone else planning on doing?
Printable View
Two weeks ago I was going to put out taps around the 16th. Now the weather forecast is making me think I won't put any taps in until mid or even late February.
What's everyone else planning on doing?
I am east of you out near Carlisle and Harrisburg.
For the last few years I have been all tapped in and making syrup by now, I too was thinking of tapping a week or two ago and decided to hold off a little to see what the weather was going to do.
Well I am really happy that I held off, we are to have a day or two that will get above freezing but outside of that, hold on to your hat, boy is it going to get cold!
I know the weather can make a quick change so I have everything sitting ready to go.
I'm right near the center of the state and I'm with you guys. Glad that I didn't tap yet.
I am looking at the forecast and if AccuWeather stays the same and true, I'll be tapping late next weekend. AccuWeather is the only AP that I have that goes out more than 1 week.
I think mid Feb maybe the time to tap. Assuming we get the warming we need. I always felt these hard freezes were good. Although we had so much rain in the last week, the ground is not frozen yet. So we may have a good season this year. Thats my prediction! Check back in April!
Regards,
Chris
Sugarmaker, I think that as far south of you that we are, and you are looking at mid-February then we should be a week or so ahead of you. My ground is frozen solid but has only been that way for a week now. This year's weather pattern has been unusually for sure.
I hope you are correct in your prediction.
Any concerns the sugar will be low from such a wet year? Fruit is always sweeter during dry years.
I am south of Chambersburg and am waiting with the rest of you. Next weekend at the soonest but watching the forecast. My weathers guys are saying a cold Feb and March.
Sugar content will be good. The shorter the season the sweeter the sap!
May be into March the way the weather looks! Keep getting ready!
Regards,
Chris
I'm 30 mins south of Pittsburgh. I'll be tapping Sat/Sun. Weather looks perfect after this week's cold spell.
Hello all and hope everyone has a great year! Earlier this week my coworker / backyarder talked about tapping this weekend. I told him he was full of crap. Looks like I will be eating my words :o I plan on tapping this Sunday. I don't expect any sap until at least Tuesday because of frozen trees. I will at least get the vacuum on and fix leaks. I'm not tapping my 3/16" this year. I'll probably stop at about 20 gallons if mother nature lets me get there. Good luck everyone!
Wow, what crazy weather. Tapped yesterday and fixed leaks. Everything is clean and ready. Sucked some hot water through the mainline and dumped the first 30 gallons or so of sap. Sap is collecting in the tank now:) First boil should be tomorrow! Special thanks to my great wife who helped right along. Anyone else collecting?
Finished tapping midday yesterday. I'm sore today! 70 taps on 3 lines. Sap was flowing like a river. I usually try to boil on the weekends but with this warm weather, I'll probably do my first boil on Wednesday.
Lots of improvements over last year so I'm excited to see how things go. Last year I had each of my 3 lines ran to different points....this year they all run to 1 collect tank. Last year I collected via my truck and transferred into my truck via 5 gallon bucks....this year I bought a small transfer pump. Last year I was boiling 1% sugar.....this year I build a small RO.
I put out 11 taps yesterday & today, have some more to put out the rest of the week. I'm handing over most of the week's collection to my husband so he can test the RO machine he built. And I started using the SapTapApp, it is so useful!
Are you still tapping around the old golf course/new high school?Quote:
Originally Posted by sbedilion
Excellent sap run on vacuum. About 2 gallons per tap. I've got about 60 more gallons to boil tonight. It will be close tonight for the first draw of the season. Coworkers buckets are running slow.
I wish. Those massive tree are so so good. Maybe once the park is open, I will pitch them an educational plan and exchange for letting me tap them. All my trees are on my inlaws farm in Lone Pine. Lots of trees but they have small canopies and produce low sugar. Last year I was averaging over 80 gallons to make 1 gallon....which is why I built the RO.Quote:
Originally Posted by helptheold
Collect 50+ gallons tonight. Lines were barely moving. Weather is too warm now..haha.
Just getting lines up. Then will look at weather forecast and decide when to tap. Sap was running from some big cut branches!
Regards,
Chris
I think that would be an excellent idea, I'd be happy to work with you on that!Quote:
Originally Posted by sbedilion
Put out most of my taps now, I think there are a few more trees I've marked but I can't remember where they are! Will have to go looking for them later in the week. But I've gotten about 13 gallons which should be enough for testing the RO machine and getting things tweaked before some good runs happen.
I’m boiling 200 gallons I got today. Made 3 gallons of syrup. Coworkers buckets did bad. It’s been 3 days without a freeze yet the ground is still frozen. Vacuum dropped a little and found some leaks. Water hydrant finally thawed. Was able to mop the floor! Looks like a freeze tonight and a good run tomorrow.
I decided to put 50 taps in yesterday to test things out. After 14 hours I have gotten 50 gallons at 3.4% . Vacuum gauge at the top of the hill was showing 20 inches this morning... overall, very happy so far with my first run at tubing...
Ran the new diy RO last night. Wow! I struggled last year with 1% or less sugar. I ran 50 gallons of 1% through the RO last night in a few hours.....ending with about 12-13 gallons of 4%! Bring on the sap! Looks like a good reset this Fri/Sat and good sap weather all next week.
Folks,
Tubing is up! Had a with Tom, new sugarmaker in Local area. He is looking for more trees to fill his new 30 inch x 6 foot rig!
Regards,
Chris
Didn’t get the freeze but you gotta love high vacuum! 160 gallons today. About another hour to boil yet. Sugarmaker, great job! Taps going in soon?
I finally finished getting my taps in yesterday. It took me about 35 hours. I collected some sap earlier this week (making it into syrup today), but my trees are only trickling now due to the warm weather without frosts. I'm ready for the perfect maple syrup weather that will start on Saturday morning according to the long-range forecast. By the way, I just put up a general thread about tapping 1½' holes. You can read it here:
Looks like PA is getting geared up.
Howard nice job getting started and making syrup. Your tap count is a little higher than mine and its not hard to get that much time into setting up and tapping.
Gary, Will try to tap early next week? Now it looks like only one warm day????
Out to work in the roadside sugarbush again today.
Regards,
Chris
Nice! I finally got the refractometer I ordered so tonight we're going to test out the RO. I'm very excited to see what it does :)Quote:
Originally Posted by sbedilion
Boiling 210 tonight. Another hour to go. Will drain and clean the evaporator this weekend. Should filter and pack what I’ve made. I stopped and introduced myself to iby today. There still under construction but it should be a nice operation.
Gary,
Was thinking you were probably boiling tonight! Finally got my collection system in place. Yuk it was rainy and cool typical syrup weather. Looks like a freeze coming, will tap prior to next warm up.
Couple new trees may get tapped on the route this year to keep the tap count up.
Regards,
Chris
I'm really glad you stopped, it was great meeting you..Quote:
Originally Posted by Gary R
Last night I RO'd 150 gallons of sap to about 8% and boiled it for a couple hours...
This weekend I plan to clean the place up, finalize all the plumbing since I've run it now and hopefully get the rest of the taps put in trees . :)
Started tapping Saturday and have about 550 in. 315 are in red maple rest are in my original sugar bush and are all sugars. Got to R O ing the reds sap this morning and it's only 1.1 %. Knew it wasn't going to be what I'm used to but was disappointed with it being that low. What's others experience with reds? Normal?
Woke up to another 100 in the tank. Boiled early this morning before things froze up. A great week! About 950 gallons and about half way to my season syrup goal.
cjf12, That is common on my sugar bush. My vacuum taps are 90% reds. Season usually starts out just above 1%, may get to 1.4 on a run but comes right back down. I have a 3/16" bush that is 80% sugars, it might only be a tenth or two higher than the reds. Lots of variables to cause it. You have an RO! i'd love to boil concentrated sap. Good luck with the season!
Holy cow Gary, didn't you just tap a few days ago? Being half way there already sure looks like it could be a banner year for you.
Good Luck
I haven't tapped any reds until this year so I don't know what is normal for them but my 45 reds that I am tapping this year have been doing okay. The one run that I have collected so far was at 1.8%Quote:
Originally Posted by cjf12
Just fired up our RO machine for the first time, it's working great. Started with 2% and it's coming out around 6%, fingers crossed it will go up later. I'm so very excited about this!
Very nice! The RO is so nice. Hopefully it runs smoothly for both of us all season!Quote:
Originally Posted by helptheold
Im in the middle of a big evaporator build. We scrapped a ton of 3in square tubing at work and the welders are teaching how to weld :)
Attachment 19402
Im about 75% of the way done. front pan is a 2x3 flat and the top/rear is a 3x4 flat. Because of the 3in tubing...this thing is turning out huge! haha. Someone going to call the Peters Twp fire department thinking the steam is smoke. hahaha
That is one beefy looking evap.
very. haha. its free material so beefy is going to have to do.
Hi Dennis, My plan is to go to 20 gallons and stop. We don't sell it so it's just family and friends. Speaking of friends, one of them wants to help in lieu of 5 gallons of syrup. Thing is his idea of help is firing the evaporator and drinking beer. I mentioned my wood pile needs replenished. Haven't heard from him since :lol: Things ought to be good for you guys this week. Hope all is going well.
Was thinking of tapping Monday. Long range weather forecast doesn't look like much warm weather in Feb. Never know till its over. Feels about right time of the calendar to tap.
Gary,
Aaahhh yes the VHS vanashing helper syndrome!
Sbedillion,
Nice fab work on the new rig!
Regards,
Chris