Printable View
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
I guess I may be more progressive on taphole drying than most. To me a dry taphole is one that's losing yield, not necessarily completely dry to the bone.
I always see sap in end of April when I pull spouts, makes sides of tree wet and I say man should I be pulling??
I also get sap at the releaser- not the full tanks that I got in March but a third that amount (for example 1000 gal in March, maybe 400 in mid April).
Guess I'm not sure how you would interpret that?
Had one isolated sugarbush last year 600 Taps all on CVS( had to try one more time) and I didn't see anything spectacularly different from the other 3 bushes I have or previous years, total sap gpt numbers were all in line. So I don't know, seems things always happen differently around here!!
I tried check valves twice and saw no change in my yield either. I just use regular spouts now. I know what the research shows but I also know what I saw with my own eyes.
Did a study in my woods and saw no difference between new check valves and new seasonal spouts.
Quote:
Originally Posted by backyardsugarer
I I'm not sure of your elevation and general area but I can say this I see a lot of people with a couple thousand tabs tapping late January or early February like it take them three weeks to set up.
Why jeopardize not having a nice fresh tap hole when the good runs come in March? Especially when it only takes, for most producers less than 4000 taps, a week's time on average to tap. I tap 3500 taps and in about a week by myself I have my tapping done, leaks all found and fixed so.....
I don't know about everybody else but these little warm spells we've been having and we'll have again this week do nothing for sap flow. I've done the January tapping, had perfect days with temperatures in the low 40s and I'm stomping the ground saying where's the sap!!! Well it's not sap season that's why there's no sap!!- can anybody relate?
Very few runs in January in early February are going to produce a gallon of sap per tap, and furthermore probably not going to have the sugar content of a good march run.
I know I make my maple syrup with sugar not water.
It's hard but try to refrain patience is a virtue.
Yes ... even in South Western Connecticut at 300' MSL I can relate. Although I have made some gorgeous stuff in late January and early February in recent years. We actually had ideal taping weather in December this year. And I was tempted.Quote:
Originally Posted by blissville maples
But this year my 5/16 bit is still in the box.
A tap may last 6 weeks ... it may last 7 weeks ... it may last 8 weeks ... it may last 9 weeks ... it may last 10 weeks ... it may not last any weeks.
Dorthy used to say in the wizard of oz ... "Their is no place like home"
As sugar makers we all need to remember ... no matter how much we know ... and how good we think are clever taps are ... "Their is no place like a fresh tap"
I have had a set of buckets out for 2 weeks from March 1 to March 14 outperform big time in total sap output, another set of buckets that were out from January 25th to March 31.
And I mean big time.
After 4 seasons of tapping early ( somewhere between Jan 25 - Feb 5 ) and averaging about 10 boils per year for the season, I would say it is best to avoid early tapping if one can avoid it.
While we get some good early season sap flow in this region, early tapping, even at my location, contradicts the natural and evolutionary design of the maple forest.
For those that can re-tap, have at it, although I do not recommend it.
I don't even know if the retapping helps too much. I experimented the last couple years with this and Dr Tim is Right, you'll get a few good days then the bacteria proliferate again within 3-5 days your right back where you were.
I've said it before and I'll say it again I have a family friend that never taps until March, he makes around 2200 gallons on 3400 taps. I don't think it's high sugar, I think it's major production for 3-4 weeks from fresh tap Holes. I'll be at 600 gallons before he starts tapping and he catches up REALLY quick, and surpasses me!! He says this;
"When you start getting stuck in mud then you'll get the sap!". Not alot of mud in January and One day doesn't count!!
I'm glad someone out there has the same results as I!
I'm a firm believer of what blissville eluded to. Don't just watch the temperatures, look at the ground around you. We have had several warm days but the ground has not thawed at all. We've held on to just enough snow pack to keep it froze up. Once the frost starts coming out, it's time to make syrup. With that said, the trees have run some and a few are making syrup. But I'm still holding out for tapping nearer the end of February.
what about if there is no isn't any frost?
If no frost they will start running sooner with above freezing temps in my experience. Never seen that here but 1-2 feet of frost vs. 4-5 makes a difference for sure. Once frost is out marginal days will give you sap where with frost in the ground you may not get any. 50 miles north or south of anyone can make a big difference. At least in Maine. Whether or not you run vacuum makes a difference too. You’ll get more sap sooner from trees on vacuum. If we had no frost my taps would be in by now.
I am located in northern Wisconsin where we’ve had a lot of snow since early fall. We usually have some frost but I don’t think we have any this year. I can still drive a fence posts into the ground. I normally tap close to 15 March. I plan on starting this year March 1.
Even so, with or without frost, the weather in February just isn't the same as March. Going from say 26-38 isn't enough of a swing in temps to get alot of pressure within the tree, that's what I call a stagnant temperature and it's no good unless it's April!!. And this is usually after nights of teens or single digits during January or February.
If you have single digits or Teen nights it kills sap flow for days, regardless of frost depth. Sap flow will only be optimal when these night time temps are over,which is usually end of February early March.
Also for sap flow you need a freeze thaw cycle. Not a deep freeze for a week followed by two days of 40s before next deep freeze- this does absolutely nothing to fill tanks that's a fact.
I agree. Often those early days don’t produce good runs. Temperatures are too flat and the nights too cold. You will not get good runs if your line stone for fairly early.