2012 season - SE MN

[Peepers]

The 10 day forecast is all above freezing temps - since I tap silvers that get buddy fast I try to catch the first good runs. The ground is still frozen hard here but what little snow we have is melting fast. Unless the forecasts change it might be a really early year here in SE MN. If we keep hitting mid 40's and the forecast stays warm I'll probably throw a tap into our big fenceline box elder in the next couple of days to see what it does. I just hope with our fall drought that we have enough ground moisture to get some decent sap.

What is everyone else thinking about this weather?

[RileySugarbush]

I may go tap some Sugars that I normally don't tap just to see what they do. I think it is too early, even with this crazy warm weather.

[mnguy]

Here just north of the twin cities some of the maples have sap running down them from wounds. I also tap silvers so not sure what to think. Rileysugarbush let us all know what you find if you tap.

Mike

[dufftj]

I looked out my bedroom window after I got home from work and I noticed one red maple that was soaked from about 30' up to its base....Then I walked my property and noticed multiple maples with sap comming out of wounds. This is my first year tapping and I'm starting to get really excited, don't know how much longer I can wait to tap.
Tim

[RileySugarbush]

I drilled two sugar maples today, some of the low land trees right by the sugarhouse. Usually these run early, but they were dry. I went back an hour latter and saw some wet bark so I put in some spiles and hung bags. Now, a couple of hours later I have my first sap of 2012. Not much. One tree is dripping once per 10 seconds. The other once per 6. I am not sure what to do at this point. I am going to wait another day and see what happens with a full days run.

[Peepers]

I drilled a few holes in a field & yard edge box elder around 4:45 that is usually one of our early trees and the shavings looked pretty dry. I'll watch those holes over the next couple of days as well as the 10 day forecast. I tend to get the itch early and have to restrain myself from tapping too early. We still have around an inch of spotty/slushy snow on the ground and with the fog haven't seen the sun in two days now. I guess if it starts hitting 40 again for a few days with no cold snaps in sight it might be time to tap for real. Realistically I think the big sap is still at least a few weeks out though even with this weather.
Still hard to believe that its groundhog's day and the 10 day forecast only has one day with a high under 32. Maybe our two weeks of winter in early January was it and now its on to spring. Either that or after all this warm weather we'll get a late Feb - early March cold snap that is really going to screw up the plants and trees. Weird stuff.

[SDdave]

I think you may be right Peepers, with the late Feb. early March cold snap. But then again it could be like 6 or 7 yrs ago...mid 60's before St. Patty's, and the sap ran early here that year. I just don't know about this weather. I think I am going to hold off until March 1 for tapping. Unless this itch becomes a rash.

Wish everybody the best of luck this year.

SDdave

[MN-SAPPER]

I too am Getting the Itch, i am in the north metro as well. this weather is making me wonder if i should be tapping, although i am not ready(building a homade oiltank evap) so I do need a few more weeks. I also dont want to miss the sap run either, thanks for the info, this is my 2nd year. I also tap mostly silvers.

[justin]

slow the bits down its still early here in mn. If you tap to early you might get a dry tap in the mild-season.

[Peepers]

yep, I agree with you Justin. The 10 day forecast is looking closer to normal now - still warmer than ave but many more days with highs around or below freezing than there were a few days ago. If this above ave weather trend keeps up it still looks to be an early season especially for us with silvers. Silver sap (at least in my neighborhood) gets buddy a lot earlier than sugars and box elders.