Late start for 2014

[bowhunter]

Central Ohio is looking more like a bust for February. We get a warm up late in the month, but the night time temperatures are going to be above freezing. I'm afraid we're only going to get 7-8 days with any appreciable sap flow.

[bowhunter]

I'm going to tap this Friday while my grandsons are out of school. Not sure how much help they'll be but it will be a fun thing to do together. They're both interested in it. The youngest one (10 years old) wanted to tap some last night so we put out 7 buckets before his feet got cold in the snow.

[RC Maple]

I don't know that this will be that late of a start. When I was just starting I was told not to tap til after Valentines Day. My first two years it was the end of January (27th) so all this extra waiting for the season to start seams like an eternity but I think there are calendar tappers out there just nodding and waiting for the right day - its coming. I don't know yet which day I'll tap but it will be within the next week. As for the forecast - they've been known to miss it by a degree or two I do believe that the following weekend I am going to be lighting a fire and watching the steam rise.

[Stupatterson]

Curious about your homemade ro setup. I live in marysville and tap some trees over near Richwood. Would like to see your setup sometime when you have a chance. Maybe on a weekend.

[bowhunter]

Stu,

You're welcome to come by and see it. I'm going to run it in tomorrow on water, but should be processing sap next week. You might want to wait a week or so to get the bugs out. Just send me a private message and let me know when you want to stop by. I'll send you my address.

Dave

[bowhunter]

I did have about 20% of my 107 taps running a little bit this afternoon although the temperature was only 24 F.

[Marcus]

I tapped yesterday and have very little sap. Hope today does better.

[bowhunter]

I collected 38 gallons of sap from 105 taps this afternoon. Not really enough to start, but plan to run in my new RO on sap for a couple of hours tomorrow. Will probably fire up the evaporator to sweeten the pan as well. This run is pretty weak so far. I'm not sure we'll get anymore until Saturday and after that it looks like another week or more before anymore sap.....so slow to start.

[mjjoutdoor]

I collected about 90 gal over the last 2 days here just east of Columbus off 70 buckets. I'll collect again tomorrow and then fire up the evap. Hope to have 100+ to boil.

[bowhunter]

I think the season's going to be a bust here in Marysville. This past run didn't yield 1/2 gallon of sap per tap and we're not going to have any more good days until March 5th or 6th. The calendar's working against us here.