Western Wisconsin

[Cody]

Helped a friend down the road that taps about 12000 tree's,started tapping them right after the first of the year.Talked to him this morning said there not doing much in that woods I helped him on.Tree's are probably to cold in the woods to give up much yet.Looked promising some of them days we were tapping but they didn't give up much.Long range on Accuweather looks like March,but that could change.

[Mr Sugar Maple]

Hi Irish Ridge, Still think its too early, we get about six weeks out of a tap on buckets. so tapping now only goes to the 25th of March. This weekend will be getting ready, sap tanks up top cover with snow while we still have some. sweep out the sugar house Run the main line down the hill, but hey its outside in the woods.Yes.

[markcasper]

Well, I'm glad to hear that I'm not alone Mark. Last year sure was weird. Hopefully this is a short fluke and we don't miss much.

Question though, if you were all ready to go, and had the weekend free, would you tap?

Short answer is YES, but only on tubing with new taps. Bags, absolutely not yet.

I have not gotten around to a sample tree yet, but when I do, I always put a new straight clear spout on and the thing runs all the way to the end even when tapped in mid February. In all honesty, I may start tapping by the end of next week but like others have said, it will probably run a little and then you have frozen stuff to deal with for 3 weeks. In 2002, I tapped 300 taps of non vacuum tubing on Feb. 14th/15th and I put new 5/16 adapters on. I gathered on the 19th and the 22nd, had a real good run with about 700 gallons total and then it froze up solid until the 8th of March. Went to around April 10th and they ran just as good then as the day I tapped. It is the new spouts that makes all the difference.

The thing that concerns me is the lack of frost in the ground. There is little to none and you know what happened last year. Only difference is that its happening a week sooner. On the bright side, drum syrup is down in price so we won't be losing as much as we would have say 2 years ago.

[AKsyrup]

I kind of hedged my bets and only put in half my taps today but all were running really well. We'll see what happens with the longer term forecast before I put the other half in. Iowa county

[Maddogmusher]

I did a sample tap and it was dripping pretty good. So I put them all out. I am a small one-woman operation Only 18 taps. north of Somerset, WI

[motowbrowne]

Be careful on the ice out there you guys. I fell and got my foot stuck under me on the way down. Broke my ankle in two places and dislocated it to boot.

It just happened, so I don't know what'll happen in the bush, but I guess it's possible that I'm gonna have 12 more months to get ready to cook.

I'm hoping that I'll be able to round up a number of my friends and still make syrup this year. If anyone knows someone who can work in the woods and needs some work this spring let me know. My number is 715-222-3237.

[gatzow]

Sorry to hear this.

Be careful on the ice out there you guys. I fell and got my foot stuck under me on the way down. Broke my ankle in two places and dislocated it to boot.

It just happened, so I don't know what'll happen in the bush, but I guess it's possible that I'm gonna have 12 more months to get ready to cook.

I'm hoping that I'll be able to round up a number of my friends and still make syrup this year. If anyone knows someone who can work in the woods and needs some work this spring let me know. My number is 715-222-3237.

[motowbrowne]

Well, I talked to a few great guys and gals and I'm hopeful that I'm still gonna tap this year. I poured too much money into syrup stuff this year not to make any, so hopefully I'll be able to find the help I need and still make syrup this year.

[Irish Ridge]

Motowbrowne, Your first post explaining how you fell sent shivers up my back. Hope your season works out for you. Down by us we have what seems like inches of ice under crusty snow. My trees are on a north facing slope so that doesn't help me either. This morning while collecting I yanked a tap on a tree right at the edge of a major bluff on my property. Got some words of wisdom last night that shared with me that no tree is worth the potential free fall. Chose my steps much more carefully this morning. Keep updating us on your season.

[markcasper]

Sorry to hear about your fall, Ryan. That plain sucks! Hopefully things work out and you can get some made. I tapped my old girl sample tree and got 70 drops a minute at noon today. I tapped a box elder by my shack yesterday and there was about an inch in it at noon today. At 6pm there was over a half gallon in the sample tree and it had slowed to 30 drops a minute. Unsure just what I'll do with having to work full time and not yet ready. Really needed one more week yet to fully prepare.