Tapping on New Year's Day.

[nace]

Is it just me or do other folks have two months of work to do by tomorrow?

[nace]

image.jpg 150 taps in while repairing tubing as I went (part of that two months worth of work). All of my tap holes were dry even after the temp reached 40•. Vaccum manifold assembly after supper!

[Tommyv]

Hey Nace, I am following your progress, and trying to learn from you. I just got interested in maple syrup last year, but didn't have any luck. I am just up the road a little from ya, towards Owensboro, so I figure if you are tapping I should be also. Thanks for posting

Tom

[Sugar]

We tapped yesterday. We only put 30 in, but will add more next week after the little warm-up we have predicted. This is the first time we tapped, that the holes were completely dry and no sap ran. We live about 5-10 minutes from Nace.

[treeguy]

i am holding off till the weather is right. last year we had a good spell of weather at this time. We need a good period of freezing weather not just a few chilly nights ;-)

[Tommyv]

Thanks for the help Sugar and Tree.

[nace]

Hi Tom, you could wait for a harder freeze to tap. Try to tap while they are frozen, just be careful not to drive the tap in so hard they the tree splits. If they leak later, you can Seat them then. I'm so far behind, due to my wife's health this past fall, that I have to replace squirrel damage and re-stretch tubing as I go. I figure this first run will flush the lines while I clean the tank, re assemble the evaporator, finish up my vacuum system... Just all the stuff that should have been done in the last 2 months. With scrap iron at .30 a pound, I made new fire grates out of 3"x1/4" angle iron for my 40"x12' king. The angle iron was only $28! Crones Recycling in Scottsville, has useful scrap separated so you can find what you need. How many taps do you have?

[esetter]

My 3rd year making syrup. LOTS to learn. I will be following you guys!

[Tommyv]

Hey Nace, thanks for the tips. I am only going to try 2 trees this year and see how it goes, if all goes good I will expand more next year. As of right now, I am just looking for a small hobby without making much of an investment. Since it is 19 degrees today and isn't going to get out of the thirties this week, it should be a good time to tap, correct?

[dje5717]

We have spent the past week setting things up, moving to a new "sugar house" and new evaporator and all new inside piping. shooting for Thursday to set the first tap. seems the weather is finally cooperating!