When should I tap?
This is only my 2nd year tapping and the weather in southern Indian is warmer than last year. It appears that day temps will stay above freezing every day in the foreseeable forecast. We haven't had a long cold spell staying below freezing for more than a couple days.
Should I go ahead and tap soon?
Wait a few weeks?
Will the mild winter hurt the sap flow?
Being a neighbor I would definitely wait. It's bound to get cold and stay that way for a while. Late Jan is the earliest I've tapped and I hit it right that year but be patient. We are all ready to go.lol
2021
2x8 CDL raised flue w/ hoods
SMOKY LAKE SS filter press
825i JD gator
400 taps and growing
SL steam bottler
250 CDL RO
I'm watching the weather, and think we might tap two weeks from now. Our weather is just too unstable, and it seems the last couple years when it starts to warm, it gets warm fast and stays that way. I am a believer in tapping early.
Been watching the same weather, and I'm debating not tapping now also because it's not getting cold again in the next 10 days and I've missed the initial thaw by several days. May just go out and run some 3/16 line and set up a collection drum.
2014 - 30 taps
2015 - 50 taps
2016 - 140 taps
2017 - 115 taps - 85 taps on 3/16, 30 buckets
2018 - 150 taps, all 3/16
Smokey Lake 2x3
Homemade 2x XLE-4040 RO Unit
Kubota L3940 - big sap hauler
Polaris Sportsman 570 SP - little sap hauler
I'm 1:20 remote from sugarbush, so I let run awhile between boils, and time is at a premium, so I try to oversize things
Tapped 15 trees so far this morning. No flow, which is good for me because I can't come back till next weekend and hope they don't flow until it cools down later this week.
2014 - 30 taps
2015 - 50 taps
2016 - 140 taps
2017 - 115 taps - 85 taps on 3/16, 30 buckets
2018 - 150 taps, all 3/16
Smokey Lake 2x3
Homemade 2x XLE-4040 RO Unit
Kubota L3940 - big sap hauler
Polaris Sportsman 570 SP - little sap hauler
I'm 1:20 remote from sugarbush, so I let run awhile between boils, and time is at a premium, so I try to oversize things
Decided against it, will re-evaluate next weekend. Just too warm this upcoming week.
Soon
Im all set, still waiting for the 1st or 2nd week of Feb...just too warm now for me.
2016:100 taps added a JD 1023 sub compact tractor
2015:break (new baby)
2014: 70 taps, replaced my concrete arch with a manufactured
2013: Added 15 more taps and a 18x24 warming pan
2012 : 36 Taps, 2x4 divided pan on a concrete arch
2006-07: Assisted an 'Old Timer' with 200 tapps, and his wood fired evaporator up in Wis.
1986-1993: 5 taps, Boiled on a wood stove in Northern Mich.
Tapped 20 today sure was cold with light snow.
I've also never tapped earlier than late January, and usually later than that. I honestly don't know if sap will be flowing tomorrow when it's going to get really warm, but I am sure we will have a solid prolonged freeze in our future and I prefer to wait for that first thaw to tap.
2014 - 8 taps, turkey fryer, 130 gallons sap, just under 2.5 gallons syrup.
2015 - 50 taps and counting.
2016 - 60 taps on 3/16 and a Bill Mason evaporator on order.
2017 - 115 taps on 3/16, homemade r/o.
2018 - 150 taps on 3/16, r/o a big help, but lots of leaks killing yield.
2019 - sticking with 150 taps or maybe less, focusing on good vacuum and less waste to increase yield. Doubling up my r/o, and made a vacuum filter that looks promising.
Decided to hold off till next weekend to tap. Looks like perfect weather that next week; if the long range forecasts hold out. I did get out and run 3/16 tubing for 25 taps, a learning experiance for me as I'm new to any sort of tubing. I need to order more tubing. Now I need to get my RO working that I built last year but never actually got operational.
2014 - 30 taps
2015 - 50 taps
2016 - 140 taps
2017 - 115 taps - 85 taps on 3/16, 30 buckets
2018 - 150 taps, all 3/16
Smokey Lake 2x3
Homemade 2x XLE-4040 RO Unit
Kubota L3940 - big sap hauler
Polaris Sportsman 570 SP - little sap hauler
I'm 1:20 remote from sugarbush, so I let run awhile between boils, and time is at a premium, so I try to oversize things
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