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Thread: Foothills of the Berkshires, thinking about tapping

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    chester, ma
    Posts
    905

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    Yes, I imagine where you are is very similar. Hope your unscheduled trip isn't because of any bad family emergencies.

    If you can get the taps in earlier, it looks like this week will be a good run. Personally, I'm committed to waiting, but if I were going early, I guess I'd want to make the most of it before we head back into a cold snap.

    Good luck, and let me know how it goes!

    GO
    2016: Homemade arch from old wood stove; 2 steam tray pans; 6 taps; 1.1 gal
    2017: Same setup. 15 taps; 4.5 gal
    2018: Same setup. Limited time. 12 taps and short season; 2.2 gal
    2019: Very limited time. 7 taps and a short season; 1.8 gals
    2020: New Mason 2x3 XL halfway through season; 9 taps 2 gals
    2021: Same 2x3, 18 taps, 4.5 gals
    2022: 23 taps, 5.9 gals
    2023: 23 taps. Added AUF, 13.2 gals
    2024: 17 taps
    All on buckets

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Volney, NY
    Posts
    275

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    Thankfully, the days are getting longer.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    westfield ma
    Posts
    438

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    im still waiting, before going full blown tapping it makes no sense to me starting before feb. i put a few test taps here and there just to get an idea of what happening in my woods . ive cleaned up and put out all my equipment except the vac pumps and RO , now comes a short time to go thru make improvements for this seasons. for me is mostly adding more tubing and taps to grab some of the farther trees ive left alone in years past. hope everyone else is gettin ready too
    2x6 leader WSE with AUF, hood,preheater
    waterguy RO
    leader 16 gal custom water jacketed canner
    10 in short stack wes fab filter press
    540 taps on tubing with vac & always adding
    2- benders running 25" hg from GAST vac pumps
    few stainless bulk tanks
    1978 chevy 1 ton 4x4 dually
    IH T340 dozer with 6-way blade

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Volney, NY
    Posts
    275

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    Here, in the lee of Lake Ontario, we haven't had any sun since last year and none in the 10 day forecast. Today I collected 90 gallons of 2% from 104 jugs.

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Volney, NY
    Posts
    275

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    The Climate Prediction Centers' 14 day outlook is for a 33-40% chance of above ave. temps for all of NE, NY, northern Ohio, southern Michigan, and Indiana. 40-50% chance of above ave. temps for the UP, Wisc., N. Ill.

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Columbia County, NY
    Posts
    13

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    Tried a few sample taps last weekend, had a little flow that quickly ebbed. Now the temps are getting back into the teens here in the NY slice of the Berkshires, so back to waiting.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    chester, ma
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    Quote Originally Posted by IWDaddo View Post
    Tried a few sample taps last weekend, had a little flow that quickly ebbed. Now the temps are getting back into the teens here in the NY slice of the Berkshires, so back to waiting.
    Oh, too bad. I would've thought from the weather the last two weeks would've been great! Well, you only did a few taps, no big loss, right?

    GO
    2016: Homemade arch from old wood stove; 2 steam tray pans; 6 taps; 1.1 gal
    2017: Same setup. 15 taps; 4.5 gal
    2018: Same setup. Limited time. 12 taps and short season; 2.2 gal
    2019: Very limited time. 7 taps and a short season; 1.8 gals
    2020: New Mason 2x3 XL halfway through season; 9 taps 2 gals
    2021: Same 2x3, 18 taps, 4.5 gals
    2022: 23 taps, 5.9 gals
    2023: 23 taps. Added AUF, 13.2 gals
    2024: 17 taps
    All on buckets

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    hills west of Jeff City Missouri
    Posts
    134

    Default question from an amateur in missouri

    were having crazy weather this month, nighttime lows are too low or high. but we've had a few good runs in the last 2 weeks. my question is - will sap flow at night? what conditions will facilitate that? maybe Dr Perkins can reply as well as you pros. check out our Missouri tapping log on MT - I'm trying to build a network of syrup producers in Mo, some have as many as 500 trees, there are a few with RO, but nothing on the scale of New England or Wisc/MI. Thanks to all. John in MO
    2020: 220 trees, most smaller than 20" diameter, made 25 gallons
    remote location in western Cole County
    5/16" plastic spiles, drain into plastic buckets or sapsaks
    haul sap out of woods using atv & trailer
    wood-fired pans on concrete blocks
    one Leader Half Pint 24 x 33" plus 24 x 30 ss pan from a junkyard
    cook batch process then finish in the kitchen;
    we dont sell our syrup; its for family & friends
    see website www.mosyrup.com

  9. #19
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, Underhill Ctr, VT
    Posts
    6,390

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    Quote Originally Posted by uncle john mid mo View Post
    my question is - will sap flow at night? what conditions will facilitate that?
    Sap flow has nothing to do with light or dark. It is driven almost exclusively by temperature, although it is temperature of the wood/branches, not air temperature (although the two are typically related). Sap will flow after dark if the temperature is above freezing and it will not flow in the light if the temperature is below freezing. Sap flows when the (wood) temperature rises from below to above freezing. Water is taken up from the soil during the time the wood goes from above freezing to below freezing. Once frozen, no more water is taken up. If you have several warm days in a row, once the stem water is depleted to where the capillary action in the wood vessels holding the sap in matches the head pressure at the taphole, sap flow stops. If the temperature warms up a little more during that time, you may see weeping flows due to gas bubble expansion in the wood pushing a little more sap out.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    hills west of Jeff City Missouri
    Posts
    134

    Default sap flowing inid missouri at 70 deg f- should i be worried

    dr perkins thanks for the prompt reply. temp will get down to 50 deg f tonight- will it spoil?
    2020: 220 trees, most smaller than 20" diameter, made 25 gallons
    remote location in western Cole County
    5/16" plastic spiles, drain into plastic buckets or sapsaks
    haul sap out of woods using atv & trailer
    wood-fired pans on concrete blocks
    one Leader Half Pint 24 x 33" plus 24 x 30 ss pan from a junkyard
    cook batch process then finish in the kitchen;
    we dont sell our syrup; its for family & friends
    see website www.mosyrup.com

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